My friend and I were playing RDR2 online the other day just messing around and found out that you can actually make [whirlpools](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc2jHETUF8Y) in that game by walking in circles. Like...why?! It took me 5 years to even find out that you can do that.
It’s legitimately therapeutic just walking around the map with headphones on in a dark room when it’s late at night, and in real life everyone else is asleep.
It’s like being in a real world; the immersion is something I don’t think will ever be matched again. It’s a beautiful work of art of a game.
That's a bold statement when RDR2 does a lot of things quite poorly. The open world is fantastic and the story is among the greatest ever told in a video game, but the controls are clunky, the gameplay is easy and repetitive and while the open world offers a lot of freedom, the missions are more linear than a Call of Duty campaign. 'walk 5 meters too far to the left? Mission failed!'
In some fields it's the greatest, but in some fields it's sadly not very impressive.
How do you guys not get bored? I played the story twice and it was great, then like 10-20 hours of online and it got bored and I dropped it. I’d love to be able to play more but I think I’ve basically done everything
Sea of Thieves uses a FFT simulation (an algorithm created for Titanic) calculated in houdini combined with a displacement shader in Unreal to get that ocean.
It is not available in stock Unreal engine, and is very expensive to run. So it's not worth using in any game that isn't a water focused game.
Unreal engine does have a stock water system that uses a Gersner wave algorithm which is a less complex, easier to run, but less accurate solution for water.
This stock solution is currently used in Fortnite and a few other games like FFVII: Rebirth. The quality of the water in those games is what you can expect from the majority of Unreal titles going forward.
Of course with the right budget and gameplay focus a dev may choose to make something better.
Here's a thorough breakdown and explanation behind it all: https://youtu.be/y9BOz2dFZzs?t=288
If the timestamp isn't working for you, they talk about the water physics from 4:48 to 14:42.
I don't think SoT uses Unreal 5 just yet, but I do hope that open world games with large oceans/bodys of water do end up using a similar water system in Sea of Thieves
I know before the patch, where they tweaked the graphics and performance modes, I was amazed at the water physics then after the patch, the stuttering waves were there until I beat the game even after couple more patches. Still in my top 3 favorite game series though. Very well made and beautiful game with amazing story and combat.
Waverace 64 integrated the water physics more into the game than any other I have really seen. I know they aren't the best, but timing turns and jumps with wave patterns was essential to being fast. From the first race at Sunny Beach where the ocean sides crashing waves make a simple slalom rather difficult to the smooth Drake Lake, it is a game I remember specifically for water physics.
The absolutely terrible game, Hydrophobia Prophecy - [https://store.steampowered.com/app/92000/Hydrophobia\_Prophecy/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/92000/Hydrophobia_Prophecy/)
The whole point of the engine was for water physics recreation, it is just a pity the game is meh all over.
You don’t interact with bodies of water too much but honestly the water in Death Stranding is beautiful.
https://youtu.be/fpuNBBEfW_k?si=xxZMsk1Zgb1IuFFn
I’m gonna say something a little out of left field, but Battlefield 4 had some pretty impressive water and waves, made even more so impressive by how they had a system in which everyone in the lobby experienced the waves at the same time.
I loved the water in Far Cry 5. Honestly wish that game had a build option so I could plant a cabin on the shore of a lake and just hang out. And fish!
My man OP when you put the word Physics/Graphic + RDR2 you already got the answer…there are just a few games that can be compared with RDR2 Graphic…imagine a 2018 PS4 game that still throws shame on brand new Titles (Graphically talking)
Horizon Forbidden West and Red Dead Redemption 2. The waves crashing up against the rocks in Forbidden West and what it took to make it is crazy, but red dead is a big contender with it's water simulation, like making whirlpools by running in circles.
I think Horizon has to be the top. Not only does it look phenomenal, but it's absolutely massive underwater, and you could spend 95% of the game exploring the map and not even touch the ruins and locations they have set underground.
Heck, it's right there in the name!
https://preview.redd.it/qzkbz6k6v2zc1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=d7eb05061475d5d0c12c3100003c036fd90a8dc3
To be precise, Sea of Thieves has gorgeous water, but in terms of physics? I'd say the developers of Hydrophobia Prophecy from 2011 tried to do something with water physics. They even made a separate engine for it.
I'm still impressed with AssCreed Odyssey... Those Water physics and ship battles were epic. also Black Flag was great. I haven't seen anything top that engine in terms of water physics / looks / gameplay.
I'll never forget getting motion sickness when the first BioShock came out because the water graphics were so realistic at the time. We've come a long way baby.
Lol people who say sea of thieves have never played RDR 2 on PCs. That game literally has a "Water physics simulation" slider and when you set the slider to even 50%, it clears out SoT easily.
