Unreal Engine 5 demo recreates Japan train station in perfect must-see detail

The early days of videogame technology were dazzling. From a few pixels to many pixels to polygons to what they used in, it advanced in astonishing leaps. Part 2 of “The Last of Us”. With games achieving the level of visual fidelity they do now, it’s hard to be impressed with mere “realism.” That said, it’s not ImpossibleIt’s because I spent the past 15 minutes staring at YouTube footage of an empty station. I could have mistaken it for an Unreal Engine5 demo.

The footage comes from 3D environment artist Lorenzo Drago, who replicated Toyoma, Japan’s Etchū-Daimon station in Unreal Engine 5, with the stated goal of getting as close to photorealism as possible. A virtual camera, which moves like a smartphone’s vertical orientation, enhances the effect.

It is amazing. It is enhanced by the sound of cicadas or station announcements through loudspeakers. The light reflecting off damp concrete creates a sensation of immersion that is remarkable. Only one thing can make you feel good: Take off The flashlight effect is used to show the scene at night. This flashlight effect looks very much like a game flashlight. It is awkwardly placed and emits from no particular place.

While thIs isn’t necessarily an indication of what games will look like in Unreal Engine 5 — rendering people and their interactions with inanimate objects is a whole other ball game — it is the tech powering a bunch of big upcoming games, and it’s exciting to see developers toying with it to see what it’s capable of — from a Matrix simulation to a very cool PlayStation 5 demo.

Unreal Engine 5 can be used to create big-budget titles such as the Tomb Raider, Witcher and other games.