Summarized opinion at the end if you want to skip wall of text that arguments opinion.
One of Diablo 3's major criticisms was it's aesthetic shift from dark and gritty to WoW-ish cartoony graphics. I understand where this comes from, Diablo is set in a dark, brutal world and the visual style is what most reflects that, but I've always found it kinda funny how much rage the physical phenomenon of light diffracting in atmospheric water has caused in this game.
Personally I wasn't much pleased about their choice, but It was never really an issue since I love Diablo's gameplay and not it's graphics, but the more I think about it, the more I understand Blizzard's choice for this shift.
Take a look at Team Fortress 2, It's cartoony graphics have allowed the developers to create all the characters with very unique and easily identifiable silhouettes and this in the end greatly affects gameplay itself. You can see at a moment's glance who and what you're fighting, you can see at a moment's glance if the moving thing in the distance is an ally of enemy (bright Red/Blue team colors that don't look horrible because of the cartoony graphics) and you can focus on taking appropriate action, not wondering who that is.
Blizzard too have realized that cartoony graphics have this advantage (same design philosophy has gone into the WoW races. They have very different silhouettes so that in PvP you know exactly what you're fighting. Oh, and the very similar looking gear that everyone is complaining about serves the same role. At a moment's glance you know it's a Troll Warrior you're fighting because of the character's shape and gear)
Cartoony graphics have also allowed WoW to have low-spec graphics (that more people can enjoy since you don't need a high-end rig to play) that don't look horrible. Any MMO that has tried to look realistic has failed because they either had to tone down the graphics, encountering an Uncanny Valley like effect or ramp up the hardware requirements, alienating potential players.
My last comparative example is League of Legends. Fast paced PvP competitive game, where being aware of what is happening is VITAL to the ability to play well. They used the same design idea for their characters, all unrealistically proportioned, ridiculously geared BUT very, very distinctive. No two characters really look the same. So far the same story as above. But their rich cartoony color palette has allowed them greater visual diversity between spells and effects too, so that you can both easily identify who you're fighting as well as what your opponent is doing. Try designing umpteen different looking spells in a game like Gears of War where you have your pick of brown, dark brown and all the gray you want.
So coming back to Diablo 3 I understand why developers have chosen this aesthetic. It allowed them to improve the core gameplay (and after all, isn't that what games are all about?) and I'd much rather have proper gameplay than a game that looks the part, but it's aesthetic choice cripples it's gameplay.
I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that, after considering the above, I prefer the cartoony graphics over the dark/gritty/realistic option. Yes, cartoony subtracts something from the feel and atmosphere, but what it adds to the gameplay itself far outweighs that.
One of Diablo 3's major criticisms was it's aesthetic shift from dark and gritty to WoW-ish cartoony graphics. I understand where this comes from, Diablo is set in a dark, brutal world and the visual style is what most reflects that, but I've always found it kinda funny how much rage the physical phenomenon of light diffracting in atmospheric water has caused in this game.
Personally I wasn't much pleased about their choice, but It was never really an issue since I love Diablo's gameplay and not it's graphics, but the more I think about it, the more I understand Blizzard's choice for this shift.
Take a look at Team Fortress 2, It's cartoony graphics have allowed the developers to create all the characters with very unique and easily identifiable silhouettes and this in the end greatly affects gameplay itself. You can see at a moment's glance who and what you're fighting, you can see at a moment's glance if the moving thing in the distance is an ally of enemy (bright Red/Blue team colors that don't look horrible because of the cartoony graphics) and you can focus on taking appropriate action, not wondering who that is.
Blizzard too have realized that cartoony graphics have this advantage (same design philosophy has gone into the WoW races. They have very different silhouettes so that in PvP you know exactly what you're fighting. Oh, and the very similar looking gear that everyone is complaining about serves the same role. At a moment's glance you know it's a Troll Warrior you're fighting because of the character's shape and gear)
Cartoony graphics have also allowed WoW to have low-spec graphics (that more people can enjoy since you don't need a high-end rig to play) that don't look horrible. Any MMO that has tried to look realistic has failed because they either had to tone down the graphics, encountering an Uncanny Valley like effect or ramp up the hardware requirements, alienating potential players.
My last comparative example is League of Legends. Fast paced PvP competitive game, where being aware of what is happening is VITAL to the ability to play well. They used the same design idea for their characters, all unrealistically proportioned, ridiculously geared BUT very, very distinctive. No two characters really look the same. So far the same story as above. But their rich cartoony color palette has allowed them greater visual diversity between spells and effects too, so that you can both easily identify who you're fighting as well as what your opponent is doing. Try designing umpteen different looking spells in a game like Gears of War where you have your pick of brown, dark brown and all the gray you want.
So coming back to Diablo 3 I understand why developers have chosen this aesthetic. It allowed them to improve the core gameplay (and after all, isn't that what games are all about?) and I'd much rather have proper gameplay than a game that looks the part, but it's aesthetic choice cripples it's gameplay.
I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that, after considering the above, I prefer the cartoony graphics over the dark/gritty/realistic option. Yes, cartoony subtracts something from the feel and atmosphere, but what it adds to the gameplay itself far outweighs that.
