Game you think had the best graphics or art style.
This really isn’t a simple question because “best art style” is entirely contingent on what mien you’re attempting to convey. You wouldn’t use the same style of art in Limbo that you would in Mario Kart, nor would you have Kirby masquerading as Dead Space. The art creators use reflects the atmosphere they want to project, so it’s really hard for me to say what game has the best graphics, especially considering modern video games now look as polished as movies. I suppose I could talk about which games art/graphic style best matches its narrative, and I’ve already mentioned a few of them above: Child of Light and Limbo.
CoL uses a watercolor-like look for its graphics, literally painting a fairy tale picture,
and Limbo has a dark, minimalistic aspect that chills you to the bone whether you’re a child or an adult.
But I can’t and won’t say these are the “best” graphics; I just think they exemplify their miens.
I obviously think all of the Final Fantasies are stellar with their graphics. Yes, even VII with its polygons lol. The cut scenes more than make up for it 😉
What game has the best art style in your opinion or whose art style best exemplifies its genre/subgenre?
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Jet Set Radio for Dreamcast immediately stands out. Ori and the Blind Forest is another. I really like the way Destiny captured its sci-fi aesthetic. From a pure graphics perspective, probably Horizon: Zero Dawn.
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Other than the entire Final Fantasy series, Breath of the Wild stands out in my mind at the moment. I wanted a more realistic Twilight Princess-y look but the cel shaded style really took my breath away.
I find most games are pretty in their own ways (even the retro types). It’s really hard to choose an overall winner or one to single out.
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It almost like asking “What writing style is the best?” It’s an utterly subjective question. I wasn’t a fan of the more cartoony graphics of Wind Waker when I first saw it, but it grew on me and I think it’s appropriate for the story the game tells, and the creators choose it for a reason.
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Exactly! I guess every “what is the best” or “what is the worst” type questions are all subjective when I think about. Sure, some opinions are more popular than others, but no answer is right or wrong if there is an informed reason behind it. 🙂
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They are, and the problem arises when people take them as absolute gospel. Though I do think there are markers of quality to stories, there’s still always going to be debate about what’s the best/worst.
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I absolutely looooove the aesthetic of Limbo. Nice choices!
Haha, and I love your point about Kirby not masquerading as Dead Space. (Though I’m not gonna lie, now I totally want to see an interpretation of that!!) 😛
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Someone has done it I’m certain of this. I’ve seen really creepy artwork of Mario with realistic looking piranha plants. It is not a pretty sight D:
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Hahaha, I think of seen that same creepy Piranha Plant artwork. 😛 I recently saw a really creepy comic of Kerby where he takes off his shoes and has big human feet that just look sooo wrong on him. lol
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Ack! That’s uncanny valley level shenanigans right there D:
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I blathered on about art style versus graphics in my answer, but I’d just like to say that I’d play the heck out of a Kirby-themed Dead Space. Cute and deadly are an interesting combination! (haha)
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Fluffy, Destroyer of Worlds is no one to mess around with!
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YES!
Also, is that a Harry Potter reference?? haha
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I suppose it could be lol! It’s actually one of those subversive tropes. Now that I’ve seen The Secret Life of Pets I always think about that bunny :p
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This is such a hard question to answer and changes based on how I’m feeling at the time. I do however love a cell shaded design to games and Wind Waker is a game that always pops in my head when these conversations come up.
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Cell shading is one of those styles that will never go out of fashion! I think having a graphic style that’s timeless is a definite plus.
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Even though I’ve played neither of these two games, I really liked the atmosphere in Bioshock. I watched it being played enough that I grew to appreciate it (and although this isn’t part of the two, I loved Dead Space as well). The second one is actually hard for me to watch bc the angles depicted are so realistic. So, Mirror’s Edge. I had to hide my eyes a lot bc it was that realistic.
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I have Bioshock on my watch list. Dead Space terrifies me lol. I’m currently watching SOMA, which is horror survival, too. It’s definitely fright inducing but fascinating.
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What does SOMA stand for? I have watched my brother play a game like that.
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I don’t know what it stands for or if it stands for anything yet. I’m about 2 or three hours into the Let’s Play I’m watching. The game is absolutely amazing though, but the scary parts really trigger my anxiety D:
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Oh, and there’s this game I watched my brother play that was horror and mystery based…
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I love how fluid 2D animation looks, just like in Child of Light, the new Rayman games (which use the same Ubisoft art engine), and Braid. I also love the silhouette look from Limbo and some levels in Donkey Kong Country returns. I like when games do something special with their artstyle, as long as it’s structured around excellent gameplay, which is the case with all of these and your examples.
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I think some people deride 2D as past its heyday, but I couldn’t disagree more. Some games warrant that style just like some animation warrants non-CGI. Heck, there’s a YouTube video about 16-bit FFVII, and I’d play the hell out of that.
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2D is so in! There was a period of time where it went away during the N64/PS era, but indies have made well sure that 2D is here to stay.
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This is a difficult question to answer! It really is open to interpretation. I like everything from really colorful, fun styles to dark horror styles and everything in between. And a Kirby/ Dead Space mashup?! I would totally buy that game! 😉
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I think it really depends on the game! I can’t say that one style is superior to the other because different styles work for different games.
I bet you someone has at least made pictures for that lol.
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