The gaming industry is experiencing a golden age of technological progress, with developers constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and crafting ever more realistic and immersive virtual worlds. But with this visual splendor comes a demand for cutting-edge hardware, as today’s latest titles can push even the most powerful gaming PCs to their limits.
From the photorealistic faces in The Last of Us Part I to the endless horizons of Starfield, from the intricately detailed metropolises of Cyberpunk 2077 to the sheer number of creatures on screen in Total War: Warhammer 3 — these games are true technological marvels. Buckle up as we take a look at the games with the best graphics around, and consequently those that demand the most out of hardware.
Total War: Warhammer 3
About the Game:
Released in 2022 in the U.K., published by Creative Assembly / SEGA.
This is a massive turn-based strategy game set in the fantasy world of Warhammer, where players command one of several factions in an epic struggle for survival and dominance.
Total War: Warhammer 3. Source
A true test for any gaming rig, this real-time strategy game pushes your system to the limit with its vast armies of highly detailed units, cinematic battles packed with dazzling effects, and pioneering lighting and shadow simulations. The demanding system requirements are also driven by the expansive campaign, breathtaking large-scale landscapes, and a wealth of intricate animations.
Halo Infinite
About the Game:
Released in 2021 in the U.S., published by 343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios.
The legendary Master Chief returns in the sixth main installment of the Halo series, facing off against a new threat—the Banished—on the mysterious Zeta Halo ring. This first-person sci-fi shooter delivers an intense and immersive experience.
Halo Infinite. Source
Built with advanced lighting and shadow rendering, dynamic weather, and a reflection system, Halo Infinite pushes performance limits. The open world demands significant processing power to render vast distances, while highly detailed textures, lifelike enemy animations, and weapon models put a serious strain on the GPU.
Control
About the Game:
Released in 2019 in Finland, published by Remedy Entertainment / 505 Games.
Control is a supernatural third-person action adventure that follows Jesse Faden’s journey as she becomes the director of a secret government agency investigating paranormal phenomena.
Control. Source
One of the first games to fully embrace ray tracing (RTX), Control leverages this state-of-the-art technology for realistic reflections, lifelike shadows, and global illumination, creating a truly cinematic atmosphere. The game’s highly destructible environments also require substantial computational power, making it a benchmark title for high-performance gaming PCs.
Starfield
About the Game:
Released in 2023 in the U.S., published by Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks.
Starfield is an open-world space RPG about conquering the galaxy, where players take on the role of an explorer discovering new planets and unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
Starfield. Source
With its massive open world featuring procedurally generated planets, intricate lighting systems, and highly detailed textures, the game demands serious work. Starfield leverages advanced global illumination, realistic physics simulation, and high-fidelity character and spaceship models to create a visually stunning experience.
The Ascent
About the Game:
Released in 2021 in Sweden, published by Neon Giant / Curve Digital.
The Ascent is an isometric action RPG shooter game set in a dystopian metropolis after the collapse of the corporation that once controlled the entire colony.
The Ascent. Source
This cyberpunk shooter boasts an incredibly detailed environment, dynamic lighting, and an abundance of visual effects—explosions, reflections, and fire. With RTX ray tracing technology, the game delivers realistic reflections, deep shadows, and a dense urban landscape illuminated by countless light sources.
Baldur’s Gate 3
About the Game:
Released in 2023 in Belgium, published by Larian Studios.
This RPG, based on the Dungeons & Dragons system, offers a tactical combat-driven epic adventure where heroes must battle against Mind Flayer Parasites seeking to enslave the world of Faerûn.
Baldur’s Gate 3. Source
Baldur’s Gate 3 pushes graphical boundaries with its photorealistic character models, detailed facial animations, and vast environments packed with visual effects. Complex lighting, spell animations, dynamic weather, and an advanced illumination system make for an intense GPU workload, ensuring a breathtakingly rich experience and story.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
About the Game:
Released in 2018 in Canada and the U.S., published by Eidos Montréal / Square Enix.
This third-person action-adventure game is the epic conclusion to the rebooted Lara Croft trilogy. As she battles the secretive Trinity organization deep in the South American jungle, Lara faces her ultimate test.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Source
With RTX ray tracing technology for lifelike lighting and shadows, an advanced jungle vegetation system, high-polygon character models, and meticulously detailed textures, this game ranks among the most demanding in the action-adventure genre.
Forza Horizon 5
About the Game:
Released in 2021 in the U.K. and U.S., published by Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios.
This open-world arcade racing sim drops you into the heart of Mexico’s breathtaking landscapes for the greatest automotive festival, complete with diverse terrains and dynamic weather conditions.
