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[Lunatic_Gamer]

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is out exclusively on PS5, and, let's cut to the chase, it looks magnificent.

Of course, it's based upon the already stunning main game, but there's something about Burning Shores that really pops. The varied colours and textures found in the environment, the lighting, the brilliant character models — it all adds up to what might be the best-looking game on PS5.

We've captured a good amount of screenshots here, some taken from cutscenes (which play out in-engine) but most are raw gameplay snaps. It's more proof that, when Sony's first-party teams are firing on all cylinders, they often deliver some of the best visuals in the business.

Gallery: Is Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores the Best Looking Game Ever?

PS5 DLC looks incredible

www.pushsquare.com

 

[Rendered Tangent]

What's performance like though?

 

[begotten]

Well HFW was before it so I'd be surprised if this wasn't now also.

 

[ChiefDada]

No. Improvements weren't nearly enough to overthrow RC Rift Apart. I would also place TLOU Pt. 1 ahead of Burning Shores.

What's performance like though?

Excellent/not a concern. Stays well above 60fps uncapped.

 

[lordarchaon666]

Still doesn't look better than Elden Ring or God of War.

 

[Mossybrew]

Yeah I think it is OP.

 

[Putonahappyface]

Absolutely.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

Do unreleased games count? This is it for me:



For released games, I'm going to say Cyberpunk with the new path-tracing update.

No offense to Horizon--it's a real looker.

 

[brian0057]

Damn.
This is definitely a game.

 

[Kurotri]

That last boss fight sure made me think so

 

[TrebleShot]

It is no question. CP2077 over drive is nice but animations models and general look isn’t even close

 

[Fbh]

I'm not really seeing any obvious improvements over the base game in those screenshots.
But Forbidden West in general is one of the best looking games ever. The fact it still looks amazing while running at locked (or near locked) 60fps on a $400 console is even more mindblowing.

Cyberpunk in overdrive mode might have a slight advantage in environments, but the character models aren't even close

 

[Johnny Concrete]

Of course, it's based upon the already stunning main game, but there's something about Burning Shores that really pops.

I heard the pop-in was pretty bad indeed

 

[SeraphJan]

Matrix Demo is the best

HFW is still top 3

 

[NightmareFarm]

No. But hey, it's the newest big sony exclusive so people will call it that.

 

[Hobbygaming]

Still doesn't look better than Elden Ring or God of War.

Lol Elden Ring?

 

[LakeOf9]

Nothing will be better than RDR2 for a while but this does come close

Still doesn't look better than Elden Ring or God of War.

Lol wtf

 

[Falc67]

I have HFW on PS5. I can’t see any improvement in burning shores. Can someone do a comparison?

 

[Hobbygaming]

It looks bloody amazing and it already looked the best in the base game

 

[Unknown?]

Yes. Anyone who says differently is a PC fanboy... /s

But it's up there may be not THE best but definitely top 3.

 

[rofif]

Do unreleased games count? This is it for me:



For released games, I'm going to say Cyberpunk with the new path-tracing update.

No offense to Horizon--it's a real looker.

It’s just a one scanned garage
Ceberpunk looks worse still despite its seemingly more impressive tech

 

[Hobbygaming]

 

[Zathalus]

Having played both Cyberpunk 2077 Overdrive (4k DLSS quality) and this, I'm going to give it to Cyberpunk. Horizon is more impressive on the hardware limitations of the PS5 however. Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 vs Horizon is a slam dunk in Horizons favour.

 

[Rac3r]

It’s by far the most impressive looking game I’ve ever played.

 

[Mossybrew]

The outfits in this game are all mini works of art. Ton of variety, highly detailed, great texture work, wonderful use of color.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

It’s just a one scanned garage
Ceberpunk looks worse still despite its seemingly more impressive tech

It's the most realistic garage I've ever seen. I'm guessing you and I interpreted the OP title differently. I took it as "realistic", but I could see how something else could be "better looking".

 

[ZehDon]

Not for me.

The hyper-stylised "hero lighting" they insist on using in their cut scenes looks atrocious, making sure any attempts at immersion is broken immediately. It reminds me a lot of the "crushed blacks" non-sense that was built into the Xbone at launch, where a lot of people actually liked it because, generally, people think higher contrasts make the details "pop". The game's art-style has also never really worked for me, either, feeling extremely generic despite all of the details crammed in. I find it difficult to articulate, but despite the art technical and artistic effort that's clearly on display in the Horizon games, they all just feel... empty. Hollow. In the Assassin's Creed kind of way. You know what you're seeing has all of the "right elements", but, for some reason, it just doesn't feel impressive. It comes across as visual "meh". It's curious.

 

[Musashipan]

No
Not even top 10

 

[Gaiff]

Definitely a candidate. I know not everyone likes the art style but I think it's fantastic.

