5 PlayStation Exclusive Games That Look Better Than Hellblade 2

The Nerd Stash: "Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 has some of the best graphics on Xbox, but there are PlayStation games that look even better."

[PrinceOfAnger]

Lol some sony fans now disagreeing with DF !?
They said :
Hellblade 2 is a defining moment in the evolution of real-time graphics".

(The Next Level in Real-Time Visuals)

Game
Takes advantage of everything UE5 offers
- Final game 'lives up to the lofty expectations' of the 2019 reveal
- Character rendering sets new standards and nearly resembles movie sequences with actual actors
- Leverages Unreal's Meta Human 5 to bypass the uncanny valley feel
- DF were left guessing whether some cut-scenes were in-game or real life footage (photo mode shows they're all real time)

Also
https://i.ibb.co/m4zMw3M/20...
,
https://i.ibb.co/2YtX6Tv/20...

Right now nothing on PS looks better than HB2.

[PrinceOfAnger]

5 PlayStation Exclusive Games" also on PC..
so what Exclusive? No one here confesses and accepted the word "Console exclusive". they were making jokes about it!
😂

[FTLmaster]

Isn't Hellblade 2 on PC?

[PrinceOfAnger]

@FTLmaster

Sony fans were making jokes first about the word " Console exclusive" here and on other sites.
Now they use the word by themselves.
Lol

[P_Bomb]

I write console exclusive all the time. I use it in Xbox’s favor too. Those are the games I generally go after over there.

[MrDead]

Now I understand who these articles are written for.

Just buy and support the game so MS doesn't shut down Ninja Theory.

[S2Killinit]

You cant really talk when xbox has all its games released elsewhere. Not a good look.

[Cacabunga]

HB2 on PS5 will look better than HB2..
And even with that i won’t buy it

[LordoftheCritics]

Article is flame bait.

[PrinceOfAnger]

This article says Bloodborne and Ghost of Tsushima has better graphics than Hellblade 2 i'm done! 🤣

[VenomUK]

Of course! But that doesn't make it invalid.

I haven't been playing too much recently except a bit of Dave the Diver (retro pixel art). But if this has the best graphics then I definitely want to see so will download it for my XSX and start the game. If I had more time I'd play through the first one first.

[S2Killinit]

DF can talk from its arse all it wants. I’m sure they are spending their advertising money wisely.

[OptimusDK]

Please try harder

[S2Killinit]

No need.

[DivineHand125]

I was under the impression Microsoft didn't have any marketing for this game. I also don't need to be paid to say Hellblade 2 is the most photo realistic game on consoles ever made.

[Nacho_Z]

People are free to disagree with DF, it's debatable how impartial they are.

The article is a bit of a stretch though. Hellblade has an open goal graphically because it's using the latest tech on small areas with crap framerate so the fidelity is through the roof. It's not impressive to me personally but it's an achievement that shouldn't be denied.

[S2Killinit]

Yes. But then a picture can be extremely beautiful but you cant really play it. Hellblade must be beautiful but it has low frames, and its pretty much on rails so it does not really impress me personally.

[Information Minister]

I've been subscribed to DF's YouTube channel since before their videos were even narrated and I tell you no debate is necessary about how impartial they are.

DF has clearly had some level of proximity with Microsoft since the launch of the Xbox One X. They haven't exactly tried to hide either. Their coverage/damage control for Starfield was quite blatant.

So yes, people on all camps are free to disagree with DF's opinions.

That aside, this particular article is complete flamebait.

[S2Killinit]

This ^

Facts.

[neutralgamer1992]

what good are graphics when rest of the game is a walking sim (coming from a pc fan) if it's only about graphics than any game can push the boundary but that's without much gameplay

to me gears of war 5 is more impressive because it had the graphics and gameplay to back it up, just like uncharted 2 back in the day. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is also up there.

