Most impressive open world game 2015

[Carfax83]

Gamegpu have been re-benchmarking a lot of games, and Batman Arkham Knight is one of them. GPU wise, it went from this:

To this:

And CPU wise, it went from this:

To this:

The most impressive improvements were in CPU usage.. It's such a great game, and it's now very optimized for the most part. It's too bad that most people will not give it a second chance.

Out of all the games on the list, it's the most technologically advanced I think.

 

[cmdrdredd]

From a technical stand-point, it has to be GTA V with mods. Untouchable by far.

Fallout 4 doesn't belong on that list, it's ugly old-gen stuff and gimped by poor performance vs image quality.

Most of those mods ruin the lighting and crush blacks. They also go too far with reflections.

 

[futurefields]

Agreed. I prefer vanilla GTA, they got the aesthetics perfect.

 

[danu4u]

Honestly speaking, I didn't play any of the games that you mentioned. But I would vote for GTA V and the Witcher 3. I'll soon going through all the games, very soon !!

 

[Denithor]

I wasn't really disappointed with F04's visuals but the loading screens got me to dread opening doors. It didn't help that I encountered a game breaking bug that made drop the game roughly halfway through with 0 motivation to start over.

Loading screens on an SSD?

 

[Carfax83]

So Fallout 4 isn't even fully seamless once you're in game? I had no idea..

 

[thejunglegod]

I like the fact that Dying Light is in this list. That is one seriously underrated game(Barring the rushed ending of course).

 

[PrincessFrosty]

TW3 had some really nice effects and pushed the boundaries for sure, but all things considered I have to go with GTAV, that game is seriously massive and the sheer amount of unique textures make the detail in the game somewhat dizzying, streaming it in/out of memory so a card with 4Gb vRAM can handle 60gb seamlessly was impressive to say the least.

 

[MBrown]

Gta v

 

[Silverforce11]

It's such a great game, and it's now very optimized for the most part. It's too bad that most people will not give it a second chance.

Out of all the games on the list, it's the most technologically advanced I think.

Witcher 3 is prettier overall for me. But GTA V does seamless scale better and with mods it does look visually stunning. Vanilla is not that great.

Also, I hope it teaches big studios to stop rushing AAA titles to release before they are ready and optimized.

They expect us gamers to pay $60 USD to alpha test their games, it's very unreasonable.

 

[Martimus]

I am surprised that no one else thinks Ark is technically impressive. The size and scope of the island is huge. The fauna is beautiful, the clouds model actual clouds and are foggy when you fly through them. The ecosystem is pretty complicated, and every different type of npc has a different AI. The fact that every animal acts so differently from each other is amazing to me. Especially considering that there are so many types of animals in the game (I think over 100). The game at epic settings is beautiful, and it is still in alpha.

 

[norseamd]

Studio keeps maturing in W1-3 progression, not just in terms of graphics but in every aspect of the game.

Nope. There was more than a few items of note that were worse in Witcher 3 than Witcher 2. CDPR is already on the path towards EA.

 

[Ferzerp]

I am surprised that no one else thinks Ark is technically impressive. The size and scope of the island is huge. The fauna is beautiful, the clouds model actual clouds and are foggy when you fly through them. The ecosystem is pretty complicated, and every different type of npc has a different AI. The fact that every animal acts so differently from each other is amazing to me. Especially considering that there are so many types of animals in the game (I think over 100). The game at epic settings is beautiful, and it is still in alpha.

Do they white out everything where you can't see, because that is what happens when you really fly through a cloud? I accidentally took my canopy in to one once and couldn't see a thing.

 

[Martimus]

Do they white out everything where you can't see, because that is what happens when you really fly through a cloud? I accidentally took my canopy in to one once and couldn't see a thing.

Yes. Actually they do. Although the thinner parts of the cloud are just a little foggy. It changes dynamically as you go through the cloud. But you are right, flying through a cloud is generally a bad idea as you won't be able to see anything.

 

[brandonmatic]

I voted Witcher 3 because that's the only game I've played. But it's fantastic. Maybe my favorite game ever.

 

[Stg-Flame]

It's how every open world game is that doesn't use loading screens on interiors. If GTA wanted to use loading screens they could have as many interiors as Fallout 4.

I hate to break it to you, but this isn't a poll about which game could be the best open-world game in 2015. As it stands, GTA V is simply drive from Point A to Point B and try not to do anything fun or else the cops will instantly swarm you. Not only that, but regardless of what you're driving and how many upgrades you have, cops will somehow always be faster and be able to knock you around as if you're driving a meter maid cart.

