A decade ago, photorealism seemed destined to define the future of game visuals. From The Last of Us to Call of Duty, countless AAA franchises wowed players with their photorealistic environments and lifelike characters.
Yet, many gamers found that something was missing in their ultra-realistic video games, as if a unique artistic vision was lost in a swarm of similar-looking games. Is realism truly the ultimate goal in gaming, then? Let’s find out.
What is hyperrealism exactly?
The precise definition of hyperrealism seems quite open-ended in gaming conversations. But most agree the secret to a realistic game doesn’t boil down to its narrative realism or verisimilitude.
Rather, the concept usually refers to visual accuracy and graphical fidelity, applying both to games telling a realistic story grounded in a real-world setting and games with supernatural elements, as long as their universe remains consistent with its own internal logic.
For that very reason, journeying across a desolate world with a baby trapped in a container and fighting hordes of demons in a dark fantasy realm can all be considered realistic, provided the alternate universes that players are exploring feel real.
Hyper-detailed games go the extra mile by turning their settings into immersive reality through realistic features driven by authentic physics, such as the stamina management in Kingdom Come Deliverance II.
The next frontier for gaming studios
Game graphics have evolved toward hyperrealism, fueled by companies’ outpouring of money into new technologies. In 2018, Rockstar Games exceeded all expectations with Red Dead Redemption II.
Feeling almost like a true-to-life simulation of the American Frontier in the late 1800s, this Western epic nailed down every facet of its dynamic open world, from the moon’s accurate lunar phases to wildlife tracking the main character by scent.
Since then, most games have cranked up their realistic visuals and sound design. The release of Unreal Engine 5 in 2020 allowed developers to use high-detail meshes and photogrammetry to generate ultra-realistic maps, while enabling dynamic lighting to change a scene’s visual and emotional tone.
Meanwhile, technologies like motion capture revolutionized game development by capturing human movements and mapping them onto ever-so-lifelike digital models.
The limits of ultra-realistic games
Despite robust sales, the gaming industry has been shedding thousands of staff in recent years. Some suspect that the soaring cost of ultra-realistic gaming development played a part in these massive layoffs.
As visual upgrades showed diminishing returns, graphical fidelity turned into a financial liability, if not a mere marketing tool.
Many players bemoan the heavy investment in cinematic visuals at the expense of gameplay, making for shallow, somewhat soulless experiences.
On the other hand, hyperrealism consumes vast computational resources, often making it harder for a game to run smoothly on less powerful hardware. Being so expensive to develop, video games now come with a steep price tag.
Even family-friendly consoles like the Switch 2 have become prohibitive for young gamers, which hasn’t stopped Nintendo’s hybrid console from selling over 10 million copies globally within four months.
Hyperrealism in gaming: is there another way?
While photorealistic games have become standard, an increasing number of developers are pushing back by embracing classic pixel art. Indie titles like Celeste, Deltarune, and Stardew Valley are carrying this pixelated revival on their backs with their 2D graphics and 8-bit art style.
The latter has sold over 41 million units, underscoring the timeless appeal of such retro aesthetics. Whether driven by nostalgia or a longing for simpler, less formulaic visuals and gameplay, the enthusiasm for retrogaming is as strong as ever.
Even the iGaming sector has tried to recapture the glory of gaming’s golden era through machine slots evoking the 8-bit look of vintage arcade games. Gamers can grab free spins to play these retro machine slots and more.
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One glance at this year’s GOTY contenders is proof enough that ultra-realistic games are not going anywhere.
Clair Obscur’s creative director, Guillaume Broche, said his studio’s debut RPG was born out of love for photorealism, while Hideo Kojima pushed the boundaries of next-gen cinematic game design with Death Stranding 2. Still, the popularity of pixelated games shows that hyperrealism isn’t all there is to the gaming experience.
