I will always maintain that the 2000s featured the biggest generational leap in video game graphics.
The release of theXbox 360andPlayStation 3ushered in a new era of video games, showcasing what was possible in the world of HD gaming. From the very first moment my GameStop got its Xbox 360 demo unit, complete with that snazzy-looking Samsung television, I was hooked.
The first game that captured my imagination was Call of Duty 2. It was immersive, intense, and gorgeous. But is it the most impressive-looking game of the era? Absolutely not.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that, as we entered the 2010s, graphics continued to improve, whether in the later days of the Xbox 360 and PS3 or at the start of the Xbox One/PS4 era. The best-looking games of the decade weren’t always about realistic graphics, though. The indie scene started to emerge, and more people were experimenting with unique art styles.
Let’s take a look at the 10 games that impressed the most in the 2010s from a graphical perspective, with style, visual fidelity, and creativity all factored in.
10 Most Graphically Impressive Games Of The 2000s
The games that blew our minds visually in the 2000s.
10Hotline Miami
Miami Vice
Hotline Miami
I want to make something clear off the bat. You don’t need to have realistic graphics to be visually impressive. The 2010s didn’t see the same technical leap as the 2000s, and as a result, some developers had to get creative to deliver good-looking games. Look no further thanindie gamesfor examples of this.
Hotline Miamiillustrates this perfectly. In terms of realism, it’s never going to compete with some of the other games we’ll talk about, but it doesn’t need to. It has so much style and flair that it blows almost everything else from the 2010s out of the water.
Best described as an episode of Miami Vice during an acid trip, Hotline Miami beautifully echoes the vibe of the 1980s, combined with the familiarity of the retro-inspired pixel graphics. Yes, there are plenty of other worthy indie titles you could list, especially in the 2010s, but with Hotline Miami, the game’s graphics are as much of a character as anyone else in the game.
They’re essential to getting you into the mood of that acid trip version of Miami Vice, enticing you to explore the gameplay and mysteries further and further until you realize you’ve beaten the entire game in just one sitting.
Even over a decade later, Hotline Miami has more personality than it knows what to do with. Its style oozes from the screen, still captivating players with its visual presentation 13 years later.
9The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
I’ll Take Your Breath Away
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
In a similar vein, 2017’sThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildproves you don’t need photo-realism to be a work of art.
Of course, this isn’t anything new; Wind Waker is a perfect example of this, but Breath of the Wild manages to find the perfect balance between gorgeous graphics and artistic expression.
From the very beginning, during that iconic opening intro when you first take in the world of Hyrule, I was enamored. It felt like I was on top of the world, plotting where I’d go first. Nintendo is no stranger to delivering great-looking games, but this is the first time it felt like they were on a level playing field with the competition.
It’s a game that looked incredible in 2017, even if hampered by the limitations of the Nintendo Switch hardware. Thankfully, thanks to some updates for theNintendo Switch 2, the game looks better than ever.
It’s Still So Pretty
WhileCrysis 3may not have the visual impact like the original, there’s no denying how good the game looks. It proves that you don’t need to give your game impossible graphics to still look incredible.
Despite the gameplay failing to meet the standards of its predecessors, the one thing Crytek nailed was the game’s performance. Its framerate is buttery smooth, even on lower-end PCs and consoles. One of the worst parts aboutCrysisand Crysis 2 was when a poor framerate pulled you out of the immersive experience. That’s never a concern here with Cyrsis 3.
Everything, from the impressive facial features to the beautiful environments and jaw-dropping graphics, is on point. It’s a true sight to behold that showcases the strength and quality of CryEngine.
Yes, the game was remastered a few years ago, but the screenshots look as good as I recall them being in 2013. That’s the testament of a good-looking game: it ages gracefully.
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Crytek event sent devs to Haiti to photograph leaves to ensure the translucency is right.
7Batman: Arkham City
An Impressive Sequel
Batman Arkham City
Batman: Arkham Asylum was one of thebest-looking games of the 2010s. Its 2011 sequel,Arkham City, blows it out of the water.
It may not be as big as other comparable open world games, but it’s still an incredibly impressive-looking open world that exceeds the likes of Skyrim.
Where Arkham City shines is the level of detail by Rocksteady. Far too often, games sacrifice the little things to make their graphics appear better than they actually are, as if corners are being cut.
Everything, from the character details and aesthetics to Arkham City itself, is a work of art that only adds to an already immersive experience.
id Tech 5 Is Gorgeous
There was a lot of anticipation leading into the 2011 release ofRage.
It was id Software’s first game since 2004’s Doom 3, their first brand-new IP in decades, and the debut of id Tech 5.
While the game itself was divisive (I loved it, but I also expected it to be a more modern, outdoor boomer shooter and not a hybrid of Fallout and Borderlands that the internet decided it was), there’s no denying how great the game looks. id Software has always been in a league of its own when it comes to graphics, andRageis a perfect example of that.
id Tech 5 manages to bring the desolate, sometimes bland post-apocalyptic wasteland of Rage to life, while also outclassing every other game released using the engine; notably Wolfenstein: The New Order and The Evil Within.
