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OXCGN's Top 10 Best Graphics This Generation: Part 1

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OXCGN:

"While we can compare spec sheets, polygons, parallax mapping resolution and pixel counts, in the end it doesn't mean a thing.

What's important is how it artistically appeals to you as you are immersed in the carefully crafted virtual world.

So with that in mind, it's time for an artistic look at the Top 10 Best Graphics This Generation."

Article and poll.
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oxcgn.com
gaminoz - contributor
Published: 127 days 16 hours ago | Article | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | PC
 
 

Showing: 1 - 48 of 48 Comments
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darkmurder - 127 days 16 hours ago
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1 -
I gotta say I think Crysis should have been a lot higher but still artistic creations make for better graphics IMO (take a look at Borderlands).
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REALgamer - 127 days 16 hours ago
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1.1 - Borderlands looks incredible!
So glad the team redesigned the graphics. It went from generic sci-fi to what might be the most graphically unique shooter this generation.

There's also ones like Batman: Arkham Asylum that might not be as 'unique' but get the feel and atmosphere across perfectly (or at least form what I've played in the demo).
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TheAntiFanboy - 127 days 1 hour ago
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1.2 -
Yeah. I'm glad that SOME people actually bring artistic vision into consideration when comparing graphics instead of just pure technical achievement.
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gaminoz - 127 days 16 hours ago
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2 -
If you look at art direction and overall graphical effect those games do stand out. I'm not a big fan of some of the games, but the ones I've seen and played do look good.

I'm an Assassin's Creed look fan myself, though Prince of Persia was pretty cool.

I wonder what games will be in part 2?
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XboxOZ360 - 127 days 16 hours ago
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3 -
I have my favs to, one of them being Far Cry 2 which I think is a great representation of current Gen artwork . . it will be very interesting to see what is in the part 2 segment, I cast my vote though for those on this list, and it makes for some interesting reading . .
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Gun_Senshi - 127 days 9 hours ago
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3.1 -
if you think Farcry 2 > Crysis in graphics you are uttery BLIND
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REALgamer - 127 days 16 hours ago
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4 - Viva Pinata really is seriously underappreciated
The game has awesome charm, and yeah graphically it's quite beautiful to look at, really well constructed. Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts was also on the same engine.

It's true that now every second game seems to be trying to outdo the next with bigger and better particle effects, shadows, blah blah blah but if a game really stands out for having unique art I prefer that any day over Generic Brown ShooterTM 738: Return of Mr Brown in Brownland with exclusive new colour: Grey!'

A lot of the indie games are really amazing artistically too like World of Goo and Fez.
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Pillville - 127 days 16 hours ago
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5 - they are missing
Gear Of War 2
Little Big Planet
Metal Gear Solid 4
Killzone 2
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Flower
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

I'm sure i'm missing some, but these are the one's i've played.
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darkmurder - 127 days 16 hours ago
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5.1 -
It's part 1 so I'm sure the next part will have some of those.
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XboxOZ360 - 127 days 16 hours ago
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5.2 -
ahhh - it IS part 1, not all 10, and there can only be top 10,not top 30, as I'm sure many games could fit the bill, but it's the ones that stand out and try something different as far as artistic merit goes, not that just look nice with lots of polygons etc.
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REALgamer - 127 days 16 hours ago
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5.3 - I agree on...
LittleBigPlanet and Flower. Uncharted maybe, but look at it from an art standpoint it's not really that unique (environments are kind of a more polished Tomb Raider?).

Gears of War was beautiful, dunno if it would be in the top 10 (there are so many beautiful games this gen).

Ratchet and Clank....really? Didn't stand out for me. Kind of similar to a lot of similar themed games / movies like Robots. Pretty but not all that original or interesting to look at imo.
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nix - 127 days 15 hours ago
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5.4 -
just put PS3 exclusives in the list and get done with it... q:
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Pillville - 127 days 15 hours ago
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5.5 -
I tried to not have all ps3 exclusives, but i only recently got an xbox 360.

I thought Ratchet & Clank should be there because 1. the amount going on at once 2. colors other than grey, green & red.
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Noob - 127 days 14 hours ago
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5.6 - KZ2
Has great art style. It has that distinctive look to it that makes it look different, visually, then any other FPS I have played.
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christian hour - 127 days 12 hours ago
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5.7 -
@pilville

hope you're enjoying your new 360. I don't think the ps3 games in your list will even show up in the next 5. Simply because the list is on an xbox site and so far all the games mentioned have been multi-plat, with the exception of viva pinata (360 exclusve) and crysis, which is acceptable on their list because its a PC title.

