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[MechanicalWall]

I'd love to play Salt and Sanctuary, but there's something really dumb about its art

Why do the enemy and background look Gothic, but the main character looks like a fucking webcomic character? It's so off-putting.

 

[SMD]

I can't believe you don't see the irony in the fact that you mocked people for not playing a game that they don't find visually appealing, when you admit that you won't listen to music that you don't find aurally appealing.

And don't give me that "there is more to games" bs. There is more to music to. What about the WORDS? What is the artist trying to say? Etc.

The fact is, people have differing tastes. What I like, you might not like. And that's fine. It's what makes us human.

Don't act above it.

Oh mate, no. I didn't agree with your premise at all but if it makes you feel any better then yeah, sometimes I do listen to music I don't find aurally appealing because of the words or beat or sometimes just because of the mood it sets. Likewise there are songs that sound great but the lyrics are absolute trash and depending on the song it can put me off.

You're entitled to like what you like. It doesn't mean it makes sense or you can justify it.

 

[tiebreaker]

Dust: An Elysian Tail
It looks like furry fetish art from DeviantArt or Tumblr.
Can't deal with that.

just dust

I get physically ill when I look at Dust An Elysian Tale.. so yes.

DUST: An Elysian Tail. I just can't over the furry artsyle.

 

[sn00zer]

You also listen to it, interact with it, everything that makes gaming a more unique medium to other forms of entertainment.

Your loss, really.

If any major component of a game is off putting its not a loss if I dont play it.

EDIT: Also I would question why so much effort was put into other aspects of the game if the artstyle isn't great.

 

[redcrayon]

Western space marine games with their military/gun fetishism make me instantly skip them. Same goes for Japanese anime games with a cast of young girls in dubious outfits, and any rpg where the cast decide that adventuring gear needs to look like you're going to a quirky fashion show/fancy dress party rather than reasonably (and I'm prepared to stretch that definition a lot!) practical kit.

Fortunately the vast majority of games manage to avoid all of those so I'm good.

 

[WadeitOut]

I dismiss the vast majority of games that have Anime style art.

 

[ionitron]

I absolutely do. I'd be much more willing to play a game like bloodborne and witcher or something if it was reskinned to have like, Pixar-like models and be a lot more colorful.

Like admittedly, I love the legend of Zelda, but BOTW doesn't interest me as much as I wish it did, but because it's Zelda and looks the way it does, it's more approachable for me than say, Skyrim. :s

Not that I wouldn't give those games a shot, but art style being the first thing you see does play a huge part in initial impressions.

 

[Jawbreaker]

Great art styles draw me in more easily, but I don't dismiss games solely based on that. For example, I find the Darksiders games to be pretty fucking ugly, but I played them and really enjoyed my time.

 

[Wandering Robot]

No. I'm more likely to dismiss a game for having grotty, green/brown/beige "realistic" graphics.

 

[Toa Axis]

I certainly think that art style can be a general indicator of the type of game something will be, but it's not something that I use to judge if I will like a game or not. They goes for anything, really, not just games.

For me personally, I generally don't think anything is off limits on the basis of pure aesthetics. It's mostly about if the game itself will appeal to me.

I think the only game that has turned me off purely due to aesthetics is The Binding of Isaac. It just looks gross to me. It doesn't help that I don't like that style of game, either.

 

[Swimmer9800]

Most Japanese art styles are very off putting to me.

Edit: I should rephrase. Anime is off putting to me.

 

[sn00zer]

Great art styles draw me in more easily, but I don't dismiss games solely based on that. For example, I find the Darksiders games to be pretty fucking ugly, but I played them and really enjoyed my time.

This is funny to me because I find the games, especially the second. Gorgeous.

 

[Rexatality]

If any major component of a game is off putting its not a loss if I dont play it.

EDIT: Also I would question why so much effort was put into other aspects of the game if the artstyle isn't great.

I find it weird that you would question other aspects of a game just because you found the art-style repulsive.

Aside from loli and moe garbage, nothing should be off-limits when it comes to art-style in games. Its why I'm fond of Dishonored's art-style despite some people here finding it repulsive to them.

 

[Peltz]

Not consciously. But yes, occasionally I'll see a game looks "gritty" and "realistic" and it will usually be enough to not even pay attention to coverage of it. It's not something I've done consciously, but I'd be lying if I said it never happened when looking back in hindsight.

 

[SMD]

If any major component of a game is off putting its not a loss if I dont play it.

EDIT: Also I would question why so much effort was put into other aspects of the game if the artstyle isn't great.

Considering that some people blanket refuse to play games that look like Wind Waker, I think it's safe to say we're not talking jank.

 

[Blinck]

Yes, and I also dismiss games that LACK any sort of artstyle and just look dull, lifeless, and like almost no thought went into making it look good.