Forza Horizon 5. Source
Featuring photorealistic cars enhanced by RTX ray tracing, an expansive open world with real-time weather changes, and a highly sophisticated lighting system, Forza Horizon 5 pushes GPUs and Ryzen processors to the limit. The high level of environmental detail, along with realistic particle simulation (dust, dirt, water), demands serious system performance.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered & Miles Morales
About the Game:
Remastered for PC between 2020 and 2022, released in the U.S. by Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment.
These third-person action games follow the thrilling adventures of Spider-Man and Miles Morales as they swing through an open-world New York, battling iconic supervillains to keep the city safe.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered. Source
The game’s incredibly detailed rendition of New York City, complete with ray-traced lighting and shadows, adds substantial strain to system resources. Reflections on glass and surfaces appear natural, thanks to RTX ray tracing, while the fast-paced web-slinging mechanics demand rapid texture streaming. Advanced physics simulations for webs and clothing further intensify the load on GPUs.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
About the Game:
Released in 2022 in Poland, published by Techland.
This action-horror survival game blends parkour with brutal combat as players fight to stay alive in a zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic city. Every decision impacts the fate of the remaining survivors.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human. Source
With its enormous open world, detailed environments, dynamic day-night cycles, and intricate parkour animations, Dying Light 2 is a technical powerhouse. Realistic lighting and shadow simulations, coupled with hordes of zombies on screen at once, push even high-end PCs to their performance limits.
Final Fantasy XV
About the Game:
PC version released in 2018 in Japan, published by Square Enix.
This open-world JRPG follows Prince Noctis and his friends on a journey to reclaim their fallen world, Eos, featuring fast-paced real-time battles in a dazzling fantasy world.
Final Fantasy XV. Source
Built with Nvidia GameWorks technology, the game boasts an advanced hair and cloth system (HairWorks), highly detailed character models, and sophisticated physics. Its realistic lighting, vast open spaces, photorealistic characters, and cinematic visual effects make Final Fantasy XV one of the most demanding RPGs on PC.
The Last of Us Part I
About the Game:
PC version released in 2023 in the U.S., published by Naughty Dog / Sony Interactive Entertainment.
A gripping post-apocalyptic story follows Joel and Ellie as they journey across an America ravaged by a deadly fungal infection. Genre: third-person action adventure with survival elements.
The Last of Us Part I. Source
The game’s settings feature photorealistic characters, a complex lighting system, and meticulous textures. Ray tracing, highly detailed facial animations, and environmental effects demand serious GPU power for optimal performance.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
About the Game:
Released in 2024 in Japan, published by Capcom.
A grand fantasy adventure where the Arisen must reclaim their stolen heart from a dragon in a vast open world. Genre: open-world action RPG.
Dragon’s Dogma 2. Source
Expect deep physics simulation, dynamic day-night cycles, and intuitive enemy AI. The highly detailed world, intricate character animations, and advanced lighting system make this game a true test for high-end PCs.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
About the Game:
Released in 2023 in Japan, published by Capcom.
Leon S. Kennedy embarks on a mission to rescue the U.S. president’s daughter, only to face the horrors of the Los Iluminados cult in a remote Spanish village. Genre: third-person survival horror.
Resident Evil 4 Remake. Source
Built on the RE Engine, the game utilizes ray tracing, complex shadows, and realistic lighting. With high-resolution textures and detailed character animations, Resident Evil 4 Remake stands among the most graphically demanding survival horror titles.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
About the Game:
Released in 2023 in the U.S., published by Respawn Entertainment / Electronic Arts.
This sequel continues the story of Jedi Cal Kestis, set five years after Fallen Order, as he navigates the dawn of the Empire. Genre: third-person action adventure with Metroidvania elements.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Source
Expansive, highly detailed environments, an advanced particle system, dynamic animations, and cinematic combat powered by ray-traced lighting all push hardware to the limit. The game’s heavy use of dynamic objects further increases system demands.
Red Dead Redemption 2
About the Game:
PC version released in 2019 in the U.S., published by Rockstar Games.
A third-person open-world action adventure that tells the story of the Van der Linde gang’s struggle during the dying days of the Wild West, as seen through the eyes of Arthur Morgan.
Red Dead Redemption 2. Source
One of the most detailed open worlds ever created, the game features realistic lighting simulation, dynamic weather, and advanced physics. With its intricate animation system, photorealistic character models, and complex weather effects, RDR2 remains a benchmark for demanding PC games.
Metro Exodus
About the Game:
Released in 2019, developed by 4A Games / Deep Silver (Ukraine & Malta).
A gripping post-apocalyptic journey follows Artyom and a group of survivors as they leave the Metro tunnels to search for a new life across Russia. Genre: first-person shooter with horror and survival elements.
