By: Max Cannon
Though the Xbox One X has more power under the hood than the PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony's home console has some gorgeous looking games. If you're looking for the prettiest games possible for your PlayStation 4 then you're in the right place!
1. Shadow of the Colossus
The original Shadow of the Colossus hit the PlayStation 2 and left an impact on both players and developers with its simple story and interesting world. Once we finally got our hands on Bluepoint's remaster on our current generation PS4s, it was hard to tear our eyeballs from the screen especially if you're fortunate enough to see it in 4K with the PlayStation 4 Pro. As Wander rides his trusty steed Agro across the open land it's hard to avoid swinging the camera underneath your horse to really capture the epic vibe of the game.
Bluepoint's take on Shadow of the Colossus elevates the visuals to modern heights.Courtesy of PlayStation
What also lands the game on this list is how it stands out to those gamers that don't have a 4K TV with the game's smooth performance mode that boosts the frame rate to a solid 60 frames per second. It wasn't an easy task for Bluepoint, check out the video below to see the differences between the game on PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 4. And if the beauty of the visuals doesn't stick with you then maybe the beauty of the game's story will.
Remaking a Masterpiece: Shadow of the Colossus for PS4
2. Horizon Zero Dawn
What makes Horizon Zero Dawn so impressive isn't just the detailed world and top-tier graphics but how the game is able to manage such a high bar of quality in an open world. Players won't stick to the same environment throughout the course of the game. Things start out at the edge of a snowy woods but you'll cross a scorching hot desert, walk through a bustling city, and sneak through a dense rainforest. There are so many different locations that you're not just looking at the same thing during the lengthy story. And if you're playing the Frozen Wilds DLC you'll get an even denser snowstorm than the base game offers.
The Frozen Wilds DLC centers around the snowy biome.Courtesy of PlayStation
Tons of games have great looking settings but Horizon's robot design is specifically worth mentioning. The massive Tallnecks can be seen far in the distance, and the menacing stalkers sneak around with eerie animations. So while Horizon looks great in screenshots it looks even better in motion.
Horizon's Tallnecks highlight the game's impressive robot designs.Courtesy of PlayStation
1. Ratchet & Clank
While many games try to look somewhat photorealistic (as much as a game about giant rock monsters or robot dinosaurs can) Ratchet & Clank leans heavily into its cartoony appearance. Similar to Shadow of the Colossus, this is also a take on a PS2 classic but while Shadow was more of a remaster, this is closer to a remake. Everything looks gorgeous in action and animation and Ratchet stands out as one of the first games to really feel like a Pixar-caliber movie turned video game.
2016's Ratchet and Clank gave the original a complete overhaul.Courtesy of PlayStation
So much is happening on screen at once that it's hard to keep track of all the bolts flying, bots exploding, and shots fired from Ratchet's arsenal. The PlayStation 4 remake, which got a PS4 Pro patch to increase visuals, feels like the series got its best entry yet by returning to what made the original so special.
Have Your Say!
These are our favorite looking games but what are yours? Do you agree with our list? Share your best looking games below!
