For decades, the gaming industry has strived to create highly realistic virtual worlds. The quest for the ultimate gaming experience has driven developers from the pioneering blocks of Pong to the uncanny valleys and sprawling open worlds of today’s adventures. Indeed, this relentless pursuit is the engine of each technological innovation that reaches the joystick.
Needless to say, today’s consoles are incomparably more powerful than those from the early days of this industry. In this context, Xbox rides at the forefront, as one of the best options available in the market. The new Xbox Series X is touted as the most powerful Xbox yet. Better still, it’s compatible with all games from the previous generations, meaning that there are thousands of titles available.
If the first Series X models were somewhat lackluster, the console’s fifth generation catches up with new technologies, offering up to 8K resolution at 120fps, reduced loading times (addressing an old complaint from players), and full access to Game Pass’ vast library. Here’s how the new Xbox is bringing new games to a whole new level while improving old ones, and what has been leaked so far.
An Open-World Industry
While the gaming community unanimously craves novelty, it’s vital to remember that it’s a fragmented ecosystem. The high-stakes race for photorealism mobilizes all branches of this industry; some of them, based on completely different principles. For consoles, cinematic graphics are necessary for creating immersive 100-hour-long narratives and complex storytelling.
Meanwhile, the online gaming industry (be it on smartphones, tablets, or PCs) needs it for more immediate goals. For instance, online slots like Extra Chilli are much simpler than open-world adventures, but they still require carefully crafted graphics to keep players engaged, since the gameplay of such games tends to be quite limited.
It’s important to define the concept of realism in gaming, as it’s much broader than having movie-like graphics. After all, how realistic a sword-fighting scene between a skeleton and an elf could be? How to depict realistic dragons? The point is: photorealism isn’t enough and in some situations, not even necessary (or possible).
In this context, realism derives from the logical flow between fictional actions and their consequences. According to the legends, dragons are immune to fire, unlike any creature in real life. However, it’s perfectly possible to measure and describe the physics of an arrow shot at them. If this dragon spits a fireball onto a wooden hut, it’ll flame up immediately.
Likewise, if there’s an object over the table, it seems unreasonable not to be able to manipulate it, no matter how realistic or cartoonish it may be.
Technology of Surrealism
The new Xbox Series X offers standard 4K resolution, but it’s 8K-ready. It counts on HDMI variable refresh rate, auto low-latency mode, and 1TB of custom SSD memory. Additionally, this edition boasts hardware-accelerated ray tracing technology, bringing realistic graphics to the next level. A realistic experience also involves lifelike sounds, which here is provided by a Dolby Digital 5.1 system, and up to 7.1 L-PCM. L-PCM stands for Linear Pulse Code Modulation, a type of uncompressed, high-quality audio format.
It supports 3D Spatial Sound features, meaning that players can hear where noises come from or when they’re being surrounded, for instance. Gamers can access a host of AAA blockbusters via Game Pass. It means that they can save quite a lot of internal space, and still have the same gaming experience.
Still, the graphic features of the new lineup deserve special attention. 60fps high frame rate has become standard for flagship consoles, and the new Series X goes the extra mile, reaching 120fps. In other words, games have much smoother transitions between cameras and scenarios, creating deeply responsive and immersive environments.
Portraying magical worlds and varied visual effects requires a wide palette of colors, which is provided by HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology. HDR allows for extended brightness levels and color shades, going from pitch black to bright white. Meanwhile, the game’s frame rate and the monitor’s refresh rate are synchronized by VRR (variable refresh rate), reducing lag and eliminating screen tearing. As a result, the transition between scenes and environments is fluid and immersive.
Reality Shock
Since the new Xbox is compatible with all games from its previous versions, players have a vast library to choose from. However, when it comes to realistic gaming experiences, a few titles stand out. Learn more about them below.
Forza Motorsport
Those who love video games as much as car racing have long known the Forza Motorsport franchise, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. For the occasion, developers have prepared a special update on the 2023 version, adding a new career mode (20th Anniversary Tour) and bringing the Fujimi Kaido track back.
Apart from lifelike vehicles and tracks, Forza Motorsport has highly realistic physics and audio effects, bringing driving simulation features to the game. Additionally, the game adjusts handling features according to each track, as well as different environmental conditions. Advanced features like machine learning and ray tracing make this title a must-try for car lovers.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
One of the best flight simulators on the market has just received a new update, marking its 5th anniversary. MSFS offers a long list of aircraft and scenarios. For instance, it’s possible to fly around Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue on a zeppelin, or enjoy a jaw-dropping sunset over the ocean.
The Flight Planner feature is impressively detailed, allowing players to chart their routes very much like a real pilot would. This feature has also been updated recently, and now players can find real-world, official routes.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl
STALKER 2 is a survival FPS (first-person shooter) adventure with horror elements that (thankfully) don’t look like anything from real life. All the rest is very lifelike, though, from the crumbling buildings of an abandoned city to the weapons available. In 2025, this game runs on an upgraded engine (Unreal Engine 5.5.4) and a host of updates.
