Digital Foundry Direct Weekly DF Direct Special: Digital Foundry's Best Game Graphics of 2025
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Jan 1, 2026 The hosts dive deep into the best game graphics of 2025, showcasing technological marvels like Kirby Air Riders' new engine and the impressive visuals of Silent Hill f. They discuss the unique lighting and detail in Mafia: The Old Country and Metroid Prime 4's stunning enhancements on Switch. Dying Light: The Beast and Earthion's incredible sprite density also get their due. In a thrilling conclusion, the team reveals their top three graphical gems: Death Stranding 2, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Doom: The Dark Ages.
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Judge Visuals By Platform
- Hardware context matters when judging visuals; best-looking games on weaker platforms can be creative triumphs.
- John highlights Switch 2 ports and upgrades as examples of technical ingenuity and good compromises.
Modern Craftsmanship On Mega Drive
- Earthion was built for the Mega Drive and squeezed modern visual tricks into 16-bit constraints.
- John and Alex praise the detailed sprites, parallaxing, and absence of slowdown as remarkable for the platform.
Diffuse Lighting Defines Atmosphere
- Silent Hill f uses diffuse skylight and soft indirect lighting to create its unsettling atmosphere.
- The art and lighting work together to make overcast, fog-soaked scenes feel tactile and haunting.