Metro Exodus. Source
Utilizing ray-traced lighting, dynamic shadows, and highly realistic weather effects, Metro Exodus takes graphical fidelity to the next level. The game’s dynamic day-night cycle, highly detailed indoor environments, and complex particle system (smoke, fire, snow) demand a powerful GPU (think Ryzen).
Ark: Survival Ascended
About the Game:
Released in 2023 in the U.S., developed by Studio Wildcard.
This open-world survival game with MMO elements challenges players to endure life on an island teeming with prehistoric creatures. Tame dinosaurs, uncover alien technologies, and carve out your place in a brilliantly detailed world.
Ark: Survival Ascended. Source
With vast open environments, lush vegetation, and hundreds of photorealistic dinosaurs, Ark: Survival Ascended is a visual spectacle. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game leverages technologies like Nanite and Lumen, pushing Ryzen to its limits.
Cyberpunk 2077
About the Game:
Released in 2020 in Poland, developed by CD Projekt RED.
A first-person RPG set in the sprawling, neon-drenched metropolis of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 follows the mercenary V on a desperate quest to rid themselves of the digital ghost haunting their mind.
Cyberpunk 2077. Source
One of the most graphically intense games ever made, it features full-scale ray tracing, a hyper-detailed cityscape, intricate neon lighting, high-poly character models, and an advanced NPC simulation—making it a true test for even the most powerful gaming rigs.
Alan Wake 2
About the Game:
Released in 2023 in Finland, published by Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games Publishing.
A psychological thriller blending survival horror elements, Alan Wake 2 follows writer Alan Wake, trapped in a nightmarish reality, and FBI agent Saga Anderson, investigating a series of ritualistic murders.
Alan Wake 2. Source
The game takes visual fidelity to new heights, utilizing full ray tracing for cinematic lighting, complex shadow effects, and realistic reflections. Hyper-detailed textures—especially in fog and water—combine with stunning visual effects to make Alan Wake 2 one of the most graphically demanding titles on the market.
Modern high-performance games push the boundaries of GPUs and CPUs (especially Ryzen) by leveraging cutting-edge graphical technologies. The main factors determining a game’s hardware demands include advanced rendering systems and the complexity of virtual worlds.
Ray Tracing
Used in games like Control, Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, it brings real-time hyper-realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections to enhance the player experience. Cyberpunk 2077 even features full path tracing for ultimate realism.
Ray tracing is a defining technology of recent years. It realistically simulates the behavior of light, reflections, and shadows but comes at a significant computational cost. Equally demanding are ultra-high-resolution textures and detailed models—AAA titles now use textures of up to 8K resolution and character models with millions of polygons.
Unreal Engine 5
Used in Ark: Survival Ascended and likely Dragon’s Dogma 2, Unreal Engine 5 includes Nanite (a virtualized geometry system that enables near-infinite detail without performance loss) and Lumen (a real-time dynamic global illumination system for realistic lighting) technologies.
RE Engine
Powering Resident Evil 4 Remake and Dragon’s Dogma 2, Capcom’s RE Engine stands out for its highly detailed textures, realistic cloth simulation, and advanced lighting techniques.
Nvidia GameWorks & DLSS
Found in Final Fantasy XV, Cyberpunk 2077, and Metro Exodus. DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) uses AI to upscale lower-resolution images, boosting performance without visual loss, while PhysX and HairWorks enhance physics and create realistic hair.
Horizon Engine
Driving Forza Horizon 5, this engine delivers stunning car and environmental details while supporting HDR, RTX, and dynamic weather effects.
Dynamic weather and day-night cycles continuously recalculate lighting and atmospheric effects, adding to the system load. Maintaining high FPS with modern tech like DLSS and FSR further increases equipment demands.
id Tech & Vulkan API
Seen in Doom Eternal and partially in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Vulkan API improves performance on lower-end systems by allowing more direct, low-level access to the GPU.
Creation Engine 2
Powering Starfield, this upgraded engine features RTX for realistic lighting, procedural planet generation to create vast open worlds, and complex global illumination.
Decima Engine
Used in Death Stranding, Horizon Zero Dawn, and even The Last of Us Part I (for PC), Decima supports advanced lighting and animation for lifelike visuals and realistic simulations of physical effects.
The Bottom Line
Graphically demanding games continue to push the boundaries of visual fidelity, challenging the limits of modern gaming hardware. Year after year, developers find new ways to harness technology, crafting ever more riveting and lifelike worlds.
Despite their steep system requirements, these games drive the entire industry forward, fueling advancements in both software and hardware. For gamers, they offer a one-of-a-kind experience that weaker systems simply can’t deliver—leaving players eagerly anticipating the next wave of graphical marvels the future has in store.
