Over time, advances in technology have allowed game creators to make their games more realistic and visually stunning, resulting in more immersive and engaging stories.
Games quickly adopted a more cinematic style, starting with pre-rendered cutscenes like the opening and ending sequences in Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game. Later, developers moved towards cutscenes created using the game’s engine itself, along with dynamic camera work – think of the impressive scenes in Halo 2.
Motion capture is now a common tool for game developers. It allows them to record an actor’s movements and expressions, bringing realism to characters and scenes. This technology is used both for full-body movements and facial expressions, helping to create more believable characters and effectively convey important story moments.
Today’s gaming consoles and PCs offer incredibly realistic graphics, leading to some of the most visually stunning games ever made. These newer titles often feature lifelike characters, immersive gameplay, and smooth transitions between action and cinematic cutscenes.
10. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
The Best Looking Horizon Game To Date
When the Horizon series started in 2017 with Horizon Zero Dawn, it immediately stood out as one of the most beautiful games ever created. This wasn’t just due to its incredible robotic creatures, but also because of how convincingly Guerrilla Games brought the post-apocalyptic American West to life.
The PlayStation 5’s powerful hardware allowed Guerrilla Games to create the stunning graphics in 2022’s Horizon Forbidden West. Later, in late 2024, they released Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for PS5, bringing its visuals up to the same high quality as Forbidden West.
Beyond enhancements to graphics, shaders, and textures, Guerrilla Games also re-recorded more than 10 hours of dialogue and captured new motion capture for conversations. These improvements make Aloy’s story and her fight against HADES even more immersive and believable.
I still enjoy the original Zero Dawn, but Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is the best way to play Aloy’s story right now. That will likely change when the Horizon Zero Dawn movie comes out, giving us a complete experience of Aloy’s journey in both gaming and film.
9. Red Dead Redemption 2
Arthur Morgan’s Tragic Western Tale
Rockstar Games has created many critically acclaimed and story-driven video games, including titles like Grand Theft Auto V and L.A. Noire. However, Red Dead Redemption 2 is arguably their most visually stunning and cinematic game yet.
Right from the start of Red Dead Redemption 2, I knew Rockstar had created something amazing. That opening with the text setting the scene for the end of the Wild West felt like a movie, and then you’re immediately thrown into this intense snowstorm with the Van der Linde gang just trying to survive – it was totally immersive.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is packed with scenes reminiscent of classic western movies – think train robberies, gang fights, weathering intense storms, evading the authorities, and hunting diverse wildlife. Remarkably, even after seven years, it remains one of the most visually stunning games available.
Just traveling across the American West in Red Dead Redemption 2 can be a peaceful and beautiful experience. Enabling cinematic mode makes it even more immersive, as the camera smoothly follows Arthur and his horse as they ride towards their destination, creating a film-like feel.
8. Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima’s Walking Masterpiece
I’ve always been blown away by Hideo Kojima’s games – they’re just so epic and feel like you’re playing through a huge action movie, especially the Metal Gear series. But I think his most movie-like game is definitely 2019’s Death Stranding. It really feels different from anything else out there.
Death Stranding takes place in the near future, after a mysterious event called the Death Stranding devastated the world. This event brought forth ghostly creatures and largely wiped out humanity, leaving survivors isolated in cities connected by trade networks called BRIDGES. Players take on the role of porters who deliver essential cargo across this dangerous, broken landscape, working to reconnect what was lost.
What really sets Death Stranding apart is its cinematic presentation. The cutscenes are filmed with a style reminiscent of independent or foreign art films, and the game impressively uses 3D scanning and motion capture technology to realistically bring the actors and their likenesses to life.
The game comes close to being a stunning, cinematic experience, but it’s slightly held back by its core gameplay loop of Sam Bridges walking and climbing through desolate landscapes while carefully balancing fragile cargo, which can sometimes pull you out of the moment.
7. The Last of Us Part I
Naughty Dog’s Magnum Opus
Even when it first came out in 2013, The Last of Us was known for its movie-like quality, largely due to the incredible on-screen connection between Troy Baker (as Joel) and Ashley Johnson (as Ellie). However, the 2022 remake, The Last of Us Part I, took that cinematic feel to a whole new level.
As a huge fan of Naughty Dog, I was blown away by how incredible Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part II looked! It was clear they were really trying to max out the PlayStation 4, adding so much detail to everything – the environments felt alive, and the characters looked and acted more real than ever before. They really pushed the limits of what the console could do.
Following the development of Part II, Naughty Dog rebuilt The Last of Us to match its improved graphics and gameplay. This resulted in Part I, a complete remake of the original game specifically for the PlayStation 5.
Simply put, the first game is the best way to experience the original, heartbreaking story of Joel and Ellie. It complements the second game, and its updated PS5 version coming in 2024, even better than the HBO series, thanks to the fantastic performances by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson.
6. God of War
Kratos and Atreus’ Epic Journey
I’ve always loved the God of War series – it’s always been so intense and full of action! Watching Kratos tear through Greek mythology while seeking revenge was amazing. But honestly, while the older games had some cool moments, the 2018 God of War just took things to a whole new level. It felt so much more like watching an epic movie!
Following his brutal defeat of Zeus and the other Greek gods in God of War 3, Kratos’s future was uncertain, as he’d finally achieved his revenge. The 2018 release of God of War from Santa Monica Studio surprised everyone by reimagining Kratos as a father and shifting the series’ setting to the world of Norse mythology.
After that, the game turned into something truly epic – easily one of the best third-person adventures I’ve ever played. I got to experience Kratos and his son, Atreus, on this incredible journey to spread the ashes of Atreus’s mom in Jotunheim. We battled gods, met a ton of awesome characters, and watched Kratos and Atreus really bond as father and son. It was a powerful story!
