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[NX Gamer] The Best Graphics/Technology of 2020 - The end of an Era.

noise36

Member
I just find it humorous when people say that a certain forum is ran and owned by a certain fanbase. Some people act like this sites PlayStation Blog or something similar.
The majority of people only have a base ps4 so comment and post based on that viewpoint.

i.e. this sort of list reinforces their pre-existing belief that they haven't missed anything significant and don't need to explore new gaming platforms in the future.
 
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CatLady

Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
Really surprised Death Stranding or Detroit wasn’t on the list.
Yeah me too, then the entire list could have been Sony exclusives.

What a joke, 4 out of 7 are Sony exclusives and THREE of those exclusives are ahead of FS2020. CP2077 isn't even on the list. He does deign to include Gears 5 Hivebusters in honorable mentions ................................................. along with Sackboy and Astrobot 🤪🤣🤣:LOL:

Good thing this guy isn't a Sony fanboy according to the GAF's Sony fanboys and the list has TLW's seal of approval so you KNOW it's legit.
 

Vick

Gold Member
I would assume that has more to do with the SSD being used. That said someone posted a .ini tweak to help with that in the official thread
I have yet to play it (and can't wait), but what i've seen is no matter of SSD nor .ini tweaks (which i'm sure would help a bit just like they did with Witcher 2 and Witcher 3), it's the general LOD management which, for a title that doesn't give a damn about pushing settings beyond what's realistically possible now, appears incredibly lacking in comparison to what Rockstar and other few companies achieved on ancient hardware.

Only way to truly improve on this matter is to wait for a proper Mod like the "Increase LOD" one for Witcher 3.. which i'm sure will arrive.

P.S. I still love how the game looks even on consoles, based on what i've seen.

Yeah me too, then the entire list could have been Sony exclusives.

What a joke, 4 out of 7 are Sony exclusives and THREE of those exclusives are ahead of FS2020. CP2077 isn't even on the list. He does deign to include Gears 5 Hivebusters in honorable mentions ................................................. along with Sackboy and Astrobot 🤪🤣🤣:LOL:

Good thing this guy isn't a Sony fanboy according to the GAF's Sony fanboys and the list has TLW's seal of approval so you KNOW it's legit.
What Are You Doing Reaction GIF
 

Shmunter

Member
Yeah me too, then the entire list could have been Sony exclusives.

What a joke, 4 out of 7 are Sony exclusives and THREE of those exclusives are ahead of FS2020. CP2077 isn't even on the list. He does deign to include Gears 5 Hivebusters in honorable mentions ................................................. along with Sackboy and Astrobot 🤪🤣🤣:LOL:

Good thing this guy isn't a Sony fanboy according to the GAF's Sony fanboys and the list has TLW's seal of approval so you KNOW it's legit.
Do you disagree with his stated reasoning in the video?

It’s not a secret that Sony is known for going the extra mile with attention to detail and polish. One would be bias to not give props where props are due.

It really depends on what one favours, Last Of Us 2 is not using dynamic lighting, but it looks incredible....do you look at what was achieved or what tech is driving it as the factor.

To me a game is an illusion through and through, and the final overall result counts for more than inside baseball knowledge of how it came to be. It’s clear NX sees the creative aspect as much as the underlying tech.
 
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Yeah me too, then the entire list could have been Sony exclusives.

What a joke, 4 out of 7 are Sony exclusives and THREE of those exclusives are ahead of FS2020. CP2077 isn't even on the list. He does deign to include Gears 5 Hivebusters in honorable mentions ................................................. along with Sackboy and Astrobot 🤪🤣🤣:LOL:

Good thing this guy isn't a Sony fanboy according to the GAF's Sony fanboys and the list has TLW's seal of approval so you KNOW it's legit.
channel 9 lol GIF by Married At First Sight Australia
 
Hands down the Last of Us part II. Set the bar for character animations and environment design - puts next gen games to shame. Can’t imagine how good Naughty Dog’s first big title will look on PS5.
 
Which you can always turn on. That dynamic GI is a massive technical feat, can't think of any other title with it.
Playing with lights in this game is simply breathtaking.

Not saying it isn't I was just wondering if there are other dynamic light sources in the game. I haven't played it yet so I wouldn't know.
 

Vick

Gold Member
Not saying it isn't I was just wondering if there are other dynamic light sources in the game. I haven't played it yet so I wouldn't know.
Time of day is set in stone, but given how you can turn your flashlight on in every moment, and given how even just a step can make a massive difference in how the entire scene is lit, i'd say the entire game is a showcase of dynamic lighting.
And by far the most impressive i've ever seen on consoles. I'd say ever honestly, because as i said outside of tech demos (or things like Minecraft RTX) i can't think of a single game with dynamic lighting as impressive.
 

