What type of art direction do you like better in games

[🖤Lyra🖤]

Do you prefer everything to be 3d models with pretty looking graphics like what battlefront 2 looks like or more like a hand drawn art style to a game? Or do you prefer both.? And when I mean hand drawn I’m looking more to ori and the blind forest type of hand drawn art style

[Hayter]

I don't mind the art style as long as the actual game is fun

[Logan]

Hand drawn artstyle, or literally any art style rather than "pretty graphics".

[whatamidoing]

That depends on the game.

[AustrAlien2010]

This is like the classical versus modern art debate?
Realistic, of course. The other is just an excuse to make it look bad.

As least, when it comes to games it is.
The story, gameplay, and concepts can be used to convey idea's, from the artist´s point of view. The graphics should simply be as real as they can possibly get.

Doing it otherwise just doesn't make sense. It´s a one trick pony.

[mkchrc14]

While I do consider the art direction when deciding whether or not to add a game to my library it is not the only factor I consider. Genre, storyline, gameplay are just as important to me. I do admit though my heart skips a beat when the latest graphics card is needed to play.

[✪Happy Dude✪]

i like your post :D

[Cassidy]

I prefer regular 3D models, since I like open-world maps.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

Personally, I'm partial to sprite art, i.e. pixelated stuff. Though, like anything else, it should be done well, rather than used as a low-tech crutch.

[HarleyIsntReal]

personally i like those 3d models.

[tmwfte]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/486310/Meadow/

[🍋 Lemonfed 🍋]

2D or 3D I like games when they're visually vibrant, mix of cartoonish and realism is fun , hand drawn can be great if done properly. Pixel arts is also fine by me.

[Kargor]

What type of art direction do you like better in games

I prefer one that works for the game.

[AustrAlien2010]

This still looks way better than any hand drawn style, in my opinion. It's hand molded.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/231160?snr=2_9_100000__apphubheader


If you for example take the style Borderlands uses, I really think it looks bland somehow.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/49520/Borderlands_2/

The only moments it looks good, is when it conveys that sense of realism, like, when there is a sunray, or a snow storm, or some other effect that draws you in, as though it was a real world, but for the most part it has that fakeness smeared all over it, and it kind of looks the same everywhere you look. I´m not sure how else to explain it.
It's not that it looks bad, it's just an abominable idea to try to put 2D comic-like objects in a 3D world. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But it would simply look better if it would look better.
Yeah, it looks just like a comic book, and that quite an accomplishment. But I'm not sure it that is a good thing. It's like art trying to copy art, which makes it shoddy.

And then of course, there is also this:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/577080/A_Dump_in_the_Dark/?snr=1_7_15__13
Which doesn't look good either, even though it looks good.


Anyway, jokes aside, it just needs to have a certain shinyness or gloomyness to it. As long as it's able to convey different types of material, or natural effects, or physics, that's a good step in the right direction.

If you simplify the art-style, you only remove important properties of what it is you are trying to show. Like: Is the object hot or cold? Is the surface rough of smooth? Is it heavy or light? Sharp or dull? Wet or dry? Does it reflect light or not? Fluffy or solid?

You will miss all that information. It's just a waste of potential, if you ask me.


Let´s be honest here. Simplicity is overrated. It´s often used as an excuse to cut down on graphical vidality.
Even if you for example take a game of chess. I seriously doubt people will prefer a cartoon knight over a realistic looking knight. I am almost certain they prefer a realistic looking board as well, if you give them that choice.


It´s similar to back and white TV. I can imagine someone still wants to shoot films in different shades of grey, but after one or two films... I think the majority still wants to go back to colour TV.

Nayway, the subject is difficult. It's not like games are drawings. Even if they can look like comics in screenshots, everything changes when they start to be animated. And I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

The Ori game is great by the way.

[Crazy Tiger]

I don't care much for realistic, high res graphics. Those are fun and such, but often you're used to it after a few minutes anyway. Though in some games I like it . Generally speaking I much prefer hand drawn, pixel, cartoonish or such graphics.

When deciding to purchase a game, graphics/art style are not a main factor for me.

[Magma Dragoon]

When a designer thinks dark means no color, or bright means no shadows, or contrast means shining a light in the player's eyes, I hate that. Anything else is fine.