As for Cyberpunk, while it is overall technically more advanced on PC, I simply cannot get over these ugly NPCs. They're Oblivion level of bad and actively detract from the experience. When you marvel at Night City's architecture, cars, neon lights, and streets, everything takes a backseat the moment you see one of those god-awful NPCs shuffling about. I know it's not exactly fair because Horizon's NPCs aren't randomly generated so they're a fair bit more polished than in Cyberpunk and there is probably like 1/10th the population but this is a place where I feel that CD Projekt Red should have invested more. The NPCs in GTA IV look better and are better animated and I'm not being hyperbolic there. The NPCs are Cyberpunk's greatest visual sin and they're IMPOSSIBLE to ignore since they take such a large chunk of the game. If they looked even halfway decent, it would be by a wide margin the best-looking game but as it stands, it's just too visually inconsistent for my taste.

 

[BennyBlanco]

No. Cyberpunk with path tracing is next level.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Definitely a candidate. I know not everyone likes the art style but I think it's fantastic.

As for Cyberpunk, while it is overall technically more advanced on PC, I simply cannot get over these ugly NPCs. They're Oblivion level of bad and actively detract from the experience. When you marvel at Night City's architecture, cars, neon lights, and streets, everything takes a backseat the moment you see one of those god-awful NPCs shuffling about. I know it's not exactly fair because Horizon's NPCs aren't randomly generated so they're a fair bit more polished than in Cyberpunk and there is probably like 1/10th the population but this is a place where I feel that CD Projekt Red should have invested more. The NPCs in GTA IV look better and are better animated and I'm not being hyperbolic there. The NPCs are Cyberpunk's greatest visual sin and they're IMPOSSIBLE to ignore since they take such a large chunk of the game. If they looked even halfway decent, it would be by a wide margin the best-looking game but as it stands, it's just too visually inconsistent for my taste.

 

[Field]

It’s the most beautiful but kinda ugly(art style) game.

 

[Gaiff]

I mean the pic is like 480p. Do you have the same screenshot at 4K for instance?

 

[Gambit2483]

Considering what it's doing on a technical scale; rendering the sky, land and underwater...yes, yes it is.

 

[Aenima]

Havent played the expansion yet, but none of those screenshots even look better than the base game in motion. And yes to me HFW was already the best looking game i played so far.

 

[Schmendrick]

Asset and model quality especially are amazing.... But after CP2077 this just looks flat and fake.... And yes, considering the difference in hardware requirements that is an unfair comparison.

 

[VeganElduderino]

indeed! it sure is

 

[Balducci30]

I can’t tell the improvements with the graphics playing it compared to the first game aside from the clouds? Is there something I’m missing?

 

[Balducci30]

Do unreleased games count? This is it for me:



For released games, I'm going to say Cyberpunk with the new path-tracing update.

No offense to Horizon--it's a real looker.

Is this VR how is the gun moving like that?

 

[Grildon Tundy]

Is this VR how is the gun moving like that?

Not VR. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if there's some tomfoolery going on here, but it could be legit. I want to believe.

 

[Gambit2483]

I can’t tell the improvements with the graphics playing it compared to the first game aside from the clouds? Is there something I’m missing?

It is significantly improved from the first game. In the first game you couldn't even swim underwater. Seriously everything dealing with the water and sky has been vastly improved from the original.

Also, the character models and animations for the NPCs are on a completely new level. Do yourself a favor and look up some comparison videos on YouTube (though not the true ideal way) to see the differences between both games

 

[Shakka43]

Looks great but there's way too many pop ins at the moment, I'll wait for updates before I continue playing.

 

[Atrus]

I’m playing it now on the PS5 and I don’t recall seeing a better looking game at the moment. There are areas it can certainly improve on such as the pop in and the LOD issues related to the repeated textures but looks amazing.

 

[SlimySnake]

Pop in is pretty bad but it’s still a looker.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

You know darn well you are misrepresenting the graphics of this game with this image....lol.
This looks zoomed in.

 

[Kuranghi]

OP blocked me so they won't see this but let them know for me:

Your threads are annoying af, put the article quote in a quote, you didn't say these things.

 

[Represent.]

Yes. It looks so fucking good. Ridiculous on all fronts.

GG is flexing on the industry. I find myself just wandering around doing nothing in the game in awe of the graphics.

Love it

 

[Balducci30]

It is significantly improved from the first game. In the first game you couldn't even swim underwater. Seriously everything dealing with the water and sky has been vastly improved from the original.

Also, the character models and animations for the NPCs are on a completely new level. Do yourself a favor and look up some comparison videos on YouTube (though not the true ideal way) to see the differences between both games

We’re talking about burning shores right? I’m talking about forbidden west vs burning shores not vs zero dawn - I get how u read it that way tho cus I said “first game”. I meant forbidden west

 

[Balducci30]

Not VR. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if there's some tomfoolery going on here, but it could be legit. I want to believe.

Yeah I’m just confused why the gun would move the way it does I guess in an actual first person shooter

 

[Oddvintagechap]

Yes, I was visually impressed.

TLoU2 is super close tho.