Between the PC gaming market being well and truly devastated by price increases, you can probably take solace in the fact that this year’s best-looking titles won’t require the heftiest hardware. While 2025 was a standout in terms of visual fidelity, 2026 is already proving more than a worthy contender, even this early. Check out 30 of the most graphically advanced games coming this year.
The Blood of Dawnwalker
You’re not the only one pointing at the screen, DiCaprio-style, thinking, “That’s very Witcher-esque” (and for good reason, given Rebel Wolves’ experience on The Witcher 3). Nevertheless, the dark medieval tidings of Vale Sangora provide a starker contrast in terms of day and night, as Coen walks between the two to save his family. So while the lighting and shadows look technically robust, the contrast and how it weaves into your playstyle and decisions further sweetens the deal.
Control Resonant
You would think Remedy has nothing to prove with its visual work, and yet, here’s the development team taking its brutalist architecture, surreal, spooky lighting and stellar art direction into the wider world. Beyond looking like a sleek hack-and-slash title with even more mind-boggling enemy designs, Control Resonant feels leagues trippier than the original, and we can’t wait to see more.
Resident Evil Requiem
Everything showcased thus far has led to this moment. The sheer attention to detail, from the hair physics and skin textures to realistic sweat – not to mention the dynamic lighting and shadows – make for one heck of a survival horror showcase. And yet, there’s still so much more to see, including Leon’s sections, which have been rumored to offer larger environments compared to Grace’s more confined, claustrophobic, and harrowing sections. Thankfully, with less than two months before release and a showcase coming up, it’s only a matter of time.
Marvel’s Wolverine
As with Ratchet and Clank and Marvel’s Spider-Man, it isn’t about Insomniac’s tech so much as how it’s used. Thus, we get hyper-detailed arm hair (a vital component of Logan’s character, as any fan will tell you), immaculate reflections off those adamantium claws, and only the finest blood spatters in Marvel’s Wolverine. That’s not even mentioning the environmental destruction and interactivity, whether it’s breaking through market stalls or launching enemies into lava.
Beast of Reincarnation
Seeing this after experiencing nothing but Pokémon from Game Freak may be somewhat of an eye-opener for fans, even more so because it looks incredibly sleek. Weathered rusting textures on robots, stylish executions, a relatively calm yet foreboding post-apocalyptic setting with impressive shrubbery – it’s almost surreal, especially with how rapidly environments can change. Suffice it to say, this is probably the studio’s best-looking effort to date, and we’re intrigued to see more.
Ontos
What would a Frictional Games title be without masterful usage of lighting and shadows? Look no further than Stellan Skarsgård’s character illuminated against a chandelier, the warm ambience prevalent throughout the reception area. Of course, being a spiritual successor to Soma also means plenty of not-so-warm and fuzzy sights. Realistic skin tearing. Reality fractures. You get the drill. It all works in unison to deliver a terrifyingly surreal experience.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
You wouldn’t ordinarily geek out over an Unreal Engine 5 remake, but Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog have pulled off something incredible with Legacy of Atlantis (that too based solely on pre-alpha footage). Returning to where it all began for gaming’s most illustrious heroine, the remake offers gorgeously detailed shrubbery and architecture along with an incredible sense of scale. Plus, there are all the little details, from realistic dirt markings to Lara’s signature animations, which look better than ever.
Saros
“Spiritual successor to Returnal” may as well sound more like “the same bullet hell action you loved before, but with more fleshed out rogue-lite mechanics.” And honestly, I’m fine with that, given the original’s addictiveness. In the graphics department, however, Saros is going beyond the usual “tentacle technology” and offering rigid-body simulation for its many, many bullets alongside reactive lighting and layered dynamic particles. Even the narrative side benefits from improved cinematography, more cutscenes with additional motion capture, and better facial animations.
Gears of War: E-Day
The Coalition has yet to share any more footage beyond that trailer in 2024, but it’s certainly hyping up the prequel to a ridiculous degree. Remember Gears 5, considered one of the best-looking games of the last generation? E-Day will feature “over 100 times more environmental and character details” by comparison, and, oh, ray-traced lighting, shadows and reflections as well. That’s not even including the revamped destruction or new animation tech, with everything “completely rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5.” Say what you will about how other studios have handled the engine, but with The Coalition in charge, this could very well be an “unrivalled visual experience.”
