Unreal Engine 5 village has gamers convinced it's real life footage

We’re now getting to the point where it’s genuinely difficult to tell apart Unreal Engine 5 creations from real life footage, which is in equal parts impressive and terrifying. Who’s to say that someone hasn’t just slipped a VR headset over my eyes and I’m living in a virtual world? I’d never be able to tell.

Silly concerns aside, it has to be appreciated just how incredible some Unreal Engine 5 developers are. Previously, we’ve gawked at creators’ photorealistic landscapes and train stations, and now one environment artist named Taichi Kobayashi has shared a video showcasing an absolutely stunning village they created using UE5.

Before we get into it, take a look at this photorealistic train station created in Unreal Engine 5 below.

“The setting is 'the eyes of a traveler who accidentally washed up on a village pier while sleeping on a small boat'. I don't have a specific country in mind, but I used Switzerland as a motif for the topography and vegetation,” the creator wrote in the video description (translated by Google). “I tried to mix the architectural styles in my own way, referring to Switzerland and England. While adding fantasy elements such as a house built on a cliff, I aimed for a realistic atmosphere that is not too far from reality. Houdini simulation for rivers and waterfalls, Maya for house modelling.”

In the YouTube comments, viewers have been praising the artist for their work: “Fantastic, feels very real, lived in, like it has a real history,” wrote Josh Kariakin. “The attention to detail in this is amazing! The various different parts of the environment, the little farms, foliage between the cracks, etc. all really great!” commented Dallas Drapeau.

According to a post on the artist’s ArtStation profile, the project took around eight months to complete, and it’s no wonder given how detailed it is. Unfortunately, there’s no demo available for fans to download and wander around in themselves, but the video is incredibly impressive nonetheless.