The onset of a new console generation is always exciting, and one of the many reasons is the promise of games that will look even better than before. This year, we’ve certainly had more than a few lookers, with either new releases or instances of developers taking the newer hardware and leveraging it to deliver technically enhanced versions of older releases. Here, we’re going to take a look at some of both, as we list the fifteen most visually impressive games of 2021 so far.
RETURNAL
Looking at Returnal, it’s almost impossible to believe that this is the first major AAA game Housemarque has ever worked on. It looks absolutely gorgeous, and is, in no vague terms, a true early showcase of the power of next-gen console hardware. With frantic action, gorgeous and evocative environments, consistently creative enemy design, and of course, extremely impressive tech to back it all up, Returnal is an absolutely dazzling game.