The deeper we get into truly next-generation games, the more we see games implementing ray tracing. What once seemed like a niche topic at game conferences is now something we can all see and play in dozens of games. From visually hyper-realistic games like Alan Wake 2 to even a game like Minecraft, ray tracing is all the buzz. We hear about it all the time, and you’ve probably seen it without realizing it, but what really is ray tracing? Simply put, ray tracing is a graphical technology that makes lighting, reflections, and shadows appear more realistic by emulating how light moves in real life. 

Until recently, games had to use tricks to make things like reflections and light work convincingly. Things like baked lighting and screen space reflections were the dominant forms of creating convincing lights and shadows. You can think of baked lighting as a predetermined lighting pattern that doesn’t dynamically change. The other method, screen space reflections, uses the image actively on the screen to simulate reflections in water or on shiny surfaces. While somewhat useful, this can only show you what is currently on screen. This means that even if something behind your view should be reflected, it wouldn’t be when using screen space reflections. 

Ray Tracing is a different beast entirely. This very demanding graphical technique takes into account everything in your vicinity, such as whether the light source is hitting a reflective surface or what other objects near the scene will cause the light to absorb new properties like color and additional brightness. This isn’t just a quick filter applied over your games to make it magically look better—this is complex math under the hood that gives players the most true-to-life version of light, reflections, and shadows in games. 

But what does it matter unless we can see it? Here are our picks for some of the best ray-tracing games on PC:
 

Alan Wake II

Few ray-tracing PC games are as visually striking as Alan Wake 2. This is one of those games you could easily mistake a screenshot for a real image. The way Remedy Entertainment has curated the visuals and combined them with hyper-realistic renderings makes it a feast for the eyes. Here’s a shot below with a lot going on: reflections on the ground, stage lights casting on the foliage above, and some subtle shadows. Alan Wake 2 also leans heavily into its dark tones with the literal darkness in almost every scene. Shadows are everywhere, and they feel all the more effective with ray tracing enabled, which gives a softness and reality to the darkness. 

 

Cyberpunk 2077

When it comes to PC games with ray tracing, Cyberpunk 2077 is a benchmark. When you think of ray tracing, Cyberpunk 2077 is almost top of mind because of its abundance of neon-soaked streets. There is nothing quite like tearing down the streets of Night City in a rainstorm. The way every street corner glows from top to bottom really impresses. It’s not just nighttime though; the daytime features stunning precision when it comes to shadows and light cascading around the skyscrapers. 


 

Marvel’s Spider-Man games

Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have not missed a beat when it comes to top-of-the-line graphical quality. These games have made impressive achievements in visual fidelity, pushing the capabilities of both PlayStation consoles and PCs. Spider-Man 2, in particular, features some of the most true-to-life, ray-traced reflections out there. New York City has never looked better in a game. This game is not just a superhero thrill ride—it’s a technical showcase for what ray tracing on PC can really do.


 

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus was released in 2019 and looked solid even then, but in 2021, 4A Games released the enhanced edition, which pushes the visuals even further with fully ray-traced global illumination and emissive lighting. Every location has a new atmospheric feel to it. The shot below shows off the power of better global illumination achieved with ray tracing enabled. You can see how the train car was dimly lit even though it’s broad daylight. Now the incoming light bounces between objects, creating a more lifelike visual. 

 

Fortnite

Fortnite is one of those games that continues to update its engine and adopt new technology that pushes the medium further. In 2023, Fortnite introduced Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen lighting system, which greatly increased global illumination and lighting output. Now the game even has the option for ray tracing on PC, and it’s stunning. Not only do you get reflections on water and metallic sources as expected, but it even applies to skins that contain reflective material. With both Lumen and ray tracing enabled, Fortnite transforms into a visual powerhouse.

 

Conclusion

Ray tracing is an exciting technology that we gamers will no doubt see more of as developers continue to utilize it on modern engines. Whether it’s a beautiful neon reflection, global illumination in a dense forest, or inside the metallic test chambers of Aperture Science’s labs—there’s plenty to enjoy and even more to look forward to in the world of ray tracing.

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