Choosing the right game art style for your game can feel like wandering through a maze.
With so many options out there, it's tough to know which path to take.
Ever wondered how to navigate through 12 different game art styles to find the perfect fit? Let's find out together!
What's Game Art Style?
Game art style refers to the visual aesthetic and design choices, to portray characters, environments, and overall graphics within a video game.
There's a wide variety of styles to choose. From simple 2D pixel art, to more detailed and colorful 3D cartoon art.
As a game developer, you need to check 12 kinds of game art styles below, for your inspiration and game market adaptation.
2D Game Art Styles
1. Pixel Art
Pixel art games remind us of the 8-bit and 16-bit video game era, featuring simple graphics. This style is usually used by indie game developers, to offer a nostalgic effect to gamers who used to play classic games.
Examples: Stardew Valley, Terraria, A Space for the Unbound.
2. Vector Art
Vector art games maintain clarity and sharpness at any scale. It ensures consistent visual quality, across various platforms and screen sizes. It is suitable for games with clean and simple designs, such as puzzle games or games with minimalist graphic displays.
Examples: Ghost Trick, Angry Birds, The Banner Saga.
3. Cutout Art
In cutout art games, objects and characters appear as if they've been cut out from paper, and then reassembled. Cutout art is often utilized in games for younger players, with cartoon, comedic, or attention-grabbing themes.
Examples: Don’t Starve, Paper Mario, Cuphead.
4. Cel Shading Art
Cel-shading is a type of rendering that uses thick black lines to outline characters and objects, to mimic hand-drawn images, such as comic book and cartoon drawings. Usually, this art style is found in Japanese anime films and video games.
Examples: Genshin Impact, Persona 5, The Legend of Zelda.
5. Monochromatic Art
Monochromatic art uses a single color, along with all its lighter and darker shades. In games, you’ll get silhouettes to communicate form and shape, giving you a clear distinction between foreground and background. This art style can evoke moods, has timeless emotional impacts, and minimalist appeal.
Examples: Limbo, Odium: To the Core, World of Horror.
6. Flat Art
Flat art style uses single blocks of color, to communicate shape and objects, without following the laws of physics or realism. That's why it's acclaimed as the easiest art style for game artists.
Examples: Crossy Road, Stick War, Alto’s Adventure
7. Doodle Art
Doodle art style is like an abstract hand-drawn. It uses wobby lines, uneven body parts, and gives you an informal interactive feel. This style is usually used by casual and indie game developers.
Examples: Doodle Jump, Google Doodle
3D Game Art Styles
1. Realism
Realism game art aims to replicate real-world objects, environments, and characters, with high degree of accuracy, to amplify immersive experiences and emotional impact.
You can find this 3D art style in first-person shooters (FPS) and certain RPG games, where players expect top-notch graphics.
Example: The Last of Us, Call of Duty, Uncharted.
2. Fantasy Realism
The only difference between realism and fantasy realism is, fantasy realism blends realistic elements with imaginative fantasy themes.
This game art offers an immersive realm that holds disbelief at bay, while maintaining reality.
Example: Final Fantasy Series, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dark Souls Series.
3. Low Poly Art
Got a limited budget, but still want to develop your own 3D game? Use low poly game art! Low Poly is a 3D modeling, using limited polygons to create a simple 3D model.
It is often used in indie and mobile games, allowing for smooth gameplay, even on low-end devices.
Examples: Minecraft, Poly Bridge, Morphite.
4. Hand Painted
It is a 3D visual design, with hand-drawn texture. Though it takes an extra chunk of time to draw shadows and highlight, hand-painted games are popular in strategy and fantasy games.
Examples: Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch, World Of Warcraft, Dota.
5. Cartoon
Cartoon game art style (casual art style) combines both hand-painted and low-poly elements.
This game art offers simplicity, colourfulness, and disproportionate character to players.
Cartoon have many sub-styles, like voxel art. From the words "volume" and "pixel," voxel is indeed referred to as the 3D version of pixel art, where graphics are made up of 3D cubes of the same color.
Examples: Overwatch, Hollow Knight, Minecraft.
3 Reasons Why You Found It So Hard to Choose Game Art Style
Choosing through 12 different game art styles can be a daunting task for developers. Here are 3 reasons why you might find it difficult:
Audience PreferenceSelecting the art style for a game can be difficult, because everyone has different preferences.
It's challenging to determine which style will appeal to the majority of players, while also making the game visually distinct.
Technical CompatibilitySome art styles require specific technology, to work well on computers or game consoles.
Ensuring that the chosen style looks good and performs smoothly, can present a significant challenge, during the development process.
Artistic Vision and ConsistencyIt is essential for a game's art to have a cohesive look and feel. If the art style is inconsistent, players might find the game confusing or unappealing.
However, achieving consistency while still keeping the visuals interesting can be a tough balancing act, potentially leading to disagreements within the development team.
Then How To Choose?
Knowing about various game art styles empowers developers to ultimately create visually stunning, and engaging gaming experiences that resonate with players.
Here’s 7 tips you might use, to fit an art style to your game
Identify your game's theme and genre, then choose an art style that complements them. For example, a fantasy adventure game might be suitable with fantasy realism.
Know your target audience's preferences, and select an art style that appeals to them. A pixel art style could attract nostalgic gamers, while a sleek and modern style might appeal to a younger demographic.
Assess your resources (budget, time, and team capabilities), then choose an art style that aligns with your resources. Opt for a simpler style if you have limited resources, or consider using game art outsourcing studios if needed.
Experiment and iterate. Experiment with different art styles and iterate based on feedback to find the one that best suits your game.
Consider technical requirements of your game engine, when choosing an art style. Ensure compatibility and avoid overly complex styles that may strain performance or cause compatibility issues.
Maintain consistency across all visual elements of your game, including characters, environments, and UI design.
Seek inspiration and references from other games and artwork, to sharpen your decision-making process. Choose an art style that aligns with your creative vision and goals for the game.
Conclusion
Selecting the appropriate game art style is vital to craft an immersive gaming experience.
By exploring various styles, understanding audience preferences, and other considerations, developers can choose an art style that elevates their game and resonates with players.
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Seeking assistance? Feel free to partner with Sonderflex Studio, a trusted game art outsourcing studio. With our expert solutions, and years of combined experience, we can help elevate your projects.
So game developers, are you ready to level up your game?
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