It’s December (where did that come from??) and that means we’re bringing to a close one of the most important years in the gaming industry.
Two brand new consoles, many important, platform defining titles and the continued quality of independent releases. 2013 has been an incredible year for gaming and we intend to support that with the first ever Expansive DLC Advent Calendar awards.
One award will be given out every day in December, with the whole thing concluding on December 31st when we will announce our Game of the Year.
We’re going to kick things off with Best Graphics. With Nintendo introducing HD versions of classic franchises and two new consoles making best use of higher resolutions and improved frame rate, the competition has never been so fierce.
Yet it would be unfair not to include some of the amazing Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 games we’ve also seen in 2013.
But which was the best?
Here are the nominees….
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Ubisoft really outdid themselves with the latest Assassin’s Creed game. While the sun, sea and sand looks sublime on the previous generation of systems, and Nintendo’s sparkly new Wii U, the game truly comes to life on high-end PCs, Xbox One and more specifically, Playstation 4. The vivid, eye-melting palette will constantly amaze and the varied locations keep things interesting throughout its lengthy campaign. A worthy choice, for sure.
Battlefield IV
While a murky mess on previous-gen platforms, Battlefield 4 thrives and flourishes on Xbox One and Playstation 4. Beautiful war at its finest, DICE have taken the visual masterstrokes of Battlefield 3 and improved them tenfold. Without doubt, the best looking FPS title this year, Battlefield 4 is mesmerizing.
Bioshock Infinite
Irrational Games took us away from Rapture and introduced us to Columbia back in March. To say the results were stunning would be an understatement. The cloud city is a visual marvel; from its architecture, to its quirky gallery of characters. Well over six years in development, Bioshock Infinite certainly looks the part and represents a bold new direction for one of gamings’ most successful intellectual properties.
Forza Motorsport V
Oh, my. Just when you thought racing games couldn’t be anymore elegant, Forza V comes along and blows its competitors out of the water. Racers are going to have an incredible future over the next eight years, and Forza V already brings us closer to the cars of dreams than ever before.
Grand Theft Auto V
A beautiful swansong for the 360/PS3 generation, GTA V really pushes both platforms to the limit and produces some of the best graphics seen on either platform. With its three main protagonist and vast, overwhelmingly sized city, it’s a marvel a game like GTA V can exist with the amount of processing powering it. An absolutely magnificent achievement.
Killzone: Shadow Fall
One of the best looking titles on Playstation 4 is, naturally, going to have to be something pretty spectacular. Shadow Fall is just that. We’re barely two weeks into the console’s life-cycle and already we’ve got a game that wows us. It’s difficult to imagine how far graphics will evolve from this point as Shadow Fall truly is a sight to behold.
Ryse: Son of Rome
Crytek never fail to create something beautiful and Ryse is no exception. The character models and expressions are mind-blowing, the recreation of ancient Rome is elegant. Ryse is magnificent and next to Forza V, shows just what Microsoft’s Xbox One is capable of.
NBA 2k14
There are many good-looking sports games on next-gen platforms, but it’s NBA 2k14 that shines brightest. From the veins running down players arms, to beads of sweat dripping from their foreheads, to the squeaky cleanness of the court, NBA 2k14 just oozes elegance.
Super Mario 3D World
While not the first Mario game to enjoy the benefits of High Definition, Mario 3D World is unquestionably the best-looking. While many undersell the Wii U’s visual capabilities, Mario 3D World continues to prove Nintendo’s ability to craft spectacular art. Mario 3D World is the system seller the Wii U has been waiting for and those graphics play a major part in its alluring quality.
Those are our picks. Choosing between them certainly hasn’t been easy. However, there can be only one winner.
BEST GRAPHICS WINNER
RYSE: SON OF ROME
Ryse provided our first next-gen wow moment and has stuck in our thoughts ever since. Yes, the water ebs and flows with incredible finesse in Black Flag. Battlefield shines brightly with every major set piece and the cars in Forza are mind-blowing realistic, but this depiction of Rome is simply stunning to behold. Characters look life-like, the environments explode with real impact, and the game just offers one amazing set-piece after another. Ryse: Son of Rome is one of the most beautifully designed games we’ve seen in years!
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