Shmunter

Member
Which you can always turn on. That dynamic GI is a massive technical feat, can't think of any other title with it.
Playing with lights in this game is simply breathtaking.
Source lighting like a torch is not GI aka Global Illumination. The ambient light in TLOU2 is all baked into the textures and not calculated in real-time.

Same deal with Assassins Creed Unity, still the best looking AC title out. A baked technique limits dynamic change, but it doesn't really matter unless the game specifically needs it - artistic flare and control is often more important, just like in photography and film.

Edit: has been bought to my attention that the torch indeed introduces bounce lighting within the scene.
 
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Vick

Gold Member
Source lighting like a torch is not GI aka Global Illumination.
Bounce lighting from torch very obviously is GI.

The ambient light in TLOU2 is all baked into the textures and not calculated in real-time.
True, but torch lighting isn't and given how it's constantly turned on is a very prominent part of the game.

Actually, even ambient lighting can change based on multiple factors, it's not really static.

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Sun Blaze

Banned
TLOU2 has to be the most overrated game graphically. It doesn't look better than Miles Morales or Demon's Souls at all. Two things it has going for it are character animations and models. Both can be partly explained by the fact it's no open world, so more time to focus on individual characters like in Uncharted.

The rest is unimpressive and I find myself raising an eyebrow at every screenshot I see of it. Where are these amazing graphics people keep speaking of? I have it on PS4 Pro, I saw it in videos, I saw screenshots, but I'm still looking.
 
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Vick

Gold Member
TLOU2 has to be the most overrated game graphically. It doesn't look better than Miles Morales or Demon's Souls at all. Two things it has going for it are character animations and models. Both can be partly explained by the fact it's no open world, so more time to focus on individual characters like in Uncharted.

The rest is unimpressive and I find myself raising an eyebrow at every screenshot I see of it. Where are these amazing graphics people keep speaking of? I have it on PS4 Pro, I saw it in videos, I saw screenshots, but I'm still looking.
You're comparing it with games running on 10 times more powerful hardware.

But even then, if you're not impressed by the character models, the animations, the PBR, the lighting, the ambient occlusion, the AI or this vegetation:











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You should probably replace your AV equipment. Or get your eyes checked.
 
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Sun Blaze

Banned
You're comparing it with games running on 10 times more powerful hardware.

But even then, if you're not impressed by the character models, the animations, the PBR, the lighting, the ambient occlusion, the AI or this vegetation:











JQVNPzs.png


QTx5pbV.png


kjKenRa.png


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You should probably replace your AV equipment. Or get your eyes checked.

Not impressed by any of those. PBR has been around for close to a decade. Lighting is no longer impressive this side of ray tracing technology, and those screenshots look like shit. RDR2 dunks on that game even on PS4.

If anything, you posting those shots just make me think people say this game is amazing looking by default simply because it comes from Naughty Dog. It's merely a good looking game, and anyone placing it above MM or Demon's Souls need to look beyond character models.
 
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Represent.

Represent(ative) of bad opinions
You're comparing it with games running on 10 times more powerful hardware.

But even then, if you're not impressed by the character models, the animations, the PBR, the lighting, the ambient occlusion, the AI or this vegetation:











JQVNPzs.png


QTx5pbV.png


kjKenRa.png


IRrahhk.png


yo9mCaQ.png


You should probably replace your AV equipment. Or get your eyes checked.

Fucking incredible.

The best looking game of all time is running on a base PS4.

Naughty GOATS :messenger_open_mouth:
 

drotahorror

Member
I grabbed TLOU2 yesterday, really hope it gets a PS5 patch soon. I played a bit of the beginning but kind of want to wait.

One thing I thought was awesome is that you can have fuckin bullet time on demand. I LOVE bullet time. I even use a mod on RDR2 to activate slow mo with a key press.
 

Shmunter

Member
Not impressed by any of those. PBR has been around for close to a decade. Lighting is no longer impressive this side of ray tracing technology, and those screenshots look like shit. RDR2 dunks on that game even on PS4.

If anything, you posting those shots just make me think people say this game is amazing looking by default simply because it comes from Naughty Dog. It's merely a good looking game, and anyone placing it above MM or Demon's Souls need to look beyond character models.
Incredible. Playing the game immediately made me think this is the closest to real-time playable CGI I've experienced. It's the collection of things going off at once - the volumetric lighting, the IQ, the way it all moves, the film grain, the seamless clos-ups and cutscenes interwoven with gameplay etc.

Dissecting it technically it's just techniques any egg head has heard off - putting it all together in such a refined and polished manner is pure craftsmanship elevating it to new heights. Common impression from any cursory glance, not some offhand hyperbole.
 
