Digital Foundry has released another edition of its highly anticipated annual roundup highlighting the games that stood out the most graphically in 2025. The curation features titles notable not only for immediate visual impact but also for clever use of graphical technologies, creative lighting solutions, and maximized use of available hardware—whether cutting-edge or older generation.

The team’s criteria go beyond “who has the most polygons.” Technical analyses conducted throughout the year take into account factors such as rendering efficiency, performance stability, art direction, and how each game balances visual ambition with technical limitations. As a result, the list mixes Unreal Engine 5 titles with advanced ray tracing and projects that impress by pushing older platforms beyond expectations.

As usual, the games are not presented in a traditional ranking. Instead, Digital Foundry offers a technical selection in which each title is recognized for its own merits. There are massive open worlds with sophisticated global illumination, highly stylized experiences, and proprietary engines pushed to their limits. What they all have in common is meticulous technical work paired with well-defined artistic decisions.

According to the analysis studio, 2025 reinforces an already familiar idea: high-level graphics don’t rely solely on raw power, but on the balance between art, technology, and consistent performance on each platform. Below are some highlights that marked the year.

After a rocky start on PC, Dying Light: The Beast managed to stabilize thanks to updates that significantly improved its ray-traced lighting system. Digital Foundry particularly praises the application of global illumination to dynamic objects, adding depth and realism to environments without drastically compromising performance.

On compatible computers, hardware-based ray tracing reduces the need for artificial light sources and enhances dark, natural, enclosed environments. Analysts note that per-pixel lighting completely changes the perception of indoor spaces, making them more believable and immersive. On consoles, however, the lack of equivalent software solutions still limits the game’s visual potential.

Earthion, on the other hand, appears on the list for a completely different reason. Rather than relying on modern technology, the title impresses by pushing classic hardware to the extreme. Developed to run on the Motorola 68000 processor—the same used in the Mega Drive—the game maintains a steady 60 frames per second and displays a surprising number of sprites simultaneously, proving that technical excellence can stem from ingenuity and optimization, not just modern engines.[wpdiscuz]