Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released in 2017, proves that cutting-edge technology isn’t the only path to creating visually stunning games. With its unique cel-shaded art style and vast, beautifully realized open world, Breath of the Wild is a testament to the power of artistic vision.

Breath of the Wild’s visual style is inspired by Japanese animation, with cel-shaded characters and environments that give the game a timeless, painterly quality. This stylized approach allows the game to present a vast open world without the need for photorealistic textures or complex geometry.

The game’s use of color is particularly noteworthy. Breath of the Wild features a diverse range of environments, from lush forests to barren deserts, each with its own distinct color palette. The way these colors shift with the time of day and weather conditions creates a constantly changing visual landscape that encourages exploration.

One of the most impressive aspects of Breath of the Wild’s graphics is its lighting system. The game features a dynamic time-of-day cycle, with the position of the sun affecting shadows and color temperature in realistic ways. The transition from day to night is particularly beautiful, with stunning sunsets giving way to star-filled skies.

The game’s weather system is equally impressive. Rain darkens the environment and creates reflective surfaces, while lightning illuminates the landscape in dramatic flashes. Fog rolls in realistically, obscuring distant objects and creating a sense of mystery and atmosphere.

Character and enemy designs in Breath of the Wild are another highlight. Link, the game’s protagonist, is expressively animated, with subtle details in his movements that bring him to life. Enemies are varied and visually distinct, with designs that communicate their abilities and personalities at a glance.

Perhaps most impressive is how Breath of the Wild maintains its visual cohesion across its vast open world. From the top of a snow-capped mountain to the depths of a tropical jungle, every area of the game feels part of a unified whole, tied together by the game’s consistent art style and lighting.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild proves that “best graphics” isn’t just about pushing polygons or implementing the latest rendering techniques. By focusing on a strong artistic vision and attention to detail, Nintendo created a game that’s visually stunning and instantly recognizable.