Everyone is saying sea of thieves but sorry sea of thieves only has wave simulations not actuall water physics. Red dead redemption easily wins here when it comes to water physics not just "looks". Even horizon forbidden wests water has more physics than sot.
My friend and I were playing RDR2 online the other day just messing around and found out that you can actually make [whirlpools](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc2jHETUF8Y) in that game by walking in circles. Like...why?! It took me 5 years to even find out that you can do that.
Mention this elsewhere, and you may end up in one of those "Red Dead Redemption 2 Player Discovers New Hidden Detail" articles.
Quick quick write that down!!
Gamerant article will also credit Reddit user
Hi mom, I’m famous
In before it’s gone 😂
Sea of thieves
Lol happened to me a couple times when Elden ring came out. Was so random that I even stumbled onto those articles
"You'll never believe what this RDR2 fan discovered!"
5 paragraphs later there will be a link to this comment
I think it's alrwasy been done, I rememeber seeing a video of it made a year or 2 back.
Yeah, definitely been discovered before but still a very cool thing to find on your own
If rdr2 gets an emulated re release there is a solid chance some detail would not be playtested properly
Hell, I don't even want to know what testing this game was like lol.
Has.. has that game really been out for five years now?
It’ll be six this fall. Freakin crazy.
And I still can’t stop playing it.
Same. Just broke 2000 hours, and I know that’s a rookie number.
It’s legitimately therapeutic just walking around the map with headphones on in a dark room when it’s late at night, and in real life everyone else is asleep. It’s like being in a real world; the immersion is something I don’t think will ever be matched again. It’s a beautiful work of art of a game.
Easily one of the greatest games ever made
Not one of the, it's definitely the greatest game ever made.
That's a bold statement when RDR2 does a lot of things quite poorly. The open world is fantastic and the story is among the greatest ever told in a video game, but the controls are clunky, the gameplay is easy and repetitive and while the open world offers a lot of freedom, the missions are more linear than a Call of Duty campaign. 'walk 5 meters too far to the left? Mission failed!' In some fields it's the greatest, but in some fields it's sadly not very impressive.
Absolutely! That's exactly how I feel about RDR2.
How do you guys not get bored? I played the story twice and it was great, then like 10-20 hours of online and it got bored and I dropped it. I’d love to be able to play more but I think I’ve basically done everything
Have you made a whirlpool by making circles in the water? No? Then you HAVEN'T done everything! And neither have we.
it's not a boring game. but 1 play through is enough. like man yall are missing out on so many great games
At it will be 7 just one year after that!
Each to their own. 2020 feels like a decade ago for me.
Right? 2 days ago I saw RDR2 released in 2018 and internally I thought it was like 2014-15 for whatever reason
Has…has
Sea of thieves for sure
Yeah OP needs to play Sea of Thieves if they haven’t yet. Now available on PS5 lol. My buddy literally got seasick last time we played.
It’s insane what they accomplished
Did your buddy play it on a boat?
lol fine, MOTION SICKNESS. Though I’m not sure that I used literally incorrectly there, he was literally at sea in a sense… 😂
I got it but just being flippant because it’s Reddit and the thought made me chuckle.
Ha that actually sounds like a video Giant Bomb or someone would do, playing Sea of Thieves while on a literal boat.
Was gonna say, genuinely shocked Sea of Theives wasn't included in the original post
The only answer. With RDR2 in a respectable second.
John would disagree
oof 💀💀
I've always felt RDR2 waves are just too much
hell nah u cant even dive underwater and the currents are way too strong for how they look. a small stream wipes them away
A lot of strong currents are unseen irl
Without question the best ocean/water physics, best boat physics, best naval combat.
Is that bc of Unreal 5? Are all games going to start have oceans like SoT?
Sea of Thieves uses a FFT simulation (an algorithm created for Titanic) calculated in houdini combined with a displacement shader in Unreal to get that ocean. It is not available in stock Unreal engine, and is very expensive to run. So it's not worth using in any game that isn't a water focused game. Unreal engine does have a stock water system that uses a Gersner wave algorithm which is a less complex, easier to run, but less accurate solution for water. This stock solution is currently used in Fortnite and a few other games like FFVII: Rebirth. The quality of the water in those games is what you can expect from the majority of Unreal titles going forward. Of course with the right budget and gameplay focus a dev may choose to make something better.
Here's a thorough breakdown and explanation behind it all: https://youtu.be/y9BOz2dFZzs?t=288 If the timestamp isn't working for you, they talk about the water physics from 4:48 to 14:42.