Couple of examples:

Metal Gear Rising
Nioh

Being a "gameplay first" game doesn't justify it looking super dull.

 

[CaviarMeths]

I think anime art styles are fine as long as it's distinctive. There's 1000 artists out there who all draw exactly the same way and it's just the most boring thing. But they're not all like that. Take a few of the artists that have worked on Shin Megami Tensei and its spin-off series, for example.

Kazuma Kaneko:

Shigenori Soejima:

Suzuhito Yasuda:

These styles are all identifiable, unique, and interesting. There are plenty of other artists who are also doing unique "anime" art that's attractive, non-Clannad style stuff too.

To be fair though, Itaru Hinoue's (Clannad) style is pretty unique too. She draws all of her characters with eyes that take up like two thirds of their fucking face. Bold!

 

[brau]

Na. I can't do that to a game. I'll try anything that looks like has good gameplay, since i still believe Gameplay is King.

BUT! Artstyle will make me stick around a game longer if i dislike it. plenty of games where i got bored but got through it based on pretty art all around.

I do find some of the impressions and opinions of art styles here pretty interesting. As an artist, the art in a game tries to complement and enhance a gaming experience. But it also helps ground and establish a visual communication with the player. I can understand people saying they don't like a particular art style. But saying that its badly done in some cases really baffled me haha. Anyways, still anyone can have an opinion and its interesting to get to discuss it.

 

[Zafir]

Generally, no, as game play is more important.

There's only a few extreme cases where I just don't want to play a game due to the art style. Dragons Crown is a good example of this. Don't like the ridiculous art style, and since I'm going to be looking at it all the time if I play it, I just don't really want to.

 

[Usobuko]

Not a fan of Toriyama too, Ayami Kojima should get more work.

so beautiful.

 

[Fou-Lu]

Not usually. If a game sounds interesting or uninteresting to me then the art style won't usually be the deciding factor. The closest in recent memory is Salt and Sanctuary's character art, but I also just don't like how it plays.

 

[Linkark07]

Well, I used to avoid Amano artstyle Final Fantasy because I hate how he draws. While I still dislike his artstyle, FFV and FFVI are one of my favorite games ever.

But yeah, artstyle is something that keeps me from buying a game full price. In discount, and with good references, I buy them.

 

[Oneself]

At times, graphics/style/bad animations can definitely kill my enjoyment... See Telltale games for pretty much all of the above.

 

[Nocturnowl]

I think you'd actually be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't do this to some degree, after all art style can cross all the way from cartoon stylings to overly gritty realism.

I'd love to play Salt and Sanctuary, but there's something really dumb about its art

Why do the enemy and background look Gothic, but the main character looks like a fucking webcomic character? It's so off-putting.

I've admittedly never liked the artstyle this guy has going on since the dishwasher stuff last gen and it REALLY came screaming to the forefront when i tried playing through S&S, the backgrounds have this really solid tone and atmosphere going for them and then the fuckin' derpy arse protag and other human characters just look shocking, I really don't like to dump on the Ska Studio duos hard work but I genuinely struggle to see how they could've cocked up with that styles clash more without doing it intentionally with colourful unicorns.

 

[N30RYU]

never.gif

 

[Aaron D.]

All the time.

Hard to enjoy something that I find visually repugnant.

Now that doesn't mean I don't appreciate that others enjoy things I do not. I've no reason to bag on an art style I don't enjoy.

I just know what does and doesn't work for me and I tend to stick with that.

 

[ZettaiSeigi]

While I'm not a fan of Toriyama's works, there are still some anime-style designs that I really like. Heck, it was an anime that got me into gaming in the first place (Sakura Taisen). But that said, I also dislike the Clannad-style designs, especially when the characters look too young to be their age.

Well, I used to avoid Amano artstyle Final Fantasy because I hate how he draws. While I still dislike his artstyle, FFV and FFVI are one of my favorite games ever.

But yeah, artstyle is something that keeps me from buying a game full price. In discount, and with good references, I buy them.

Well, Amano's style doesn't really affect the in-game model, so it shouldn't prevent you from enjoying the actual game. I'm okay with most of his stuff but I have to say I'm not a fan of the one he did for FF XV's Deluxe Edition. The colors were so all over the place on that one for my liking. That's probably the only one I didn't like though.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

No. I definitely prefer certain art styles, namely stylized leaning realistic (I.e. stuff like Horizon, Resident Evil 7, Gears etc.). However I never dismiss games with cartoony art styles. I just play fewer of them as escapism and immersion are my main gaming draws these days and realistic graphics help with that for me. Cartoony is fine for the gameplay-focused palette cleansers I play like indies and Nintendo games though.

 

[Mephala]

Never dismiss it entirely but I can definitely push it back or lose interest before I even start the game due to art style.

Generally a combo of a few things before I give up on the game entirely.

