When 2D games get better reviews than 3D AAA games.

[Railgun]

It looks easier to make an appealing 2D platformer these days, than a solid
AAA title. Obviously i get why, since you can't fail a 2D game in terms of optimisation / AA bugs /flickering / tearing , and stuff like that.

Before you hammer me, hear me out, I obviously know that EVERY single person that reads this post likes this game since the game got 99% positive reviews.

I really don't want to encourage and support this type of games, because 2D platformer doesn't
have t be made in a way where you could literally count the Pixels that your character is made of.

Games like

Steam world Dig 2

are a great example of platformer games that do try to keep the 2D platforming alive, with a 2017 touch to it.

I do get the "gameplay is more important than graphics" and "those graphics trying to hit the nostalgia" arguments, but at least give some effort to your Graphics. At least some.

[MoltenFrost2021]

Początkowo opublikowane przez QumbeQ:

Początkowo opublikowane przez Damos:

Steamworld Dig 2[www.gamingboulevard.com]

I look at this and it's almost an instant turn off. So many games come out every month with that type of pseudo-detailled flash/mobile upgraded visuals, its so lazy, overdone and impersonal. So generic.. Not to mention the ugly palette of flashy colors and the bland character design.

Celeste Screenshot[www.dropbox.com]

On the other hand, Celeste with its simple but evocative abstract pixel art makes immediately a lasting impression on me. It's very cohesive and harmonious, almost like a pixelly painting at time and it's even beter in motion. But more important, it does the job perfectly to bring home both the narrative themes, the solitude of mountain climbing and the clarity required for a precision platformer.

Agree so much

IDK doesn't seem to be a need to criticize one in order to like another. They both have their place.

[Captain Blud]

Początkowo opublikowane przez internisus:

I wish we could round up all the pixel philistines and sequester them in an alternate instance of Steam so we didn't have to see these same. complaints. over. and over. and over. with. every. indie. release.

Or maybe I'll start posting on the forums for every game with 3D graphics. Really, Activision? You guys had all that money to make Call of Duty and you couldn't be bothered to dress it up in beautiful sprite art? I can't believe people play this ugly dreck.

ROFL. That's hilarious. I didn't realize this was a common complaint from people. I'd say it's maybe usually younger people that don't like it, but I know two people in real life in their 40s who just laugh at any game with pixels. They think they're "kid's games" and for "wussies (with a P)." Doesn't matter what the game is about, they just instantly judge it by looks. I don't get it.

[inappropriately_gendered_fungus]

I think the game art is really good...

[Captain Blud]

Ya, cuz this is so ugly, right?
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/928174091349964677/F05A16D4E1C05708458D17CAEB33B2F47C98E7EF/

[Aevoa]

Simply because a certain art style is more complicated or more difficult to achieve doesn't mean it should be used for every game. That would be incredibly boring. Pixel art has it's place, and many including myself even prefer it and find it charming.

You're pretty dense if you don't realize art style is entirely subjective. For example, I think Steam World Dig 2's style is visually cluttered and generic, but I'm aware that's just my opinion and I understand other people enjoy that kind of style, so it'd be very childish to tell them their prefered art style is worse than the one I like.

That being said the sprites in Celeste are a bit low-res for my taste. I prefer sprite sizes like the ones in Dead Cells or Iconoclasts. But again, all opinion based.

[Gl1tchMaster]

Here we go again...

I like the way this game looks. I want different games to utilize different styles. Pixel art isn't inherently bad just because its simpler and if done well like in this game it can look quite good. Stop trying homogenize games.

[DankSlayer]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Damos:

Steamworld Dig 2[www.gamingboulevard.com]

I look at this and it's almost an instant turn off. So many games come out every month with that type of pseudo-detailled flash/mobile upgraded visuals, its so lazy, overdone and impersonal. So generic.. Not to mention the ugly palette of flashy colors and the bland character design.

Celeste Screenshot[www.dropbox.com]

On the other hand, Celeste with its simple but evocative abstract pixel art makes immediately a lasting impression on me. It's very cohesive and harmonious, almost like a pixelly painting at time and it's even beter in motion. But more important, it does the job perfectly to bring home both the narrative themes, the solitude of mountain climbing and the clarity required for a precision platformer.

