How can you get players to really notice your game? One surefire way is with incredibly captivating visuals! But that's easier said than done, right? Don't worry, it's not impossible.
You can grab players' attention by making them go "Wow!". Through the visuals in your game - from character designs to environmental art, high graphical fidelity, and the overall art style - you can make them seriously consider giving your game a try.
The big question is: "How do you choose the right art style for a game?"
In this article, we'll discuss how to find an art style that works best for different games.
Introducing Game Art Styles
Simply put, a game's art style refers to its overall look and feel. This encompasses everything from character and environment designs down to the smallest objects players encounter. The goal is to create a cohesive, memorable visual impression that makes players want to spend more time in the game world.
This visual composition is carefully crafted to achieve harmony throughout the game experience. Consistency in the chosen art style is crucial to avoid feeling disjointed or jarring for players.
Determining a game's art style involves a creative process of research, exploration and ultimately deciding which style will not only look appealing but also have strong, memorable visuals.
With the wide variety of game art styles employed in the industry, developers and artists should understand that each style has its own unique characteristics. Not every style will automatically work well or guarantee success.
Popular Game Art Styles to Know!
Now that we have a general understanding of game art styles, let's look at some popular styles that have found great success:
Realism: Mimicking Real Life in Games
Realism simply refers to visual designs that mimic real-life - characters, objects, environments - as closely as possible.
This style is often used to convey game stories in a more dramatic, emotional way. Players are meant to feel higher immersion through realistic expressions, behavior, and even voice acting much like the real world but within a game experience.
Realism is a favorite for AAA games, offering top-notch graphics quality and the latest technology.
Examples: Red Dead Redemption 2, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Far Cry
2. Fantasy-Realism: Blending Reality and Imagination
A motley crew of bandits from various races and shapes, a wise old wizard, then...a dragon. These are elements you might find in games with a Fantasy-Realism art style.
While adopting realism in some visuals, there are imaginative, fantastical elements that seem plucked straight from storybook dreams and constantly push the boundaries between reality and fantasy.
Fantasy-Realism can be further categorized into sub-styles like Steampunk, High-Fantasy, and Science Fiction.
Examples: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
3. Pixel Art: Nostalgic Charm in Simplicity
Pixel Art has its own quirky charm. This retro art style gives players a nostalgic kick of simple, low-detail graphics but can still tell highly emotional stories and provide fun gameplay experiences.
Its iconic chunky, blocky figures and traditionally 2D or orthogonal gameplay offer a straightforward, no-frills experience!
Check out Sonderflex Studio's article on: Designing Pixel Art Games and How Much They Cost!
Examples: Hotline Miami, Stardew Valley
4. Low Poly: Geometric Minimalism in Game Design
The essence of Low Poly is creating textures by composing flat 2D shapes. Polygon shapes are arranged to create striking, unique visuals.
But the standout aspect is that every visual consists of hard, angular constructions with flat surfaces and minimal detail, often appearing more geometric than realistic.
Examples: Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, Astroneer, Ultra Kill
5. Cartoon Style: Vibrant and Exaggerated Visuals
Fun and eye-catching! The Cartoon art style features exaggerated body proportions, vibrant colors, and super-expressive animations. This lively style emphasizes a whimsical, lighthearted visual approach. But that doesn't rule out developers striking a balance for uniquely cartoony yet high-intensity or even horror experiences.
Examples: Fortnite, Cuphead, The Legend of Zelda
See also: Which Is Better: 2D or 3D Games?
Important Considerations Before Choosing a Game Art Style
Quite the variety of game art styles out there, huh? And with rapidly evolving technology, it's only getting easier for game artists to explore even more styles. Who knows what new styles we'll see in the future?
But before diving into pure exploration, there are some important points developers and artists should consider when choosing an art style:
Studying industry and market trends is crucial - what visual styles are big, successful games employing? However, having a clear creative vision is just as important.
You can't simply copy another game's art style and expect guaranteed success. Your vision as a developer needs to stay strong and defined.
Different audiences have their own preferences for game visuals and graphics. Some want highly realistic, immersive art styles while others are content with nostalgic, minimalist pixel art.
Understanding your target audience better informs what art style might work best for your game.
Lastly and most importantly - decide on the art style. Too many options and references will only paralyze artists from making progress and waste unnecessary time.
Let Sonderflex Studio's Versatile Skills Determine Your Game's Art Style!
While it ultimately comes down to personal taste, as a game developer you certainly want to capture your players' hearts and attention, right?
You need an art studio versatile across any art style. Sonderflex Studio is a game studio with flexible expertise - whether realistic, fantastical, or cartoony visuals, they have you covered!
Make your game development project shine with Sonderflex Studio's artistic skills!
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