By Vlad Mazanko
This generation of gaming platforms (PS5 and Xbox Series S/X) started relatively slowly, but over the years, players have undoubtedly received the most technologically impressive and visually stunning games that just weren’t possible before. This is especially true for open-world games, as thanks to new hardware capabilities and fast SSDs, devs are now able to offer more details than ever across vast, dynamic worlds, populating them with lifelike characters.
2025 has been especially impressive for stunning graphics, delivering some of the best-looking titles across various genres. Many open-world games that have been in development for years have been released, pushing the bar of what’s possible in the genre to new heights. Today, we are looking at the best open-world games currently available that are not only great to look at thanks to their ultra-realistic graphics, but also equally fun to play, perfecting the modern open-world formula.
Note
Only current-gen native titles are considered, which is why overall spectacular games like Horizon Forbidden West and Cyberpunk 2077 (both also available on PS4) are excluded. There are no rankings for the titles below.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Photorealistic Landscapes and Lifelike Characters
Powered by the Decima engine (also used in Horizon Forbidden West), Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is easily one of the most gorgeous games ever made. Boasting a vast world with dynamic weather and a day-night cycle, various biomes, rivers, mountains, forests, and cities, as well as a Hollywood star ensemble scanned with cutting-edge tech, Death Stranding 2 is as photorealistic as modern games get.
While gameplay-wise Death Stranding 2 might not feel as fresh as the original, it’s an improved in every regard one-of-a-kind formula, where players steadily gain access to new game-changing features that enrich exploration, combat, and the process of deliveries. It’s also a work by Hideo Kojima we are talking about, so the movie-like presentation, stellar futuristic design of every vehicle and tool, and lengthy cutscenes with impeccable acting and direction are to be expected.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Dynamic World That Feels Truly Next-Gen
Assassin’s Creed Shadows proudly stands as the most realistic and beautiful open-world game of this generation so far, truly feeling like a next-gen game. The world of Japan, powered by AnvilNext tech, is massive and varied, with mind-blowing draw distances and impressive detail, and boasts some unique features like dynamic seasons, which not only make revisiting the world’s regions even more surprising but also directly add to gameplay, as weather has a major impact on stealth noise, character movement, enemy awareness, and more.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows also impresses with its intricate, large-scale castles filled with loot and enemies to clear, advanced physics, and some spectacularly destructible environments like doors and fabric. With both of its playable characters as distinct in combat and stealth as they are fun to experiment with, AC Shadows was truly worth the wait.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Some of the Best-Looking Nature and Architecture in the Genre
What’s best about modern open-world games with stunning graphics is how nearly every standout project of the past few years is powered by a different engine, ensuring a distinct style and feel to their virtual worlds. It will be interesting to see if this remains the case several years from now, as more and more upcoming triple-A titles shift toward Unreal Engine 5.
Running on a heavily modified CryEngine, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 boasts truly spectacular visuals, with an emphasis on photorealistic nature, medieval settlements, and detailed character and horse models. With its immersive RPG systems and branching narrative fueled by player choices, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also represents a confident step forward from its more uneven, almost experimental original — resulting in a tight sequel that’s much more polished and fun to play.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Enormous Modern City Explorable at High Speeds
A true technological achievement, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a rare example of an open-world game boasting a modern NYC setting complete with towering skyscrapers, majestic bridges, and suburban districts. Moreover, players can explore everything freely at breakneck speeds through exciting web-swinging and wingsuit-gliding traversal mechanics. With a notably enhanced scope from its predecessor, Spider-Man 2 also ramps up the level of detail dramatically, with arrestingly beautiful lighting in the open world, realistic character models, and a never-ending stream of unique locations with destructible environments.
With its unmistakable triple-A appeal evident in every moment of its spectacular campaign, it’s easy to see why Spider-Man 2 cost hundreds of millions to make. And it’s not just the visuals: every gameplay mechanic for its several playable characters, each with distinct combat styles and abilities, feels as polished as players might expect from Insomniac and PlayStation.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
James Cameron Fans’ Ticket to Pandora in All Its Glory
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora might not have the best reputation out there, but thanks to the Massive team’s ongoing support, numerous DLCs, and substantial improvements, including the highly requested third-person camera perspective, coupled with tie-in content for the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash, the game is currently in its best shape yet, embodying everything fans of the so-called Ubisoft formula in the open-world genre want to get.
When it comes to visuals, though, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is as impressive as it was at launch, standing as one of the most beautiful open-world games ever since its 2023 launch, with a huge world of Pandora brought to life in stunning detail. Fans of James Cameron’s sci-fi universe can expect a faithful recreation of the planet’s distinct flora, fauna, and various Na’vi clans, while the Snowdrop engine ensures smooth performance across PC and consoles.
Read the full article on GameRant
This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
