What games have exploited consoles' graphics the most?

[AzBat]

All,

I'm in interested in getting people's opinion on what games thus far have exploited all of the consoles' graphics capabilities the most? I'm only interested in the current players like PS2, GameCube and Xbox. Could you please give me a top 5 list with a listing of all the types of graphics features used? For example which games went all out and used lots of shadows, lighting, high polygons models or environments, pixel shaders, vertex shaders, bump-mapping or neat short-cuts. When your list is done, it should basically describe graphically what the hardware is currently(or near feature) capable of doing. Right now I only have a Xbox, but I haven't played many games on it, much less graphically intense titles. Anyway, I'm not only looking for Xbox titles, but I want to try the other systems to see what they're capable of too. Something to add to my rent list the next time I visit Blockbuster.

Tommy McClain

 

[Grall]

PS2... Well, Silent Hill of course. Lights and shadows look very nice (though buggy occationally), and environments are nice with lots of polygon details and varied (though not neccessarily extremely high-res) textures.

Gamecube: Good 'ol Metroid Prime! Still haven't found a game that looks better overall. Occationally Zelda manages to impress, though that's relatively far between from what I seen so far (which isn't very far I admit). Ikaruga was kinda nice, though it's mainly just colorful I suppose, not really technically advanced. Rediculously hard as well btw.

Soul Calibur 2 is probably nice on both these consoles, only seen the Japanese GC version, but I suppose they're fairly comparable. Beat em ups aren't very good measurements of overall technical prowess though since they're so predictable; the game-makers can finetune every aspect, every effect. In Metroid Prime for example the hardware has to cope at all times even in battle, even in the most demanding, most highly-detailed rooms without slowing down (preferably hehe, doesn't always happen). A beat em up game always takes place inside the same ring, the designers and programmers are always in control. It still looks really great though, hehe.

Dunno at all bout XB, I don't own one and never will.


*G*

 

[Blade]

PS2: Ratchet and Clank does a lot. The aforementioned Silent Hill 3 is also mighty impressive. See also: Gran Turismo 3.

GCN: Metroid Prime features a lot of generic effects, but they've been compiled so well that it's probably the most gorgeous game on the system. Rogue Leader is a game that shows off a lot of tricks, including bump-mapping.

Xbox: Splinter Cell has extremely impressive lighting. Wreckless is a notable graphics powerhouse as well.

 

[zurich]

Xbox.. probably Rallisport.. gorgeous game, massive draw distance, very good LOD system, and sweet (and subtle) bump mapping. After seeing what DiCE did with RS, I'm quite disappointed in Midtown Madness...

PS2? After all this time, still have to say MGS2. Haven't played SH3 yet, so I can't comment.

GC.. well to quite *G* so bluntly: "Dunno at all bout [GC], I don't own one and never will"

 

[rabidrabbit]

PS2:
- Ratchet & Clank - Great animation and some amazing environments
- Jak & Daxter - even better animation and huge levels (imo the environments are better in J&D than in R&C, but the image quality is better in R&C)
- Gran Turismo Concept: Tokyo - Geneva: Much improved graphics over original GT3-A Spec. The best looking racer in any platform. There might be racers with slightly higher polycount, but the overall effect is the most realistic in GT3.
- Silent Hill 3: The best characrter models and shadows. The in car scene still amazes me, simple but beautiful.
- MGS2: You just must see at least the opening cinema and the tanker level, it's a gaming classic that every self-respecting gamer should experience. Best use of subtle effects to make the environments so good. In the rain you really almost feel like getting wet!
- ICO: the graphics in this game may not 'exploited the consoles graphics the most' but it's all in the style and mood. Possibly the most beautiful, best game ever (imo).
The graphics are not beautiful in a 'look how shiny and colourful, oh! is it a bumpmapped texture there!! OOH I'm flabbergasted!' way, but they are beautiful in much more subtle, almost dream-like way.

GC:
- Metroid Prime: the graphics really make you feel like being there.
- Zelda Wind Waker: clean and easy on the eye. Absolutely charming.

Xbox:
- DOA Volleyball: Better than DOA3 because you get more of what was good (not imo) in that fighter, i.e. the girls. Shame there is not much of a game, really. But at least you don't have to put up with a second class (imo) fighter to enjoy the graphics. This game can be quite relaxing in a laid-back sort of way (or exciting, if you're that pathetic).
- Panzer Dragoon Orta: Possibly the best graphics in any console, a firefork of effects, beautiful envirokments and characters.

Multiplatform:
Burnout 2: Point of Impact. Amazingly fast, there is just so much going on the streets it is a wonder that this game is a steady 60fps. Crashing looks spectacular. Great arcade exhilaration.

 

[ChryZ]

PS2: Z.O.E.2, SH3, WRC2, J&D+R&C, BurnOut2, MGS2, all Gran Turismos

GC: Metroid Prime, Rogue Squadron II

X-Box: we are talking about consoles and not fixed PCs, right? ... just kidding

 

[Josiah]

I'll add my vote for Silent Hill 3. Halo 2 and Project Gotham 2 are shaping up very nice as well.