I don't really understand some people living in constant denial, actively refusing to admit that Sony delivers high quality visuals like their livelihood depends on it.

Is the list biased towards Sony? I don't know - were there a lot of new games released on PC and Xbox in 2020 that pushed graphics? I seem to remember Xbox releases in 2020 looking pretty barren while everyone waited for next-gen consoles to release. I also clearly remember Sony delivering high quality exclusives up until the very end of the PS4.

For the sake of not seeming like I haven't done any due diligence, here's some titles I can think of that aren't Sony exclusives (that aren't mentioned by NXGamer):
  • DMC5 Special Edition
  • Ori and the Will of the Wisps
  • Half-Life: Alyx
  • Mafia: Definitive Edition
  • Baldur's Gate 3
  • Watch Dogs: Legion
  • AC Valhalla
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Yet, for every single one of those titles, I could see someone giving the win to one of the entries in NXGamer's list.

 

Vick

Gold Member
Not impressed by any of those. PBR has been around for close to a decade. Lighting is no longer impressive this side of ray tracing technology, and those screenshots look like shit.
So Naughty Dog should have used Ray Tracing on PS4.. got it.
The funny thing is that to achieve that kind of GI a form of RT may actually be implemented.

As for the screens looking like shit, maybe these would look less shitty to your eyes even being 100% In-Game just as the previous ones..

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RDR2 dunks on that game even on PS4.
I've always said RDR2 is the most impressive game ever made so you're preaching to the choir here. But on a visual perspective TLOUII is obviously better on quite alot of things.

If anything, you posting those shots just make me think people say this game is amazing looking by default simply because it comes from Naughty Dog. It's merely a good looking game, and anyone placing it above MM or Demon's Souls need to look beyond character models.
Maybe you should play the game instead of relying on screenshots then. And if you did, you should probably look beyond whatever parameters you're using and start contextualizing things, because lots of elements make this an impressive looking videogame even regardless of the platform it runs on. Just a very few examples, like the way the environment always react to the player:







The ways you can engage with the environment itself:




The already mentioned GI:




The extremely careful way reflections are handled:




The way shadows are displayed on the water surface and lightshafts underwater:




The water itself:




Etc. etc. etc.

All of this with those characters models, those animations, those AI systems in place all blended together running flawlessly on a fucking 1.84TF system.. but it's not impressive, because you said so.
 
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So Naughty Dog should have used Ray Tracing on PS4.. got it.
The funny thing is that to achieve that kind of GI a form of RT may actually be implemented.

As for the screens looking like shit, maybe these would look less shitty to your eyes even being 100% In-Game just as the previous ones..

m6RhqF4.png


d14A7Aw.png


gTFIfY6.png


XHhmWAo.png


XQsPTQk.png


K7hiIuC.png


aVRdfKc.png


eIroJTS.png


Gb5HTKS.png


x7ywkGk.png


m17gmdK.png


MONEvjR.png


BFlRBhQ.png


CvyAMwY.png


1pWnZGa.png


nUBbcRE.png


P1ANOfs.png


EWT1zFC.png


wxPvj3Q.png


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bWLE9t8.png


5n9VKuu.png


WEJKKzQ.png


P5wu1ET.png


wN919sG.png


bMNvtWX.png


AD9QRYZ.png


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gsc4kLC.png


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I've always said RDR2 is the most impressive game ever made so you're preaching to the choir here. But on a visual perspective TLOUII is obviously better on quite alot of things.


Maybe you should play the game instead of relying on screenshots then. And if you did, you should probably look beyond whatever parameters you're using and start contextualizing things, because lots of elements make this an impressive looking videogame even regardless of the platform it runs on. Just a very few examples, like the way the environment always react to the player:







The ways you can engage with the environment itself:




The already mentioned GI:




The extremely careful way reflections are handled:




The way shadows are displayed on the water surface and lightshafts underwater:




The water itself:




Etc. etc. etc.

All of this with those characters models, those animations, those AI systems in place all blended together running flawlessly on a fucking 1.84TF system.. but it's not impressive, because you said so.


I've seen some people say that TLOU2 looks almost next gen like. I can see why from the images and videos thst you posted. It's obvious that Naughty Dog put a lot of work into the title.

I honestly don't think it's wrong to say it's one of the best looking games of 2020.
 

Vick

Gold Member
The surprises about Sony games topping the list is surprising. This is why people are so fanatical about Sony once they go there.

I don't really understand some people living in constant denial, actively refusing to admit that Sony delivers high quality visuals like their livelihood depends on it.
I really hope it boils down to being in constant denial..
Because being literal child console warriors deliberately ignoring reality for whatever ridiculous reason would be much worse. I wish i could be as optimistic but at this point i've read enough to know that the latter is actually the case.

