A new demo trailer and technical breakdown have emerged, showing just how complex and life-like video games built in the Unity engine can be.
A new trailer from Unity showcases the stunning degree of realism and detail that can be achieved through the engine. This games engine is used by developers both large and small to create high-fidelity environments through its easy-to-use systems. Gamers have even managed to replicated beloved titles like Breath of the Wild in Unity.
Needless to say, video game visuals have come quite a long way over the years. It wasn't that long ago that games like the first Mass Effect were considered the pinnacle of 3D graphics, and while that game and many others hold up in the eyes of many gamers, it simply laid the groundwork for more to come. Better systems for showing materials like liquids have been developed alongside advanced lighting engines, allowing for highly detailed and robust environments within video games. Facial capture, animation, and smaller implementations like modern hair physics have brought character models to life, as they are beginning to appear more and more photorealistic. Developers have been able to make games with these modern visual details through engines like Unity, which partnered with LEGO last year to offer an even easier way to craft contemporary video games.
This engine can serve up visuals far surpassing LEGO-style graphics, though, as evidenced by the recent "Enemies" short film displayed on the Unity YouTube channel. This video's concept is simple: a woman sitting at a table in front of a chessboard, delivering a monologue. The central focus of the video, however, is her face, which is presented with realistic textures and details, elevated by facial capture that picks up even the most minor expressions. This video is meant to highlight several improvements made to Unity's presentation of digital humans - improvements that are expanded upon on the Unity website.
Unity competitor Unreal Engine often appears in the world of gaming for the incredible visuals it can yield, but Unity has proved that it can provide an equally impressive visual experience. In this demo specifically, it's clear that massive improvements have been made with regard to how the engine presents the human face. As this engine continues to be iterated upon, it will be interesting to see what other strides it can make when it comes to graphics.
This video could revitalize the age-old debate about video game visuals. There are some gamers who say they could care less about graphical fidelity, and games like Hades have proven that a well-defined art style can be just as, if not more, impactful than life-like 3D visuals. Different games have different tones and goals, however, and some will benefit from a more realistic aesthetic. As such, it's good that companies like Unity are continuing to push graphics forward.
Source: Unity/YouTube, Unity