[SGT_Squirrel]

I don't understand people. Both the PS5 and Xbox one X are great machines. I own both and could care less which system has a game that is marginally better looking than the other. Yes, Hellblade 2 is the best-looking console game right now, but it isn't a huge leap over what the PS5 has. Since I am not tied to one company's console, I see things differently I guess.

[Abear21]

Agreed, plus traditionally all PS exclusives are third person action and everything on Xbox is usually FPS.

Let’s talk gameplay people, you know, that thing that actually matters? I remember Gamepro would rate “Fun Factor” in their reviews—is the game actually fun to play?!

If this was the judging method, and not resolution and “bespoke tech” that digital foundry wants you to be obsessed with, than Dave the Diver is my GOTY so far (ps5)

[itsmebryan]

Grasping at straws to make a positive Playstation story. Too bad they can't talk about AAA first party games. Because "PS5 has NO GAMES!!!" Why can't people just be honest. HB2 looks amazing.

[Abear21]

Woah there little fella, you are way lost in what is no longer reality, hope you left bread crumbs

[Sonic1881]

Horizon is West definition looks better than Hellblade 2

[VariantAEC]

This comment doesn't even make sense and I agree with it.

[purple101]

Digital foundry recently said ps5 ports are holding back Xbox

You can’t really take them as gospel anymore

[darthv72]

Okay, I've played all of those, and they looked good for their time. This game just takes realism to a whole other level. some would even say uncanny valley-esq at times.

Maybe that's why people are having a hard time with this game... its almost too real and makes them uneasy about it.

[Bathyj]

I doubt that's it. The game has woorde problems than that.

[Flewid638]

It worked for MK 11. lol.

[darksky]

The game is a walking simulator with tech demo graphics. Nothing special at all.

[Flewid638]

Next gen graphics are always special, even when the game is bad.

[rlow1]

lol, really???? The title sounds so desperate. Those games are excellent but not in the same league.

[ravens52]

..."not in the same league graphics wise*" Fixed it so you don't sound too crazy. Also not sure its in "another league" but I haven't seen it in person so 🤷🏽 idk.

[ravens52]

All of those games on that list are literally objectively BETTER GAMES than Hellblade 2.

[S2Killinit]

I would say those games are on a much higher level because Hellblade is a game made to look great but its not on par when it comes to how it is linear with small playing areas and low frames. Anyone can do that, but is it a good game? No.

[JackBNimble]

If this is an argument, then yeah , this is desperation. Why do you sonyboys even care? The market always dictates, besides last I checked (as a ps5 owner) sony exclusives are few and far between, at least anything worth playing that is. And if I can play it on ps4 I'm not too then I'm not calling it exclusive.

[Chevalier]

You make it sound like Xbox has so much more games than Playstation, but, they have far fewer. Playstation has far more better 3rd party exclusives filling the gap too.

Chirping about Playstation when Xbox gets a game ever like 3 years worth talking about is idiotic. Would take the most recent FF, Gran Blue Relink and Stellar Blade over Xbox poor offerings any day of the week. Death Stranding 2 and Silent Hill look more interesting than HB2.

[JackBNimble]

No, that's not what I'm saying. The point is this is such a petty non argument yet you sonyboys just take the bait and bitch regardless. Xbox is dying but you gotta keep claiming how great your corporate brand is.

Must be another zero news week

[Chevalier]

Then why feed the fire then? Lol. Hellblade 2 is barely a game. The 1st one we literally had a ton of Xbox fans call it a walking simulator when it was timed exclusive to Playstation. Now people are reiterating similar sentiments about the 2nd game when it's much of the same with minimal 'gameplay' and Xbox fans are offended.

Ironically the very same idiots chirping said that all Playstation games were just 'cinematic' experiences as a slight and now we got guys like you with the oh whoa is me like it wasn't expected?! Lol. Seriously idiotic

[MrDead]

...now I remember why I hate gaming media, it's because 99.9% are like this article.