Grand Theft Auto 6
The sheer number of NPCs in some shots, each with their own detailed animations and skin textures; the rendering distance, especially on those stunning aerial shots; the facial animations, which deliver as much on the subtlety – I could go on and on about Grand Theft Auto 6’s visual brilliance. And that’s based on just two trailers. Even if we get a more detailed gameplay walkthrough in the months ahead, it will only scratch the surface of what could be one of the best-looking games of all time.
007 First Light
Ignore the copious amounts of motion blur during its PS5 gameplay – IO Interactive’s next is a stunner, and that’s saying something given its experience with the Hitman franchise. The young pre-007 Bond’s global traipse isn’t just about gorgeous, guest-packed locales or high-speed chases across scenic landscapes. It’s about sneaking past guards, leveraging the environment to your advantage (thus highlighting the impressive particles and alpha effects). It’s also very much about those explosive set pieces, where intuition pays off as much as aggression. Whether you’re in it for the sights or action, 007 First Light certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Phantom Blade Zero
There’s something about the atmosphere that feels distinctly Souls-like. Perhaps it’s the desolate buildings of Pang Town, the desaturated colors in certain places or the fantastical yet realistically rendered enemies. Regardless, Phantom Blade Zero’s sleek animations and lightning-fast combat quickly showcase its action RPG chops, and it’s certainly shaping up to be a peak “kung fu-punk” experience.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties
You have to hand it to RGG Studio – beyond simply remaking a classic Yakuza, it’s also delivering a brand new experience focused on one of the more popular villains in the series. And as usual, it’s not skimping in the visual department, revamping the character models and environments in the Dragon Engine, which still holds up to this day. Perfect for losing a tidy hundred hours or so while admiring the sights.
Crimson Desert
Speaking of getting lost in a world for a hundred hours, perhaps even more, this long-awaited open-world fantasy action RPG. Pywel has drawn us in so deeply, brimming as it is with expansive mountain ranges, dense forests with extensive foliage and seemingly endless plains (not to mention the mysterious floating islands). And if that’s not enough, maybe that giant mecha dragon fight will win you over.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
An Onimusha revival has been way overdue, and thankfully, Way of the Sword isn’t just coasting on its looks. Which is a way of saying that it looks fantastic, capturing the dark fantasy atmosphere of previous titles while reinventing just how disturbingly detailed the Genma can be. Otherwise, everything you could want from an Onimusha title – from a charismatic protagonist to sleek-looking sword combat – is here, and backed by phenomenal-looking effects and animations.
Replaced
I could regale you with Sad Cat Studios’ long journey and developmental challenges, especially being based in Ukraine. Or even how Replaced is operating on a completely different level when it comes to pushing the boundaries of 2.5D pixel art, but a single comment on its release date trailer says it best: “Every scene is wallpaper worthy.” With how long it’s been in development, we’re keen to admire every hand-crafted animation, every harrowing chase sequence, and every single downer aspect of this alternate history USA.
Fable
As much renown as Playground Games has received for Forza Horizon, there’s been a healthy amount of skepticism for Fable, due to the long development cycle and delays. On the bright side, the graphics, as showcased last year in new pre-alpha footage, are shaping up well enough, capturing that fairytale aesthetic while looking technically sound. 2026 could finally be its year – all we need now is solid confirmation (and some more gameplay as a treat).
Fatekeeper
Paraglacial’s debut first-person action RPG skipped straight from having our interest to commanding our attention after its initial trailer. This level of environmental fidelity from a team of 12, with outdoors that shine with realistic foliage and indoors brimming with mood lighting and crazily detailed beasts, is something to behold.
Valor Mortis
In the same vein is One More Level’s next first-person title, which is a Souls-like and can hurt you. Instead of the cyberpunk tidings of Ghostrunner, Valor Mortis opts for an alternative 19th-century Europe where the plague runs rampant. However, there is a distinct beauty on display, almost like the alpha effects, environmental textures and desiccated trees combine into a painterly aesthetic. Don’t even get us started on the bosses and enemies, which can vary from sleek to downright disturbing in their makeup.
