Wanderlust: 3 games that take you on a visual journey

While there are plenty of games out there that boast impressive visuals, sometimes it can be hard to take them in while you’re dodging lasers/bullets, or trying to avoid the fiery hell of dragon breath. In the last few years, some titles have decided to ease up on the non-stop action and instead focus on fully immersing you in the environment.

We're talking, of course, about walking simulators. What better way to revel in the glory of your gaming rig’s rendering capability than wandering through an expansive and detailed forest, or creepy science fiction installation? Here are a few of the very best, most atmospheric walking simulators that also look fantastic – perfect for showing off the power of a high end GPU.

Firewatch

Take in sweeping views of the Wyoming wilderness as you become embroiled in the intrigue of arson attacks. Firewatch’s expansive environments and beautifully realized forests are a great way to showcase your GPU, and getting it all to run silky smooth simply makes the experience more immersive still. Talking with your guide as you wander the scenic landscapes leads to plenty of interesting dialogue, and there are a number of ways to handle each conversation. If you want to relax and unwind while taking in some great visuals, this is a solid choice.

Soma

If you prefer a large dose of terror in your gaming, then you’ll want to check out Soma. Set in the underwater research facility of PATHOS-II, Soma takes you through dank, dripping corridors, storage rooms, and computer control stations as you try to work out what exactly went wrong. Oh, and don’t forget all the psychopathic robots that will try to kill you on sight. This is a great title for lighting effects, so a card like the ROG STRIX GTX 1080 will go above and beyond when it comes to bringing the environments – and terrifying robot killing machines – to life.

Ether One

Much more puzzle-focused that other walking simulators, Ether One puts you in the shoes of an explorer, but not in the traditional sense. Here you’re exploring the mind of a dying patient, looking for the cause of their illness. As a result, you wander their memories, solve puzzles, find secret locations, and slowly unravel the source of the problem. The unique concept also means that the environments range from picturesque tropical islands to dark and dank houses. It’s a good title for a powerful GPU, and you’ll soon get pulled into the brain-bending puzzles.

So there you have it. A few games that you can play and really enjoy the graphical fidelity without having to dismember hordes of aliens/enemy soldiers/orcs/etc (not that there’s anything wrong with that of course!). The genre is a growing one too, and there are a few other great titles available, such as The Stanley Parable and Proteus (although they’re not as graphically impressive as those listed above). If you’ve got suggestions on how to best tweak your GPU for these games, or want some advice, then don’t forget to visit our community.

 

By Simon Marshall