People usually see video games as a fun pastime activity or a way to enjoy a good story. But they are a lot more than that, especially when it comes to graphics, design, art style, and environments.
Games are a great way to experience different worlds, timelines, and universes in a matter of minutes. In the last 20 years, there have been various games out there that have delivered the most detailed environments ever. These titles have made immersion their priority to help ensure players feel like they live in the fictional world.
Updated June 22nd, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There have been some seriously impressive Open World games released recently, with some of them featuring some truly expansive and visually detailed worlds. Both Indie titles and AAA releases have really stepped up their game in the modern age, with stunning visuals in the 2D and 3D mediums. Players that are looking for worlds to explore that are just as breathtaking as the stories that take place in them have a lot of great options to choose from. To better showcase some of the most amazing detailed worlds in video games, the following list has been updated with even more entries.
18 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
It was pretty ambitious for Nintendo to take its iconic Legend of Zelda series and use it to capitalize on the growing trend of Open World games. That said, the formula had already been well-established thanks to fantastic 3D Zelda adventures like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and even Twilight Princess. The leap to Open World wasn't nearly as far-fetched as it seemed and Nintendo did a fantastic job in translating the core gameplay elements of The Legend of Zelda series into something truly spectacular.
Not only was Link's latest adventure something wholly unique to the franchise, but it featured an incredibly expansive and detailed map of Hyrule, giving players a refreshed and expanded look at one of the most well-known and recognized locations in the history of gaming. There is so much to see and do in Breath of the Wild and players are hopeful that the upcoming sequel will be just as detailed.
17 Ghost Of Tsushima
There have been a lot of Open World games released in recent years, but quantity does not necessarily mean quality. In a sea of Open World attempts, both Indie and AAA, there have been some less-than-stellar adventures. That's one of the reasons that some players were a bit tentative to hear about the release of Ghost of Tsushima. The second it was released, however, all fears were silenced. Ghost of Tsushima immediately stood as one of the greatest Open World games ever crafted. It's a beautifully-written tale of survival, honor, and choice, all underlined by excellent combat and gameplay.
It's also strikingly beautiful, featuring a gorgeous game world that is teeming with life and splendor, even during some truly dark story arcs. Ghost of Tsushima is an experience and developers did a fantastic job in crafting an Open World that players feel truly immersed in.
16 Stardew Valley
It doesn't take a massive AAA release to craft a beautifully-designed and detailed world. Indie games are more than capable of producing immersive and visually-impressive locations. Stardew Valley is a great example of this, and ConcernedApe did a stellar job in providing players with a breathtaking 2D playground to battle, farm, build, and design their way through the perils and pitfalls of owning a dilapidated farm. There is so much depth to Stardew Valley, proving that Indie developers are more than capable of challenging the "big dogs" when it comes to creating Open World experiences that rival large-budget studios.
Stardew Valley is relaxing at times, action-packed when players want it to be and filled to the brim with content thanks to a wide array of updates over the years.
15 Red Dead Redemption 2
In the last decade or so, Rockstar Games became known for its high-quality games and attention to detail. Red Dead Redemption 2 is its latest game out there that is oozing with extremely well-crafted environments and a world that breathes life.
RDR2 has an open world that contains one of the best renditions of flora and fauna in a video game. There's wildlife in the game, different plants, and a weather system that feels almost authentic to real life. If that's not realistic enough, there are extremely detailed horse genitals.
14 Far Cry Series
Ubisoft isn't far behind when it comes to realism in video games. In the last ten years, the company has released great-looking games such as Assassin's Creed 4: Blackflag, The Division, Watch Dogs, and many more.
However, Far Cry has to be its most detailed video game ever, especially in terms of environmental details. Back in 2008, Ubisoft released Far Cry 2, a game based on Cry Engine, and to this date, the series has maintained the benchmark.
13 The Last of Us Part II
Sony exclusives are brutal in finish and quality, and The Last Of Us Part 2 takes it on a whole new level. Developer Naughty Dog is already extremely popular for creating breathtaking visual masterpieces such as Uncharted.
However, it has excelled in the TLOU sequel. The second game might be a hit or miss when it comes to the story, but it certainly delivers in the wild post-apocalyptic environment details.
12 GTA V
Grand Theft Auto 5 is another Rockstar Games masterpiece that didn't disappoint. While the game came out in 2013, people still often play it, which is a testament to its legacy.