Just imagine how high def whatever lbgtqi characters they choose will look on PS5.
Yep. I can't even imagine how frustrating must have been for the team to have all their work hated by huge number of people just because of those in charge of its narrative.
 
So nxgamer, the sony worshipper youtuber pretending he knows what hes talking about basically put every sony game this year on top ? Now thats shocking and not at all predictable.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
You're comparing it with games running on 10 times more powerful hardware.

But even then, if you're not impressed by the character models, the animations, the PBR, the lighting, the ambient occlusion, the AI or this vegetation:











JQVNPzs.png


QTx5pbV.png


kjKenRa.png


IRrahhk.png


yo9mCaQ.png


You should probably replace your AV equipment. Or get your eyes checked.


Looks good, but nothing all that impressive, even compared to Sony's other first party stuff and RDR2. Maybe I'll change my mind when I finally get around to playing the game, but the screenshots that have been shared aren't really jumping out to me.
 
I wish you guys who insinuate he doesn't know what he's talking about would prove your point or STFU.

Theres nothing to proove. All of them are just youtubers, random people with a passion for tech. Not one of them works in the field or had education or has intimate acces to a specific games development, outside of DF ocassional interviews. What youre getting is the average joe using generalist terms and trying to sound like he knows what hes saying after eye "analysing" a game. And in regards to nxgamer, this is no surprise. The guy is felating sony day in day out. His "list" is basically just writing every sony game of the year and saying he made the best graphics list
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
The hate boner for nxgamer is embarrassing. The game footage speaks a thousand words. If you got triggered by tlou2, demon souls and ghost of tshushima being on that list then you need to reevaluate your life's choices. Or see an eye doctor. Or both.

Tlou2 looks absolutely incredible and while i believe flight sim wins on achieving photorealism alone, what naughty dog has done with facial animations, motion matching and gore level of detail is in a league of its own.. No game even comes close.

I have played cyberpunk on at max settings with rt and it's a stunning looking game but like others have said it's very uneven. The city looks fantastic, but everything else is lacking. Crowd even on the highest setting is far lower than what you see in Spiderman. The animations are janky. Character models look like euro jank. Even compared to other open world games like rdr2, it falls behind in almost all the categories. The city design is the game's only saving grace.

It's definitely a top ten and maybe a top five but with demon souls, flight SIM, miles, ghosts and tlou2 outdoing cyberpunk in so many different categories, i am not that miffed about it not hitting someone's top spot. Especially in its current broken state.

I think ff7 and ac Valhalla look stunning as well and while they might not be consistently great looking, they also deserve a spot in the top ten like cyberpunk because when they do look good they look just as good as Sony's first party titles.

If i had to pick my top ten I'd say
Flight sim
Tlou2
demon souls
Miles
Cyberpunk
Ghosts
Ff7
Ac Valhalla
Re7
dirt 5
 
This list more resembles reality than just choosing teh ‘Raytracing’
Pretty much.

Solid list. ND's animation.... how much it ads to the experience is really something else. And it should for a game that tells character driven stories. But what sets it apart from others who put in the work only on cinematics is that the animation pipeline still runs full steam on gameplay - and makes the gameplay much more believable, rewarding, smooth, and satisfying to look at. Can't wait for their work on PS5.
 
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MrFunSocks

Banned
Theres nothing to proove. All of them are just youtubers, random people with a passion for tech. Not one of them works in the field or had education or has intimate acces to a specific games development, outside of DF ocassional interviews. What youre getting is the average joe using generalist terms and trying to sound like he knows what hes saying after eye "analysing" a game. And in regards to nxgamer, this is no surprise. The guy is felating sony day in day out. His "list" is basically just writing every sony game of the year and saying he made the best graphics list
It’s funny that people seemingly have to go and wait for a nxgamer or df video to be able to tell if a game uses any of the graphical techniques that have been around for years. Like do you really need nxgamer to point out SSAO and say “that’s ssao!”? Why can’t you just use your eyes?

these guys are literally just looking at pictures and videos of the games and pointing out what graphical techniques they use. They’re not graphics programming veterans or anything. People put far too much stock into what they say and their opinions.
 
No it doesn't. In what world is Cyberpunk on a high-end PC not at least top 2 best looking games out right now? Unless hes talking about on consoles?

Also, lol @ Flight Simulator being only #4
Cyberpunk is inconsistent, even if it's because of the bugs... it makes the game look and feel less cohesive + the animation is not that great. The city streets look awe inspiring at times, with all the neon lights, tho.

Flight Simulator does look great, especially the scope and those clouds, I'm not sure where I would place it in a list like that, it remains a simulator that shows a plane and the world around it, it looses a lot of points for enemy designs, and it breaks when you get out of the detailed areas too (which is not that big of an issue because you fly above them anyway).
 
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