Evolution of Graphics in Video Games

 Late 90s and the 2000s were the era where video game graphics would rapidly evolve and improve. 

To simplify the process: each year first 3Dfx and then nVidia and ATI would release next generation of graphic cards that will be significantly more powerful than its predecessor and will be able to handle somewhat double of the polygons, the previous generation could. Video game enthusiasts will of course wait for both new graphic cards as well as for the new games that will be able to take full advantage of this new technology.

Games themselves were getting prettier and prettier every year. Each time raising the bar even higher and surpassing the expectations. The trend was noticeable among most games of the era. There were some exceptions that stick to the same graphics for decades, like most games published by Electronic Arts, especially sports games. For that EA got a lot of ire from the gaming community, that is still heard nowadays.

However, some developers will release the games more often than the others. For example, Raziel from Legacy of Kain Series came from looking like that in 1999 original Soul Reaver:

To this in the 2001 Soul Reaver 2

To this in 2003 Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Notice how his ribcage for example gets more elaborate and detailed with each iteration.

It was like each new game was simultaneously a remaster of all key characters as well as a continuation of the story. There were some improvements to gameplay added to the mix as well. 

Because of that it is really baffling how modern remasters sometimes fail to bring graphics alone to modern standards. Proverbial: 'you had one job' is very much appropriate here. They already had the story and gameplay people love and want; they just need to get the graphics to the level. Yet some fail.

However, to showcase how graphics have evolved over the whole timespan I would suggest starting with Unreal Tournament and then Witcher.

Original Unreal Tournament was released in the same year as first Soul Reaver. It was followed by Unreal Tournament 2003, Unreal Tournament 2004 and finally Unreal Tournament III (end of 2007)

Here is a picture of the Malcom character from each of these games (2003 and 2004 had more or less the same model, the middle one). 

There is even a video of evolution of Unreal games. It also includes other intermediate games in the series which somewhat blurs the difference between main installments.

First Witcher was released in the same year as last Unreal Tournament. The games have vastly different settings so you can even compare how graphics of gritty medieval fantasy have looked compared to a futuristic shooter.

Witcher also took its graphics further and further with each new installment, reaching more pleasant and sophisticated looks in Witcher 2 of 2011 and getting pretty much photorealistic in Witcher III of 2015

Now that graphics have reached its final stage of evolution, we can reasonably expect all future games to look as good as Witcher III. That fundamentally lead towards drive for remaster of beloved titles of the past.

Strategy games evolved too, for example Age of Empires keeps up with times and regularly makes a new better-looking installment. So, I see no reason why Warcraft III and other Warcraft games cannot get a remaster as good as Age of Empires games get.

So, over the course of bountiful late 90s and 2000s, graphics of video games went miles ahead. Every year was a huge leap forward. These were good times to live in.