A great game is not just about mechanics and entertainment. It's also about how the game looks and feels, and whether we feel immersed in its world. One of the many aspects of that is the clothing of the characters and how well it fits the setting.
Unique costumes will always be more memorable and end up becoming popular inspirations for beautiful cosplay creations among die-hard fans. While you shouldn't judge a game by its cover, we should all appreciate great costume and skin design, which is why we've compiled ten games with the most impressive, unique and stunning costume designs.
10 Fortnite
Fortnite has a very colorful and vibrant style. The game could even be described as cartoon-like, with how the characters are designed and the comedic skins that developers have released.
While we admit that a lot of the skins in the game are kind of cringy and just plain lame, there are still so many costumes that illustrate the sheer creative genius behind a seemingly simple battle royale game. There's a reason why so many of its original skins have become iconic, and remain favorites among fans: because of how unique and memorable they are.
9 The Borderlands Franchise
No one can deny that the Borderlands games are extremely unique. All of the games show off a very particular aesthetic, which you either hate or love for how clever it is.
With defined lines and vibrant colors, Borderlands games have always had a very comic book type of feel to them, with that playful and ragged post-apocalyptic style in costumes. The characters all have their very own look, their personalities evident in how they dress and appear, which is an art form of its own.
8 Apex Legends
Another battle royale game, Apex Legends has a very limited pool of characters for now, but those few are so well designed it would have been a crime not to include them. This is especially the case for female characters, which contrarily to many other games, are not shown in skimpy costumes, but rather outfits that fit their particular roles and skills.
A functional, futuristic and highly realistic look, Apex Legends nails the sci-fi universe look with its inventive costumes that are not cliché, despite representing popular tropes.
7 The Bioshock Franchise
The Bioshock franchise has had a very particular aesthetic since its very beginning, portraying various dystopic societies after their downfall. From bulky Big Daddy robots to terribly deformed splicers in tattered dresses, each enemy and character is carefully constructed.
An honorable mention goes to Elizabeth and her signature white and blue dress that became popular among cosplayers. Let's not forget about the Big Sister and Little Sister costumes as well, both incredibly well designed to show off just how strange and unique the world of Bioshock is.
6 DOTA 2
DOTA 2, a major competitor to League Of Legends, is among the most popular MOBA games out there. Its art style is highly inspired by Blizzard Entertainment games but still manages to carve out its own unique path with fantasy-themed armors and cosmetics.
Each character has their own signature look which is well-defined and fits perfectly the world and the lore of DOTA 2, without feeling out of touch or too much of a spin-off, as might be the case with costumes in League Of Legends.
5 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim is one of the most popular open-world titles out there and with a good reason. Despite some flaws in storytelling and the game engine itself, you truly get immersed in the world through a detailed northern aesthetic. From armors to robes, each piece is carefully designed for the type of character you'll end up playing, with their functionality in mind.
Some of the coolest armors in the game are the Nightingale Armor, as well as the Dark Brotherhood armor. The mages robes are also an underappreciated attire that suits the look of any talented spell caster.
4 The Legend Of Zelda Franchise
When it comes to the sheer creativity of character design, the Legend of Zelda franchise is definitely out there. While many of its elements are in line with a traditional fantasy RPG, it still manages to stand alone as something different.
Link's look has evolved in small bits over the years, but his look is iconic because of how well he's designed. As for Zelda, she's seen lots of variations in her attire as well, which has been refreshing. Each time, the developers have come up with interesting ways to not only maintain their characters but also refine them without erasing their original looks.
3 The Final Fantasy Franchise
This list truly wouldn't be complete without the Final Fantasy franchise mentioned. As the masters of character and costume design, Final Fantasy has been both the subject of great admiration and great controversy.
While the series is notorious for recycling similar tropes (just compare Vaan, Tidus and Cloud and you have your proof), it has never let fans down with its beautiful costume design and creative interpretation of different characters. Each costume is filled with highly intricate details, making Final Fantasy characters some of the most difficult ones to cosplay.
2 Overwatch
Although Overwatch might be past its golden days until Overwatch 2 comes out, the game truly rocked the world of video game design with its incredibly well-made characters and costumes.
Tracer, Mercy and Genji have become such iconic characters that they're frequent cosplay favorites, and Tracer even made it to the big screen in Ready Player One, right by Chun-Li.
A big part of why these heroes are so loved is because of their costumes, which, granted, are all representations of tropes, but work fantastically in a futuristic yet fantastic environment.
1 The Witcher Franchise
Undoubtedly the most aesthetically pleasing game out on the market, for the time being, The Witcher 3 (and even its previous installments), take the crown when it comes to gorgeous costume design.
Geralt's cool Witcher armors are one thing, but the strong women of The Witcher 3 are the true queens of the video game wardrobe. From Ciri's classic look inspired no doubt by his Geralt to Yennefer's signature fur-collared attire, these women will not only kick your butt and Geralt's as well, but also dress to leave everyone in the room completely speechless.