Sony’s PS4 has only been on the market for just over a year now, although already we’re starting to see signs of developers squeezing plenty of juice out of the black behemoth in terms of graphical potential with some fantastic looking PS4 games. Titles like Killzone: Shadow Fall and inFAMOUS: Second Son offered a glimpse at the console’s technical muscle and were among some of the best-looking PS4 games we’ve seen to date, but things are clearly just getting started.
This year, PS4 is set to unleash a number of high-profile system exclusives, not to mention several hotly anticipated offerings from major third-party studios. As such, expect 2015 to be the year that—and forgive us for the use of this phrase—‘true next-gen’ visuals will come into play and cement their eyeball-popping spectacle upon the public consciousness.
To get us in the mood of what’s to come, here’s 5 PS4 games set to raise the visual bar and blow you away in 2015.
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THE ORDER: 1886
Ready at Dawn’s London Victorian, demon-slaying spectacle is the first heavy hitting PS4 game of the year in terms of exclusives, and it’s already created waves of hype in the weeks leading up to its release. While many have pondered if The Order’s visuals mask an underwhelming gameplay experience, there can be no denying that this action-adventure title delivers the goods in terms of graphical output. Character models are exquisitely detailed and possess a palpable sense of realism when it comes to animation, while the sprawling, smog-ridden City of London has been recreated in meticulous detail, with every grim-ridden street corner, whiff of cloud, and grisly beast alike bringing The Order’s alternate-history romp to life like nothing we’ve seen before.
UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END
Naughty Dog’s Uncharted games have been a perennial jaw-dropper since its inception back in 2007 on PS3, and the fourth outing looks set to adhere to that trend if what we’ve seen is anything to go by. From the moment Nate Drake’s chiselled features turned to face the camera in that 15-minute PlayStation Experience demo, there has been no doubt that Uncharted 4 will likely take the crown as PS4’s most sumptuous-looking game to date. And it’s no wonder, with Sony’s misbehaving pooch cramming an intricate amount of detail into A Thief’s End, from the animated hair’s on Drake’s manly chest to the impressive particle effects that come into play as gunfire kicks up dirt and chips away at your cover. Regardless whether or not Drake has shed a few pounds in polygons since the E3 trailer, Uncharted 4 is unequivocally the console game to beat this year in terms of visuals. There aren’t many PS4 games out there that will be able to compete with Uncharted’s impeccable attention to detail.
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BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT
Rocksteady’s final chapter in its acclaimed Arkham franchise sees Bats return in all his moody, gloomy glory, complete with his signature Bat Mobile. And boy, does it look like it’s pushing some serious numbers on PS4. The Dark Knight’s latest video game outing is his best-looking yet, oozing scrumptious detail from every pore, bet it the detail in our hero’s muscular suit, the metallic sheen of the Bat Mobile, to the stunning amount of detail packed into every nook and cranny of open-world Gotham City. Make no mistake; Arkham Knight is going to set the visual bar for superhero games come June 2015, and won’t be easy to top.
NO MAN’S SKY
Hello Games’ ambitious adventure romp is a positively stunning-looking endeavour, and among the most unique games you’ll play this year in terms of aesthetics. Set in a massive science-fiction universe, No Man’s Sky is a vibrant, colourful affair brimming with atmosphere and life, and doesn’t need super-realistic presentation to floor your jaw; it’s sheer beauty is enough to capture your attention, and it looks like nothing we’ve seen on PS4 to date. Indeed, No Man’s Sky feels similar to Journey, where ambition and subtly take precedence over polygon count and blockbuster spectacle. Graphics clearly aren’t the main pull with No Man’s Sky, but right now, it looks like one of the most interesting and unique PS4 games we’ve laid eyes on in ages.
THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT
RPGs have a lot to contend with cramming in the massive sandbox environments that typically make up the genre’s heavy hitters, and The Witcher 3 is no exception. However, not only is it massive, but CD Projekt RED’s latest fantasy romp also look the business too. Geralt’s viscerally-charged adventure looks superb, with the game world brimming with detail, while the diverse bestiary is absolutely filled with grotesque creatures crammed with so much detail you can make out every scale, wart, and blood-encrusted claw as you engage in claret-drenched combat. Furthermore, Geralt himself has been impeccably realised; even his chainmail has been individually rendered, and sways realistically around him as he moves. The Witcher 3 is going to make everyone sit up and take notice this May, take our word for it.
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