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[balgajo]

I'm tired of Nintendo overusing this cel shading artstyle lately where characters doesn't blend well with environment. It really bothers me, as if I was watching some of that live action movies with cartoon characters from 90's.
Am I the only one feeling like this?

Games like this:

• Xenoblade 2 and 3
• Astral Chain(published by Nintendo)
• Breath of the Wild 1 & 2(it still bothers me but imo is the best execution)
• Fire Emblem Three Houses
• Age of Calamity
• Pokemon Arceus(this one even the environment clashs against itself)

I prefer more cohesive stuff like:

• Link's Awakening Remake
• Mario Kart 8
• Xenoblade 1
• Xenoblade Chronicles X(some models are ugly as fuck but doesn't feel out of place)
• Wind Waker

Before anyone questions. No, I don't have problem with anime as it's one of my hobbies.

EDIT: Moved up the styles I find more cohesive to avoid confusion.

Examples:

 

[RoboFu]

So 3 games over 5 years is over use?

No astral chain doesn’t tcount

 

[ManaByte]

Arceus and BOTW are the same engine, so...

 

[MagiusNecros]

Looks good to me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Magic Carpet]

GAF
Generic
Anime
Face

Neo poster looking for something new.

 

[Danjin44]

I personally enjoye it, I have both PS5 and Switch and majority of PS5 games going for more realistic look while Switch having more cell shaded visuals which to me nice contrast.

Also Switch is not as powerful as PS5 or XSX so more realistic visuals with big scale games is not gonna work well on Switch.

 

[Romulus]

It's kinda getting old, but I understand why they have to use it.

 

[Pejo]

Oh no guys the anime characters, they're gonna get me waaahhhhhhhhh.

I don't think that BotW or the Xenoblade games even have the issue you're describing where the characters don't fit into the backgrounds.

 

[Kokoloko85]

I loved Fire Emblem 3 houses.
I think the art styles have been great these part 2 gens for nintendo : Zelda BOTW, Mario O, Luigi’s Mansion, Pikmin, Links Awakening.

They cant compare to Playstation and Xbox if they did more realistic art styles. Only game I was dissapointed and wish it was done on next gen was SMT. It was so hollow

 

[Aldric]

Astral Chain and BotW look great and have fantastic art direction, acquire some taste OP.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Are BOTW, XB and pokémon rly cel shaded?

 

[Dream-Knife]

It's better than the "realistic" art direction AAA devs use. Rather cell shaded than plastic looking models that will be outdated in 2 years.

 

[Kacho]

No issue here. I think it makes their games stand out while masking the obvious graphical limitations.

 

[amigastar]

Oh no guys the anime characters, they're gonna get me waaahhhhhhhhh.

I don't think that BotW or the Xenoblade games even have the issue you're describing where the characters don't fit into the backgrounds.

Jesus Christ, that gif
Anyways i like Cel Shading, thats why i think Wind Waker was successful.
That being said, i really love the graphics of Kirby and the Forgotten Land which are not Cel Shaded.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I think it definitely allows them to do "more" with what they have, so it makes sense. I mean, it doesn't look bad either IMO. If anything, the style with anime looking characters is exhausting.

 

[Pejo]

Jesus Christ, that gif
Anyways i like Cel Shading, thats why i think Wind Waker was successful.

Yea, I do get the OP's point, but I think that games like the new Sonic Frontiers is way worse with a character that doesn't match the environment than say, Astral Chain.

 

[Kataploom]

Sorry OP, You're wrong mostly alone in this. The cell-shading + semi-realistic environments combination is GUREITO~!

It's just like anime where characters cell shaded and the backgrounds are soft shaded/hand painted. They would look cheap af if they use cell shading for the environment too, let alone the distances not being perceived so easily most of the times for the kind of game worlds Nintendo is making these days.

Doing the opposite is also dumb, anime looks bad if not cell shaded like Xenoblade X.

It's the only artistic combination that makes sense in anime and no anime is not an option for games which target audience are mostly anime fans, like it or not.