I reckon the top 5 will be mostly 360 exclusive titles, with a multi-plat here or there, like bioshock. Which is a shame because little big planet belongs on this list. As well as Drake's Fortune. And Flower :P
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Double Toasted - 127 days 15 hours ago
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6 - IDK...
...the technical aspect of Crysis surpasses that of art in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, art is important and its the reason why I give the edge to Gears over Uncharted, but still Crysis looks like real life...
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Madis007 - 127 days 15 hours ago
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7 -
They already failed...

10)Crysis?

FAIL !!!

5)Gears of War 2
4)MGS4
3)Killzone 2
2)Uncharted 2
1)Crysis
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REALgamer - 127 days 15 hours ago
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7.1 - Dude take a read
It's not about the technical stuff. It's about the artistic merit and how well constructed the game's visual identity is.

Ie: it's great when games are impressive in their scope and detail like Crysis & Killzone 2, but it's also equally admirable for games like Mirror's Edge that aren't throwing around the normal mapping and stuff but trying something new to change the entire feel of the game instead.
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evrfighter - 127 days 14 hours ago
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7.2 -
It's not Top 10 Best artistic games This Gen...

Graphics iz graphics. and even though I hate Crysis being a pc gamer. It has the best graphics I've ever seen in a game.
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Coolmanrico - 127 days 7 hours ago
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7.3 - ^
That why people should read the text before the list. Titles can be misleading but they explain the list. When it came to graphics I like the most artistic ones anyway. If going by how lifelike graphics can get only shooters would be on the list. I'm sick of shooters.
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gaminoz - 127 days 5 hours ago
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7.4 -
Killzone 2's environments aren't interesting or artistic imo...boring in fact. Yeah there is lens flare and things look good blasted up, but not in the top 10.

I like Uncharted or MGS4 much more from an artistic point of view.
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LightofDarkness - 127 days 15 hours ago
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8 -
Gears has an interesting graphical style that has sadly become a bandwagon. The over-exaggerated musculature and faces really (used to) stand out.

Castle Crashers has a wonderful charm that is quite unique (unique to Behemoth games anyway). Fat Princess' style has a charm to it as well.

MGS4 and KZ2 never really "wowed" me graphically. KZ2 always looked so static and stale and much of MGS4 did as well. But the Metal Gear fight looked outstanding and had me pining for another ZOE game.

LittleBigPlanet is too good to pass up and deserves a slot in the top 5 easily. BlazBlue needs to be there, too. It is a joy to watch these games in motion.

Moreover, Brink has a truly outstanding style to it. The characters are rendered like concept art, which has a strange surreal effect on the visuals.
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Afreelunch - 127 days 14 hours ago
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8.1 -
Musclebound space marines have been done to death ever since Doom, and many of Epic's games that came before Gears featured the same hulking character models. The style certainly quit standing out long before gears came along.
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gaminoz - 127 days 5 hours ago
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8.2 -
Totally agree with you regarding Killzone 2. Artisitic? More like derivative...yawn.
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sunil - 127 days 15 hours ago
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9 -
Some recognition for POP. Even though it was real easy.. I kinda liked the game ... infact even my 3 yr old plays it sometimes
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Pennywise - 127 days 15 hours ago
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9.1 -
I thought the cel shading made the game look cheesy and flat. Color me unimpressed with POP.
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Soda Popinsky - 127 days 15 hours ago
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10 -
Braid and Dishwasher Samurai. Castle Crashers has great artstyle as well.
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Noob - 127 days 14 hours ago
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10.1 -
Braid appealed to me because of the art style and music. Dishwasher has great art style too but Castle Crasher's seems like it was applied to too many games before to make this list.
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Double Toasted - 127 days 15 hours ago
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11 - You know...
come to think of it...I don't think they should lump art into the graphics category, I think they should be two separate things. When I look at something like Mario, I don't think graphics, I think art. When I look at Uncharted, art doesn't jump out at me as much as the thought of..."Wow, those graphics are incredible...", you know what I mean?
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PS360WiiRocks - 127 days 12 hours ago
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11.1 -
couldn't of said it better.
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Madis007 - 127 days 15 hours ago
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12 - FFS
PROOF:

CRYSIS IS WINNER !!!