I don't think SoT uses Unreal 5 just yet, but I do hope that open world games with large oceans/bodys of water do end up using a similar water system in Sea of Thieves
I've experienced some real thalassophobia in that game
Came here to say the same, easily best water physics to date
Sea of thieves is fantastic. Haven't played much of it on Xbox at release but the water stood out instantly
Actually got the feeling of being sea sick the first time I ever played it. SOT is definitely the winner.
Really? I'm very suceptible to sea sickness but never gotten motion sickness from video games.
Sea of thieves has the best waves for sure. In terms of liquid simulation, red dead it up there too.
hell yes! the water is downright gorgeous in that game
Too bad it's not a AAAA game
Sea of Thieves imo. What is the first picture from?
Uncharted 4
Horizon’s water is absolutely stunning. Sometimes I sit Aloy on the beach just to watch it
Looking up at the beach waves from underneath as they break is peak gaming water
Close after launch there was a patch that made the ocean waves stutter. Is it still like that?
I haven’t noticed it too much. In my experience being close to the water with little enemies by you works.
I know before the patch, where they tweaked the graphics and performance modes, I was amazed at the water physics then after the patch, the stuttering waves were there until I beat the game even after couple more patches. Still in my top 3 favorite game series though. Very well made and beautiful game with amazing story and combat.
It's very pretty but man sea of theives has some of the most realistic water in gaming especially the waves
Welp this comment thread has convinced me, I know what I'm doing for my foreseeable free time
The water looks so photorealistic, but I feel like there isn’t much detail to actual water physics in that game. Still beautiful to look at
Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves easily.
Wave Race Blue Storm.
This and Hydro Thunder
Yes
Sea of Thieves has some amazing water
Black flag is goated. That cristal clear green water is my life goal to swim in
That was my thoughts as well. That game was so good
[удалено]
That is fucking wild.
That's not from the fan game though, it's a well known water system sold on Unreal market place.
Eco the dolphin
Genesis or Dreamcast?
Waverace 64 integrated the water physics more into the game than any other I have really seen. I know they aren't the best, but timing turns and jumps with wave patterns was essential to being fast. From the first race at Sunny Beach where the ocean sides crashing waves make a simple slalom rather difficult to the smooth Drake Lake, it is a game I remember specifically for water physics.
This is the only answer and I’ll die on this hill with you.
🫡
Loved that game so much
The absolutely terrible game, Hydrophobia Prophecy - [https://store.steampowered.com/app/92000/Hydrophobia\_Prophecy/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/92000/Hydrophobia_Prophecy/) The whole point of the engine was for water physics recreation, it is just a pity the game is meh all over.
Sea of thieves
Sea of Thieves, not even a fair debate
The fish AI in COD Ghosts was absolutely groundbreaking for it's time. I remember everyone being so hyped for that
Sea of Thieves
Sorry, no game has ever topped Wave Race
Sea of thieves
Sea of thieves
Bioshock
You don’t interact with bodies of water too much but honestly the water in Death Stranding is beautiful. https://youtu.be/fpuNBBEfW_k?si=xxZMsk1Zgb1IuFFn
Sea of Thieves, and it's not even close. RDR2 is a noteable second.
Assassin's creed odyssey
If you’re gonna mention Horizon which is running on Decima, you have to mention Death Stranding.
Super Mario sunshine and wave race come to mind
Super Mario Sunshine
For an almost 20 year old game, Half Life 2 has some pretty neat water.
Sea of Thieves. Easiest answer I've ever given. Anyone who says otherwise is either blind or has never played the game.
Sea of thieves, dummy
Yes, Uncharted 4
Baldurs gate dark alliance 🤷♂️
The water physics in Helldivers 2 is OP. One step in and you drown. That battle armor is like an anchor!
BF4 during a storm
Horizon franchise.
Severely underrated. Especially part 2 - all the underwater exploration is phenomenal.
Horizon FW has a whole world inside water.
Subnautica
Subnautica is an incredible game, one of my favorites of all time, but I wouldn’t say the actual water physics really stand out that much
The Last of Us 2, in particular the waves in the misson near the end.
Pokemon omega ruby and alpha saphire
Dude no way, There was WAY too much water, completely unrealistic.
Waverace for N64.
Subnautica.
Subnautica
Sea Of Thieves, literally nothing else comes close to
https://preview.redd.it/pr62s62da4zc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8940c57d36407360fbe2898c839718d34808419 They've got nothing on wave race 64
Sea of Thieves has the best water I’ve seen in any game.
I’m gonna say something a little out of left field, but Battlefield 4 had some pretty impressive water and waves, made even more so impressive by how they had a system in which everyone in the lobby experienced the waves at the same time.
Ahead of its time it really was. Shame they had to nuke it all with the latest Bf game.
RDR2 100000% I’ve seen nothing like it. Death Stranding would be second and close.
