The Best Games Of Each Unreal Engine Generation

Summary

• Unreal Engine has evolved through five generations, each bringing vast improvements and stunning visuals.
• Deus Ex, BioShock, and Batman: Arkham Knight are standout games from early Unreal Engine generations.
• It Takes Two and Black Myth: Wukong showcase Unreal Engine 4 and 5’s potential in creating memorable gaming experiences.

Unreal Engine is one of the premier gaming engines that has powered some of the best games for well over two decades. It was initially made for the FPS game Unreal, but as other developers saw its potential, it was swiftly sourced out.

There are now five generations of Unreal Engine, with each making vast improvements in tandem with technological advances in the industry. The engine has always been known for visuals that are ahead of the field, whilst boasting additional features such as the Visual Scripting method which allows creatives without coding experience to make games. The best games of each Unreal Engine generation are naturally tough to narrow down with so many great candidates, but thankfully, a few truly stand out, especially the ones that won Game of The Year.

5 Deus Ex – Unreal Engine 1

A Genre Defining Cyberpunk FPS

There were only a handful of titles released on the original Unreal Engine, but Deus Ex stands out from the rest for a number of reasons and is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. In fact, the game was so successful and loved, that it would go on to become the first in a franchise of Deus Ex games.

Set in the year 2052, this cyberpunk FPS depicts a realistic future world where greed and violence are rife. There are no monsters or aliens, meaning the decision to shoot and kill weighs more heavily on the mind, and everything bad within the in-game world is based on real conspiracy theories. What keeps players coming back even years later are the story elements and open-ended choices that modern RPGs have only just begun to return to.

4 BioShock – Unreal Engine 2

A Game Of The Year Winning Shooter With Unique Visuals

BioShock is the original installment in a series that needs no introductions. Its unique and vibrant art style helps it stand out from an abundance of other shooter games, but it also has the weapons and mechanics to match.

It is a game that promises to provide players with weapons and tactics they have never seen before, and pits them against bizarre enemies who have a certain uncanny horror to them. It is also known for its incredible voice-acting, story, and atmosphere. All of this helped the original BioShock win Game of The Year in 2007, making it easily one of the best products of Unreal Engine 2.

3 Batman: Arkham Knight – Unreal Engine 3

One Of The Many Great Unreal Engine 3 Batman Games

Many Batman: Arkham games were released on Unreal Engine 3, but the one that arguably pushed the engine furthest was Batman: Arkham Knight. This epic conclusion to the award-winning trilogy is more polished than previous iterations and easily looks the best. The open world of Arkham is a character of its own and is best traversed in the batmobile, which can be summoned at any moment.

As always with the series, the action is engaging and yet retains some of the feel of a comic book. The story is one of the best, especially thanks to popular characters such as the Joker.

2 It Takes Two – Unreal Engine 4

Easily One Of The Best Co-op Games Ever Made

With Unreal Engine 5 only releasing in the past few years, Unreal Engine 4 arguably has the best selection of games dating back to 2014. It is incredibly tough to narrow down so many great titles, especially with games like Fortnite making such a huge splash in the gaming world. In terms of undeniable quality and love from all who played it, however, there is one special product of UE4 that won Game of The Year in 2021.

It Takes Two is a co-op platformer and puzzle game, where players take on the roles of two parents going through a tough part of their marriage. However, when they get shrunken down into their daughter’s toys, they must work together to escape, and in doing so, they rekindle their love for one another. Every single mission sees Cody and May gain new abilities, all of which are hilarious to use, and players will constantly find themselves pleasantly surprised. The story is punctuated by moments of sadness and humor alike, with incredibly diverse and alive backdrops that stand out in one’s memory years after playing. It Takes Two also has a unique selling point in that it literally takes two players to work together. It cannot be played alone, but thankfully only one player needs to own the game.

1 Black Myth: Wukong – Unreal Engine 5

Breathtaking Visuals & Animations

Unreal Engine 5 is arguably the future of gaming, with many mind-blowing features to boast of. For example, the Lumen and Nanite systems allow for incredibly detailed scenes with real-time lighting, whilst still performing well. Released in 2022, the new wave of this next generation of games has only just begun, and there are many upcoming Unreal Engine 5 titles to be excited about, such as The Witcher 4.

In terms of current Unreal Engine 5 games which have already showcased the full might of the engine, Black Myth: Wukong certainly stands out. This unanimous masterpiece delivers across the board in an RPG inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore. Every aspect of the visuals is breathtaking, from the environments and characters to the animations and visual effects. The game is truly brought alive, however, by its fluid action and boss fights, with combat which feels unique when compared with other open-world RPGs.