In recent years, it almost feels as if every other game released is an Unreal Engine 5 title, with most of these featuring stunning graphics thanks to technologies such as Nanite and Lumen. While one of the storylines is that a number of these games are unoptimized, even if some UE5 games have great performance, players also shouldn't forget that other game engines can produce similar or better graphics.
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The system requirements for some games these days require an incredibly powerful computer to run them well.
In fact, a number of the best graphical games are developed on proprietary engines, such as those owned by Rockstar Games and EA. The following are the best graphics outside of Unreal Engine 5.
Battlefield 6
Engine: Frostbite
Battlefield 6
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
From the open beta alone, it's already apparent that Battlefield 6 is one of the most beautiful games ever made, despite its grim backdrop of global war. With the HUD turned off, it's easy to forget that it is a game, and the campaign will doubtless be even more immersive.
The environments look photo-realistic, and this is further sold by fantastic VFX such as fog, smoke, and explosions. Despite these highly detailed textures and destructible buildings, the game also runs great. Of all the Battlefield 6 maps, Liberation Peak looks the most impressive, thanks to the stunning mountains of Tajikistan.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Engine: Rockstar Advanced Game Engine
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RAGE
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games ever made, and part of its success lies in its beauty. The Wild West has never looked so good, and it's easy to forget that the game was released in 2018. Impressively, multiple different biomes can be explored, and each looks just as realistic as the next.
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As Arthur or his horse trudge through snow or mud, the ground beneath them will even change, adding to the immersion. The characters and their animations are also highly realistic, making for movie-like cutscenes. Arthur's appearance and weight even change over the course of the game, depending on player choices.
Alan Wake 2
Engine: Northlight Engine
Alan Wake 2
- Released
- October 27, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games
- Engine
- Northlight Engine
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Alan Wake 2 is a game that had high expectations as a sequel, and yet it managed to thoroughly deliver. The game's beauty is the work of Remedy Entertainment's proprietary engine, the Northlight Engine, which also powers stunning games such as Quantum Break and Control.
With two campaigns to explore, one of which follows Alan Wake himself in the Dark Place, players get to experience a wide variety of backdrops, including those where reality is twisted and broken. FBI detective Saga Anderson, on the other hand, explores a more grounded, but eerily creepy American town, which looks completely realistic.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Engine: CryEngine
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
- Engine
- CryEngine
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is made on a heavily modified version of CryEngine, and given its beauty, could be seen as an advert for the engine. The critically acclaimed open-world RPG shows off the wonders of medieval Bohemia, particularly shining in its depiction of the area around Trosky Castle, which is known as the Bohemian Paradise.
Foliage is a huge standout in all parts of the countryside, and the landscaping is based on reality, giving it unparalleled realism when compared with other games. Moving into the villages, castles, and the city of Kuttenberg, more beauty can be seen in the details, such as elaborately painted buildings. Impressively, water reflections and the lighting look great, despite the game not using ray-tracing, which is great for those on older graphics cards.
Cyberpunk 2077
Engine: REDengine
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Engine
- REDengine 4
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
When it comes to the best-looking non-Unreal Engine games, Cyberpunk 2077 is certainly up there with the best, although ironically, it will be CD Projekt RED's last game on the REDengine as they will be using Unreal Engine 5 for The Witcher 4.
The game is set in the neon-infused megalopolis known as Night City, in a future where the obsession with power is only rivaled by strong desires to modify every part of the body. While there isn't much foliage to speak of, the game's graphics instead shine in the lighting department and sleek metallic surfaces.
Forza Horizon 5
Engine: ForzaTech
Forza Horizon 5
- Released
- November 9, 2021
- ESRB
- E for Everyone // In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Playground Games
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
- Forza Tech
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Set in Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 is not only one of the best street racing games ever made, but also one of the best graphical games, and it is powered by the proprietary engine, ForzaTech. While the Mexican beaches, deserts, and mountain ranges aren't the main focus, they serve as beautiful backdrops, allowing players to lose themselves completely and feel like they're on a road trip.
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The cars themselves, of which there are around 900, are also incredibly realistic, looking best in the sun with the light bouncing off the finishes.
Ghost Of Tsushima
Engine: Sucker Punch Production's Proprietary Engine
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Ghost of Tsushima allows players to defend the Japanese island of Tsushima against Mongol invaders in the year 1274, and as part of being one of the best graphical games, it has the best-looking grass to date, flowing majestically in the wind.
Developed on Sucker Punch Production's in-house engine, the graphics are fantastic for a 2020 game, with Tsushima serving as a perfect open world. There are snowy mountain ranges, golden forests, and of course, regions covered in cherry blossoms, showing feudal Japan at its best.
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