Best Art Design in a Game?

[pompayyy]

What's your favorite Art style in a game? This doesn't necessarily mean graphics, but more the style of characters and surroundings the game uses.

Personally, Okami is an artistic masterpiece. From the the watercolor style, to all of the Japanese inspired goodness, this is the only game I can think of where I could spend hours just looking at it.

And don't even get me started on this box art:

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[Dansparce]

Probably the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD or Skyward Sword.

Wind Waker HD:

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Skyward Sword:

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Another game with a good art style was Ultimate Spider man. The art style makes it look like you're playing through a Spider man comic book, and it works really well.

Ultimate Spider Man (Not exactly the best picture...):

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[Atomic Pirate]

I'd say the Borderlands series. It's like you're playing a comic book.

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[Spinosaurus]

Rayman Origins all the way

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This game's art direction is unbelievable. Really feels like an actual cartoon moving.

Honorable mention goes to...

One of my favorite things about the GBA Wario game (which are my favorite games of all time, just so you know) is in its art. Wario Land 4, Warioware Inc and Warioware Twisted have this crude, gross offensive and broderline comedic art style that really distinguishes it from the rest. There's nothing truly like them, and they pretty much reflect Wario as a character. Wario land 4 in particular has some really amazing background design as well, which is par on course for the team behind Super Metroid.

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Rhythm Heaven doesn't even look like a game. If you play it perfectly in front of someone, they'll wonder if you're playing a game at all. Rhythm Tengoku clearly has some Warioware sprinkled in it, and each subsequent game is cleaner than the one before it, it's really nice looking either way.

I can't leave Wario Land Shake It out of this. It actually feels more like a cartoon than Rayman Origins, and the animation are fantastic. This is all hand drawn people. I give it to Origins purely because the game has a distinct style, but Shake It is nothing to scoff at.

The sprites are hit or miss, but the background design is amazing. Oh and by the way, this music plays for this level. DKC2 does atmosphere like no other, thanks to its art design AND sound design

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I'm not particularly sure what I exactly like about Ouendan/EBA. Maybe it's the Manga/Comic book art with its own style and the overyly awesome exaggerations. It's actually mostly the character design, though.

I actually ADORE what Next Level Games managed with Punch Out Wii. Whil Origins/Shake It are borderline cartoon, this is what cartoon looks like in 3D. The very distinctive look of each boxer combined with the animations make this a gem.

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I gotta give it to Super Metroid/Metroid Fusion. It does isolation so right that it's still unmatched to this day. There's something very unsettling in its art, particularly Fusion. The environment design is just amazing.

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One more, and I'm giving it to Tropical Freeze. I always loved Retro's art and environmental design, but I'm particularly fond of this game. Each level is just filled with details in the art and environments, that it makes sense it took the game 3 years to be developed with all the heart put into it. Absolutely can't wait.

...Too much? Had more in mind. lol

 

[T!M]

Cell shading is my favorite type of art. Games in this particular style have already been listed. Ultimate Spider-Man and Borderlands. I've never played Ookami but that looks to be cell shading from Floyd's screen shot. Anyway, cell shading is the best.

 

[Hyzenthlay]

I agree with the above poster, any game can look good when it's cell shaded, like some of the Zelda games. The two pictures of Borderlands Atomic Pirate posted looks amazing, though I've never actually played the game myself.

Though there are plenty of games that look great without the cell shading. Skyward Sword or Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons for example. I always thought that if a game has a good art style, the graphics won't grow bad over the years, unlike, say, Skyrim. That game's graphics are amazing with mods and the highest settings, but sooner or later we'll be looking back on it like it's Oblivion.

Skyward Sword has the cartoon-like style that can never grow old:

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Then there's Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. This game's art style is simply amazing, and once you play it you can't help but admire every aspect of this tragic game's graphics. What makes it so great is that the creators haven't gone for a realistic style like Skyrim, so we won't be looking back at this game in horror ten years later. :P

Here are some pictures:

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[Aeroblast]

Bubsy 3D Just kidding.