Pragmata
With how long it took to nail the unorthodox gameplay loop, which boils down to “hack-and-shoot”, hilariously enough, Pragmata didn’t have to look this good. Yet, here we are, with Diana’s hair animating so realistically that the tech made it into Requiem. Of course, there’s plenty else to love in terms of the sci-fi leanings of this hostile lunar base and the sheer detail of enemies, right down to their exposed machinery with each successful hack. If Onimusha showcases the past and Requiem the present, then Pragmata is an incredible showcase for the future.
Directive 8020
While it isn’t the developer’s first foray with Unreal Engine 5, Directive 8020 feels like Supermassive has become more comfortable with the engine. Consolidating the tense journey of survival on the Cassiopeia with the studio’s signature narrative approach, it showcased some stunning alien flora, meticulously detailed body horror, and, of course, incredible use of lighting and shadows. That’s alongside the fantastic facial animations.
Nioh 3
With everything that Team Ninja has done in the past several years – the larger environments of Wo Long, the open world of Rise of the Ronin, the dark fantasy feudal setting of Nioh – it was only a matter of time before it combined them. Thus, we have Nioh 3, with its open field (not open world) levels that impress as much with their draw distance and foliage as they do with the Yokai roaming about. Maybe you won’t notice all this much in the heat of combat, but they’re stunning all the same.
Ride 6
Despite lacking the budget of a Polyphony Digital or Playground Games, Milestone’s Ride series has quietly carved its own niche in terms of realistic racing visuals. Launching this February, Ride 6 ups the ante even further with Unreal Engine 5, delivering more true-to-life tracks and motorbikes (even if the character models could use some more life).
The Duskbloods
I’m not sure if it’s FromSoftware’s art direction doing the heavy lifting, but The Duskbloods is sporting some impressive details. Between the monstrous bosses and dilapidated environments is some truly impressive architecture, even more so on the Nintendo Switch 2. It may not boast an Elden Ring-style scale, but for its PvEvP needs, this is shaping up into another visual masterpiece for the studio.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Despite a delay past early 2026, Skydance New Media’s debut title hasn’t been ruled out for this year, which is good news. We’ve yet to see much beyond the gorgeous cinematics, which set the stage for Captain America and Black Panther to team up in WW2 Occupied Paris. However, if anyone can deliver a blockbuster action-adventure experience, it’s Amy Hennig and her crew.
Squadron 42
Give it up for over $1 billion in funding for Star Citizen, with a full release still years away. But Squadron 42, the single-player-focused title, is seemingly out this year (multiple delays notwithstanding). For all the controversy, it still looks good, and the thought of an epic space opera with over 70 missions and an all-star cast is too good to pass up. Now let’s see if it actually sticks to its deadline this time.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve
Credit where it’s due for Unreal Engine 5 – the planes in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve have truly never looked better. Then you have the prospect of multi-layered cloudscapes for some of the most dynamic sky battles yet. Even the character models and cutscenes are a massive step up, adding so much more to the realism – a far cry from the days of JPEG dog.
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Beyond the micro-stutters in its first gameplay, Halo Studios’ second remake of the FPS classic isn’t looking too shabby. The revamped cinematics look stunning; the Covenant animate so well while staying true to the original; the texture work is sleek; and the weapon models look great. There are still plenty of doubts to be had, but at least on a visual level, Halo: Campaign Evolved is looking the part.
Arknights: Endfield
Gorgeous games aren’t exactly uncommon in this day and age, especially with stand-out efforts like Where Winds Meet and Wuthering Waves. Arknights: Endfield joins those ranks, and despite offering multiple zones instead of a true open world, the clean sci-fi aesthetic meshes so well with the extensive greenery on Talos 2. And as much praise as the character designs have received, the otherworldly Aggeloi aren’t far behind.
Forza Horizon 6
Like Gears of War: E-Day, once again, is there really any doubt that this will be a visual experience unlike any other? It’s not just because of Playground Games’ fantastic run of quality with the series, but also how it’s approaching the depiction of Japan. Tokyo City will, naturally, be one of the studio’s “most detailed and layered environments to date,” but it’s the subtleties, be it the wind bells signaling the arrival of Summer, or the calm energy permeating the atmosphere, that really have us excited. Couple that with this being the studio’s “biggest” and “most full” map yet, and Forza Horizon 6 could very well set a new benchmark for the genre.
