Here are a selection of visually stunning games that have left an imprint on me, a mixture of sound and visuals have seen these games reach this list. First up we have:

Little Big Planet:

With soft lighting and bouncy physics this game has an amazing child like wonder to it. Hours of fun and so easy to pick up.

Limbo:

If the audio alone doesn’t make you love this game, then the visual art style certainly will. Soft gradients mixed with solid silhouettes give a real depth and atmosphere that you don’t get from many other games.

Mirrors Edge:

For its release Mirrors Edge was something entirely new. Now with VR, this game really comes to life. The washed out shades of blue really make the small uses of red pop out. Mix this with the fast paced parkour and you’re onto a winner.

Hotline Miami:

A real favourite of mine this game goes full Kung Fury. The over the top use of effects and colours really sell the fast paced action that you experience. This tied together with the audio from M|O|O|N touches all the right senses.

Starwars Battlefront:

While this game was amazingly disappointing and a waste of £50! It can’t be argued that the visuals are truly amazing, add in some hyper realistic mods and it feels like you’re in the films, directly in the battlefield.

Bastion:

This is another game where audio really plays a bit part, however this game can easily stand on its own for its beautiful and vibrant visuals. The most notable aspect I remember is the world around you being created as you walk, the animations are majestic and perfectly timed.

Half Life 2:

Probably my favourite game of all time, Half Life 2 has to be on this list. It really sold gaming to me. The most notable aspect of this game is the story line and how the world around you adapted as such, the overarching citadel that you are making your way towards is always visible throughout, it really sells its power to you.

Borderlands:

Crazy, fun and cell shading, all the ingredients for a great game full of top quality banter.

Monument Valley:

Hands down the most visually striking single player mobile game i’ve played. It was a great relaxing game to play while I was travelling on trains. The perfect distraction from the gloomy surroundings. Bright pastel colours and smooth gradients mixed in with slow animations created the perfect mobile distraction.

Crysis:

One of the most demanding games of its time, Crysis set the mark for graphics. Never before had you seen so much detail packed into the environment around you. Still to this day the Crysis platform is used to test and benchmark graphics cards.
What have been the most visually influential games for you? These are a selection that stand out for me, let me know if you have any recommendations, I’d love to play them.