One of the things that made 2018’s God of War feel so much like a movie was its seamless filming style. The game was presented as one continuous shot, without any loading screens or cuts. This made Kratos’s introduction to the Norse world incredibly immersive and helped players connect with the story and environment.
5. Mortal Kombat 1
Liu Kang’s Beautiful New Universe
As a long-time Mortal Kombat fan, I’ve seen the series really evolve since Midway handed the reins over to NetherRealm Studios. Each new game has just gotten better and better, especially when it comes to story and how amazing it looks – seriously, even Mortal Kombat 11 still holds up beautifully after all these years. But honestly, Mortal Kombat 1 from 2023? That game is on another level when it comes to feeling like you’re watching a movie. It’s the most cinematic fighting game I’ve ever played.
Don’t mistake this for the Mortal Kombat games from 1992 or 2011. Mortal Kombat 1 is actually the second time the series has been restarted, but it continues the story from Mortal Kombat 11 and its Aftermath expansion. Following the events of those games, Liu Kang creates a new universe, leading to some familiar characters and storylines being different from what fans expect.
In Mortal Kombat 1, Liu Kang gathers a new team of Earthrealm champions – including a now-mortal Raiden, Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, and Kenshi Takahashi – to compete in a Mortal Kombat tournament in Outworld. However, Shang Tsung is secretly working on a dangerous plan that could put both realms in jeopardy.
Mortal Kombat 1, especially with the Khaos Reigns DLC, is a stunning fighting game. Its cutscenes are incredibly detailed and cinematic – they’re so realistic and well-animated that they could stand alone as a short film, showcasing the best character models the series – or even the entire fighting game genre – has ever produced.
4. Quantum Break
Xbox’s Forgotten Experimental Exclusive
Remedy Entertainment is known for creating games that feel like watching a movie, including popular titles like Max Payne, which drew inspiration from the action films of John Woo, and Alan Wake, influenced by the atmosphere of Twin Peaks. However, many fans overlook what might be their most cinematic game: 2016’s Quantum Break.
Quantum Break is a game you can only play on Xbox One. It’s a third-person shooter where you solve puzzles as Jack Joyce, a character who gains the ability to control time after a time travel experiment goes wrong. He then finds himself in a complicated situation, trying to prevent a disaster, the creation of the time machine itself, and the death of his brother, Will.
Similar to games like Alan Wake and Control, Quantum Break has a complex and mind-bending story. However, it’s no more confusing than most time travel movies, and it features spectacular graphics and action that rival big-budget blockbusters.
What sets Quantum Break apart from many other games is its inclusion of four live-action episodes woven into the gameplay. These episodes focus on the story of the villainous Monarch Solutions corporation and feature recognizable actors like Shawn Ashmore, Aidan Gillen, and Lance Reddick.
3. The Order: 1886
PlayStation 4’s Forgotten Classic
Looking back at the early days of the PS4, there were a bunch of exclusive games that people don’t really talk about anymore – stuff like Killzone Shadow Fall and Knack. But honestly, one of those early exclusives ended up being one of the most visually stunning and cinematic games I’ve ever played: The Order: 1886.
In an alternate, steampunk version of 1886 London, where creatures like werewolves and vampires roam, The Order tells the story of Sir Galahad and his fellow Knights of the Round Table as they battle a growing werewolf threat.
Although The Order plays similarly to many third-person shooters like Gears of War, it’s particularly notable for its impressive graphics.
The game largely uses brown and gray tones, creating a strong sense of atmosphere and drawing players into its alternate, industrial-era London. Fast-paced action sequences and dramatic close-combat finishes give The Order a more cinematic feel than many other games.
2. Until Dawn
A Love Letter to Horror Films
Horror games often feel like interactive movies, borrowing classic scare tactics from horror films. In my opinion, Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn – and its 2024 reimagining – is the most film-like horror game I’ve ever experienced.
From the very beginning, Until Dawn was created as a tribute to the popular slasher and supernatural horror movies of the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. The game was intended to be played like an interactive film, much like Heavy Rain from Quantic Dream or The Walking Dead by Telltale.
Choosing Until Dawn was a great decision – it’s a fantastic horror game where your quick choices really matter. Expect plenty of surprises, suspense, and a gripping mystery as you try to help a group of friends survive a terrifying night on Blackwood Mountain, facing both a possible serial killer and frightening supernatural creatures.
As a huge fan of Until Dawn, I always thought it would make an incredible movie. So, you can imagine how disappointed – and honestly, confused – I was when the 2025 film came out and barely resembled the game’s story or characters at all. It just didn’t feel like Until Dawn!
1. Detroit: Become Human
The Most Cinematic Game Made Yet
I’ve always loved Quantic Dream – they’re masters at creating games that feel like you’re in a movie, especially titles like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. But honestly, I think Detroit: Become Human is their absolute masterpiece – it’s the most cinematic and immersive game they’ve ever made, in my opinion.
When Detroit was announced in 2015, I was immediately reminded of films like I, Robot and Surrogates, as well as the TV series Humans. Detroit shares a lot of similarities with these works, all of which explore a future where incredibly realistic androids are common in everyday life.
Like the game Until Dawn, Detroit focuses on quick choices and conversations that change the story, how you connect with characters, and ultimately, the fates of the three main android characters: Markus, Kara, and Connor.
The story of Detroit is compelling enough for a movie, but as a video game, it’s even more immersive. The game allows for multiple different endings and lets players shape the relationships between characters like Markus, Kara, and Connor as they navigate their quest for freedom and grapple with their artificial intelligence.
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2025-11-17 01:43