5Star Wars Battlefront 2
The Force Is Strong With This One
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Even with DICE’s recent issues, there’s no denying that they’re in a league of their own when it comes to how good their games look.
It’s something that has stood out to me more withStar Wars: Battlefront 2as time has gone on. At launch, it was something I took for granted, given the game’s countless issues. Sure, it looked nice, but there were so many foundational issues that it’s yet another disappointment from DICE’s modern releases.
Then came the equally frustrating launch of the Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection. I flipped over to Battlefront 2 out of morbid curiosity and went, “Wow, not only does this game look great, but it’s kinda fun to play now!”
Lo and behold, in 2025, I’m not the only one who feels this way. One thing that stands out to me is the space battles. They look and feel impressive, with the classic Star Wars aesthetic that does an excellent job of capturing my imagination, even if I’m getting destroyed by people far better than I am. This game is a visual masterpiece, and I’m so glad to see the gaming community give it a second life.
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This might be one for the history books.
4The Last of Us
This Is, Somehow, A PlayStation 3 Game
The Last of Us
One of the biggest reasons I constantly roll my eyes at Sony and Naughty Dog’s perpetual remakes ofThe Last of Usis that the game honestly didn’t need them.
Is it an excuse to constantly bring the acclaimed game to new platforms? Yes. But then again, Sony could have just made sure their newer consoles were fully backward compatible, but I digress. The PC port is a welcome addition, but they could have just copied and pasted the PS3 version and called it a day.
Naughty Dog released The Last of Us a few months before the PS4’s release, delivering better graphics than most of the PS4’s launch games. It’s an impressive feat by Naughty Dog to have squeezed every ounce of graphical power from the aging PS3 hardware.
It reminds me of how good Resident Evil 4 looked for theGameCube, which was released near the end of the GameCube’s life cycle. Both games blow nearly everything else out of the water when it comes to graphics.
3Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
A Fitting End
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Fextralife Wiki
Okay, so maybe this is whyNaughty Dogkept remaking The Last of Us Part I. As good as that game looks on PS3, Uncharted 4 makes it feel incredibly outdated.
Some will argue that Ghost of Tsushima is the better-looking PS4 game, thanks in part to its impressive cinematography, but honestly, I’m giving the edge toUncharted 4.
One thing that Naughty Dog has always excelled at is character animations. Given the emotional stakes present in the story here, you need to believe what you’re seeing. You need to be immersed in its story, grow attached to its characters, and understand not just their motivations, but what they’re going through.
While most of the praise for Uncharted 4’s visuals comes from its environments, and rightfully so, it’s the impressive level of detail in every character that impresses the most. It’s cliche, I know, but Naughty Dog knows how to make their games feel like a movie.
2God of War (2018)
God of War
Everything I just said about Uncharted 4 not only applies toGod of War. Santa Monica Studio’s incredible 2018 action adventure is a visual masterpiece.
One thing that stands out from the later part of the 2010s, and it’s something I’ll touch upon in the next game, is how PC graphics started to easily surpass those of consoles. Of course, the Xbox One and PS4 were starting to show their age. Then came God of War to prove that these old consoles were still more than capable of delivering the goods.
I’m confident in saying the game wouldn’t have worked otherwise. This isn’t the typical action hack-and-slash like the originalGod of War games. The 2018 reboot is a more grounded, emotional, and cinematic experience, one that requires not just beautiful graphics, but attention to detail. Santa Monica delivered in this regard.
It’s not just Christopher Judge’s award-winning performance that helps you understand what’s at stake. It’s everything on the screen. You can see Kratos' struggles, the intensity of the action, and the emotional bond between a father and his son, Atreus. You can see everything he’s ever been through. This wasn’t something that was possible a decade prior, and honestly, if the graphics hadn’t blown you away, it wouldn’t have been as impactful as it was in the late 2010s.
Howdy, Partner
Red Dead Redemption 2
I’ll never forget where I first saw that originalRed Dead Redemption 2teaser trailer. It looked fantastic on my friend’s 75-inch TV. Yes, while it’s commonplace in this industry for trailers to look far better than the actual game, that’s honestly never felt like the case withRockstar Games. When it comes to delivering impressive-looking games, there’s Rockstar, and then there’s everyone else.
Not only did Red Dead 2 deliver the goods in terms of graphics when it released for Xbox One and PS4 in 2018, it upped the ante for the PC release a year later. Dare I say, there’s nothing quite like this game’s graphics in the 2010s; not even close.
This is a game that looks better than most PS5 and Xbox Series X|S games, complete with some of the best-looking environments, detailed characters, and fluid animation you’ll ever see in a game.
And it’s all from a game that’s over five years old and has a larger open world than most other games on the market. My wife recently spent well over a hundred hours playing the game on a laptop last year, so I’m speaking from experience when I say the game looks better than ever, even after all these years.
10 Most Graphically Impressive Games Of The 1990s
Polished polygons
