It's not always that easy to work out what type of lighting makes a game look cinematic – because it's not always about ray-tracing and unbelievably photorealistic approaches. The best-looking games, and the ones that seem to have something about them that suggests real artistry, often use a stylised approach to get a more memorable result.
That's how I'd describe 007 First Light, which uses its lighting so effectively in the first few missions that I found myself stopping to take screenshots every few minutes. It creates a look that doesn't seem initially to be anything other than realistic, but has just enough verve to be a little hyperreal and frankly beautiful.
