Ray tracing technology has already become a standard in the gaming industry. NVIDIA is to be thanked for this, as it has placed great emphasis on this feature in the RTX series of graphics cards, as well as the current generation of consoles. Realistic reflections and lighting have started to appear in many games. However, not all developers implement ray tracing equally well.
As a result, we can end up with blurry reflections or overly polished surfaces that harm the perception of the game. After all, ray tracing can be used not just as a demonstration of the development of graphic technologies, but as an artistic tool that will make the game more impressive.
In this selection, we have collected games whose developers know how to work with ray tracing. But remember that such video games are very demanding on PCs. On the other hand, it is on the PC that they will look the best.
And to be on the safe side, we have attached a graphic analysis from Digital Foundry to each game where possible. They are well versed in all the nuances of gaming technology.
Disclamer
The author realizes that RTX is the name of a specific technology from NVIDIA. However, it has become synonymous with ray tracing in general. Something like “jeep” and “photocopier”, which are also brands, but have become generic names.
Alan Wake II has really good lighting, but there are strange nuances with reflections. That’s why this game didn’t make the list.
Control
Platforms Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
Genre action/adventure
Year 2019
Control turned out to be one of the turning points for Remedy. It was with this game that the studio began to link its games into a single universe, as well as to be more flexible in the production of projects, including transmedia. Control attracts with its surreal atmosphere and non-standard environment, which is dominated by the brutalist style.
The main events of Control take place inside the Oldest House, a mysterious building in which everything is constantly in motion and it is almost impossible to determine its exact location. The ray tracing in this game is still considered one of the best. Not only is it well implemented, but it also fits the game’s eerie and attractive spirit.
That’s why Control continues to be one of the most popular virtual photography games even today. It looks criminally good.
Cyberpunk 2077
Platforms Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Genre role play
Year 2020
The long-suffering game from CD Projekt RED did not immediately win the love of the community. At release, it suffered from many technical problems, and players actively accused the developers of unfulfilled promises. However, the authors of Cyberpunk 2077 actively developed and improved the game. That’s why in 2024, after the release of Update 2.0 and the Phantom Liberty expansion pack, it turned into one of the most worthy action/RPG games of recent times.
The graphics of Cyberpunk 2077 are particularly impressive. The cyberpunk aesthetic is perfectly combined with elaborate reflections and lighting, which are at the highest level and in the most diverse manifestations. Of course, at first Cyberpunk 2077 was a bit painful to look at, especially if you take the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions. But it’s over now.
The game also has not just ray tracing, but also path tracing, a more advanced version of the technology. With it, the lighting is as close to realistic as possible, but be prepared that it will only work properly on the most powerful PCs.
Dead Space (2023)
Platforms Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Genre horror
Year 2023
The original Dead Space in 2008 was a pleasant surprise. Electronic Arts and EA Redwood Shores managed to release a great survival horror that respected the canons of the genre and gave players a terrifying adventure. The space setting made the game stand out from the competition. Moreover, it was released at a time when horror was stagnating as a genre, which added to its score.
Subsequent installments moved more and more away from horror and towards action, which ultimately ruined the series. EA’s strange decisions also played a role here. But in 2023, Motive released a remake of the first part of Dead Space. It is almost a perfect remake, as it recreates the original with great respect, but at the same time takes it to a new level thanks to graphics and sound design.
Playing with light in the new version of Dead Space makes the already interesting locations even more impressive. Lighting and its absence are extremely important for many horror games. The remake of Dead Space perfectly captures this feature with the help of technological means.
Forza Motorsport
Platforms Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Genre simulator
Year 2023
The Forza series continues to be one of the key ones for Microsoft. For fans of more fun and colorful races, there is Forza Horizon. But people who prefer a reliable simulation of car behavior pay attention to Forza Motorsport. In 2023, the sub-series received a soft relaunch, so the most recent part did without a number in the name.
Forza Motorsport version 2023 offers several hundred cars that you can customize at your own discretion, and simulation of all the parameters that affect car racing. But the game stands out for its graphics. Turn 10 Studios has placed a special emphasis on it, so even clouds and changes in tires due to rubber residue are processed in real time.