[purple101]

yeh, probably gonna have to wait for 'Death Stranding 2: On the beach', to get better environments and facial animation than this.

[Yusi-D-Jordan]

I honestly think Uncharted 4 was more visually impressive than Hellblade 2

[purple101]

Yeh there was a lot going on in uncharted
A lot of moving parts
Explosions
Jumping from planes
You could say it was the more accomplished game. Hellblade looks like god of war, but without the sick fighting,

[Jin_Sakai]

Hellblade 2 looks stunning. Just hate the black bars.

[OpenGL]

A necessary compromise that increases performance 25-30%.

[Flewid638]

I'm the biggest PS fanboy there is, but I grabbed this on GamePass PC. I've never played a more photorealistic looking game. Whether that's "better" or "worse" is up to yall, but in that regard, this game is king.

Also proof that all hardware is capable of running the game. The only advantage the PC version has is framerate (for now).

Edit: I get where they are coming from with the list, but not including The Order is blasphemy.

[MrNinosan]

I toon you seriously until I read that you're calling HB2 a game.
I also played it through GamePass, but on my Series X, and it's the most boring piece of shit I've ever spent 5 hours on.

Glad I'm done, the experience looks amazing, but so did Forspoken.

Forspoken was at least fun to play.

[Flewid638]

That's weird. This topic isn't about whether these games are good. Not sure why that would matter to you when the subject is about graphics.

Are you ok?

[Reaper22_]

Not even close. Helllblade has set a new bar.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Easy to do that when it's not rendering much...

[Flewid638]

Doesn't change the fact that it got done. This isn't about whether the game is even good. It's simply about whether the graphics you've seen in a video game have ever looked better than it.

Bad games can be pretty.

[VariantAEC]

What new benchmark was set with HB2?

Character rendering is very good in games like Beyond: Two Souls and Detroit: Become Human and I'd argue Horizon Forbidden West is better than those actual benchmarks set on PS3 and PS4. How do you beat what is already photoreal and convincing as live-action film? Well Death Stranding pushed those boundaries on PS4 using the same engine used to develop Horizon Zero Dawn. Subsurface scattering, pores, frenel, dynamic glossyness, sheen, and even deeper skin deformation was achieved on Decima for DS. Characters get goosebumps... on PS4! The PS5 version of DS doesn't have black bars, is rendered at a higher resolution, while also running at 60FPS with next to no pop-in across its expansive environments that allow for full time of day and weather changes on top of sweeping changes to the terrain during open-ended combat with BTs all in the game's large open world.

Environments? Well, as mentioned Death Stranding! As a bonus that game has equivalent or even better Character rendering than Horizon FW probably because DS targets a more photorealistic aesthetic; made with the same engine as HFW. I would say characters look more realistic in Death Stranding than in SS2HB.

Sky rendering? Driveclub, Ghost of Tsushima, RDR2, Ace Combat 7, MSFS (2020), HFW and Death Stranding all have better looking skies with volumetric clouds. I would argue GT7 has the best sky and Driveclub, Ghost of Tsushima and HFW's The Burning Shores have the best volumetric cloud rendering systems with much higher fidelity, stability and less ghosting in those games' cloud renderers.

Audio? As mentioned repeatedly, Death Stranding, and many more games including others listed but I'm sure there's still a character limit so I'll leave it at Death Stranding here. MADDER is a software path-traced sound processing system devised for Killzone, but made it's way into every game Guerrilla Games created and is of course a staple of the Decima Engine and its now accelerated with HW RT features of PCs equipped with requisite HW and PS5.

Lighting? Well... Death Stranding for much of the same reasons. Decima Engine was so well optimized back on PS3 that Guerrilla was already launching games with deferred rendering using hundreds of lights per scene and PBR all cramed into 256MB of PS3's VRAM rendering at a stable 720p30. It's also why games such as HFW and DS look as good as they do without RT.

