For me there has yet to be a game that beats the water in Hydrophobia. Sure, the gameplay isn't refined and the graphics do not hold up but that is the only game where water actually felt like real water.

In other games it's just some glorified pixel goop that makes you slower. What those games are missing is what makes water actual water and that is waves. And not just huge waves in the middle of the ocean but actual waves caused by the character that is swimming in it.

Minecraft shaderpack



Bioshock


Crysis



Red Alert 3

Talking about nostalgia my best was FF IX opening on the stormy sea...

Nowadays I would have to go and remember, from what I heard the Sea of Thieves have an incredible water work.

Uncharted and God Of War have nice looking water. Uncharted’s water is actually wet lol.

But if I had to name the worst game in water I ever played is Dolphin. How I hate that pointless game =p

I remember being wowed by the water in Donkey Kong Country 3, Banjo Kazooie, Starfox Adventures, Resident Evil 4, Halo 3, and Pikmin 3.

As for water themed levels, ones that stand out for me are the rainy level in Gears of War, Ancient Cistern in Skyward Sword, and Bioshock's Rapture.

Breath of the wild has some pretty sweet water, Mario Sunshine is probably the best from that era.

But Sea of Thieves still takes the cake. I've never seen such water in a game before.

The first time I was ever impressed by video game water was probably...Sonic the Hedgehog, just seeing that parallax scrolling water in Green Hill Zone seemed so cool and 3D. Wave Race 64 never really impressed me, the waves looked like spiky, crumpled cling film. I really like the sound effects in Banjo Kazooie for water splashes, it made me almost feel wet hearing them. Crash Bandicoot on the PS1 still impresses me with it's water in its river levels and I'm glad Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance got a mention, I remember walking past lakes around 2002 and thinking "I bet that'd look better in Baldur's Gate". After then stuff like Mario Sunshine, Wave Race Blue Storm pretty much led the way to good looking water in most games today.

My favourite water of all time? It might be Uncharted 4, specifically when you dive down to the wrecked ships and coral reefs around mid-game. Can't wait for DF to make a mini series examining snow, fire, mud (Yoshi's Island), foliage, rock, facial, reflections, cloth and other specific areas of graphics.

If we talk pureley of visuals I’ve ony been blown away by the water 3 times.

First was Unreal with it’s dynamic texture

Second time was Morrowind, I had a Radeon 8500 at the time witch allowed me to run the pixelshaded water.

Third time was Farcry, for it’s time that game was visually beautiful. Too bad the game was way to easy and kind of lackluster gameplaywise.

I can't forgive he forgetting to mention FF IX opening scene and all that stormy ocean prettyness.