Summary
The originalPlayStationlaunched in North America in 1995 and quickly made an impact with a strong lineup of exclusive games like Ridge Racer and Battle Arena Toshinden. Sony has continued to innovate the hardware in the decades since and is currently supporting the PlayStation 5.
Every iteration of the PlayStation has a library of exciting games that help define each generation. While some of those titles haven’t aged especially well, you can still revisit some of them and will be blown away by how their graphics hold up. These are the best-looking games on every Sony console, from the PS1 to the PS5.
The original PlayStation launched during the dawn of 3D gaming and became the home to popular titles like Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, and Crash Bandicoot. As amazing as these games are, many of them don’t look as good as we remember them and are much better when played through modern remakes or remasters.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the few major side-scrolling adventures on the PlayStation and looks just as good today as it did when it first launched. A unique and timeless art style has carried the game a long way, and while there are modern versions of it that are easier to play, they only look a little bit better than the original game.
The PlayStation 2 was a sensation when it launched and is still regarded as one of the most popular consoles of all time. It took every idea from its predecessor and improved them significantly to create an iconic library of games that feels unmatched to this day.
God of War wasone of the last games for the PlayStation 2(the game actually came out when the PlayStation 3 was already available) and pushed the hardware to its limit to make gorgeous environments and character models that enhanced the storytelling. This bloody adventure still looks great and was a perfect choice to be one of the PS2’s last games.
The first three Uncharted games all launched on the PlayStation 3, and you’re able to really notice how Naughty Dog improves its art direction between every entry. While most peoplegenerally prefer Uncharted 2 over the third game, it’s hard to deny how visually stunning Nathan Drake’s third adventure is.
Throughout the entire journey, it’s incredible how the developers start using lighting, shadows, and other effects to make every location feel like a real place. You can almost taste the sand from the desert or feel the water in your shoes as Nathan Drake and his crew of treasure hunters travel the world in search of gold and glory.
It seems like a miracle that The Last of Us Part 2 can even run on a PlayStation 4. Naughty Dog once again ups the ante with one of the best-looking games ever made and somehow makes it run on hardware that tends to sound like a jet engine whenever it’s running the game.
Remember all the high praise we just gave Uncharted 3? The Last of Us Part 2 somehow surpasses everything it did with gorgeous and immersive visuals that truly make you feel like you’re standing at the end of the world with Ellie, Abby, and anyone else unfortunate enough to survive this long in a brutal apocalypse.
The PlayStation 5 still has some runway in front of it before the PlayStation 6 takes over, but its library is already full of mesmerizing adventures like Demon’s Souls, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and many more. Likely, thebest-looking PS5 game hasn’t come out yet, but for now, Spider-Man 2 swings into the top spot and is still the best showcase for what the hardware can do.
While most PS5 games will make you choose whether you want to run at 60 FPS or a higher resolution, Spider-Man 2 has deeper settings that allow you to customize your experience based on your setup. Swinging through New York City at a high frame rate never gets boring, even after dozens of hours, and the ray-tracing goes the extra mile to make sure you see every Spider-Man’s reflection in every window you pass by.