What other aspects of the presentation could be brought up that SS2HB breaks ground on?

I can't think of anything. Let me know if you can and explain your reasoning.

[z2g]

I have officially played all these games and sorry for the fanboys but hellblade 2 is hands down better looking than any of those games.. and its not just the graphics or textures. the animations are better, the reflections are better, the draw distances... like there aren't draw distances... nothing pop ins. EVER. The animations and the rigs for all of the characters, not just the NPCs are unmatched. There are times you think you are watching a movie. Unreal 5 is hands down the best realtime engine out there right now and this is the first game released that really shows what it's capable of.

Even Digital Foundry said this game moves the bar. So I think I'll trust them before some butthurt fanboy. Why does everything have to turn into this or that. Even if you don't like the game, you can appreciate the sheer amount of effort and detail that went into and celebrate the efforts that went into one of the most visually stunning games ever made.

[VariantAEC]

Did they explain how? No. Why not? Can't say, they're supposed to be the experts, right?

[jwillj2k4]

A game with this bad of resolution, big aas black bars and frame rate absolutely define the pinnacle of graphics for the Xbox series x and s.

[Elda]

Agreed.

[PrinceOfAnger]

It's more than 60fps on PC
and DF said SX can run it at 60.

[jwillj2k4]

Can or does? These are the same people who said Starfield couldn’t run at 60 due to so mayny systems running at one time 🙄

[VariantAEC]

Only with settings turned down. I've seen some benchmarks which show the RTX 4090 and Intel Core i9 14900KS with 32GB of memory can't manage a locked 4K60 with DLAA at maxed out graphics.

If genuine, all other home PCs currently in existence would need to turn settings and resolutions down (DLSS counts as a resolution downgrade) to manage anything above 60FPS.

[anast]

The edges in Hellblade 2 looks smeared or something. All those games look better on a PS5 and a $1.6k-2k PC, except Bloodborne of course, because it's not on PC

[VariantAEC]

The developer deployed lots of post-processing effects by far the most impressive is the dynamic focus effect which simulates how a real camera might focus in on objects taking up the largest amount of real-estate on screen.

[CrimsonWing69]

Bloodborne looks better?

[PrinceOfAnger]

I don't even know what to say ...🤣

[ChasterMies]

Bloodborne is sandpaper on my eyes. I’m seriously waiting for a remake or remaster before going back to it.

[VariantAEC]

They could've kept some semblance of credibility by just listing 3 or replacing Bloodborne with Death Stranding: Director's Cut or even by including PS4 titles like Detroit: Become Human, which shockingly is a PS4 and PC only title; I thought it was re-released for PS5.

[Demetrius]

Sure it has small gameplay interactions but we finally got to see the series x get great looking game, I thought we'd never see ps5&xbox pushed hardware wise😌

[anast]

Demon Souls and Ratchet and Clank, GT7, and etc. Do I put an emoji here or something? Not sure how that works.

[VariantAEC]

Why more disagrees? Maybe for including Demon Souls. I would hope people agree R&C looks like a Pixar movie rendered in real time while GT7 is literally the best looking racing game currently on the market anywhere. I see Le Mans Ultimate on PC is shaping up well, but it's still pre-release so it doesn't count and in all actuality it's still behind GT7 visually speaking.

[jjb1981]

I know I shit on this game but that's because of my opinion on the shallow gameplay. The graphics are incredible and there is nothing that really comes close on console. TLoU 2 looks amazing and is probably the closest but Bloodborne, graphically, isn't even close.

[Flewid638]

I'm not sure why Bloodborne is even on the list. Isn't the Dark Souls PS5 exclusive remake better looking? That game still drops my jaw when I look at it. Clean.

[jjb1981]

That game looks amazing too. I feel like the author is a fan of the art direction of Bloodborne and doesn't realize that the graphics are incredibly dated. Still, Demon's Souls Remake looks much, much better.

