In a video game, a simulated representation of an expansive world of people unbeknownst to you presents itself for you to explore at your pace. At times when we can't travel, living vicariously through an alias in a video game is the best alternative there can be. And modern games are beautiful. Where narratively, cinematic games have struggled to escape the shadow of the average blockbuster film, the visual finesse most gameworlds flaunt&ndashshape, colour, texture, balance, light and so on&ndashregularly surpasses a lot of cinema. In the last decade, video games from the most prominent gaming studios worldwide have treated fans to stunning virtual worlds to roam around and explore. Here are three of them we think you should visit.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
In 2015, CD Projekt Red gaming studios upended the gaming industry and took the world by storm when they launched The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt. Winner of multiple Game Of The Year Awards, and 5 Golden JoyStick trophies, this video game puts you amid a dark fantasy world where you play as Geralt Of Rivia, the ever so stoic and charming witcher hired to kill monsters. Geralt is on a quest to find a child of prophecy called Ciri, who's a living weapon of untold power. In this epic adventure, hundreds of hours can be spent only on finishing the base game's main storyline. Those will still be rookie numbers because The Witcher 3 is also one of the most visually pleasing games, and as such, the locations where the quests are designed in the game will make you spend a lot more time. The game offers various landscapes, including dense forests with mythical creatures, bustling cities like Novigrad and Oxenfurt with grooming services for Geralt's beard and skilled ironsmiths for crafting top-quality armour. A next-generation update for the new consoles has been announced, so do not miss this remarkable multimedia experience.
The Ghost Of Tsushima
If walking in the middle of white pampas grass in war-torn Feudal era Japan, as Maximus Decidus Meridius does in 'Gladiator' catches your fancy, as your samurai armour scales reflect the sun off you and are smudged with a sinister mix of congealed blood and mud, then all you have to do is buy a copy of The Ghost Of Tsushima. The year is 1274, and the viscerally brutal Mongols have successfully invaded the virgin Tsushima Island, their first and only hurdle before they take over mainland Lapan. While conflict rules the storyline in this production by the SuckerPunch studios, Tsushima's unending and mystical beauty exhilarates the senses. It sets the standard for all possible regarding how visually appealing a video game can be. Spend your due time marvelling at the glint of your legendary Katana of the Sakai clan under the sun, and then go off the track and experience meticulously-crafted regions showcasing the diversity of life on the sprawling island, from billowing fields and tranquil shrines to ancient forests, villages and stark mountainscapes. Find peace in the quiet moments of natural harmony and solace in the moments you'll share with the people you help along the way. Pay attention to animals like golden birds or foxes, which can lead you to particular landmarks or activities. Plumes of smoke can also mark enemy strongholds, villages, people in need, or other things to be discovered.
Marvel&rsquos Spiderman
What better way to feel invincible and uber cool from the confines of your home than exploring a sprawling metropolis bustling with life as your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman When Sony Playstation Studios unveiled the E3 Gameplay for this latest iteration of the Spiderman video game a few years before the actual release date, the crowd went ballistic in just a few seconds, and the game was trending nonstop for a year on Twitter. As soon as you start the game and watch Peter Parker donning the iconic red and blue suit, the opening cinematic immediately launches you into the gameplay and pushes you headfirst into the adrenaline-fuelled playground that New York City becomes, owing to Spiderman's spider superpowers. Swing around and leapfrog through every skyscraper and radio tower because the world is yours to test your powers here. The map includes the entirety of Manhattan, and through the limited demo travel to Greenwich Village, the East Village, the Manhattan Bridge, Chinatown, Midtown East, Murray Hill and Gramercy, we get a good idea of the heavy lifting and research that went into crafting this open world. Spiderman's world captures the idea of New York rather than the actual place. Specifically, it looks like an oddly clean version of the 1970s Manhattan seen in Scorsese movies. It is a city riddled with brick buildings and crime but devoid of litter, graffiti and post-9/11 police presence.