In 2023 a number of games stood out for their engaging gameplay and impressive visuals. Not every release launched with perfect stability or speed, though. Finding titles that run at 60 FPS on brand-new hardware can feel like spotting a needle in a haystack. This overview spotlights some rare gems that hit the 60 FPS mark while delivering compelling game design.
Diablo 4
The list begins with an obvious standout. Diablo 4 runs reliably across a wide range of PCs and resolutions, balancing graphics quality with smooth motion. The engine automatically selects sensible presets for most systems, whether it’s a dated setup or a modern rig. For ultrawide displays, users can opt into NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, or Intel XeSS. It’s worth noting that Diablo 4 requires a constant online connection to play, and, all else equal, it benefits from larger video memory and faster storage. These factors combine to create a fluid experience even on mid-tier hardware.
Formula 1 (2023)
Codemasters released what may be the best optimized racing sim of the year. PC players can tailor a wide array of graphics settings, from textures and geometry to shadows and lighting, plus particles and more. The game brings many ray tracing options, including RTGI, RTAO, RT Reflections and RT Shadows. Even without NVIDIA technologies, the title runs smoothly on a broad spectrum of hardware, scaling nicely with the chosen resolution. If ray tracing is on, the visual upgrades are noticeable; if it’s off, the game still looks solid. In short, enabling RT breathes extra life into the presentation without hurting performance on capable machines.
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Against the Storm
Against the Storm can feel like a step back in hardware requirements compared with modern releases, yet 2013 hardware handles it fairly well. The style is more about clever design and atmosphere than photo realism, and the game scales nicely with higher frame rates. Pushing the frame rate above 120 can help leverage newer GPUs. As a city-building game set in a dark fantasy world, it offers engaging gameplay and solid performance, making it a strong alternative to less optimized titles like Cities: Skylines 2.
Which older title demonstrates excellent optimization?
System Shock remake
System Shock Remake shows strong performance on hardware from the 2010s. It doesn’t chase blockbuster visuals, but it preserves the original atmosphere with thoughtful art direction. The result is a title that scales well on mid-range PCs and maintains high frame rates across various resolutions. It also benefits from DLSS 2 to smooth out visuals on compatible GPUs.
Alan Wake 2
Despite some debates within the community, Alan Wake 2 scales well and offers strong visuals on older machines with modest settings, while delivering robust quality on newer builds. Remedy has tuned the game to maximize PC performance, though the minimum target remains a higher-end GPU for ray-traced modes. In practice, the title moves beyond the days when a GTX 1080 sufficed for everything and demonstrates what a modern PC can achieve with smart optimization.
Armored Core 6
Armored Core 6 may not redefine visual fidelity, but it is a solid performer on PC. It presents a balanced mix of textures and effects, with well-crafted robotic models and streamlined environments. The game remains smooth across a wide range of hardware and offers a comprehensive set of options to tune performance. It also marks FromSoftware’s first foray with 120 FPS support and ultrawide monitor compatibility, factors that help it secure a place among the most optimized current titles.
Baldur’s Gate 3
2023 brought one of the year’s most acclaimed releases. If Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t run on a given machine, the system is probably overdue for an upgrade. The RPG demonstrates surprisingly light requirements, delivering 60 FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings on six-year-old components. It also scales to 4K with solid performance on newer GPUs. Some readers may note that the visuals aren’t the most flamboyant, yet the quality of textures and model detail remains dependable across settings, with only the oldest cards showing noticeable strain at extreme resolutions.
What lies ahead for PC game optimization?
Optimized games appear rarer at launch as ambitions grow. Developers chase bigger worlds and more features, which challenges day-one PC builds. Still, the horizon looks hopeful: steady improvements in optimization mean smoother experiences without sacrificing spectacle may become more common again.
Source: VG Times