If anything, the whole industry should reduce the amount of "realistic" art styles, since that is much more prominent and tiring.

 

[Akt]

Please someone delete that uncanny valley spawn of Satan baby.

 

[Knightime_X]

I'm tired of nintendo thinking 30fps is a good idea.

 

[Danjin44]

Yea, I do get the OP's point, but I think that games like the new Sonic Frontiers is way worse with a character that doesn't match the environment than say, Astral Chain.

Problem here is Sonic is very cartoony character in hyper realistic environments...

While in Xenoblade the environments is much more fantasy.

 

[chromhound]

Nintendo:

 

[Imtjnotu]

It's all the switch can handle

 

[a multicultural team of v]

It's pretty simple: it is cheaper and easier to make a cartoon character than a realistic character, and it is cheaper and easier to make realistic environments than cartoon environments.

Probably don't need to think much more than that.

 

[cireza]

They don't want to spend time making textures. That's why they do this.

 

[cireza]

While in Xenoblade the environments is much more fantasy.

Yeah the Sonic picture looks exactly what I see when I look by the window. Especially the huge tower and the flying pyramid.

And this picture was handpicked to not show the flying rails.

 

[Umbasaborne]

They do it because its cheaper and faster

 

[Kataploom]

I'm tired of nintendo thinking 30fps is a good idea.

If anything, they were the only ones pushing for 60 fps on their games (sans Zelda and Xenoblade) when everyone else were having their "cinematic experience" at 30 or sub-30 fps. I remember when MK8 was confirmed to be 60 fps, everyone's mind was blown away

 

[Sleepwalker]

I'm not a fan, but yeah they do it cause cheaper, faster and the nintendo switch is stupidly weak 5 years on.

 

[ParaSeoul]

With the weak hardware its a necessity

 

[Kataploom]

It's pretty simple: it is cheaper and easier to make a cartoon character than a realistic character, and it is cheaper and easier to make realistic environments than cartoon environments.

Probably don't need to think much more than that.

They do it because its cheaper and faster

I'm not a fan, but yeah they do it cause cheaper, faster and the nintendo switch is stupidly weak 5 years on.

With the weak hardware its a necessity

What about it being an actual widely liked art style? If they had a PS6-equivalent console these days on the market, they'd still be doing anime style graphics. That's one of the things I like the most about Xenoblade, Fire Emblem and some other games mentioned by the OP, while RDR2, AsCreed, TLOU, etc, etc. they all look bland and boring for me, and for many others.

If it was a matter of power, everyone should have done cute neko waifus instead of bald dude bros on 7th.

The combination anime characters + semi-realistic environments is very appealing to a lot of people, and it's one of the strongest reasons many of us buy those games.

 

[Codes 208]

Yeah the Sonic picture looks exactly what I see when I look by the window. Especially the huge tower and the flying pyramid.

Meanwhile the grass, trees, general landscape and skybox look like a typical student’s soulless unreal engine “hd remake” of classic games like, say, ocarina of time in unreal.

Sonic generations, unleashed, lost world, colors, forces and, ill fuckin say it: sonic boom did a better job with the aesthetic to fit in with the sonic universe.

 

[ParaSeoul]

while RDR2, AsCreed, TLOU, etc, etc. they all look bland and boring for me, and for many others.

Yeah games can be realistic and still have great art direction and even be stylized. RDR 2 and TLOU are. Don't know about Asscreed shit.

If it was a matter of power, everyone should have done cute neko waifus instead of bald dude bros on 7th.

The combination anime characters + semi-realistic environments is very appealing to a lot of people, and it's one of the strongest reasons many of us buy those games.

 

[Fbh]

I don't mind at all. Aside from Pokemon the games in the OP look good to me.
It's not like they are putting anime character in hyper realistic looking environments. The worlds still look stylized, just not to the same extent.

 

[Kuranghi]

Fire Emblem Tree Houses

Ahhhh the Jamaican version of Fire Emblem, my favourite localisation.
The tall guy has just walked up and he's said:

"Wagwan?!"

 

[Roman Empire]

 

[Represent.]