The advantage of car simulators from the technical point of view has always been their relative brevity. Forza Motorsport does not have a large open world and dozens of activities. Instead, the authors focused on polishing each element as much as possible. This is why the game looks amazing, although there were some glitches right after the release. By the way, we had an extensive review of Forza Motorsport.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Platforms Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Genre action/adventure
Year 2024
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was a seven-year wait, but it was worth the wait. Ninja Theory has managed to create a unique story about madness, in which Norse myths are intertwined with eternal and important themes. Someone may complain about the monotony or short duration of the game, but the value of the story does not become less because of this. You can learn more about Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II you can read in our review.
One of the main advantages of the game was its technical implementation. The new chapter of Senua’s adventures looks incredibly beautiful, almost photorealistic. Lighting, particle effects, reflections – everything is done at the highest level. This is a new level of graphics using all the capabilities of the Unreal Engine 5 engine.
So the photo mode of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will definitely be popular for a long time to come. Another way to appreciate the beauty of ray tracing in the game is to customize the lighting source to make the shot as good as possible. This feature is not common in video games, so Ninja Theory stood out in this regard.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Platforms Windows, PlayStation 5
Genre action
Year 2020
Marvel’s Spider-Man is often compared to the Batman Arkham series, as Insomniac Games took a lot of inspiration from the latter for their own game. The source of inspiration turned out to be a great one, and the developers themselves approached the Spider-Man game with all their hearts. In the end, we got one of the best superhero video games ever made.
In this selection, we recommend the PC version of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered. This is the version where ray tracing works best. Given the numerous glass and mirror surfaces of New York City, where the game takes place, you will be able to appreciate the beauty of Insomniac Games’ work in full.
Moreover, the PC version has quite flexible settings and good optimization, which is rare for games with realistic reflections and lighting.
Metro Exodus
Platforms Windows, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Genre shooter
Year 2022
The Metro series from the Ukrainian-Maltese studio 4A Games has always been famous for its graphics, but with Metro Exodus, the developers have outdone themselves. The game was one of the first to use RTX technologies, and the authors worked closely with NVIDIA to achieve the highest quality results.
Metro Exodus was impressive right at release. All those glare on the gas mask and reflections in the water created a pleasant experience. But 4A Games went even further and released the Enhanced Edition, in which ray tracing became an integral part of the game. It has been significantly improved, so the updated version of the game looks absolutely stunning.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Platforms Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Genre simulator
Year 2020
Microsoft Flight Simulator has long been a relatively niche series of simulators that dates back to 1982. But in 2020, Asobo Studio managed to do the almost impossible and presented such a highly specialized entertainment to the masses. As a result, the new Microsoft Flight Simulator became one of the main Microsoft exclusives.
The success of the game is not least due to the graphic component. Asobo Studio enlisted the support of Microsoft Azure cloud technologies to recreate the real world with photorealistic accuracy. The game processes light sources, such as stars, as well as small particles, raindrops, clouds, and other nuances in real time. That’s why Microsoft Flight Simulator is not just an extremely beautiful game, but also unique in its beauty.
Of course, you should play this on a PC. Because even the Xbox Series X is not able to adequately capture the beauty of a flight simulator.
Minecraft with RTX
Platforms Windows
Genre action/adventure
Year 2020
Minecraft has always been characterized by extremely simple graphics, which is why the game is able to generate huge open worlds. However, in 2020, Microsoft and NVIDIA decided to conduct an unusual experiment to promote RTX technology. This is how a ray-traced version of Minecraft appeared.
It is ironic that a game with the simplest graphics has become one of the most beautiful in the industry thanks to RTX. The developers have specially created several worlds to demonstrate the visual heights that games can reach with ray tracing.
Unfortunately, Minecraft with RTX is not a full-fledged version of the game, but rather a technology demonstration. However, no one forbids you to download the unofficial RTX texture pack, which is distributed free of charge.
Portal with RTX
Platforms Windows
Genre platformer, puzzle
Year 2022
Portal has long been a classic of the first-person puzzle genre and another proof that Valve is able to look for talented developers among mod authors and then turn their projects into world-famous hits. But what Portal has never stood out for is its graphics. In the original game, it is extremely simple, and in the test chambers, you won’t see much beauty.