 

[s_mirage]

It can make games a much harder sell. For example, a member of the horde of indie games with the faux 8-bit look, a look that I really don't care for, has to really do something special to get me to notice it. I won't entirely avoid games based around aesthetics that I don't find appealing, but I'll need rather more convincing to play them.

 

[Puruzi]

Yes, if a game has a realistic artstyle it can fuck right off

 

[Dre_G_Writer]

Yes

Its the the main reason I wont play battleborn. I HATE the way it looks. Although I hate the way borderlands look, it gets a pass because the gameplay is legendary.

 

[Tame Deity]

I love FF but haven't played IX yet because I don't like how Zidane looks. It's a shame because I really liked Vivi, and I'm more interested in his stuff.

 

[Linkark07]

Well, Amano's style doesn't really affect the in-game model, so it shouldn't prevent you from enjoying the actual game. I'm okay with most of his stuff but I have to say I'm not a fan of the one he did for FF XV's Deluxe Edition. The colors were so all over the place on that one for my liking. That's probably the only one I didn't like though.

My take is it is a sharp contrast between portrait and sprite for example. See Faris from FFV for example, the official art has her hair tied in ponytail and it is blonde. Sprite, her hair is loose, long and purple. And let's not talk about the different clothes. Plus, the Mobile/Steam versions sprite already spoils she is a girl. FFVI has his art and sprites almost the same, although it still makes me wonder why Celes has a different outfit compared to her official artwork.

About Amano, I actually like how he draws the backgrounds and how he paints them. His Stormblood art is beautiful. I agree though, his FFXV deluxe edition art is kind of odd. What I dislike about him is how he draws the characters.

 

[TsuWave]

yes. never played overwatch because it looks messy and "childish" to me. i realize that may be a silly opinion but its how i feel about it. every time i seehighlight videos of ofoverwatch plays, i always find myself thinking "??? what the hell is happening?"

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Beyond creepy, broken fanservice stuff and clearly extreme "Our programmers did the art" computer games from the 80s and 90s, the one that comes to me is Steven's Sausage Roll. The graphics are so muddy and chunky that it obscures what you're looking at like a camoflage, that is bad art becoming a hinderance to gameplay.

 

[His Majesty]

anime turns me off

 

[FrozenCell]

no, framerate only

 

[Lucentto]

Nope. I will play anything no matter how it looks as long as it looks interesting to play.

 

[Kalamoj]

Overwatch, looks like the game version of a cheap and unimaginative cartoon.

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

Absolutely. I've refused many games because of an art style I didn't like. Chibi right off the bat is a no go.

 

[IncognitoPanda]

Yes. If the artstyle is so off-putting to me that it's distracting and immersion-breaking, hard pass. For example, I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever play Final Fantasy IX.

I appreciate the boldness of that statement. I played FFIX as a kid, so it was easier to get into, but I LOVE the art style. I was blown away at the time.

 

[Alienous]

Only Drawn to Death.

 

[Eblo]

If I'm going to be looking at something for hours of my time, then of course the art style will impact my decision to play a game.

When a game looks like this,

yes.

I hear good things about the story but never touched the game because of the horrendous art style.

 

[Sotha_Sil]

So many Japanese games that I might be interested in, but I can't even sit through a 1 minute trailer. The voice acting goes with the art in that one.

Oblivion's dull art direction is a huge negative against the game. Shivering Isles fixed that to a large degree.

 

[JustSomeone]

Yeah i don't play games with anime art style(unless it's akira toryama's)

 

[inky]

Every anime game, yes.

 

[Ronin Ray]

I think anime art styles are fine as long as it's distinctive. There's 1000 artists out there who all draw exactly the same way and it's just the most boring thing. But they're not all like that. Take a few of the artists that have worked on Shin Megami Tensei and its spin-off series, for example.

Kazuma Kaneko:


Shigenori Soejima:


Suzuhito Yasuda:


These styles are all identifiable, unique, and interesting. There are plenty of other artists who are also doing unique "anime" art that's attractive, non-Clannad style stuff too.

To be fair though, Itaru Hinoue's (Clannad) style is pretty unique too. She draws all of her characters with eyes that take up like two thirds of their fucking face. Bold!

Such a great post.

 

[AEREC]

When a game looks like this,

yes.

Pretty much this...any kind of anime art style is a huge red flag to me. Although I can look past some. Currently playing DQ8.

Wrong game to bring up considering that it has one of the best stories.

That may be but art this bad trumps any story for me.

 

[Opa-Pa]

Every anime game, yes.

Kind of, yeah.

I sort of dismiss most extremely anime-looking games, but to be fair, I still give them a fair chance when I know they're still good.

Also I seem to have this curse where they keep hiring

This asshole

To design in games I like

I mean in games like this it doesn't even make sense, look at this

And they seem to have someone else for World Next Order... But they draw so similar to Yasuda that it's honestly just as bad lmao. Awful.