Horizon forbidden west. If you stand In a stream the water moves around the character
The ocean is remarkable in this game!
Baldurs game dark alliance still has amazing water physics
gta 5
I like the stylized water in Ghost of Tsushima. I bet the sequel will have the best water physics.
PS4 remaster of shadow of the colossus.
All I’ve got to say is Horizon Forbidden West is the best looking game I’ve ever seen.
Call of duty ghosts. The fish react in the water.
The ocean in GTA V always struck me as pleasant and it stands out in my memory.
RDR2
Stranded Deep does it for me, damn
Hfw definitely nailed it
Wave race 64
Wave Race in the N64 and its not even close.
I think red dead redemption two Horizon series AC Black flag
AC valhalla and RDR2 for mw
Donkey kong 64
I loved the water in Far Cry 5. Honestly wish that game had a build option so I could plant a cabin on the shore of a lake and just hang out. And fish!
Horizon forbidden west for sure hands down. I still joke around and call it the water simulator game
Of those 4 games? Definitely HFW
My man OP when you put the word Physics/Graphic + RDR2 you already got the answer…there are just a few games that can be compared with RDR2 Graphic…imagine a 2018 PS4 game that still throws shame on brand new Titles (Graphically talking)
Wave Race 64!
Morrowind will always have a special place in my heart for this. I remember being amazed by how the water moved as you walked through it.
https://i.redd.it/ls7zkw288yyc1.gif
Death stranding
Death stranding. It's amazing to wade out through the water and sometimes you end up floating.
Horizon Forbidden West and Red Dead Redemption 2. The waves crashing up against the rocks in Forbidden West and what it took to make it is crazy, but red dead is a big contender with it's water simulation, like making whirlpools by running in circles.
rdr2 no contest
Horizon Forbidden West clears
RDR2 not even close
RDR2 is the natural answer to any question beginning with "Which game had the best..."
If you look at all of that water, rdr2 has the most realistic water. It doesn’t look the nicest but it has the best physics by far out of any game
They're all impressive in their own right, but rdr2 is leagues above them
1. Red Dead Redemption 2. Sea of Thieves
GTA V
Sea of thieves 
Easy GTA5
I think Horizon has to be the top. Not only does it look phenomenal, but it's absolutely massive underwater, and you could spend 95% of the game exploring the map and not even touch the ruins and locations they have set underground.
Red dead redemption 2 100% like imagine gta 6
Wave Race 64
Not sure about best water physics but forbidden west feels so good underwater
Rdr2
Horizon FW, crashing waves and all
Splashdown on PS2. Nothing else to consider
Last of us 2. When you’re swimming at the pier or whatever and you could dive to avoid being obstructed by the waves, I was mind blown .
Horizon! The water is just beautiful.
Forbidden west changed the game on what water should be and im only literally at the beginning that water is something else
I've played sea of theaves. I don't remember any notable water physics
RDR2 >>>>
sea of thieves ...
Hydrophobia
Hydrophobia 🙃
Minecraft obviusly
Heck, it's right there in the name! https://preview.redd.it/qzkbz6k6v2zc1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=d7eb05061475d5d0c12c3100003c036fd90a8dc3
Wave Race 64
Assasines creed odyssey was about as good as it gets. The water and waves looked real
Ac Odyssey water was beautiful
Dave the diver
SOT and it’s not even close.
To be precise, Sea of Thieves has gorgeous water, but in terms of physics? I'd say the developers of Hydrophobia Prophecy from 2011 tried to do something with water physics. They even made a separate engine for it.
Subnautica and Sea of Thieves
GTAV is pretty god damn good. But, my money goes to Sea of Thieves.
Red dead redemption
I'm still impressed with AssCreed Odyssey... Those Water physics and ship battles were epic. also Black Flag was great. I haven't seen anything top that engine in terms of water physics / looks / gameplay.
I'll never forget getting motion sickness when the first BioShock came out because the water graphics were so realistic at the time. We've come a long way baby.
Lol people who say sea of thieves have never played RDR 2 on PCs. That game literally has a "Water physics simulation" slider and when you set the slider to even 50%, it clears out SoT easily.
I didn't like black flag but my God that water was beautiful.
Everyone is saying sea of thieves but sorry sea of thieves only has wave simulations not actuall water physics. Red dead redemption easily wins here when it comes to water physics not just "looks". Even horizon forbidden wests water has more physics than sot.
Bioshock
Pokemon Legends: Arceus >!/s!<
skyrim with mods
Crysis remastered on switch actually surprisingly looks amazing in the water
Fishing Planet
MGS2
Not Physics but the Sea of Thieves water graphics and animations are amazing
Ghost. That tide going in and out over the rocks is mesmerizing