Also:

 

[tidy]

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[futurefields]

As it stands, GTA V is simply drive from Point A to Point B and try not to do anything fun or else the cops will instantly swarm you. Not only that, but regardless of what you're driving and how many upgrades you have, cops will somehow always be faster and be able to knock you around as if you're driving a meter maid cart.

GTA V has a more impressive map and more to do. It's got free roam exploration, racing, shooting, flying, boating, golf, tennis, etc etc... You can also share the open world with other people which is something you'll never be able to do in TW3. Every area of TW3 looks more or less the same whereas in GTA V you have much varied location from inner city, rich areas, poor areas, ghettos, suburbs, desert areas, forests, mountains, the ocean, rivers, lakes. TW3 you ride a horse around the same looking trees and stuff everywhere.

Also those screenshots you posted don't look great to me. I prefer the smoother more natural look of GTA to the TW3 which looks oversharpened and the graphics don't meld together like they do in GTA, like the way the foilage sticks out is very unnatural looking in general. Objects in TW3 just do not feel a part of their environment in the same way as GTA with it's much more robust physics and lighting system that ties things together in a more realistic and dynamic way. If you take a car in GTA and barrel down a sidewalk you will crash through benches, garbage cans, newspaper stands, phone booths, and everything is crashing and careening and ricocheting off each other in atleast a somewhat realistic manner whereas TW3 world is filled with tons of static objects that you can't even interact with. I can pull out a pistol and shoot every single little object anywhere in GTA including little cups and staplers and junk off desks and it will go flying off and bounce around in a realistic manner.

 

[tidy]

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[Fire&Blood]

Ahh, the shallow gamer syndrome, it's sad how oblivious people are to the things going on around them, in or outside games.
Let's break this down, shall we?

Every area of TW3 looks more or less the same

Couldn't be more wrong here even if you tried. Witcher 3 environments not only feature different sized cities and depicting the difference in wealth and status of it's citizens, there is an entire infrastructure supporting the environments. Some gamers have the mindset "only present day setting is a good game setting" and they also need things pointed out for them, tend to be completely ignorant of what's happening around them.

TW3 you ride a horse around the same looking trees and stuff everywhere.

What, you played Witcher 3 and didn't find rich areas, poor areas, suburbs, desert areas, forests, mountains, the ocean, rivers, lakes?

You can also share the open world with other people which is something you'll never be able to do in TW3.

Ah, the "online" argument. Good! I don't want want games to rely on the multiplayer crutch. It's much harder for games to complete the experience without resorting to online play and grinding that's attached to it. I haven't touched GTA online after dealing with it's cheaters. The multiplayer crutch is just an excuse for cash grabs like Star Wars Battlefront anyway.

GTA V got free roam exploration, racing, shooting, flying, boating, golf, tennis, etc etc...

Ah, the "present day setting" argument. I'm sorry Witcher 3 didn't feature cars, planes, golf clubs, rackets and firearms to keep you interested. All the other activities you mentioned are in the game. And Gwent.

Now let's take a look at some facts:
PC version of GTA V was 18 months late. All other games in the poll have a combined total of 4 weeks delayed PC version compared to the console versions.

GTA V was made by a mega studio with a 5 year development span on a $265 million budget. Witcher 3 was made by CDPR, a much smaller studio, 240 in-house staff over the course of 3&1/2 years with a $81 million budget.

Objects in TW3 just do not feel a part of their environment, TW3 world is filled with tons of static objects that you can't even interact with.

I'm sorry you didn't have a car or a pistol in Witcher 3 to "barrel down a sidewalk to crash through benches, garbage cans, newspaper stands and phone booths" but let's take a close look at those "poor physics" of Witcher 3 as well as some of the lesser known details:

-Geralt actually lifts his sword sheathes when he removes/sheathes the swords.
- You can observe the environment through the in game windows.
-The horse dismounting animations vary depending on the speed at which the horse is going.
- Dirt on the ground gets displaced under Geralt's and NPC's boots as they walk.
-After dismounting Roach, the horse will seek out a trough if it's thirsty and the water level will decrease if Roach drinks.
-Every part of Geralt's armor makes unique noise while walking or fighting.
-Class divides are in the game. Richer kids have better clothing and tend to smile while poor ones have worse clothes and look sad more often.
-Developers studied bird behavior and had birds act accordingly in the game.
-Bombs in the game have different effects depending on the environments they are used in.
-Wolves and other animals before you engage them have a variety of actions going on. They may challenge the pack leader or just be playful until you trigger combat.
-Casting signs has a different effect depending on environment.
-Weather effects on environment/clothes get wet in rain.

