10 games where path and ray tracing make the biggest graphical difference

The much-heralded addition of ray tracing to Diablo 4 turned out to be a problem. Tests have shown that graphical differences in Blizzard's RPG are minimal when ray tracing is enabled. However, ray tracing technology could show its tentacles in other games, making it really interesting with its potential.

There are games on the market that – unlike Diablo 4 – will leave you in awe when ray tracing is turned on. Here are the top 10 examples of ray tracing being used in digital entertainment. Ray Tracing has yet to show its full potential, so perhaps this is just the first wave of games to use this technology in a really specific way.

Eternal death

Doom Eternal is an example of a game that looks exceptionally good in RT compared to rasterization. In addition, the advantage of the first-person shooter game is the incredibly good optimization of its code. Even with ray tracing turned on, you can easily achieve a very high frame rate here.

Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy was a good candidate for implementing ray tracing due to the abundance of shiny surfaces in the game. The developers did not disappoint in this regard, providing much prettier locations with RT enabled. The difference here may not be as dramatic as in Cyberpunk 2077 or Metro Exodus, but it's still worth noting.

RTX Gateway

Portal RTX isn't one of the games with the richest site architecture, but it stands out because of one idea: extensive ray tracing. Enabling it completely changes the look of the game (it's full of smooth, shiny surfaces that are perfectly compatible with RT). The path tracking option is quite hairy, just like in Cyberpunk 2077.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Next Generation

The biggest graphical feature in The Witcher 3's next-gen update is, without a doubt, advanced ray tracing (with RT Global Lighting). Enabling this option makes well-known locations in the popular Polish game take on a new character. This option is most impressive where there is water, but also in narrow streets where light reflects off the walls of buildings.

He controls

There are games in which you can enjoy beautiful graphics without ray tracing (for example, Alan Wake 2, which looks great in every option). Control is not one of those titles. Here, I consider running RT an absolute requirement. The game takes place in shiny futuristic industrial interiors and gains a stunning overall aesthetics after turning on ray tracing.

death light 2

Often times, Dying Light 2 is forgotten about its beautiful ray tracing. It's a shame, because the Polish game shows how profitable it is to include this option. Locations in Dying Light 2 come back to life after activating RT (including thanks to the amazing global lighting). However, I will not dwell on it; See for yourself in the video below!

Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake 2 delivers stunning lighting – whether in rasterization or ray tracing mode. Even without ray tracing, the locations in this game look incredibly good. Firing up RT enhances the game's beautiful graphics, making shadows more realistic and detailed. This was made perfectly clear by a Digital Foundry analysis a few months ago (video below). We also have the option of global lighting with path tracking, which again does a great job.

Marvel Spider-Man 2

Ray tracing on consoles lags behind the standards that owners of more powerful PC graphics cards (particularly those in NVIDIA's RTX series) are accustomed to. However, there is a game that can surprise you precisely in this aspect. It's Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The PS5 delivers stunning RT visuals in this title – especially in graphics quality mode. Spider-Man 2 is also a perfect example of a game that makes great use of ray tracing – speeding between “glass houses”, and massive skyscrapers, lends itself perfectly to ray tracing and realistic image reflection.

Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition

Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition is still one of the best looking games with ray tracing enabled. This is not a forced choice, but a function built into the visual foundations of this project. The RTGI in this production can therefore be a model for other developers. Additionally, the game optimization with RT enabled is very good, allowing you to play at a satisfactory frame rate.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cybepunk 2077 is still stunning when ray tracing is turned on, which works perfectly in locations rich in glassy architecture and in furry atmospheres with lots of shiny surfaces. Even regular RT makes a good impression in the Polish production, and the real madness begins after turning on the most advanced track tracing (which unfortunately – at least at this stage – involves a significant load on the hardware).