Moreover, GTA 5 is still one of the most detailed open-world games in the market. It has a fully functioning city, great physics, wonderful weather transitions, and an NPC system that still works perfectly.
11 Assassin's Creed Odyssey & Valhalla
Ubisoft's second most detailed game series is Assassin's Creed, and there are quite a few reasons for that. The last two games in the series are truly the benchmark of great environment details, animations, and just the sheer quantity of content.
If that isn't enough, Assassin's Creed has a plethora of historical monuments that are extremely detailed. It is truly impressive how much effort the developers put into making these games so huge.
10 Crysis
Crytek's chef-d'oeuvre was the reason people bought a new PC, and it remains one of the best benchmarking games in the market. To be honest, It's hard to believe that Crysis came out in 2007, especially due to its outstanding statement-making visuals.
To this date, Crysis has one of the best-looking water, underwater, trees, and object destruction. It's so detailed that the only immersion-breaking part is the actual gun and not the environment.
9 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt Red may have dropped the ball with Cyberpunk 2077, but it totally hit the nail with The Witcher 3. The third entry in the series is the most ambitious Witcher game ever, and it also is the biggest and grandest RPG from the developers.
Anyone who decides to play Witcher 3 will be blown away by the accurate design and extremely detailed landscapes based on Slavic mythology.
8 Metro Series
It started with Metro 2033 when the popular series became a benchmark for testing new GPUs. From then to Metro Exodus, the game developers have continually put commendable effort into making these fictional worlds feel real.
Metro series is all about making the players feel the horror and uncertainty of the post-apocalyptic era. And all the games in the series do a great job at that.
7 Hitman Series
The Hitman series has always been about finding ways to take down the targets. Since the entire goal of the game is to be creative with the environment, it's clear that developers had to put in a lot of time detailing the world.
It is also why the latest Hitman games have praiseworthy realistic environments. The new trilogy has one of the best-looking worlds ever made in a video game.
6 Forza Horizon Series
Forza Horizon is the only racing game on the list, which should show that the genre can be comparable to some of these free-roam open-world games. Microsoft has delivered each time with the sequels, and Horizon 5 has taken it to another level.
The graphics and environment in these games are true-to-world, not in scale, but accuracy. Each game from Forza Horizon 3 on offers an equally well-crafted high-detailed landscape that it is hard to pick one game out of the three.
5 Control
Every Remedy Entertainment game is full of extremely ambient environments, and Control is no different. On the surface, the latest Remedy title is minimal in the looks, but it is by design.
This is because, apart from being set inside a Brutalist skyscraper in New York City, Control is every bit as detailed as others games on the list. It has physics-based objects, lots of tiny details, and an engine that does a standard-setting demonstration of ray tracing.
4 Batman: Arkham Knight
Arkham series are some of the best superhero games in the market, and it is all thanks to Rocksteady. What makes Arkham Knight stand apart is that it is the finale of the long-running franchise. The game is truly faithful to the resource material, which means that Gotham City is full of little details that make it feel real.
From the size of noteworthy buildings to easter eggs, the environment of Batman Arkham Knight is nothing short of praiseworthy.
3 BioShock
Bioshock games are one of a kind not only because of their gameplay but also because of their environments. These games are known for their unique worlds, such as Rapture or Columbia, which are well worth exploring.
The first two games are set in an underwater city, while the third is in the sky. The developers have nailed the details by creating an extremely realistic, bizarre world that one has to play to understand.
2 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim is still so popular, and there are a few reasons for that. At first, there's the obvious fact that no new main series Elder Scrolls game has been there in the last decade. But then there's the not-so-obvious reason, which is how good Skyrim still is.
The fifth Elder Scrolls game has a world not only full of details but also full of history. Moreover, unlike GTA 5, where the cars disappear within minutes, stuff in Elder Scrolls does not disappear, making the world so much more believable.
1 Microsoft Flight Simulator
Lastly, there's the game that almost no one can run maxed out, and it is all thanks to the massive scale and size of the real world. Flight Simulator might not have the most realistic up close and personal details. But, from the player's perspective, it has the most natural and detailed-looking environment ever.
The clouds, the cities, the jungles, and the airports look close to their real-life counterparts, making it one of the best-looking simulator games ever.