Uninspired, lazy and cheap. These artists have been drawing for their whole lives and suddenly they all draw the exact same shit

 

[Sleepwalker]

What about it being an actual widely liked art style? If they had a PS6-equivalent console these days on the market, they'd still be doing anime style graphics. That's one of the things I like the most about Xenoblade, Fire Emblem and some other games mentioned by the OP, while RDR2, AsCreed, TLOU, etc, etc. they all look bland and boring for me, and for many others.

If it was a matter of power, everyone should have done cute neko waifus instead of bald dude bros on 7th.

The combination anime characters + semi-realistic environments is very appealing to a lot of people, and it's one of the strongest reasons many of us buy those games.

Ok, but this is a thread asking people if they are tired of it so it's normal getting replies of people that are... tired of it.


Generic anime character, generic anime location, generic anime tropes are bland and boring to me, same way realistic stuff is to you.


I much prefer Nintendo stuff like say Twilight princess over breath of wild in terms of art style, F-zero GX, etc.

 

[Sleepwalker]

Yeah games can be realistic and still have great art direction and even be stylized. RDR 2 and TLOU are. Don't know about Asscreed shit.

The Asscreed games look incredible, graphics and art directions are not one of their (many) problems at least.

 

[March Climber]

Cel-shading ages better.

You'll come back here in 5-10 years and tell everyone that old _______ switch game still holds up very well in an 8k emulator.

 

[balgajo]

As always some people don't even take their time reading the OP. I provided some examples about what I like and I don't think I mentioned a classic realistic AAA.
Not that I think that all realistc AAA have bad art direction.

 

[March Climber]

As always some people don't even take their time reading the OP. I provided some examples about what I like and I don't think I mentioned a classic realistic AAA.
Not that I think that all realistc AAA have bad art direction.

Read the OP one more time, and my opinion remains the same. You loathe it now because it's everywhere. You'll appreciate it later.

 

[balgajo]

Cel-shading ages better.

You'll come back here in 5-10 years and tell everyone that old _______ switch game still holds up very well in an 8k emulator.

That's not the point I brought. I like cel shading and even mentioned Wind Waker as a example of what I like. It's about the clash between cel shaded characters with a more realistic environment.

Yea, I do get the OP's point, but I think that games like the new Sonic Frontiers is way worse with a character that doesn't match the environment than say, Astral Chain.

Totally agree with you in this sense. But I like Astral Chain art direction while Sonic Frontiers one is bad imo. My feeling is more about being tired than thinking it's beautiful.

 

[Danjin44]

Not that I think that all realistc AAA have bad art direction.

Again, Switch is just not as powerful, going realistic visuals for games that have big scale only going to make the game look ugly.

Also MAJORITY of PS5 games are realistic, what’s wrong for a systems with more cell shaded style games?

If someone is more in to realistic games then they shouldn’t be buying Switch. I have both and I can enjoy both style.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

If a game isnt fully cel shaded its kind of ugly...idk why they don't go full persona art style...the half cel shaded 3d enviornments is ugly. I enjoyed arceus but the game was hideous due to the style...they should make itfully cel shaded.

 

[March Climber]

It's about the clash between cel shaded characters with a more realistic environment.

For the few examples that actually apply(I don't consider Pokemon and Zelda to qualify for what you're stating) it makes the characters themselves pop more and become the main focus. I still think it will age better than doing what a ton of PS3 generation JRPG devs did.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

all i hear is anime sounds when i see those pics.

 

[AJUMP23]

Nintendo just called me and told me no switch 2 for you.

 

[March Climber]

If a game isnt fully cel shaded its kind of ugly...idk why they don't go full persona art style...the half cel shaded 3d enviornments is ugly.

Admittedly, it works better when it's done right(and being on more powerful hardware helps).

 

[Akt]

Nintendo games have wonderful, forever young arstyle.

They just need a 60fps standard.

 

[nominedomine]

Nintendo is all about keeping that budget low, disguising how weak their hardware is and not getting into the graphical arms race. It's smart business and fits their IPs.