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What game that you have played has the best art style?

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Azer249

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So, now that we are getting closer and closer to the next generation of consoles the graphics that games are displaying are getting better and better and naturally they will keep improving. But amongst all of these games there are certain gems that stray away from the usual "realistic" approach and try and throw something new out there with a good visual/art style.

So my question to you is, what games that you have played have the best overall art style?
(this does not mean the most realistic looking game)

The first game that comes to mind when i think of this, is well. Borderlands. I have a thing for cell shaded graphics and this is basically the creme de la creme in my opinion.

So examples of why i think it's so awesome?

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And one more for the road. Alice madness returns has a great artstyle, some of the environments are just awesome and it's defiantly worth picking up.

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So your turn!
 
The cartoonish Monkey Island games, not the 3d ones. LucasArts in general had a flair for lovely cartoonish graphics in their old point n' click games (Day of The Tentacle, Sam & Max....) but the piratey settings of the Monkey Island games makes it the winner for me. The way they blend the old stuff with modren stuff (like vending machines and other modern appliances that in no way or form existed back then) is just awesome.

I'm so glad they decided to use the old cartoonish style rather than the 3d ones for their remakes, or "special editions", of the first and second game!

I'm Tsuyu Threepwood, Mighty Pirate. Prepare to die!
 
Edit: nvm, I misread the topic.

I guess ICO then, can't think anything else atm.
 
Quite a few, I always liked the colorful style of Rayman on the PS1 which typically consisted of a funky surrealistic art direction, like it popped straight out of a child's random dream. So I was pleasantly surprised to see it continued in Rayman Origins with a lean towards the comic book style of drawing.

Then there's Trine 2... this game is just flippin' beautiful, and the level of surrealism in the visuals is right up my alley. The color spectrum is delectably deep, I mean I'm seeing colors I didn't even know existed. I always love it when an artist is able to go crazy with their imagination and come up with some of the weirdest things you'll ever see. I really need more games like this around.

I'm a sucker for anything Cyberpunk so I instantly fell in love with Dues Ex, especially Human Revolution. I like how it used the theme of black & yellow/gold which was refreshingly different from what I was used to in this era of greatly abused browns & greens.

Honorable mentions of Machinarium, Okami, Mirror's Edge, Shadow of the Colossus, Wild 9, Bioshock, and The Oddworld Series.
 
Oh lordy, Bioshock! Definitely an amazing "world" they created in that game.
 
Gikoku said:
Then there's Trine 2... this game is just flippin' beautiful, and the level of surrealism in the visuals is right up my alley. The color spectrum is delectably deep, I mean I'm seeing colors I didn't even know existed. I always love it when an artist is able to go crazy with their imagination and come up with some of the weirdest things you'll ever see. I really need more games like this around.
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Click to expand...

Trine 2? Oh god yes. I mean check these i took! :O
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As you said, the colours are so damn awesome.​
 
To be honest, I've always admired Fable's art style. The game's nice to look at with it's brightly coloured, lush scenery and cartoonish characters.

Another game is Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I prefer it's art style much more than the cell shaded art style of Wind Waker. Or Skyward Sword's. I prefer that it looks more realistic but still so vibrant.

Then there's the obvious ones: Okami, ICO and Shadow Of The Colossus.

And Animal Crossing. >.>

SHADDAP
 
queenofdisco said:
To be honest, I've always admired Fable's art style. The game's nice to look at with it's brightly coloured, lush scenery and cartoonish characters.

Another game is Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I prefer it's art style much more than the cell shaded art style of Wind Waker. Or Skyward Sword's. I prefer that it looks more realistic but still so vibrant.

Then there's the obvious ones: Okami, ICO and Shadow Of The Colossus.

And Animal Crossing. >.>

SHADDAP
Click to expand...


Shadow of the colossus, oh, god, yes.

Nostalgia at its best.
 
Metal Gear Solid Peace walker's cutscenes, The drawing style cinematics were really striking especially the Boss flashback sequences, just something about the way it looks brings it out as beautiful to me.
 
I have to say this, because it's bugging me: Borderlands 1/2 is not an example of cel shading.

This is cel shading (Killer Seven):
killer7_rumor_smash.jpg


Borderlands uses normal lighting and character models, but its textures are actually hand drawn. That's what gives the game its unique look.

On topic:
All of Arena Net's work (Guild Wars: Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, Eye of the North, Guild Wars 2) is phenomenal. They're extremely good at tricking your eye with the clever use of stylized textures so that it seems like something has depth, with the polygon itself is actually quite basic. Its why the system requirements for all of their games are so modest.

*flies away*
 
Tyloric said:
I have to say this, because it's bugging me: Borderlands 1/2 is not an example of cel shading.

This is cel shading (Killer Seven):
killer7_rumor_smash.jpg


Borderlands uses normal lighting and character models, but its textures are actually hand drawn. That's what gives the game its unique look.
Click to expand...

Even though it does not look exactly like that picture it is still a from of Cel-Shading. Hell, even most reviewers and Gearbox themselves refer to the game as Cel-Shaded. Another example of a game that has 'Cel - shaded' graphics that are done in the same was as Borderlands is the new Prince of persia Game.

It's the same type of thing, just done in a slightly different way. (well in my opinion they look, well. Exaclty the same, bar them being different games.) Even if it isn't true cel shading, it sure does look like it.

pop2.jpg
 
Because Prince of Persia is cel shaded. Look at the shadows, they don't light like actual shadows do (gradually), they go from one extreme to another. Compare to Borderlands, where the shadows are gradual and realistic.

Hand drawn textures ≠ cel shading

Then again, maybe this is just one of those 'opinion' things. Whatever. Good game is good.
 
I really like the style of the likes of Persona 3 and Shadowhearts: Covenant. They are easily the type of games i can never throw out.

Persona 3 had great cinematics during cutscenes (even though it was for ps2.) And the general game itself was so cute with all characters looking like little chibis.

Shadowhearts: Covenant was visually appealing for the game. The setting and the way it was done made it seem darker and more gothic than it really was. When the creators wanted to have a certain atmosphere to their dungeons, they nailed it.

Im sure there are more but i can't think what else at the moment...
 
I liked the boss that had two vaginas on her boobs. Satan's schlong was pretty neat, too. Felt like you spent the entire final bossfight dodging it as he tried to slap you in your face with it. Poor Dante, if only he was a bit taller as to not have his head at the same height as Satan's crotch...
 
I think the Zelda games have the best art style.

If you ask me, the best overall graphics are in the Mass Effect series.
 
Bioshock, I liked the art-deco environents a lot, Rapture was falling apart and it still had time to look beautiful.

I always thought Paper Mario looked great too.
 
Daniel Ray said:
Dishonored looks a lot like Bioshock, but with its water color effect, the pixelation is close to non-existant, which means it looks really good on both consoles and pcs.
Click to expand...

Just finished my second playthrough of Dishonoured speak of the devil, loved it. I agree the art styles are very similar, which made it all the more enjoyable for me.
 
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