The Video Game Virtuoso

Do you ever feel like your life is one big blur; like you’re constantly rushing from one place to the next without a taking a moment to relax? I’ve had this feeling too often as of late, and it took a vacation to beautiful Rio de Janeiro for me to notice. After a few days of gazing upon the Cidade Maravilhosa’s gorgeous landscapes, I realized that I rarely slow down and appreciate the beauty of our world. And yes, there is beauty in the Chicago suburb I live in, even if it doesn’t match up to Rio.

The sad thing is, I can say the exact same thing when it comes to gaming. Generally, I’m so laser focused on going from one objective to the next that I don’t stop and marvel at a game’s gorgeous world design or ingenious art direction. I recognize what looks nice and what doesn’t, but I never stop to truly appreciate the artistry, which is a shame because so much work and attention to detail is put into making eye-catching visuals. So to amend this, I’ve begun taking more screenshots.

Before I take you on a visual journey of the games I’ve recently played, I want to give a shout out to Daniel Flatt for inspiring me to do this. He takes some amazing screens and posts them on his blog, Home Button. Check out some of his content and throw him a follow if you dig it.

Now without further ado, here are some screens from games I’ve recently played.

Shadow of the Colossus

A shot I took of Wander gazing upon The Shrine of Worship from a cliff. I love how the PS4 version gives you a clearer depth of field so you can see more of the landscape in the background.

Wander and Agro taking a scenic stroll through the forest. I took this one mainly for the lighting and shading effects.

I find this one particularly beautiful because of the narrow winding bridge and rushing waterfall beneath it.

Phalanx is my favorite colossus in the game, so I had to include an image from the fight. I though it was a good action shot because Wander is losing his balance as Phalanx soars high above the desert sand.

Another action shot. Wander leaps from a destroyed bridge towards Argus in one of the game’s most epic battles.

Wander looking up at Gaius. This is probably my favorite screen I took of this game. The dark, cloudy sky gives off an ominous vibe, which is fitting for a battle against a 100-foot colossus.

The Last Guardian

The Boy balances on a narrow platform miles above the ground to destroy a talisman. I love how Trico waits below, carefully watching The Boy.

I love the detail in this screenshot. The overexposed lighting gives off a glowing effect, and the floating white specs kind of look life fairies, making it look magical. I also love how you can see the individual blades of grass blowing in the wind.

Trico watches as The Boy balances across a beam held up by chains. Again, I like this screen because even though you’re way above ground, you can still see the concerned face of your friendly companion looking up.

Doing his best impression of The Flying Wallendas, The Boy tightrope walks from one tower to another.

I used this image in my recent article about The Last Guardian. I loved the many cinematic moments this game had, but this one that stuck out to me most. I love how even though the platform is crumbling, Trico looks back to ensure The Boy is safely clutching on to its tail.

Super Mario Odyssey

Here’s another screenshot I used in a recent post about my bests of 2017. Why do I love this picture so much? Because it’s Mario wearing a white tuxedo and top hat on the moon with Earth in the background. Enough said.

New Donk City was easily my favorite area in Super Mario Odyssey. I love how you can stand on the buildings before entering the city and snag a good photo of its skyline.

Regrettably, those are the only two shots I thought to snag when playing Odyssey, which is a shame because it’s so vibrant and colorful. I also have a bunch from Outlast 2, a game I really enjoyed, but they were too gory and graphic for me to comfortably posts.

Do you like taking screenshots during gameplay as well? Feel free to share some of the shots you’ve taken recently in the comment section below, or just describe some picturesque moments that popped out for you!