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Ninja Theory’s sequel to the mind-altering psychological thriller from 2017, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, has landed on Xbox and PC with an absolute bang. Delivering a narrative that expands on the first game and takes us deeper into the broken psyche of Senua. But the most striking part of Hellblade 2 has to be its graphics and the industry-leading facial animations. Not to be outdone, team PlayStation — with its massive library of exclusive games — has some heavy hitters that would give Hellblade 2 a run for its money.
Of course, visual beauty and graphical awe come in different shapes and sizes. Not always is the most realistic-looking face or mountain range the most captivating for the viewer. This is why the following list has titles that not only compete but greatly contrast with the visual direction of Hellblade 2 as well.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is as big of a departure in terms of graphics from Hellblade 2 as possible, but at the same time, it has striking colors and fast-paced action that would leave anyone overwhelmed (in a good way). Its art style and animation quality would easily compete with the best Pixar and Disney animated movies of recent times.
Horizon Forbidden West
Robot dinosaurs stomping around in the wilds of a modern world reclaimed by nature is as unique a setting as it can get. The variety of environments include dry barren deserts and lush green forests, all of which are fully explorable with danger behind every ledge and around every ravine. Horizon Forbidden West has one of those extraordinary worlds that is impossible not to get lost in.
Bloodborne
The gothic Victorian Yharnam is the definition of eerie. FromSoftware’s Bloodborne has perhaps set the bar for environmental storytelling that won’t soon be crossed. Overrun by an infection, a disease, known only as the Ashen Blood, the world is littered with mindbending creatures that would leave even the most hardened players speechless. Every oddity and malignant enemy only emboldens the character of Yharnam, making it all the more memorable and nightmare-inducing. The foes in Bloodborne make the ones in Hellblade 2 look adorable by comparison.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (with Iki Island DLC)
If riding your horse in the chest-high grass fields of Tsushima didn’t drop your jaw, you had better get it checked by a professional. Couple that with the Iki island DLC, and you will witness fields with every color of the rainbow, each more striking than the last. To top it off, while the graphics of Hellblade 2 employ the “look but don’t touch” approach due to the game’s design, Ghost of Tsushima lets you explore the vast mountains and valleys with only the wind to guide your way.
The Last of Us Part 1 Remake (& Part 2)
Probably the best-looking game ever made, the crowning jewel of PlayStation, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us series shows a haunting world with real characters that you won’t forget anytime soon. Not only are the graphics mind-boggling by themselves, but the performances by the cast and the state-of-the-art motion capture technology are hard to beat. If any game has ever made you appreciate its visuals, revisit The Last of Us Part 1 Remake (or Part 2) to remind you what peak video game graphics look like.
Although there are many more that have come close to photorealism with impressive graphics like the games above, not many have managed to leave a lasting impact like most on this list, including Hellblade 2. While visual fidelity will always remain a hot topic, it’s always developer creativity that pushes the boundaries of video games and interactive experiences.
