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[egocrata]

Someone mentioned Red Faction Guerrilla in another thread. I remember that as much as I love the technical achievement of that game, I was never able to play much of it because I found the art design absolutely hideous - starting with the insanely ugly outfit you wear. The game is really impressive from a technical standpoint, but good lord, does it look ugly.

Can you think of any other games like that? Games that really push the hardware, but that they still look like ass because of poor art design choices.

 

[Cubas]

Fast RMX.

 

[Samaritan]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion at release. Graphically impressive, abysmal art style.

 

[PensOwl]

Never forget the ostrich hammer

 

[Blackquill]

Gears of War at its time. Grey everywhere

 

[JaseMath]

Perfect Dark Zero?

 

[bomblord1]

Golden Axe on the PS3

Technically what its doing was impressive for the time. But the art style just killed it

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

Crysis 2 and 3.

 

[capitalCORN]

As technically accomplished they were, the Marathons were ugly as sin. Especially compared to the cohesive vision in Doom.

 

[Ricerocket]

During 7th gen, I loathed UE3 engine. A lot of the Unreal Engine 3 games were high contrast grey and bright highlights or brown and they were downright awful. Not really games but it's something I felt happens to a lot of games during that time that went with that engine.

 

[blast processed]

inb4 Windwaker

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Arkham Asylum.
Best Metroidvania since Prime and the best Superhero game ever made with a beautiful gothic world to explore... ..ruined by horrendous steroid infused character designs. Bleh.

 

[Christberg]

Kameo
Fable
Oblivion
Sunset Overdrive

 

[Sword Of Doom]

Fast RMX.

.

Not doing it for me at all. Kind of wish I hadn't bought it

Arkham Asylum.
Best Metroidvania since Prime and the best Superhero game ever made with a beautiful gothic world to explore... ..ruined by horrendous steroid infused character designs. Bleh.

Has that weird look a lot of unreal games had. Some parts look decent but overall it's an ugly game. Everything else makes up for it though

 

[Shahadan]

Fast RMX.

Anything Shinen tbh

 

[DonMigs85]

Jett Rocket

 

[Buddy Mcpuddy]

Pretty much every 3d Rare game. Their art direction has always been pretty awful.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

Ryse Son of Rome. I don't like the look of the game. I know it's technically sound but it's just so bland looking

 

[BigTnaples]

Gears of War at its time. Grey everywhere

What? The Art in Gears was amazing at the time. And still is today.


Art does not mean colorful.

 

[miller.skippins]

Rage..

60fps was impressive but the artwork was so mad Max derivative.

 

[Kyzer]

Golden Axe on the PS3

Technically what its doing was technically impressive for the time. But the art style just killed it

Is that guy twerking?

 

[LelouchZero]

Pretty much every 3d Rare game. Their art direction has always been pretty awful.

You really think so? Even the Viva Pinata games, Nuts and Bolts and the upcoming Sea of Thieves?

 

[Xumbrega]

Kameo
Fable
Oblivion
Sunset Overdrive

wait.. what?

 

[Takyon]

Super Smash Brother Brawl.
Both it's predecessor and sequel look so much better.

 

[BigTnaples]

Ryse Son of Rome. I don't like the look of the game. I know it's technically sound but it's just so bland looking

I mean. It took stuff that histotically could've have looked very bland and made it look amazing. And some of those forrest scenes had very strong art design.

 

[capitalCORN]

Rage..

60fps was impressive but the artwork was so mad Max derivative.

Erm, Rage was fucking gorgeous. Every inch of that game was handcrafted.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

I'm gonna go with Beyond: Two Souls.

Best character models on the PS3:

But then you throw them in these environments:

Bland, sterile, and incredibly basic geometry. Reminds me of the stuff I drew in grade school when 3D perspective was introduced. Just a lot of straight lines and textureless surfaces.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

Super Smash Brother Brawl.
Both it's predecessor and sequel look so much better.

Ooh, yeah. On a technical level, Brawl is so much better than Melee, but the fact that it's less colourful and a lot of the models give the effect of screaming to be on beefier hardware make it dicey. The latter was a big problem with a lot of first-party Wii games.

 

[jett]

Pretty much every 3d Rare game. Their art direction has always been pretty awful.

There's a definitely a case to be made for their N64 games at least. Their character designs are just hideous.