I really enjoyed Tearaway's art style, though. It's like you're exploring inside someone's paper cutout project, not in a bad way.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

I'll agree with OP.
Okami is an art masterpiece. Especially the HD remake ;) Makes me remember the fishing there, though... xD
The same art style was used in Sumioni:Demon Arts.

Other than Okami, I like pretty much every hand-draw anime arts.

 

[Hiatus]

I loved the art style of Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It was very bright and colorful, and unlike most games today (which try to look realistic), everything was simply cartoon-ish. It was a nice change of pace. :] Aside from Skyward Sword, Rayman Origins' style was pretty good, too.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Rayman Origins all the way

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This game's art direction is unbelievable. Really feels like an actual cartoon moving.

That's from PS3 version, right? Have you tried Vita version?
I only played the Vita one so I can't really compare but the PS3 version seem to have more detailed art.

 

[TY]

Like Atomic Pirate said, i love the look the Borderlands series give you. I have a weak for that kind of art-style tbh.

 

[Spinosaurus]

That's from PS3 version, right? Have you tried Vita version?
I only played the Vita one so I can't really compare but the PS3 version seem to have more detailed art.

I have the 360 vers and the Vita one. From my experience the 360 version definitely pops out more, especially in HD. Although Origins still looks fantastic on the OLED.

 

[Legobricks]

All this Rayman Origins; y'all never play the original? It has the same sort of style.


Journey has an excellent aesthetic, although I can't comment much as I haven't played it or seen much of it.

Among games I have played, Homeworld (2) stands out with its memorabe... I don't know, Arabian space opera theme? Very atmospheric setting, especially for the genre, with great pacing and soundtrack, fluid gameplay and detailed visuals... really, everything. Any strategy fan should know Homeworld.

Almost forgot — Shadow of the Colossus. The colossi move as appropriate for their various sizes, and fighting them really does seem like the test of desperation and courage that it must be for Wander as he ascends their oft-towering bodies. It seems deliberate that Wander should be both a capable horse-archer and swordsman; combined with the rest of the game's design, it gives him an ancient samurai mystique. About the atmosphere outside of combat, I've little to say as I've only watched the fights.

 

[Yukari]

Like, someone else, I Love the wind waker's art style. Nothing else needs to be said.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

I have the 360 vers and the Vita one. From my experience the 360 version definitely pops out more, especially in HD. Although Origins still looks fantastic on the OLED.

I see, wonder how 360 would fare against PS3 version... but since it's fundamentally same there shouldn't be any huge difference.
I see, thanks, I might try PS3 version sometimes because it really shows more art than the Vita version in my opinion =)

 

[Morkula]

itt The Wind Waker and Okami: The Thread

I also just finished BioShock Infinite, and I have to say the art direction in that game is absolutely fantastic. I can't speak for the other two BioShock games because I haven't gotten around to playing them yet, but Infinite is freaking gorgeous - and the irony of the art style contrasted to the actual tone of the game is just great.

 

[«Chuckles»]

Anything that isn't realistic I like. Okami is a masterpiece both musically and artistically? I liked Skyward swords art style and irc Hyrule Warriors or the one coming out on the WiiU looks a lot like it except Link has a blue scarf. Borderlands, A Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead both share the same art style and its great really makes you feel like your in a comic book. I honestly can't settle for a game with great art, how about I just say bastion and get it over with?

BASTION!

 

[Kotone]

definitely the uncharted series, especially the third one. i just love the graphics. they're just so realistic. here's some screenshots;

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[Ozymandias]

Gotta agree with Kayla. Uncharted is absolutley beautiful... most of the Naughty Dog Games look great for that matter XD just look at The Last of Us

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[Spinosaurus]

I'm actually not a fan of the art design in The Last of Us.

Although I do agree on Uncharted. 2, anyway. Golden Abyss actually looked fantastic too for a Vita game.