 

[ChryZ]

Halo 2 and Project Gotham 2 are shaping up very nice as well.

I would say the topic is implying released games, not games in development.

 

[marconelly!]

As you have an Xbox already, I'll concentrate on the other two.
I generally agree with what's arealy been said, but here's some more:

PS2:

SH3 - 30FPS, very good image quality, *really* great character models, textures and art direction. Suffice to say that half of this board had at one point thought that cut scenes in this games were pre-rendered, when in reality they aren't. It also has some pretty weird (in a good way) looking effects and generally weird, extremely detailed graphics to look at, with some dramatic lighting and shadowing.

Baldur's Gateark Alliance - 60FPS, extremely good image quality, very detailed backgrounds, character models and textures, very impressive lighting (uses per pixel lighting and some form of bumpmapping), a host of multitexturing effects, and has really well done rippling water.

Metal Gear Solid 2 - 60FPS, very good image quality, has perpixel lighting in some of it's levels, very solid geometry, really complex particle effects, and effect overall, fantastic animation and art direction. Has realtime rendered cut-scenes.

Zone Of the Enders 2 - 60FPS, very good image quality, even more complex particle effects, very likely the most complex in any game today, actually. Very subtle, but high quality lighting and shading, moves amazingly fast and has really good animation. Has realtime rendered cut-scenes mixed with hand-drawn anime, with seamless transition between them. Again, really impressive art direction.

Primal - 30FPS, impressive on the technical level - pretty good textures, solid modeling, very good lighting (has instances of perpixel lighting) good particles, streaming world that almost never pauses to load. But the game never manages to look really good IMO.



GC:

Rogue Leader - 60FPS, probably uses every graphics feature known to man. You name it, it's there - per pixel lighting, DOT3 bump mapping... Really great textures and modeling.

Resident Evil 0 - 30FPS, although it uses pre-rendered animated backgrounds (great looking ones at that), it blends them with realtime 3D models really well, and has very good realtime lighting and shadowing system (no self shadowing though) Characters have some bumpmapping that is used with a good measure.

 

[PC-Engine]

GCN: RSII, RSIII, ED, RE0, RE1, RE4, MP, MGS:TS, FZX, and any game that uses motion blur.

 

[London Geezer]

GC:

Rogue Leader - 60FPS, probably uses every graphics feature known to man. You name it, it's there - per pixel lighting, DOT3 bump mapping... Really great textures and modeling.

Resident Evil 0 - 30FPS, although it uses pre-rendered animated backgrounds (great looking ones at that), it blends them with realtime 3D models really well, and has very good realtime lighting and shadowing system (no self shadowing though) Characters have some bumpmapping that is used with a good measure.

now now... "every feature know to man" is a bit too much.... although it probably uses pretty much every feature available to GC...

Resident evil 0 - it does look pretty but if PS2 is doing what its doing in SH3 with fully 3D backgrounds, then i dont think GC is being stressed much with RE0...

 

[3dcgi]

Baldur's Gateark Alliance - 60FPS, extremely good image quality, very detailed backgrounds, character models and textures, very impressive lighting (uses per pixel lighting and some form of bumpmapping), a host of multitexturing effects, and has really well done rippling water.

I second that. Overall the graphics are good and the water effect is just plain cool. Very interactive. I've only played to PS2 version, but I assume this effect is still there on the other versions.

 

[AzBat]

Thanks everybody for the replies!!

I don't have a lot of time to respond to each and every reply, but I will list a summary of the titles people voted for and my thoughts. And as ChryZ mentioned I'm only interested in released games.

Here's the list

PS2	
------------------------
Silent Hill 3          6
Metal Gear Solid 2     4
Gran Turismo 3         3
Ratchet & Clank        3
Baldur's Gate: Dark
  Alliance             2
Burnoout 2             2
Gran Turismo Concept
  2002: Tokyo - Geneva 2
Jak & Daxter           2
Zone of Enders 2       2
Gran Turismo Concept
  2001: Tokyo          1
ICO                    1
Primal                 1
Soul Calibur 2         1
WRC: World Rally
  Championship         1


NGC	
------------------------
Metroid Prime          5
Star Wars Rogue Leader 4
Legend of Zelda:
  Wind Waker           2
Resident Evil Zero     2
Burnout 2              1
Eternal Darkness       1

XBOX
------------------------
Burnout 2              1
Dead or Alive: Beach
  Vollyeball           1
Panzer Dragoon Orta    1
Rallisport             1
Splinter Cell          1
Wreckless              1

The PS2 and NGC lists look really good as most are in pretty good agreement. However, I was hoping for more Xbox titles. I only own GT2002/JSRF, Halo and Madden 2002. I have rented Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Robotech Battlecry and just recently Brute Force. On my top list it would have to be Splinter Cell and Brute Force. Splinter Cell just amazes me every second I play it. I love the lighting, shadows and vertex shading on fabric, etc. Brute Force has some amazing art work, loads of bump mapping and though it may not be a graphic capability, the animation and rag doll physics.

