It might take time to develop good-looking games on new hardware, but several developers showed in 2014 that gamers don’t have to wait long to see the potential of their new consoles. It’s been one year since the Xbox One and PS4 debuted, and two since the Wii U entered the market, and we’re already beginning to see graphics that simply weren’t possible in the last generation of consoles.
In this CraveOnline Best of 2014, we look at the console games that stood in 2014, not for their gameplay or their story, but for their prettiness. These are the games that raised the bar for graphics, initiating a generation of jaw-dropping visuals.
Also See: Top 10 Most Surprising Games of 2014
Below you’ll see our top 10 picks for best console graphics in 2014.
10 Console Games with the Best Graphics in 2014
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10. P.T.
Platform: PS4
Article: 8 Horrifying User Screenshots of P.T.
P.T. might have only been a teaser for the upcoming Silent Hills game being spearheaded by Kojima, but it showed horror fans that better graphics can make a game much scarier. Its single hallway and bathroom were highly detailed, immersing players in a haunted environment that few were able to brave. If Silent Hills looks anything like P.T., it could end up being one of the best-looking games of its time when it debuts.
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9. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Platform: Wii U
Article: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Review
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is the only 2D game on this list. It makes up for its lack of a dimension with vibrant environments, and great attention to detail. Nintendo demonstrated the importance of polish with the title.
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8. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Platforms: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Article: 11 Little Known Facts about CoD: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare was a heavily cinematic game, employing talented actors for motion capture, and hundreds of development team members to polish the experience. It also ran at a solid 60 frames per second, creating a sense of fluidity between input and visuals.
If there was one game in 2014 that resembled blockbuster action films, it was Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
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7. Far Cry 4
Platform: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Article: Far Cry 4 Review
Highly detailed open-world games are rare at the beginning of a generation, but Far Cry 4 showed it isn't impossible to make a beautiful game with an expansive world on new hardware. Just one year after the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One, Far Cry 4 shared its fictional rendition of the Himalayas, one of the most gorgeous places you can visit on Earth. It was dense with wildlife and flora, making it feel alive in a way few games are able to.
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6. Assassin's Creed Unity
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Article: 8 Things AC Unity Did to Spice Things Up
Assassin's Creed Unity was a bold game, foregoing the profits of being cross-generation and aiming to tap into the octa-core processors of the Xbox One and PS4 by tossing as many NPCs into its French revolution based environment to see what happens. It was absolutely stunning, demonstrating new lighting technology never seen before. It was only held back by an unstable framerate.
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5. Mario Kart 8
Platform: Wii U
Article: Mario Kart 8 Review
In an industry saturated by games that do their darnest to imitate the real world, Nintendo showed that sometimes it's better to go with a stylistic approach when Mario Kart 8 debuted in May. It was an absolutely gorgeous game, rich with vibrant textures, and the highest attention-to-detail Nintendo characters ever seen. If it weren't for its rampant aliasing, it would rank much higher on this list.
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4. Sunset Overdrive
Platform: Xbox One
Article: Sunset Overdrive Review
Sunset Overdrive made a big statement for Xbox One hardware by delivering an open-world rich with style and detail. Despite being a very fast paced game dense with enemies and eye-popping effects, its frame rate kept up with the action. Its world was unlike any other, full of character and unique in style. Though, it did suffer from some bizarre chromatic aberration.
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3. Forza Horizon 2
Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360
Article: 19 Screenshots of My Unforgettable Forza Horizon 2 Journey
Few games are able to deliver as much variety as Forza Horizon 2 while retaining a high bar of quality. Its open world inspired by France and Italy was a joy to zip through in any one of its over 200 vehicles, all immaculately detailed inside and out. What really put it over the top was what many would argue are the best day/night cycle and weather effects in any racing game. All this content and beauty has made the game's Photo Mode a crowd favorite.
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2. Driveclub
Platform: PS4
Article: Driveclub Review
Yes, the second and third best-looking console games of 2014 are racing games, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Driveclub's graphics were the highlight of the game, making ordinary racing breathtaking. Sitting behind the wheel of of a Hennessey Venom GT has never been so thrilling. There are screenshots of Driveclub that look true-to-life, and while the game has some issues with consistency in its environments, there simply is no better looking racing game on the market right now.
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[WINNER] 1. inFamous: Second Son
Platform: PS4
Article: inFamous: Second Son Review
inFamous: Second Son is an immensely good-looking game. Its particle effects, reflections, and texture quality are some of the best in the business, rivaling even top-tier PC games. Swapping between different powers and seeing them light up the environment was a treat. This was the game that demonstrated how powerful the PS4 really is.
