It’s time to decide the worst graphical effect in games: chromatic aberration vs blood/dirt
PC Gamer has launched a knockout-style voting tournament where readers determine gaming’s most despised graphical effect. In the head-to-head competition format, community members vote on pairs of visual effects, with winners advancing through rounds until a single effect is crowned the worst after three rounds of voting.
The initial matchups pit depth of field against vignette, chromatic aberration against dirt, and motion blur against another unnamed effect. PC Gamer invites readers to vote as each round opens.
The tournament continues an ongoing debate within gaming about post-processing and visual effects. Chromatic aberration, bloom, motion blur, and similar post-processing effects have long divided players—some view them as distracting visual noise that should be optional settings, while others defend them as intentional artistic choices that enhance games when well-implemented.
PC Gamer humorously frames this as part of a recurring conversation the publication has explored repeatedly, joking that similar discussions will likely resurface in five years. The three-round tournament quickly narrows to a final verdict on which effect receives the most criticism from the gaming community. This type of community polling reflects broader discussions about player preferences for visual presentation in modern games.