It’s time to decide the worst graphical effect in games: motion blur vs lens flare
PC Gamer is hosting a tournament-style bracket to rank the most controversial graphical effects in video games. The feature uses a knockout format where visual effects compete head-to-head across three rounds of voting, with readers determining which effects are considered the worst offenders in gaming.
The tournament includes various post-processing effects that players have long debated, such as motion blur, chromatic aberration, bloom, depth of field, vignette, and dirt. These effects are frequently the subject of discussion regarding whether they deserve a place in game graphics settings or represent undesirable visual additions to games.
The bracket operates as a classic knockout tournament where two effects face off in each round, with the loser eliminated. Currently open for voting are two matchups: depth of field versus vignette, and chromatic aberration versus dirt. The author notes this is a recurring feature that returns approximately every five years.
The feature provides readers with an opportunity to weigh in on the long-standing gaming community debate about graphics preferences, voting on which visual effects they find most objectionable or unnecessary in modern video games.