Art Style
Ongoing coverage on Art Style.
Latest coverage
Realm of Ink Review (PS5) – A Beautiful Roguelite That Finds Its Own Identity | Invision Game Community
Realm of Ink is a PlayStation 5 roguelite that distinguishes itself through its unique ink-wash art style and engaging narrative about a character trapped within a story. While it doesn't reinvent the genre, its stylish presentation, solid combat, and interesting companion system make for an enjoyable experience. The game runs smoothly on PS5, though its balance can lead to players becoming overpowered.
Slay The Spire 2 Is Choosing “Shit” Art Over Generative AI
Mega Crit co-founder Casey Yano explains the decision to use intentionally crude, MS Paint-style placeholder art in Slay the Spire 2 instead of generative AI. This approach sets player expectations for the early access title, maintains authorial intent in the art process, and injects personality into the game. While the studio uses AI for code review and as a thesaurus, they firmly reject generative AI for art due to its lack of expression and potential to harm reputation.
Transform traditional Chinese ink-wash painting into a living world in Qianli: The Vastscape Scroll, coming to Steam on July 17
2P Games and Betobe Studio announced that their building game Qianli: The Vastscape Scroll will be released on Steam on July 17 for $9.99, with a 10% launch discount. The game features a traditional Chinese ink-wash painting art style where players craft serene landscapes and encounter mystical beings.
The Daily Grind: Which MMORPG would’ve been more successful with different graphics?
This article discusses how different graphical styles could impact the success of MMORPGs, using Borderlands' development as an example. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recounted how a last-minute decision to change Borderlands' graphics to a cel-shaded look, despite significant cost and time investment, was crucial to its success. The piece invites readers to consider which MMORPGs might have benefited from a similar artistic overhaul.
Talking Point: What Do You Think Of Link's New Ocarina Of Time Design?
Following the announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's remake for Nintendo Switch, players are discussing Link's new design. While some appreciate the attempt at a more realistic art style, others find it dull and lacking the series' usual visual identity, drawing comparisons to Unreal Engine 5 projects.
Zelda: Ocarina Remake’s Lack Of Gameplay Did It A Disservice
Nintendo officially announced a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, coinciding with the series' 40th anniversary. The initial reveal featured a cinematic trailer showcasing the game's world and Link's awakening, but notably lacked gameplay, leading to divisive reactions regarding the chosen art style.
Wizard of Oz: Hidden Object Games Review | TheXboxHub
Wizard of Oz: Hidden Object Games by Crisp App Studio adapts L. Frank Baum's classic with a picture book illustration style, departing from typical photo-realism. While the game attempts a coherent story and offers multiple modes like spot-the-difference and puzzles, the review criticizes the art for being too clear and characterless, making object finding trivial. The narrative also stops abruptly before reaching the Wizard, leaving the experience feeling incomplete.
I thought I was over 2.5D, but make it look like Marvel vs. Capcom plus Berserk and I'm back, baby
Dungeon Lurker is an upcoming hack 'n slash roguelike that stands out with its unique art style, blending large, animated comic book-inspired sprites with dark fantasy themes reminiscent of Berserk and Dark Souls. Despite being a roguelike, it will feature over 30 unique levels instead of procedural generation, and will include secrets hidden within its game manual. The game is slated for an early 2027 release on Steam.
‘We don't use AI in the project; everything is handcrafted’: Rayman Legends Retold artists on the…
Ubisoft has announced Rayman Legends Retold, a remake of the beloved platformer featuring a new 3D art style. Artists Desislava Tanova and Alice Pisoni emphasized that the game's visuals are entirely handcrafted, with no AI used in development. The team focused on translating the original's charm into a detailed 3D environment while maintaining visual clarity for gameplay.
Review: Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming 2D platformer from developer Good-Feel that reimagines the genre with a focus on exploration and discovery. The game features a stunning hand-drawn art style, inspired by classic picture books, and introduces unique gameplay mechanics for each creature encountered. While lacking traditional linear progression and difficulty, its casual approach and engaging discoveries make it an accessible and delightful experience for all ages.
Review: Yoshi And The Mysterious Book (Switch 2) - Charming Enough, But Ultimately Lacklustre
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book offers a charming art style and approachable platforming, but ultimately falls short of previous entries like Yoshi's Woolly World and Crafted World. While the game's unique book-themed setting and creature-discovery mechanics are interesting, the repetitive structure and lack of significant challenge make it a lackluster experience, particularly in handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that the art style overhaul for the original Borderlands cost approximately $50 million and delayed development by a year. He believes this change was crucial to the game's eventual success.
Take-Two CEO says "Borderlands wouldn't have been a hit" without $50 million art style change gamble
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that a significant $50 million change to Borderlands' art style, implemented just two months before its original release, was crucial to the game's eventual success. Gearbox Software proposed the shift from a muted aesthetic to its now-iconic hand-inked look, a decision Zelnick supported despite the immense cost and risk, believing it was essential for differentiation.
Take-Two Boss Says Borderlands' Last-Minute Art Style Change Cost $50 Million, but Without It the Game Would Have Flopped
Take-Two Interactive's CEO revealed that a last-minute art style change for Borderlands cost an additional $50 million and a year of development. Despite the increased costs, the change was deemed necessary for the game's eventual success.
Borderlands' last-minute art style change cost the company $50 million, Take-Two CEO says: "Borderlands…
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that a last-minute change to Borderlands' cel-shaded art style during development cost the company $50 million and delayed its release by over a year. Zelnick believes this decision was crucial for the game's eventual success and the creation of the franchise, noting that few other publishers would have made such a risky investment.
Infinite monkey butts: Scriptorium's comedic take on Pentiment's inky art style is a medieval riot
Scriptorium offers a comedic and absurd take on the art style of Pentiment, allowing players creative freedom to illustrate bizarre requests. The game's design prioritizes player expression and joy over strict adherence to client demands, making the artistic process a riotous experience.
"It ended up being pretty much co-development" - how 80s anime, a legendary Gundam director and It Takes Two talent combined for the Switch 2's next hit Orbitals
Orbitals, a Nintendo Switch exclusive developed by Shapefarm in collaboration with Studio Massket, aims to capture the authentic aesthetic of 80s anime. Directed by Hazelight veteran Jakob Lundgren and featuring art direction from Tôru Yoshida, the co-op adventure focuses on puzzle-solving gameplay inspired by classic anime and the works of Akira Toriyama.
20 Years Later, Okami Still Offers A Distinct Take On Zelda's Formula
Twenty years after its release, Okami continues to stand out for its unique blend of action-adventure gameplay and distinct Japanese folklore-inspired art style. While structurally similar to The Legend of Zelda series with its dungeon-based progression and ability acquisition, Okami's Celestial Brush mechanic and commitment to its artistic vision set it apart. The game's director, Hideki Kamiya, aimed to capture the beauty of the Japanese countryside, resulting in an experience that remains visually striking and thematically rich.
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This article discusses the enduring appeal and artistic merit of black-and-white video games, noting their historical context in the evolution of game aesthetics. It touches upon how certain titles leverage monochrome visuals for unique stylistic impact.
Review: Mouse: P.I. for Hire (PS5) - Elite Art with FPS Action to Match
MOUSE: P.I. for Hire for PlayStation 5 features a striking 1930s rubber hose animation art style combined with fast-paced first-person shooter action. Developed by Fumi Games, the game casts players as a private detective in Mouseburg, engaging in shootouts against gangsters and corrupt cops. While the unique visuals and combat are highlights, the game suffers from repetition and overstays its welcome.
