Best graphics on the Dreamcast?

[Doonzmore]

I recently watched of a video of the stunning looking Alone in the Dark title for the Dreamcast and I began wondering if the system was around long enough to be full tapped into. Of course most of the games looked better than anything at the time given the competition, but which ones really pushed the console to its limits?

The system really spoiled me when the ps2,xbox and gamecube came out, but I've heard the "looks like it came out on the dreamcast" remark for some of the games on those systems. Is the console really that inferior to those 3?

But most importantly, what are the most impressive looking games on the Dreamcast?

[crazyjackcsa]

Alone in the Dark? Not really a showcase, as it used pre rendered backgrounds. The lighting was nice though.

I'm sure there's a thread about it some where, but I've always felt from an technical standpoint that Test Drive :Lemans was probably one of the games that pushed the system the hardest, Jet Grind Radio for art style, and of course The PSO games.

[MrRoboto19XX]

Shenmue II always looked pretty nice to me, a runner up would be Jet Grind Radio.

[Sosage]

What is the criteria for best graphics here? Pushed the hardware furthest? Had the best art direction? Was the most...lol..."realistic"?? Used ground breaking techniques?

Alone in the Dark? Not really a showcase, as it used pre rendered backgrounds. The lighting was nice though.

Not aimed directly at you necessarily, but...shit...People are still going to dog games for doing this? This complaint use to drive me up the wall when this technique was in heavy use. It's an art technique, not a thing to checkmark on a laundry list of "is this a bad game". They are intelligently using textures to create more detail. Why was that ever considered a bad thing? On the same note, why don't the same people bitch about normal maps, bump maps or specular maps today? Those are techniques used for faking the illusion of higher resolution models on lower res models as well.

I'm sure there's a thread about it some where, but I've always felt from an technical standpoint that Test Drive :Lemans was probably one of the games that pushed the system the hardest, Jet Grind Radio for art style, and of course The PSO games.

I can agree with those for sure. The PSO environmental artists did a really, really good job of creating a sense of a large world inside a tiny little box. Especially in the city and the first forest area. Jet Set Radio is just pure style. The art direction is bad ass. Rez is another really good stylistic art direction worth checking out.

[Valkrazhor]

The Shenmue series hands down. Nothing short of amazing. Especially in the case of Shenmue II. The age on the old peoples faces in those games is more believable than that on my real life grandma and grandpa.

Honorable Mentions:
Soul Calibur
Virtua-On: Ontario Tangram
Ecco the Dolphin
Jet Grind Radio
Rez
Ikaruga

Heck, Soul Calibur when played on a VGA monitor looks better than a lot of PS2 games.

[crazyjackcsa]

What is the criteria for best graphics here? Pushed the hardware furthest? Had the best art direction? Was the most...lol..."realistic"?? Used ground breaking techniques?



Not aimed directly at you necessarily, but...shit...People are still going to dog games for doing this? This complaint use to drive me up the wall when this technique was in heavy use. It's an art technique, not a thing to checkmark on a laundry list of "is this a bad game". They are intelligently using textures to create more detail. Why was that ever considered a bad thing? On the same note, why don't the same people bitch about normal maps, bump maps or specular maps today? Those are techniques used for faking the illusion of higher resolution models on lower res models as well.



I can agree with those for sure. The PSO environmental artists did a really, really good job of creating a sense of a large world inside a tiny little box. Especially in the city and the first forest area. Jet Set Radio is just pure style. The art direction is bad ass. Rez is another really good stylistic art direction worth checking out.

I wasn't bagging on it, i just find it hard to laud a games graphics when it uses them. They don't take that much processing power to run was all. I agree, they have a nice art style and really set the mood, but they aren't a technical marvel.

[RCM]

Some good choices for sure, but I'll add Daytona, Sonic Adventure 2 and Dead or Alive 2. I'm a sucker for liquid smooth 60FPS coupled with sharp textures.

[retroman]

i agree with Shenmue, and Shenmue 2

[kupomogli]

Dead or Alive 2 is the best I think. Easiliy. I'm 99 years old whenever I play that game.

[Damaramu]

Gotta add Crazy Taxi to the list. Was there any pop-up? I don't remember any...

[kedawa]

Nobody has mentioned Metropolis Street Racer, RE:Code Veronica, Guilty Gear X, or Tennis 2K2 yet, right?

[kgenthe]

Dead or Alive 2 looks pretty damn good.

Test Drive Le Mans, F355 Challenge, and Vanishing Point are some terrific looking racing games.

[dr101z]

Don't forget GigaWing 2 (there's actually slowdown in this one), Ikaruga, Under Defeat, Border Down, Zero Gunner 2 and Alien Front Online.

[vivaeljason]

I think Shenmue and Shenmue II both have some of the most gorgeous graphics I've ever seen. And add me to the long list of people who love the art for Jet Grind Radio.

Soul Calibur is pretty damn beautiful too.

[Mobius]

Rayman 2 is gorgeous, both technically and in art direction.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

shenmue!!!!


games graphics still blow me away till this day, like....how the hell did they manage to pull this off on this tiny system?!?