[Rockstar]

I can agree with this. Dark souls remake is a very clean experience. I love it!
I've yet to play more than 30 minutes of HB2 but what I've seen is indeed impressive.

[Blaze929]

What is the point of this article? Only on N4G smh

[Elda]

I've tried the game on XBSX, the graphics are fine but not at all groundbreaking or jaw dropping. I've said this numerous times that the game does not even run at 4k/60fps. The resolution is only 963p/1070p & most of the game is just walking, why it's not running at 4k/60fps on the so-called superior console is bewildering.

[Flewid638]

Look up footage of the PC version. That's the one I'm running (60fps/1440p).

Graphically, I'd say it's truly next gen.

[VariantAEC]

I'd say it's truely now gen. We had this complete without any black bars and still way more gameplay on PS4 thanks to Death Stranding! Ironically, Death Stranding on PS4 was rendered at 1080p according to DF which is within 7% of the total pixel area of the lowest resolution bound that SS:HB2 runs at on Series X per DF (OP mentioned the resolutions). That only makes PS4 look stupidly powerful, but I suppose that shouldn't be surprising considering that Driveclub is still my personal pick for most completely realistic looking racing videogame. GT7 misses out because it's cloud simulation seems noticably less refined in a few conditions. I pick apart the visuals of games and compare them a lot. SS:HB2 is definitely top-shelf visually. I've not said otherwise, but what is it really breaking ground on? Nothing. That's my problem with the media hyping it up as a tech demo. Tech demos break ground, SS:HB2 just doesn't.

[DarXyde]

Definitely not Bloodborne. I love that game, having literally cleared it over 20 times at this point and hit the level cap.

It does not look better than Hellblade II visually. Not even close. It doesn't even run better than Hellblade II.

This article picks games that don't even have the same art style. None of them go for a photorealism aesthetic as Hellblade II does. All of those games look great, but let's get real here.

I haven't played Hellblade II, but I do have eyes that work very well. If we kick Bloodborne off the list, you're left with games that can be argued are more technically impressive (broader color palette, open, more "majestic" in its presentation, and at 60fps).

Hellblade II does sacrifice a lot to get where it is: linear, black bars, some frame rate hitches, short playtime. In exchange, the visuals are the ones to beat this generation so far and the animations are top notch. It really is this generation's The Order: 1886 (which also had outstanding visuals and great animations and physics).

[VariantAEC]

"It really is this generation's The Order: 1886 (which also had outstanding visuals and great animations and physics)."

It really isn't. See The Order: 1886 did nice things with visuals. But later Death Stranding did even more... both games were on PS4 and Death Stranding didn't have black bars and rendered at native 1080p! Look at DS on the PS4 or PS5 and it's still jaw-dropping, especially that opening cinematic which just can't possibly be gameplay graphics. The rolling hills with those wispy clouds flowing over the side, that looked like a straight-up nature doc clip but is supposedly real-time on PS4 and then on PS5. Unbelievable detail that holds up to close scrutiny today in an open world game...
On last generation console HW!

But somehow the media is all excited about a corridor game that took 7 years to make with basically no interactivity at all with visuals that only just about compare favorably to a last-gen game? What us happening? Is this that "Xbox tax" I keep hearing about?

[jimbo676]

These low level sites need clicks so bad to pay the bills.

[Aaroncls7]

Insecurity TM

[Istillremain7]

5 playstation games that look great but not as good as hellblade 2. I fixed it for you.

[victorMaje]

It’s never been about looks. At least for me.

[TheEroica]

Man, Hellblade really destroying the minds of the Sony defense force. They can't handle it!

[Shane Kim]

It doesn't look better than Horizon Forbidden West, and that game is open world.

[mkis007]

None...stupid to say there are any. It's literally using UE5 more than any other game so far by a wide margin. I'll say it again though, graphics like these cause you to have tradeoffs, let's see if anyone can make an open world or even a wide linear game with these graphics. As it is this is as impressive as any racing games graphics, for the genre.

