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[Audette]

Half-Life 2 has the most powerful and realistic feeling explosions of any game ever.

There's no showy Michael Bay style ball of flame moving in slow-motion but instead an extremely quick bang. Understated but powerful and very effective.

When you're in an enclosed area and a stray bullet from a Combine soldier strikes an explosive barrel, lighting it up like a fuse, there's little that you can do apart from back away as much as possible (which is often not very far), crouch down, squint your eyes and hope the blast leaves you with at least some health points left. BANG! There's a quick flash and pieces of debris are violent blasted at your face at a thousand miles an hour. Your ears are ringing, you're alive although only just. "Vital signs critical" claims your HEV suit.

This.
so many of the current games have such similar looking explosions, all way too movie/pyrotechnic styled. Loved the dense feeling of the HL2 explosion, very different, some how more believable to me.

 

[zoukka]

This.
so many of the current games have such similar looking explosions, all way too movie/pyrotechnic styled. Loved the dense feeling of the HL2 explosion, very different, some how more believable to me.

Not to mention the cool echo they had in HL2 for sounds.

 

[Audette]

Not to mention the cool echo they had in HL2 for sounds.

followed by the flatlined sounds of dead combine... ugh where is HL3...

 

[Rodney McKay]

Red Faction Guerrilla because the explosions actually have an effect on the environment (buildings at least). Nothing more satisfying that bringing down a bridge or an entire building on people.

Open world games all felt so static after I played that game. "Wait, I can't just drive THROUGH the buildings?! Boooo!"

 

[Summer Haze]

It's gotta be GTA5. The camera shake, the thick ball of black and fire, and the chain reactions. Awesome.

Off-topic: I love the slight screen flash that occurs when you get a kill in GTA5.

 

[burritosenior]

You are actually not wrong. I thought this the other day, too. Explosions in Watch Dogs are immensely satisfying. So are car crashed. I have never had a game that gave me the feeling of impact as much as with Watch Dogs. While I am not a fan of the driving in general, they have amazing ways to convey those feelings I will admit.

 

[Windom Earle]

No GTAV love?

Really dig them explosions, especially the sound from a distance. they look good, glowey and smokey, and not like sprites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=i2v9DRAUVZU#t=30



cant agree, they lack detail and some umph. Not sure what you mean by volumetric as well? Maybe because there is a lighter tranparent smoke that lingers a bit at the end? Which yeah GTAV is sorta lacking. Hopefully the next gen version is even better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gnkLi7pEwE

Yeah, the explosions in this video look kinda bad. Is this the PC version on low settings or something? I certainly remember them looking better.
As for GTAV, there is something 2d looking about the explosions, like a bad bitmap. Really not a fan.

 

[TheAssist]

Metal Gear Solid 3

Crysis

GTA 5

The artitellery (especially creeping barrage) in Company Of Heroes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWtKtrd62Dc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj5UAQnJdg4

 

[Von Krukru]

Not the most impressive, but the shockwave from Resident Evil 4's explosion is unmatched for me!

 

[DOWN]

I actually think GTAV's physics, blur, shake, and explosions make them some of the best. Cop cars go flying over in a burst of smoky flame. Looks and feels great. Just a real fluid nature.

WD also has some great smoke effects, but from early last gen Lost Planet was the winner.

Shocks me that people don't get put off by how obvious the individual textures fading in and out to make the effect are. GTA IV had that problem too. I think steam and smoke just look awful because my eyes can track each texture moving in it.

Sure hope this way better disguised and morphing smoke is the future on consoles:

 

[DOWN]

Double

 

[majik13]

Yeah, the explosions in this video look kinda bad. Is this the PC version on low settings or something? I certainly remember them looking better.
As for GTAV, there is something 2d looking about the explosions, like a bad bitmap. Really not a fan.

yeah maybe, i watched another one and they did look much better, its been forever since I have actually played it.

 

[Zambatoh]

Definitely Just Cause 2. Even Michael Bay would have trouble pulling off half the stuff that goes in that game.