How many games can you identify just from a screenshot of their water?
PC Gamer has launched a trivia quiz challenging players to identify video games based solely on screenshots of water and aquatic environments. The quiz is the latest installment in PC Gamer’s series of gaming trivia challenges designed to test players’ visual recognition skills through increasingly specific gaming elements.
This particular quiz focuses on how distinctively water features are rendered across different games, from realistic physics simulations to stylized artistic interpretations. Players are asked to recognize games based on water hazards, lakes, and other aquatic visuals without additional context clues.
The quiz is part of a larger collection of PC Gamer trivia games that have previously challenged readers to identify games from open-world screenshots, recognize titles based on health bar designs, spot obscure in-game currencies, and identify games through absurd patch notes. Each quiz highlights the unique visual design characteristics that define specific games and studios.
The author notes that large bodies of water in video games can trigger psychological responses in certain players, citing memorable water-based encounters like the Sea Hag from Tomb Raider Chronicles as an example of how impactful water environments can be in gaming experiences. The quiz serves as both entertainment and a test of how deeply players’ visual memories of games are ingrained, measuring recognition without relying on gameplay mechanics or narrative elements. This approach underscores how distinctive environmental design—particularly water rendering—has become a hallmark of individual game titles and developer styles.