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Video games have evolved into some of the most visually ambitious projects in entertainment. Advances in hardware, lighting engines, and world design now allow developers to build environments that rival big budget films in scope and detail. From dense forests and vast deserts to futuristic cities and alien planets, landscape design plays a major role in immersion. Some titles stand out not just for gameplay, but for how convincingly they construct space, scale, and atmosphere. This list looks at 15 video games known for delivering some of the most striking and carefully crafted environments in modern gaming.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar created a detailed version of the American frontier with shifting weather, realistic wildlife behavior, and varied terrain ranging from swamps to snow covered mountains.
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
Hyrule was redesigned as a fully open world where mountains, ruins, and distant landmarks are visible from nearly any point, encouraging exploration through verticality and scale.
Ghost of Tsushima
Set on Tsushima Island, the game uses color contrast, wind direction, and natural lighting to guide players across fields, forests, and coastal cliffs inspired by feudal Japan.
he Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
Its regions include war torn villages, dense forests, and the Nordic inspired Skellige Isles, each built with distinct architectural and environmental detail.
Horizon Forbidden West
Post apocalyptic landscapes mix overgrown cities, deserts, jungles, and underwater environments, rendered with high-fidelity vegetation and lighting systems.
Elden Ring
The Lands Between feature massive castles, underground cities, swamps, and open plains connected seamlessly, emphasizing scale and environmental storytelling.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Ancient Greece is recreated with coastal cliffs, Mediterranean islands, and historically inspired cities designed for both naval and land exploration.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Using satellite data and real time weather systems, the game reproduces real world geography on a global scale with remarkable accuracy.
Skyrim
Its mountainous terrain, Nordic ruins, and snow covered valleys helped define large scale fantasy world design for an entire generation of RPGs.
Death Stranding
The isolated terrain, inspired by Icelandic landscapes, features wide plains, rocky formations, and dynamic weather that directly affects traversal.
Shadow of the Colossus
Minimalist but vast, its empty plains, ancient ruins, and towering cliffs create a sense of scale that supports the game’s central encounters.
Cyberpunk 2077
Night City is built as a dense urban environment with layered vertical design, neon lighting, and distinct districts that reflect socioeconomic divisions.
Journey
The desert setting uses shifting sand, distant mountains, and dynamic lighting to create a focused but visually striking environment.
Far Cry 5
Set in rural Montana, the game presents forests, rivers, and mountain ranges designed for open exploration and dynamic encounters.
God of War Ragnarok
The Nine Realms feature icy tundras, volcanic regions, and dense forests, each constructed with high detail, environmental assets and cinematic lighting.
The post 15 Video Games With the Most Spectacular Landscapes appeared first on Den of Geek.
