The current generation of consoles has never been better at bringing video games to life! This year has seen some truly incredible experiences that have made the most out of the improved firepower that comes from the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PCs, and Sony’s latest PlayStation 5 Pro.
While there are loads of gamers to whom graphics take second place to the gameplay loop on offer, there are others who would choose to pass on even the most engaging experience if its visuals were not up to scratch. Luckily, 2025 has been very kind to both camps with these titles that have pushed the boundaries of what a modern video game can achieve in terms of visual fidelity.
Let’s dive in and take a look at the best graphics that 2025 has been graced with in the gaming world!
#15. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Powered by the Dragon Engine like the titles that preceded it in the franchise, this standalone tale featuring Goro Majima brought excellent character models to the table although it earned criticism for its lighting and a bunch of recycled assets from Infinite Wealth.
However, it earns its place among 2025’s best graphics owing to the fact that it was not current-gen exclusive, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio had to ensure smooth performance on last-gen consoles and a wide variety of PC setups. It seems that the studio opted for a consistent experience all across the board which has since proved to be a prudent choice considering how well the game has been received by its players and critics alike.
#14. Atomfall
Rebellion managed to mitigate the criticisms that Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii received for its lack of current-gen goodness for the most part despite Atomfall also releasing for last-gen consoles as well. However you look at it, Atomfall brings the British countryside to your screen with visually stunning landscapes both indoors and outdoors.
The graphics supported the smaller scope of its world design very well, enhancing the experience for its players irrespective of the platform they were playing the game on. Eerily desolate ruins seamlessly blended into lush landscapes in an experience that brought a lot of humor and thrills to its post-apocalyptic story. It helped that the game was also relatively free of bugs, making the experience all the more realistic as a result.
#13. Sniper Elite Resistance
Rebellion features on this list a second time with its excellent take on Nazi-occupied France in Sniper Elite Resistance. Once again, the studio managed to pull off an excellent graphical feat despite the game being available on last-gen platforms, with great lighting, impressive details, and a very visceral kill camera that made good use of its solid performance and framerates.
While its character models did receive some flak for being too similar to 2022’s Sniper Elite 5, it is still a visually impressive game that lets its players hunt their targets from the shadows with increasingly creative ways to take them down.
#12. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
Team Ninja’s efforts to bring one of its classic titles to a new generation of gamers were well worth the effort, with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black receiving praise for the visual upgrade it brought to the table.
The remake’s excellent use of Unreal Engine 5’s to bring new and more detailed character models, assets, Ray Tracing, Chromatic Aberration, Motion Blur, and so much more to the game not only helped present a more current-gen experience, but made the remake stand tall among other remakes of popular games.
On the graphical front and otherwise, this remake deserved all of the praise it has received since its release.
#11. The First Berserker Khazan
While FromSoftware’s Soulslikes have played it safe when it comes to graphical fidelity, Neople decided to go the other way, and The First Berserker Khazan immediately stands out among its competition in the genre thanks to its distinct art style and visuals. Its medieval European environments were a treat to see thanks to the 3D cel-shaded anime art style that was a perfect fit for its Dungeon & Fighter inspirations.
Khazan’s journey across the Pell Los Empire was a visual treat made even more satisfying by a solid combat loop, making it one of this year’s most exciting experiences on all fronts.
#10. Monster Hunter Wilds
The developer ensured that its move from the MT Framework to the RE Engine was an absolute banger on the graphical front. While there were concerns about Monster Hunter Wilds’ first open word beta, the studio was quick to correct any faults and release a title that has raised the bar for graphic-intensive open-worlds.
Monster Hunter Wilds’ varied biomes boast an astounding level of detail while a dynamic weather system brings those environments to life in so many ways. From the roaming herds in all of them to particles of dust interacting with the wind, and very realistic lightning and rainfall effects, this is a game that has made excellent use of current-gen platforms to present a very solid experience – and a dazzling improvement over anything that came before it.
#9. F1 25
Widely touted as an improvement over its last iteration, the latest title in the F1 franchise makes impressive use of Lidar technology to bring real-life tracks from the 2025 F1 World Championship to life with truly impressive levels of detail across the board.
Tearing across tracks like Zandvoort, Bahrain, Melbourne and so many more has never felt more real and authentic thanks to Codemasters’ stellar efforts at creating an experience that puts you in the driver’s seat, letting you race with your favorite drivers in a game that blurs the line between the real thing and a digital recreation of it.
#8. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PC
This remake of its 1997 classic remains as impressive on the PC as it does on the PS5. Cloud Strife’s adventures after events in Rebirth are a sight to behold, with excellent visuals being backed up by solid performance.
