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Who Wins the Crown for 2024’s Best Game Graphics? Here’s the Showdown
December 30, 2024A visual face-off: Indy, Hellblade, Star Wars.
2024 has been a blockbuster year for visually stunning games, and Digital Foundry’s annual Best Game Graphics of the Year discussion has sparked heated debates. With Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and Star Wars Outlaws vying for the crown, the competition is fierce. Each game brings groundbreaking visuals to the table, setting benchmarks for how we experience immersive gaming. Digital Foundry’s top three picks showcase the pinnacle of gaming visuals in 2024. Here’s what makes each of these titles a standout.
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Third Place: Star Wars Outlaws – A Galaxy Rendered in Stunning Detail
Ubisoft Massive’s Star Wars Outlaws proves that the galaxy far, far away can shine brighter than ever. Powered by the Snowdrop engine, the game flawlessly captures the gritty, lived-in Star Wars aesthetic.
Key Features That Dazzle:
- Ray Tracing on Consoles: Despite the hardware limitations of current consoles, Outlaws pushes the envelope with ray-traced reflections, global illumination, and shadows.
- PC Version’s Path Tracing: High-end PCs take it a step further with RTXDI (path tracing), delivering visuals that feel like they’re straight out of a Star Wars movie.
- Immersive World-Building: From bustling spaceports to desolate planetary landscapes, every frame is packed with detail that brings the Star Wars universe to life.
However, the game isn’t without its flaws. Surprisingly, the cutscene animations fall short compared to the in-game visuals, a rare reversal that slightly mars an otherwise stellar experience.
Second Place: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 – Uncanny Realism in Every Frame
Ninja Theory’s Hellblade 2 elevates the art of character-driven storytelling with visuals that blur the line between gaming and cinema.
What Makes Hellblade 2 a Visual Powerhouse:
- Astounding Character Work: Senua’s facial animations and expressions are so lifelike they’re borderline indistinguishable from reality.
- Virtual Cinematography: The game’s virtual camera work enhances its haunting narrative, creating an intimate, emotional connection with the player.
- Scalability: From Steam Deck to high-end PCs, Hellblade 2 maintains exceptional quality across all platforms, with a surprising level of optimization.
That said, its tight, linear focus means it doesn’t achieve the sprawling scale of Indiana Jones. Moreover, its lack of hardware-accelerated ray tracing puts some limitations on its technical achievements.
The Winner: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – A Monument to Gaming Visuals
Taking the top spot, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t just a game; it’s a visual masterpiece. MachineGames has crafted an experience that sets new standards for graphical fidelity and performance.
Why Indiana Jones Deserves the Win:
- Sheer Scope and Detail: The game is a treasure trove of intricate environments, rich textures, and stunning architectural designs. Every artefact and ruin feels painstakingly crafted.
- Ray-Traced Global Illumination: Available on all console versions, the ray-traced lighting transforms the game world into a living, breathing adventure.
- 60 FPS Consistency: On consoles, the game locks at a silky smooth 60fps, while the PC version, with its unlocked frame rate, delivers a stutter-free experience.
- Path Tracing Excellence: The PC version goes above and beyond with full path tracing, offering unparalleled lighting and shadow effects that elevate the visual experience.
While Hellblade 2 excels in its specific vision, Indiana Jones takes the crown for its ability to combine technical prowess with expansive creativity. It’s a rare achievement that feels both innovative and accessible, even on mid-range hardware like the RTX 4070.
These three games represent the best of what 2024 had to offer in gaming visuals. Whether it’s the cinematic immersion of Hellblade 2, the intricate world-building of Star Wars Outlaws, or the jaw-dropping scope of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, each title has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible.
Naturally, the top three games are just the tip of the iceberg. If you have some time, dive into the full video or podcast where the team explores many other standout titles in detail!
While games are fun, it’s highly important to note that there’s more to life than sitting countless hours playing video games – there’s a purpose and more to life; seek out that purpose more often!
