Graphics in video games are kind of a big deal: “Video” is right there in the medium’s name, after all. A game’s graphics can greatly contribute to our first impressions, sometimes memorably so. And visual creatures that we are, sometimes it just feels nice to be newly dazzled by the pixel-shader conjurations of the latest high-end gaming hardware.
Impressive graphics have been turning heads almost as long as there have been video games, so we’ve gotten together to highlight some of our most memorable encounters with beautifully rendered video game graphics from across the decades. Something about each of these games’ stunning visuals, anything from the art direction to the sheer programming prowess on display, really knocked our socks off.
