Since it's the last AAA big-budget game that got released in the year 2020, it's only fitting that Cyberpunk 2077 is the most graphically demanding game. It's currently the "Crysis" of its own generation or the game that turned most gaming hardware into jet engines or reduced them to charcoal. Whether it's by poor optimization or just how advanced it is for today's current hardware, Cyberpunk 2077 is up there in the Major Leagues of graphics tech.
What else is in the said tier of visually stunning games? Well, turns out 2020 has its own strong lineup and offerings that are sure to leave console and PC owners wondering whether they should upgrade. Not only do these games push the envelope of graphics design further, but they're also a delight for all the senses. So if you're looking to make your eyes bleed and to challenge your wallets, these games are the way to go.
10 Cyberpunk 2077
Well, there it is in its full next-gen glory. Nevermind the previous generation of consoles. Cyberpunk 2077 might have had a rough and buggy launch that cost its developers possibly billions, but there's no denying just how beautiful it is with the right hardware.
On the next-gen consoles and the PC especially, Cyberpunk 2077 is currently the most cutting-edge visual marvel in gaming and has more or less dethroned Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PC for the top spot in graphics.
9 Doom Eternal
Doom Eternal is not exactly that demanding these days and can easily run at maximum fidelity and quality in any decent mid-range PC of the last 2 years but even so, it can still tax those. The difference between the console version and the recommended PC specifications is apparent enough.
Being a fast-paced game, players will need every digit of frame rate, and dipping below the 30s or even the 40s can be detrimental to the experience. In that regard, Doom Eternal can be demanding enough, play it slowly and you only make the game harder.
8 WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship
WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship is a modern racing game and like most in its genre, it's bratty enough to demand some beefy gaming devices from its players. Most of the races take place on dirt roads (it's in the title).
In terms of how it looks based on its requirements (particularly for the PC), WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship delivers. The crisp and realistic lighting, as well as the detailed off-road environments or even the urban tracks, are all worth every penny spent on the gaming rig.
7 Immortals Fenyx Rising
Hot on the trails of the highly successful Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Ubisoft follows it up with another Ancient Greece-themed game, Immortals Fenyx Rising. The cartoonish looks and obvious takeaways from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are only some of its charms.
The others are the open-world environment and the fact that it's more liberal in its incorporation of Greek mythology than AC: Odyssey. On the PC, in order to be able to play it in high settings at a smooth frame rate, you would need a high-end computer from 2 years ago.
6 Half-Life: Alyx
This game isn't really that demanding and the system requirements are more or less on part with Doom Eternal's. However, the fact that it needs a VR headset makes it more expensive than most games here.
There's also the matter of VR headsets requiring at least mid-range hardware for computers in order to run. That makes Half-Life: Alyx one of the neediest games of 2020. That's probably enough to prepare players for whatever game with a "3" suffix that might arrive soon since Alyx was likely a litmus test for it.
5 Project Cars 3
Project Cars 3 is another racing game that's perfect for testing out just how powerful your gaming PC is these days. Its recommended requirement is a high-end PC though the game is well-optimized enough and the minimum requirement won't break anyone's wallet.
In terms of fidelity, Project Cars 3 is like a dream from the clean RTX-worthy reflections of the racetrack on your vehicle to the hyper-realistic lighting that makes it seem like you're watching an actual race except you get to control its outcome.
4 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Most Call of Duty games tend be available and affordable even for those with low-end gaming hardware. Black Ops Cold War is no exception and runs on a wide variety of PCs and has a stellar performance on the consoles.
Other than that, it's actually a slower title than most Call of Duty games since plenty of the missions revolve around espionage so even those with subpar gaming hardware need not worry. The multiplayer fragfest remains a familiar experience too.
3 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
Don't be fooled by the seemingly tame "recommended requirements" of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. This one is a certified performance hog that taxes mid-range computers heavily on the highest preset.
Even top-of-the-line hardware for the PC can struggle with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 firing on all cylinders. Such was the case since the game pretty much recreated all of Earth in a digital space and manage to stuff all of it inside a metal or plastic box. That notion in itself is amazing enough, seeing it in action has a high cost, of course.
2 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
As with all Assassin's Creed games, each new one one-ups the last when it comes to graphical demands. In return, these games will reward players with some of the most detailed busywork in gaming, and the eye-candy alone is worth the price of admission.
In order to enjoy Valhalla on the high setting without any hitches to performance, one has to have at least a mid-range gaming PC. Anything above high, such as very high, or ultra, requires high-end stuff. With that kind of setup, they might as well name "high" just "medium."
1 Watch Dogs Legion
Ubisoft is on a roll with graphically demanding games this year and seems to be intent on making players spend on hardware. Watch Dogs Legion is a game not unlike Assassin's Creed: Valhalla when it comes to graphics.
It also needs a current-generation mid-range computer to run that's borderline high-end in some specification aspects. This, however, seems to be an ongoing trend for all open-world games, so you can expect what 2021 has in store.