I'd say a few on this list are more impressive for the whole package, but not solely for graphics.

[YourMommySpoils]

Using UE5 doesn't mean you can make a good looking game.

[VariantAEC]

That game came out already... it's called Death Stranding and initially released for PS4 then PC then PS5 and ridiculously enough iPhone (where it predictably looks absolutely terrible and yet it's still somewhat incredible that a phone can run that game for any amount of time without the battery exploding).

[Fonsecap]

Dude this article is just for click bait and rile up Xbox fans and start the usual discussion between fanboys, Xbox this and playstation that, whatever. Everyone knows that the best graphics in gaming is LOTR: Gollum and it's a multi platform game 🤣

[RedDeadLB]

There are definitely better games than it, all on the list are, but they do not look better. Stylistically, you could argue that Ratchet and Clank, God of War etc are prettier, but technically nothing comes close to Hellblade 2 at the moment.

[YourMommySpoils]

Except for Last of Us 2 which does look better.

[Flewid638]

Having both games, I would still give it to HB2

[RedDeadLB]

Close, but I would still give it to Hellblade 2, there is just that much more detail on screen.

[GotGame818]

No, these games look great, and are better than Hellblade 2. The graphics are not nearly as detailed as HB though. Now that I am further in, all I can say is wow! The lighting in HB is outstanding.

[Father__Merrin]

This is 30fps extremely linear title

[TwoPicklesGood]

Sigh. Another clickbait article. Nothing looks better than Hellblade 2 on console, literally nothing…but gameplay is king and that’s where HB2 lacks.

[ChasterMies]

This is silly.

[GrmpyolGamer]

Lol cope harder

[glenn1979]

It his opinion, but mine opinion is that his article is trash , nothing come close to HB2 for now

[YourMommySpoils]

Last of Us 2

[GrmpyolGamer]

Nope. HB2 much better

[Yusi-D-Jordan]

This is a stupid bait article. I prefer PlayStation by far but this article is ridiculous.

On the one hand, saying Bloodborne looks better is just completely wrong. On the other hand, literally Uncharted 4 on the base PS4 is more visually appealing than Hellblade 2 on XSX.

The truth is Hellade 2 is a completely gorgeous feat and every XBOX owner should be cheering at such a beautiful game. And if it were on PS5, I would play it.

[Dwarrior]

Simply a provocative bait article. Did not even click on it, the title was enough.

Yet I am SURE that many stockholders and kids who love their specific plastic box clicked, clicked, clicked.

[PhillyDonJawn]

Lol whoever been made this in pure denial.

[lex-1020]

"Games that look better than Hellblade 2

1. Rachet and clank"

Ohhhh. Ok so it's that type of opinion piece where the author is just trowing shit at a wall to see what people latch on to.

[Pyrofire95]

Why are people like this?

[Tzuno]

Hellblade 2 was made with unreal engine 5 from China, DF got paid!

[Hugodastrevas]

Did anybody actually cared about this? I'm glad Xbox players are satisfied with their UE5 5 hour game, but I'd rather have a good game than a good looking game any day of the week.

[DivineHand125]

How did this get approved. One of the games listed is bloodborne. I haven't played Hellblade 2 as yet, but I feel sorry for the developers. They spent years making the game also being the first to fully take advantage of the UE5 engine but just because it is exclusive to Xbox, they have all this negativity coming their way.

This game has more negativity surrounding it than RedFall did last year. There are even nonsense articles like this written to ride the hate bandwagon for either clicks or to give make insecure fanboys feel better about their platform of choice. The former is more likely.

[Inverno]

And yet no modern game can compare to the aesthetics of N64/PS1 games. All these games using U5, they'll all look the same by the end of this gen.

[jznrpg]

Hellblade 2 looks so great nobody bought it