[IMG] http://i28.tinypic.com/335c...
[IMG] http://i30.tinypic.com/2ylt...
[IMG] http://i30.tinypic.com/wvvg...
[IMG] http://i26.tinypic.com/zxvh...
[IMG] http://i25.tinypic.com/166f...

Oh yea i forgot... This web site is xbox 360 fanboy site...
This means Mass Effect 2 and Gears of War and Halo are top 3...
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Dead_Cell - 127 days 15 hours ago
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12.1 - Art style you idiot.
Not "my pixel peen is bigger than yours"
ART STYLES.
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Double Toasted - 127 days 15 hours ago
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12.2 - @Dead Cell...
...the title of the article is misleading though...
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Dead_Cell - 127 days 15 hours ago
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12.3 - Then people..
Should do more than just read the headline.
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ElementX - 127 days 15 hours ago
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13 -
I don't think PC games fit into a "generation". When I think of a generation, I think of a specific piece of hardware. PCs can be upgraded with new hardware any time and graphics are always pushing the boundaries. They're more trans-generational. Even the description of Crysis says "but a few PC HARDWARE GENERATIONS later and most gamers can get it running along happily". How can you compare a set piece of hardware (i.e. PS3 or 360) to a PC which has higher graphics capabilities?

At any rate, they should create a separate list for PC games and console games.
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gaminoz - 127 days 5 hours ago
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13.1 -
Hmm that's an interesting thought...never looked at it that way. Computers are always upgrading so it is hard to call it gen. I guess gen would apply to a time of consoles then applied to the same time on PC?
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mistajeff - 127 days 15 hours ago
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14 -
Am I the only one who thought Mirror's Edge looked like ass?
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Noob - 127 days 14 hours ago
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14.1 - no, the graphics were ass
but the art style was nice.
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skwidd - 127 days 14 hours ago
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14.2 - no...
ME graphics were very good and the art style was great!
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ElementX - 127 days 13 hours ago
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14.3 -
I've seen many a man ass, and hmmmmm..... I personally think ass looks better, but this game is pretty.

I've never understood the "ass" comment. I'm sure all you straight boys out there check out female asses all the time. What you should say is that the game looks like fat grotesque ass. A lot of asses are nice, so the game must look pretty nice.
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Godem - 127 days 14 hours ago
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15 -
I think while Crysis looks the best, it DOES NOT run the best. And thats why it lucked out... but I do agree it should have been higher... I love that game.

I can imagine part 2 will be something like...

Gears of War
Uncharted
Resident Evil 5
Killzone 2
Call of Duty..

But I what I hope comes up is...

Gears of War
Halo 3
Oblivion
Bioshock
Metal Gear Solid 4

maybe with Braid or Monkey Island:SE coming in as runners up for awesome art styles
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stewgart - 127 days 13 hours ago
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16 -
I expect to see bioshock at number 1... no wait, MGS at 1 and bioshock at 2 :)
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snaileri - 127 days 13 hours ago
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17 -
They totally failed with this one. They are comparing _Concept Art_ from some games!
Crysis IS the best looking game, no matter how you look at it.
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REALgamer - 127 days 13 hours ago
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17.1 - Doubt it
The screenshots in the article are just for people who haven't seen / played the game before.

The author has obviously played the games from the way he talks about them.
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Gun_Senshi - 127 days 13 hours ago
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18 -
crysis should be 1st not 10th.

I disagree with PoP. Valkyria Chronciles has similar but better graphics/art direction.

Mirror's Edge is how UE3 should be used, it looks better then gears 2 from Unreal themselfs.
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PS360WiiRocks - 127 days 12 hours ago
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19 -
Scrap my whole last comment. Bioshock, Ratchet and Clank, Banjo Kazooie and I dunna what else lol. I think Bioshock should win, I loved that game, I was wowed the whole time playing.
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Barragan - 127 days 11 hours ago
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20 - bout time
someone sees crysis is nothing but a real life mimic, what visuals?
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gaminoz - 127 days 5 hours ago
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20.1 -
What's wrong with playing a game in a 'virtual' real life world? I guess it's not as artistic, but photography is also art...
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