Anyway, from the comments my favorite choices would have to be Silent Hill 3 and Metroid Prime, but I'm also interested in looking at Metal Gear Solid 2, Rogue Leader and Resident Evil Zero. I suspect these are going to be the grade A titles that really show me what those platforms are really capable of, graphically. As for Xbox games, I'm really going to need more comments and suggestions before I head for Blockbuster.

Tommy McClain

 

[marconelly!]

More for Xbox:

Rallisports Challenge, Dead or Alive 3, Apex, Moto GP 2,

Btw, you can trust me that each and every of the game listed indeed represents the best on the platform in some way, regardless of how many votes it got (ZoE2 got less votes than MGS2, but it's probably has technically more complex visuals, and Ico is for many people more beautiful than either of them...)

 

[AzBat]

More for Xbox:

Rallisports Challenge, Dead or Alive 3, Apex, Moto GP 2,

Btw, you can trust me that each and every of the game listed indeed represents the best on the platform in some way, regardless of how many votes it got (ZoE2 got less votes than MGS2, but it's probably has technically more complex visuals, and Ico is for many people more beautiful than either of them...)

Marconelly, thanks for the additional Xbox titles. As for the number of votes, I understand. Maybe I should have a poll that lets people vote on each platform which they thought was the most graphically impressive and complex game? Never done a poll, maybe this would be a good one to try?

Tommy McClain

 

[Fafalada]

Could you please give me a top 5 list with a listing of all the types of graphics features used? For example which games went all out and used lots of shadows, lighting, high polygons models or environments, pixel shaders, vertex shaders, bump-mapping or neat short-cuts.

In my opinion, it's difficult, if not near impossible to give accurate technical analysis of this sort about any game solely on observation, even for people that work in the field.
You might pick on the things that really stand out, but still end up guessing about most others and miss out a lot of stuff without having actual background insight to the game. Granted it helps a lot when you know the hw inside-out and the little things to look, for but even that doesn't mean you can give one look at the screen and spit out all the effects used
Case in point, if it were really that easy, why do would we still have things like happen like graphics programmers mistaking SH3 cutscenes for being prerendered?

And frankly, technicalities aside, I don't think the games that display glaringly obvious uses of some features are necesserily using them well either - see the bumpmapping arguments in that primal thread for a good example of why too-obvious uses of some things don't mean good.
This is of course a matter of opinion, but to me, games where actual individual rendering techniques, effects etc.etc. don't stand out tend to be better examples of truly exploiting particular hw.

Likewise something like ICO as a collection of different techniques and effects used probably stands out above most games on the platform, the irony is just that the overal subdued look practically never throws any of them into your face, but rather have them work in balance impressing you with the whole picture, not just individual bump pixels on the rock or what not.
So in eyes of average observer, the game tends to be pushed aside as lowtech, even though it's anything but (especially compared to the REAL lowtech crap you can find on the PS2).

And of course there's games that non-casual gamers (which pretty much all of use here are ) almost never play - but that doesn't mean they never stand out with the graphics.
I for one, was surprised to see how solid Crash looked on PS2, using a few rather unique effects as well (including a neat implementation of Marc's favourite dynamic pixel lighting in places) - granted I am still terrified of the artwork (something about those characters and gaudy color choice freaks me out) but nevermind that

Anyway, sorry about this rant and going kinda OT - it's early in the morning here again

 

[Riddlewire]

Brute Force is a excellent display of the Xbox's graphical capabilities in terms of 'used features' (a misleading term). But the game uses said features for more of a solid harmony of artistic design, rather than anything whizz-bang. In other words, it rarely blows you away with anything stunning, it's just high quality all around.
Enclave, although it's more of a DX7-era game, does a good job of making the Xbox look good.
Mechassault is another one that shows off a good number of advanced features, although I don't really care for the look of it.
Wreckless is extremely impressive, once you've beaten the entire game on Hard. You have to do that to unlock all the filters and camera angles for normal use.
Blinx is another game like Brute Force. It's not gonna make anybody say "Holy Crap!". It's just an advanced implementation of Xbox graphics for a specific artistic design. You really have to look past the art to appreciate it, though.
All the other Xbox games mentioned above are also good tech showpieces. As well as plenty of others that weren't mentioned, but I don't own them so I can't provide much insight.

 

[marconelly!]

So in eyes of average observer, the game tends to be pushed aside as lowtech, even though it's anything but

This is so true.

 

[notAFanB]

So in eyes of average observer, the game tends to be pushed aside as lowtech, even though it's anything but

This is so true.

it is unfortunate that some want (and expect) Cgraphics to 'look' like CGI graphics (oo self shadowing). if they don't see it, then it gets graded 'low tech'

 

[LogisticX]

Easy picks I tells ya:


Gamecube: Metroid Prime. 60 fps of sheer artistic beauty.

PS2: Silent Hill 3. Realistic looking as hell from what I've seen (even demoed).....no pun intended.

Xbox: Dead or Alive 3. I still don't think anything has surpassed this game. 60 fps and it looks stunning, both artistically and technically, even if its only a fighting game.