Portal with RTX fixes the situation by using ray tracing technology. This is a free version of the original game developed by NVIDIA’s internal Lightspeed Studios. Therefore, the maximum was squeezed out of RTX. Lighting, shadows, reflections, glare, and other pleasant details are pleasing to the eye even in relatively simple locations. So Portal with RTX feels like a modern game. Its gameplay is not outdated at all.
But be prepared that Portal with RTX is very demanding on PC resources. The minimum system requirements are RTX 3060.
Quake II RTX
Platforms Windows
Genre shooter
Year 2019
The last game in this selection is a classic game that was remade using ray tracing technology. But this example is the most interesting because the original Quake II was released back in 1997. Its updated version with RTX shows how much ray tracing can affect even classic games.
In Quake II RTX, you will find the old-school shooter gameplay that is familiar to everyone, which still feels good today, especially against the backdrop of the popularization of boomer shooters. However, the graphical component of the game has been significantly improved thanks to ray tracing. Locations now have naturalistic lighting, objects cast shadows, and water shimmers pleasantly under light sources.
At the same time, the improvement concerns only visual effects; the models in the game remained the same. Because of this, Quake II RTX has acquired a non-standard charm at the intersection of the 90s generation of games and modern technologies.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Platforms Windows, PlayStation 5
Genre action/adventure
Year 2021
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was one of the first PlayStation 5 exclusives that was supposed to showcase the advantages of the console’s SSD drives by instantly moving between different dimensions. In the end, the portals turned out to be just a beautiful nuance, not a full-fledged game mechanic. But the game’s pleasant visuals cannot be taken away.
Again, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart looks best on PC. For this version, Insomniac Games and Nixxes Software added support for all modern technologies with unlocked frame rates. But even on PlayStation 5, the game looks very nice. Shadows, reflections, high-quality visual effects, and other little details are not only well done, but also fit well into the game’s cute aesthetic.
Resident Evil Village
Platforms Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS
Genre horror
Year 2021
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was a soft relaunch of the Resident Evil series, introducing a new protagonist Ethan and increasing the emphasis on horror elements. Resident Evil Village continued to follow the path of the previous part, but at the same time, it borrowed many moments and even the mood itself from Resident Evil 4. It turned out to be not the scariest, but definitely an exciting game.
At the same time, in Resident Evil Village, Capcom has further revealed the capabilities of the RE Engine. This is especially true for the implementation of ray tracing. If you play through the storyline first with it and then without it, it may seem as if you are playing significantly different games.
The ray tracing in Resident Evil Village has the strongest effect on lighting, and the proper handling of it can take any horror to a whole new level. This game is no exception to the rule.
And yes, it is obvious that you need to play on a PC or current-generation consoles. Because Resident Evil Village was even released on iOS, but the graphics there are, of course, far from perfect.
Returnal
Platforms Windows, PlayStation 5
Genre adventure, roguelite
Year 2021
Returnal continues to be one of the most unusual PlayStation exclusives. The space adventure about cycles, mysterious horror, and family relationships attracts with its story and aesthetics as well as gameplay. Returnal can be considered one of the most expensive representatives of the roguelite genre.
The game also became another demonstration of the PlayStation 5’s capabilities. It still has some of the best visuals among console games. Everything shines and sparkles, and the gameplay itself is tailored to keep hundreds of objects on the screen at the same time. You won’t get bored until the very end, as you die again and again trying to figure out the secrets of this universe.
The Medium
Platforms Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
Genre horror
Year 2021
The Medium by Bloober Team can also be considered a demonstration of technological progress to some extent. However, here technology is directly intertwined with the gameplay. The protagonist is able to interact with two worlds that you observe simultaneously. That is, the game renders two different locations at the same time, which differ significantly from each other.
The game looks good both from an artistic and technical point of view. For the former, we should thank the main source of inspiration for the developers. They were guided by the works of the Polish artist Zdzislaw Beksinski, known for his eerie surrealistic paintings. But Bloober Team managed to implement beautiful graphics with the help of NVIDIA, which actively helped the studio with RTX issues.
So it is very pleasant to look at The Medium. And the gameplay will evoke pleasant associations with quests and adventures straight out of the “noughties”.
What ray-tracing games have impressed you? What projects do you consider to be the most beautiful in the gaming industry? Share your opinion in the comments.
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