Obligatory:

But it's really everything for me, right down to their color palettes. Their N64 games are just garish messes.

 

[Wozman23]

Terrible is a strong word but many open world games, like Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead, Far Cry... all have a very safe, realistic, style.

I'd like more stuff like Borderlands.

Obligatory:

But it's really everything for me, right down to their color palettes. Their N64 games are just garish messes.

I'm pretty indifferent on Yooka-Laylee's gameplay design, but some of the characters are amazing (and hilarious) progressions from the N64 days.

They have a snake named Trowzer:

And Kartos:

And Rextro Sixtyfourus:

I've already got my moneys worth in puns.

 

[13ruce]

Super Smash Brother Brawl.
Both it's predecessor and sequel look so much better.

Kinda loved the realistic look especially on Mario lol that was sick.

But i agree smash 4 looks way better and more colourfull.

 

[CHC]

Crysis has some pretty goddamned uninspired art direction. It would pretty much the first image in any average guy's head if someone said "super soldier suit."

 

[gngf123]

During 7th gen, I loathed UE3 engine. A lot of the Unreal Engine 3 games were high contrast grey and bright highlights or brown and they were downright awful. Not really games but it's something I felt happens to a lot of games during that time that went with that engine.

Yet Guilty Gear Xrd uses UE3, as do a bunch of other colorful games.

UE3's original lighting model, default shaders, and just the industry trend at the time to favour those kinds of palettes gave it a reputation that it definitely didn't deserve.

 

[LukasTaves]

Pretty much every 3d Rare game. Their art direction has always been pretty awful.

Char wise I'd agree with you, but they make absolutely stunning 3d games in general.

Conker on n64 and Xbox was amazing, kameo and viva pinata on 360 and on xbone Kinect sport Rivals and Sea of Thieves are both very good looking games as well.

 

[Platy]

Tribes had HUGE enviroments for a multiplaye fps .... but it was SO UGLY

 

[pixelation]

Pretty much every 3d Rare game. Their art direction has always been pretty awful.

You take that back... Donkey Kong Country was ace!
EDIT: You said 3D game... i'll allow it.

 

[Mr.Monitor]

Pretty much every 3d Rare game. Their art direction has always been pretty awful.

Came here to post this. I think all of their games look gross. Viva Pinata is probably the best looking but even that is a low bar imo.

 

[Doctre81]

The Conduit.

 

[Kuro]

Infamous 1 and 2 were pretty impressive for open world and had great lighting and effects but my god that art style was boring as hell.

 

[dadjumper]

First thing to come to mind for some reason is Flink on the Mega Drive. I always thought this game looked really amazing graphically but the style is hideous. The game is also not good.

 

[Forerunner]

Halo 4

 

[Makai]

Commander Keen

 

[Ashtar]

Is that guy twerking?

Lmao didn't realize that good catch
If it counts halo 4 promethians

 

[chronic_archaic]

Halo 4

What? Was technically and visually stunning on 360 and on Xbox One can hold up against new games. Probably best looking game in the series.

 

[miller.skippins]

Erm, Rage was fucking gorgeous. Every inch of that game was handcrafted.

i am not saying it's 'ugly' perse...but it's so derivative and forgettable and brown..

 

[Forerunner]

What? Was technically and visually stunning on 360 and on Xbox One can hold up against new games. Probably best looking game in the series.

343i's art style is underwhelming compared to Bungie. Sure, visually H4 was great, however the art direction leaved a lot to be desired.

 

[Jacobson]

Contact

 

[Chris_Rivera]

Crysis has some pretty goddamned uninspired art direction. It would pretty much the first image in any average guy's head if someone said "super soldier suit."

They went for the photorealistic angle in Crysis. That game was just nuts for 2007. The alien levels near the end were crazy looking.

 

[Opa-Pa]

I have no idea what you guys mean with the Rare example, but to each their own I guess.

Extremely subjective I think, but I'd say God of War 2.

First thing to come to mind for some reason is Flink on the Mega Drive. I always thought this game looked really amazing graphically but the style is hideous. The game is also not good.

Lmao I literally remember this as "that one offensively ugly Genesis game".

 

[scoobs]

Crysis has some pretty goddamned uninspired art direction. It would pretty much the first image in any average guy's head if someone said "super soldier suit."

Agree and disagree.. the aliens look fucking dope in that game.