Best photo mode of the generation?

[Lant_War]

Without any doubts, the single best feature a ton of games this gen have is their photo modes. It's usually amongst the first things I check out in a game, and it can impact my decision in getting a game or not.

Bad photo modes are somewhat rare, most are fine or serviceable at least, but good photo modes are even rarer. Photo modes that go beyond the "move the camera and take a picture" thing. So, which is the best one out there.

Nvidia Ansel is without a doubts one of the most advanced ones, but it's PC only and not really something developed by the developers of the game, so I'm not sure if it counts. On console, Gran Turismo Sport's is definitely one of the best ones with you being able to manually change a ton of aspects in the lighting, color temperature, motion blur and the other usual photo mode shenanigans. That's on top of having a mode that lets you put your cars on pre-rendered pictures with high quality reflections on the cars and the obvious visual advantage that pre-rendering scenes gives you.

Have you tried a photo mode with more or different features? Which game had it?

 

[Izzard]

I actually really like No Man's Sky photo mode. It's very easy to use and has all the options needed to make some great shots. Haven't used it myself but I think GT Sport scapes is a standout photo mode too.

Also, Driveclub photo mode is pretty amazing.

 

[Tetsujin]

I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn's with the ability to change time of day, different frames, ability to adjust aperture and exposure etc as well as multiple poses and facial expressions for Aloy available, being able to make her look towards the camera specifically etc.
Coupled with the game looking ridiculously good, I had as much fun with that photo mode as I had with the actual core game.

 

[Phabh]

I had the most fun with Super Mario Odyssey's.

 

[Jawbreaker]

I like the one in the Shadow of the Colossus remake because it lets you play the game with some photo mode filter settings.

 

[gitrektali]

Uncharted 4, Hellblade, God of War (Most of the time), Spider-Man

 

[Phellps]

I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn's with the ability to change time of day, different frames, ability to adjust aperture and exposure etc as well as multiple poses and facial expressions for Aloy available, being able to make her look towards the camera specifically etc.
Coupled with the game looking ridiculously good, I had as much fun with that photo mode as I had with the actual core game.

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Agreed! It had so many options, you could really fabricate the shot you wanted. The time of day stuff was great. I really missed this on AC Odyssey's photo mode, which is also very good.

 

[Rodjer]

Nvidia Ansel

Nothing come close.

 

[Belvedere]

No Man's Sky with a slight edge over GoW.

 

[Lant_War]

I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn's with the ability to change time of day, different frames, ability to adjust aperture and exposure etc as well as multiple poses and facial expressions for Aloy available, being able to make her look towards the camera specifically etc.
Coupled with the game looking ridiculously good, I had as much fun with that photo mode as I had with the actual core game.

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Horizon's definitely another good one, too. My only problem with it is that there wasn't any way to alter the contrast, making some shots look like ¿plastic?

 

[headspawn]

Gran Turismo blew me away with their photomode tbh, I liked it more than the actual game.

 

[Riderz1337]

The one I used the most was horizons and it's not even close. Being able to change the time of day and have different poses was incredible.

 

[Xenosaga]

Gran Turismo Sport was amazing. The scape mode was really cool as well.

 

[stinkyguy666]

Super Mario Odyssey without a doubt.

 

[Komarkaze]

Out of the games I played, I like the photo mode in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Forza Horizon 2-4 and Batman: Arkham Knight the best. They give a lot of options to use at any point in the game. It makes me really appreciate the set pieces, lighting and animations.

I have a soft spot for Dead or Alive 5 and 6. These games have only basic options, but it's simple to use. It's 60 FPS real-time in 5, though it feels like less in 6. Also I think they're the only 3D fighters that even have a photo mode.

 

[UnluckyKate]

Sony has been killing it with their photomode.

Driveclub, GT sport (scapes !), Uncharted 4, No Man Sky, God of War, Spiderman, Horizon

 

[MJKadhim]

Horizon Zero dawn and Spiderman for me

 

[Klobrille]

Spider-Man and Forza Horizon 4 for me.

I wish more games would ship with proper photo modes.

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

Assassin's creed Origin and Odyssey is the only ones I've used.

 

[Jimnymebob]

I like the one in the Shadow of the Colossus remake because it lets you play the game with some photo mode filter settings.

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Driveclub does that, too.
It was cool that I could get SotC's colour palette closer to the original using this though.

 

[Lant_War]

Spider-Man and Forza Horizon 4 for me.

I wish more games would ship with proper photo modes.

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Some of the shots from Forza in the console screenshot thread are crazy. Of course, the game looks good so it already has a huge advantage but some look like they could be the typical promotional pictures they put on the manufacturer's social media. I'd add that every game should have a good photo mode, RDR2 having such a terrible Photo Mode should be punishable by law.

 

[RestEerie]

Only one photo mode let me create these..

 

[Chopin the Third]

Shadow of the Colossus and Bound have the best ones I've used so far. The latter has an insane amount of features, many I still haven't seen elsewhere.

 

[Odeko]

I've been using DMC's a ton. It's is a little bare bones in the feature department but it makes up for it since every single frame of that 15-hour game is cool enough to be worth taking a picture of.