Don't talk ♥♥♥♥ about Steamworld Dig 2.

Pretty much every Steamworld game is awesome (but let's not talk about that dsi tower defense game from way back then ok)

[Helwing]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Railgun:

It looks easier to make an appealing 2D platformer these days, than a solid
AAA title. Obviously i get why, since you can't fail a 2D game in terms of optimisation / AA bugs /flickering / tearing , and stuff like that.

Before you hammer me, hear me out, I obviously know that EVERY single person that reads this post likes this game since the game got 99% positive reviews.

I really don't want to encourage and support this type of games, because 2D platformer doesn't
have t be made in a way where you could literally count the Pixels that your character is made of.

Games like

Steam world Dig 2

are a great example of platformer games that do try to keep the 2D platforming alive, with a 2017 touch to it.

I do get the "gameplay is more important than graphics" and "those graphics trying to hit the nostalgia" arguments, but at least give some effort to your Graphics. At least some.

I agree with you.
The game is good but the extremely pixalated graphics and 61 FPS lock (but oddly, 100+ fps in the menus) were just unnecessary.

The pixelated graphics are usually made for two reasons:

1.) It's easy.
2.) They can sell it as nostalgia.

People will also defend it under the argument "Graphics don't matter."

To me, graphics do matter.

I'm usually more forgiving towards indie games because I understand that sometimes developers have good ideas for gameplay and making art assets can be very time consuming so they go with the pixel-art aesthetic.

However, I feel that in this case it was just unnecessary.

The sound design is very good.
The music is very good.
The animations are very good.
Heck, the menus are very good.

The only thing that's NOT good is the in-level graphics.

This makes me feel like they did this because they simply thought it would be more appealing rather than for budget reasons.

There are honestly SO MANY pixel-art games out there that I never get the chance to feel nostalgic.
It makes me feel more like I just never left the 80's.

Celeste could have definitely benefited from having higher definition 2D graphics.

Just my opinion.

[Noel]

It's a preference. We chose pixel art not for nostalgia reasons but because we like it. It's a stylistic choice, like any other. We understand not everyone is into it, and that's cool.

The 60fps lock is to keep the game deterministic. This is done very intentionally so that every playthrough isn't ever based on framerate / randomness.

[Aevoa]

senpai has spoken

[Mkhashouf]

Our lord Noel has spoken PRAISE BE!!!!

[Shadowfury]

Guys, let me explain you what's the actual issue here, since it's actually really simple:

OP doesn't like pixel art.

That's it. That's literally all that is to it. He didn't mention a single game with pixel art on his list of "beautiful games", so it's pretty obvious. Just ignore and carry on.

[squishypig8]

Stop trying to prove an opinion. Not only is effort irrelevant (it only matters if it looks nice if you say 'i only used one hand to make the art for this game' it wont change the fun of the game), but there is effort.

Pixel art isnt easier than normal 2D art, you have to do basically the same thing (drawing a series of shapes and lines) but more constrained, and constraints create a style. And its not better than ordinary 2D art either.

Pixel art is its own thing, and photorealism is not the objective best. They could have tried photorealism, but felt that this style was a better idea to them.

You dont need to like it. Just because you dont like it doesnt devalue it, they made it this way because they liked the way pixel art looks (and pixel art absolutely has effort, more so than just drawing, because you have to work from cubes and you have more constraints.)

Its narcissistic to think you can dismiss an entire art style as inferior because you dont like it.

[Captain Blud]

I'm bored.... I think I'll count the pixels of my character.

[Pathrazer]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Dogrose:

So stupid. The game has a great overall audiovisual presentation... It may not have the very best pixel art (compared to, let's say, Owlboy), but it still does what it does well. The tweened animation in Steamworld Dig 2 looks cheap to me, too, it looks nowhere near as good as Ori or Cuphead.

Anyhow, to say that no effort whatsoever went into the graphics of Celeste is really dumb and ignorant. The fact alone that you compare the graphics of this game (or Stardew Valley) to the first Zelda and Mario games shows that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Ok, I know this is an absolutely ancient post, and I also agree with you, but I just cannot look at your comment without thinking of videogamedunkey's "Nope, you are nitpicking and biased, I win, bye bye" from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBqk7I5-0I0