Even if we just ignore the difference in budget, deadlines and studio sizes, Witcher 3 is a larger, content richer game.

Sources to verify what I stated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMWW31FVCy0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5BsJ1TRMh8

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-is-how-much-the-witcher-3-cost-to-make/1100-6430409/

Witcher 3 is far from perfect, it definitely has it's issue and areas where it's surpassed by contemporary games. The overall package? Nope. It'a a content rich RPG that raised the bar for all games to come.

Nope. There was more than a few items of note that were worse in Witcher 3 than Witcher 2. CDPR is already on the path towards EA.

Until CDPR goes for cash grabs like Battlefront or does a 180 on it's DRM policy, I'm calling BS. The "items of note" where you claim the game went backwards I am open to discuss.

 

[Carfax83]

Witcher 3 is far from perfect, it definitely has it's issue and areas where it's surpassed by contemporary games. The overall package? Nope. It'a a content rich RPG that raised the bar for all games to come..

Yeah I have to agree. I am replaying the Witcher 3 right now on new game plus, and compared to when I played it the first time, it's obvious that CDPR have done some fairly noticeable improvements. I'm noticing more dialogue options, and better graphics, physics etcetera for instance. CDPR is not done with this game, not by a long shot..

But as I mentioned in my OP, the game does have some glaring weaknesses. The lighting and LoD management being the top two I'd say, plus several minor defects like terrible SSR, rain effects and some others..

I'm certain that CDPR will continue to refine the engine, and the game. Don't be surprised if they add DX12 later down the road, because Cyberpunk 2077 will surely be DX12, and once they've updated their engine for that game, they should roll those updates into the Witcher 3 as well.

Then hopefully we'll get a return of the game in it's former glory before the horrible downgrades.

 

[tidy]

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[futurefields]

Nope. It'a a content rich RPG that raised the bar for all games to come.

Agreed, it's a great game.

:thumbsup:

 

[futurefields]

I'm certain that CDPR will continue to refine the engine, and the game. Don't be surprised if they add DX12 later down the road, because Cyberpunk 2077 will surely be DX12, and once they've updated their engine for that game, they should roll those updates into the Witcher 3 as well.

Then hopefully we'll get a return of the game in it's former glory before the horrible downgrades.

Heh, I doubt that. Would be nice though.

 

[Fire&Blood]

That map is BS, does anyone have an accurate one?

The placement of LS into Witcher's map is misleading, Witcher 3 is ~50% larger.

Yeah I have to agree. I am replaying the Witcher 3 right now on new game plus, and compared to when I played it the first time, it's obvious that CDPR have done some fairly noticeable improvements. I'm noticing more dialogue options, and better graphics, physics etcetera for instance. CDPR is not done with this game, not by a long shot..

But as I mentioned in my OP, the game does have some glaring weaknesses. The lighting and LoD management being the top two I'd say, plus several minor defects like terrible SSR, rain effects and some others..

I'm certain that CDPR will continue to refine the engine, and the game. Don't be surprised if they add DX12 later down the road, because Cyberpunk 2077 will surely be DX12, and once they've updated their engine for that game, they should roll those updates into the Witcher 3 as well.

Then hopefully we'll get a return of the game in it's former glory before the horrible downgrades.

Some of the "damage" can be undone via mods and patches helped. I'll have to do a clean install, I have a few mods that seem to be in conflict.

It's one thing to make a pretty game, another to make a pretty open world but to make a pretty open world game that's actually good and to make it huge... The visuals get a pass from me because of the entire package but this being a thread about visuals...

Like I said earlier, there are games already that surpass it in certain aspects already but an overall package to beat Witcher 3 on all fronts... I think we'll wait a while.

The first game is what Yahtzee reacted to with his PCMR remarks. CDPR exponentially upped the game with each release. I'm curious as what people are referring to when they say W2 was better than W3. I liked the "court intrigue" of W2 but a straight up loss of quality from W2 to W3, I just don't see it.

CDPR still owes us the full REDkit, instead of the minor mod tool we got.
It's still not something I insist on because realistically, I don't know which game will push the PC version those few extra steps we expect.