 

[Tyaren]

Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War (even if it came a little late) and Spider-Man have imo the best most recent photomodes. I honestly can't live without a photomode in a Sony exclusive anymore. ;)

I've been using DMC's a ton. It's is a little bare bones in the feature department but it makes up for it since every single frame of that 15-hour game is cool enough to be worth taking a picture of.

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They force a fat copyright notice on the photo though, right? Many in the game photography scene are really put off by it.

 

[vestan]

Spider-Man. No contest. It's packed with so much features that no other photo mode can honestly compare. Helps that Insomniac are still updating it with new frames and filters to this day.

 

[lost7]

Some of the photos I've seen out of Spidey are ridiculously good. Have to go with that

 

[Tyaren]

To judge which games have the best photo modes, it is probably helpful to take a look at what the community is able to do with them. :) So here is a selection of official Resetera game photography threads, enjoy:

https://www.resetera.com/threads/spider-man-photography-thread.66775/

https://www.resetera.com/threads/god-of-war-photography-thread-may-contain-mid-game-spoilers.37208/

https://www.resetera.com/threads/shadow-of-the-colossus-photography-thread.20914/

https://www.resetera.com/threads/horizon-zero-dawn-screenshot-thread.3988/

 

[Dest]

Nvidia Ansel it's not even a question.

 

[Dan Thunder]

Probably Horizon and Driveclub for me. Their photomodes look practically pre-rendered.

 

[InquisitorAles]

Can I praise photomode in Shadow of the Tomb Raider once more?

 

[BAD]

I say Driveclub is most incredible to me.

 

[Jorgie]

Final Fantasy 14 has a pretty good one and they are upgrading it every so often to offer even more things to do whilst taking your shots.

 

[Boiled Goose]

The mario Odyssey photo thread was spectacular.

 

[Modest_Modsoul]

Infamous Second Son just for the first time implement it on PS4 (or any console?).

It brings nice pics from the old site back then.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Which was the Forza game where people made posters in the style of all those other games? Horizon 3? That one was really good. I haven't personally played the game but I enjoyed the results.

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I'm assuming the character model becomes more detailed in photo mode, because that looks insane!

 

[CopperPuppy]

For me, I think used photo mode in AC Origins the most, but if I had to pick the best mode in and of itself, I think it has to be one of Horizon, Spiderman, or Driveclub.

 

[ghostcrew]

Probably Mario Odyssey or GT Sport for me. Definitely think I've spent more time in scapes than racing in GTS! It's wonderful and creates truly photo realistic images. The work that PD did on the cars just shines in photo mode. Often see shots here or elsewhere that just look real.

Big shout out to Shadow of the Tomb Raider and it's stupid poses and expressions though! It's really good.

 

[Eoin]

Infamous Second Son just for the first time implement it on PS4 (or any console?).

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Gran Turismo 4 had it on PS2, even including the ability to export to USB, although it was a little limited since it wasn't available all the time, only during replays. A few other games had modes very like photo modes during the PS3/Xbox 360 generation - maybe the most notable of these was Halo 3 with its Forge mode that allowed essentially free movement of the camera around a replay and included the ability to take screenshots and save to the cloud.

There's no doubt though that this generation has kicked things up a few notches, probably because all the machines have native capture functionality and two of them have a dedicated button for capturing images/video.

 

[Deleted member 1589]

GT Sport takes the win.

Worst is Devil May Cry 5's

 

[Bundy]

The one in Horizon Zero Dawn is incredible!

 

[Silky]

Mad Max and Spider-Man

 

[Deleted member 21709]

GT Sport takes the win.

Worst is Devil May Cry 5's

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I didn't know DMC5 had a photo mode! What's bad about it?

 

[Deleted member 1589]

I didn't know DMC5 had a photo mode! What's bad about it?

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It's basic. No options for anything except inserting your difficulty level.

 

[Munti]

Does Prompto's photo mode in Final Fantasy XV count? I ask because the player doesn't actively shot the photos. But this feature is so awesome! And Prompto shots very picturesque photos, better then I could ever shot

 

[Bonefish]

For me, it's Horizon Zero Dawn.

 

[Morrigan]

I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn's with the ability to change time of day, different frames, ability to adjust aperture and exposure etc as well as multiple poses and facial expressions for Aloy available, being able to make her look towards the camera specifically etc.
Coupled with the game looking ridiculously good, I had as much fun with that photo mode as I had with the actual core game.

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It's this, 100%. Changing the time of day is a feature I really missed in other games like AC Origins/Odyssey. The filters are pretty nice too.

I'm assuming the character model becomes more detailed in photo mode, because that looks insane!

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It doesn't.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

It's this, 100%. Changing the time of day is a feature I really missed in other games like AC Origins/Odyssey. The filters are pretty nice too.

It doesn't.

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I just finished a playthrough last week and I don't remember her looking that detailed. Although I am on a base PS4.

 

[Bennibop]

Another vote for DriveClub with GT Sport just behind it.

 

[s y]

I'm assuming the character model becomes more detailed in photo mode, because that looks insane!

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Nope, although the LoD distance is pretty short.