Its lighting and improved textures make the Grasslands absolutely hum with life after a prologue that showcases Midgar in ruins. Things only get better from there in this adventure that builds on the original game in many ways, making good use of Nvidia’s DLSS to sustain a very high frame rate while delivering very impressive visual fidelity all around.
This is one of those games that must be seen to be believed.
#7. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 PC
Swinging and leaping across the streets of Marvel and Insomniac’s take on New York never felt this good, with Peter Parker or Miles Morales being reflected in every glistening window pane as they tear across the city on the way to the next crime they’re trying to stop.
This PC port of a title once exclusive to the PlayStation 5 makes for an excellent graphical showcase, with Ray Tracing taken to new heights in the city and inside of its buildings.
With support for ultra-wide monitors being thrown into the mix, Insomniac addressed a few initial hiccups to truly achieve a superhero landing when it came to its explosive adventure’s graphics, ensuring that it was supported by a wide range of PCs through a variety of settings that allowed its grand set-pieces to shine while quieter moments were made all the more impactful as well.
#6. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
The gaming community was obviously delighted to have a remake of the 2006 classic from Bethesda shadow-dropped on the same day it was announced. Cryodill’s Unreal Engine 5 makeover immediately took the spotlight with its revamped textures, improved character models, and Ray Tracing goodness making their presence felt in the game’s latest avatar.
Its graphical improvements worked well with tweaks to gameplay, bringing Oblivion to life in ways that mattered to its players. Kudos to Virtuos for a visual overhaul that managed to bring a refreshingly new experience to the table while remaining faithful to the beloved classic that inspired its latest work.
#5. Kingdom Come Deliverance II
Kingdom Come Deliverance II features a lot of graphical improvements over the original that made the experience an absolute visual treat. The Kingdom of Bohemia has never looked better, and has never been as free of bugs as it has in this title.
With DLSS and FSR upscaling, Ray Tracing, improved shadows, and a whole lot of other graphical goodies, this game brought its fields and castles to life in a way that complemented the grand adventure it aimed to deliver on. Just try and ignore how many hits to the face its enemies can take and you’re left with what we can only describe as a visual masterpiece.
#4. Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Although the delay to Assassin’s Creed Shadows was indeed unbearable, the developer’s take on ancient Japan was a graphical marvel, and is one of those games that just forces you to stop and take in the sights.
Jaw-dropping vistas were nudged by a gentle breeze as we tore across lush fields and crowded cities as either Naoe and Yasuke, while Japan’s dense forests were not just there for show and forced us to find alternate ways to reach our destination. The revamped Anvil engine worked wonders for a dynamic weather system that brought a meaningful impact on the core gameplay loop on offer in a title that has breathed new life into the aging franchise.
We certainly can’t wait to see where the Assassins go next if Shadows’ incredible visuals are an indication of the series’ future.
#3. DOOM: The Dark Ages
With impressive visuals being backed up by a newly added Path Tracing update, Doom The Dark Ages is a showcase of just how far modern systems have come to delivering experiences that were simply impossible a few years ago
The game makes short work of its improved enemy density while combat is a smooth, buttery affair thanks to id Software’s smart use of modern features like DLSS and innate Ray Tracing compatibility. Just be sure that the Path Tracing update doesn’t cook your graphics cards when you take on hordes of enemies with its revamped combat system.
#2. Clair Obscur: Expedition
Sandfall Interactive’s runaway hit is a graphical marvel, bringing Lumiere’s varied landscapes and locations to life in an adventure that blends cinematic flair with a very immersive gameplay loop.
Every character on your screen looks like they could exist in the real-world while the game’s duration brings little to no technical snags – a marvel in and of itself. Whether you’re bounding across the land or soaring through the skies in its later acts, Clair Obscur: Expedition lives up to the visual technique it is named after, balancing light and darkness in a way that complements the excellent story it aims to tell.
#1. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Sam Porter’s efforts to bring Mexico and Australia into the Chiral Network’s fold is nothing short of a visual masterpiece. Kojima Productions’ efforts to build on the success of the original Death Stranding shines through in every drop of rain that falls down from the sky, and in every gust of wind that throws up particles of dust as he makes his away across a frontier that is now expanded in size, scope, and visual fidelity.
Death Stranding 2 pushed the boundaries of what games can hope to achieve in terms of immersive visuals. Its varied biomes feel alive, thrumming with life and showcase the Decima engine’s prowess alongside that of the talented team behind this absolute delight.
It helps that the new gameplay elements and story beats work well to keep players coming back to this stunning world for more.
We can’t wait to see what else this year has to bring to the table. But we will say that 2025’s upcoming releases have their work cut out for them on the visual front.
