Stylized Graphics, what's your take?

[Atmos Duality]

There is a place for stylized graphics and there is a place for "realistic" graphics.

Given that most of video gaming is fictional escapism in nature, stylized graphics are a good way to distinguish a work and give it a "personality". I'd argue that some stylization is necessary.

Which doesn't mean I hate graphical tech, but this endless push for realistic graphics in games is also counter-productive in part, because realism doesn't allow for as much visual distinction. (and this has/is happened/-ing in film too)

As for my opinion, I adore a variety of styles.

 

[Roofstone]

Graphics aren't important. That it looks "pretty", is what is important.

Wind Waker? Shit graphics, pretty as hell. (I know there is a HD remake, but the point still stands)

It is all subjective of course. But that is my opinion anyway.

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

I'm of the opinion that the more realistic a game is, the more wasted potential it has, so yeah, bring on the interesting aesthetics, provided they reign in the snobby pretentiousness.

And, you know, don't make everyone horrible monster people, like, say, Dishonored.

 

[DyqstARD]

As long as it doesn't ruin the look of the game like say Crackdown, I'm all for it.

 

[Username Redacted]

I like some graphical styles more than others. I also think that fighting games are, in general, a really good arena to experiment in as you need, however stylized a look you're going for, for the interactions to be reasonably clean looking so that the viewer can tell what the fuck is going on (and in this regard the upcoming Killer Instinct reboot has, to me, failed spectacularly). That said what I'm getting from other people here and what I agree with is that good art ages well. For example IMO when people get all nostalgic and bust out the original Golden Eye game they don't pack it back in almost immediately because the game looks awful by today's standards they pack it in because compared to modern shooters its controls are terrible and no one believes this until they've tried to play it for the first time in ~10 years.

 

[Mutant150]

It depends on the genre. For the most part, I'm ok with 'stylised'. However, in MMOs a heavily stylised art-style is an instant turn off e.g Wildstar.

 

[Remus]

It depends on the level of stylization. I like Bioshock's style of graphics, where it's stylized and yet still looks graphically impressive. EQN is following a similar look with its characters. The one female they showed even had an uncanny resemblance to Elizabeth, or perhaps Belle from Beauty & The Beast. The exaggerated facial features make the characters more expressive but aren't so far from the norm as to be offputting. I'm not firmly in either camp. There's a place for both stylization and realism but to push too far in one direction can take away from my enjoyment of the game.

 

[hutchy27]

I like them a lot, though realistic graphics aren't a no-no in my book.

That said, the ultra-stylized graphics for the upcoming Killer is Dead are almost TOO distracting. Especially during the finishing moves.


Skip to 6:38 for relevant parts.

Yeah they are too distracting, couldn't even focus on the video.

 

[mumakurau]

Generally, I say Yay. It depends on the style; aesthetics is wholly subjective.

 

[BayouStalker]

Stylized graphics are more memorable and age far better than hyper realistic graphics. I remember "realistic" looking games that end up looking like trash after a year or so.

As for Killer...that I think has more to do with Suda 51 being insane than anything else, and his games tend to crank everything up to 11.

 

[Scentedwiind]

And, you know, don't make everyone horrible monster people, like, say, Dishonored.

But I liked the horrible people in Dishonored I thought it reinforced character traits in a sometimes subtle way that ultimately benefited the game. When you looked at the Pendleton's, you got everything you needed to know from their face. Sokolov too has a unique look that separates him from others and makes his character, who only appears relatively late in the game, more individualism than most characters in many other games. The only recognizable figure from cod is Price, who has nothing more than sideburns as a character. He has had multiple games to flesh out a character, and all I remember him for are those massive burns, whereas I can remember Havlock and the others because I remember their unique faces and characters that their faces reflect. Just my opinion though, I can see it being too obvious or even cheap as an aesthetic design.

 

[Chemical Alia]

Sure, stylized art can be great and can help a game stand out. Obviously, it really depends on the actual style being used, so it's not something that I can just straight up say "boy, I love that" about. I'm actually incredibly picky when it comes to art styles and they can absolutely make or break a game for me. Stylization can be great, but a realistically rendered world can also be highly stylized and interesting.

 

[Idlemessiah]

I'm in the 'yay' camp over here.

Thinking about it, stylised games rank as some of my favourites.

Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Medievil, Rayman, Fable, Jak and Daxter, Sly Racoon, Ratchet and Clank, Brutal Legend, Bioshock, Torchlight. All of them with their completely unrealistic yet totally believable worlds. I'd say Bioshock is the tamest out of those, but even then it's different enough to qualify in my opinion.

 

[Lunar Templar]

*deep breath* [sub]yay[/sub]

but seriously, I prefer stylized over 'ultra realistic', not just because say, Dust: An Elyssian Tale will still look great in 10 years, for those with the drive you can produce far more stunning locations.

But then I consider 'realism' in games to be a hindrance to the creative process.

 

[thejackyl]

Stylized is definitely the way to go, imo. Team Fortress 2 came out in 2007, and it looks better (imo), than some of the realistic looking games that game after.

It's one of the reason's I can replay my NES and SNES games, but find it hard to play (some) of my PS1/2 era games. They're still graphically pleasing. Whereas the PS1/2 games look rather awkward when compared to today's games.

Hell, WoW's graphics could be ran from a toaster, and it's still aesthetically pleasing to me.

 

[Sam Lowry]

Yay, the stylized art really gives the game his own identity.

 

[VodkaKnight]

LOVE THEM.
Realistic graphics have a timer on them, but stylized graphics can't evolve PAST that particular style, making them longer-lasting.
As graphics get more realistic, the older realistic-looking ones get swiftly outclassed.
But anyway, I prefer bright, cartoony, colourful graphics over gritty realistic ones.

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

And, you know, don't make everyone horrible monster people, like, say, Dishonored.

But I liked the horrible people in Dishonored I thought it reinforced character traits in a sometimes subtle way that ultimately benefited the game. When you looked at the Pendleton's, you got everything you needed to know from their face. Sokolov too has a unique look that separates him from others and makes his character, who only appears relatively late in the game, more individualism than most characters in many other games. The only recognizable figure from cod is Price, who has nothing more than sideburns as a character. He has had multiple games to flesh out a character, and all I remember him for are those massive burns, whereas I can remember Havlock and the others because I remember their unique faces and characters that their faces reflect. Just my opinion though, I can see it being too obvious or even cheap as an aesthetic design.

I didn't say they didn't look distinct or fitting - it's not like the game had a setting unbefitting a bunch of horrible monster people - I just don't care for the aesthetic. Everyone looks uncanny and weird, and not in a way I liked.

I mean, when my first reaction upon seeing Emily, who was wearing a sign over her head that said "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE ABOUT ME", was to crack a joke about her horrific face and bad texturing, we're not exactly off to a great start in the immersion department.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

As long as the "style" being stylized is good I am so on board with Sylized Graphics. Generally speaking good art direction trumps straight hardware every time, hell just look at how long Valve has managed to make the basic Source Engine last compared to whatever Doom 3 ran on... and Doom 3 wasn't even an artistically bankrupt game, it just didn't have as pretty art direction as Half-life 2.