Games With the Best Art Style

Content Manager at RetroStyle Games | May 14, 2024

When the talk is about lifestyle preferences, everything is quite easy. Some people like to be productive and dream about being successful, and some people just want to live a calm peaceful life, etc. How many people there are on the Earth, so many different lifestyles we have. But what about games? Are they all the same, just different genres?…

People who don’t know anything about the gaming world would say “yes” to the previous question. But they would miss one significant moment: games are created by diverse people with their own visions, thoughts, and ideas. We find this very interesting because you can give an idea to create an endless runner to different companies, and one will make a game with a popup art style about teens who try to run away from a guard on the train road, and another will create a 3D game with realistic art style about grandma running through the city to catch her naughty grandchildren. And we would like to make a bright endless runner about zombies ;)

And this is the point of the games: there are so many different game art styles that you can play hundreds of games in one genre and all of them will be different. Of course, there are some main art styles such as stylized, realistic, or casual, but all of them have their own subgenres. However, today we’ll try to cover at least a little bit about the best game art styles and dive you, dear reader, into an intricate and stunning world of beautiful video game art.

The Best Classic Art Style Games

Classic never dies, and it doesn’t matter is the talk about pixels or brushstrokes. The result is always the same: classic art style games are timeless masterpieces in the gaming world. The artists who create games in classic art style pay homage to the aesthetic of classical art, respecting renowned artists and art movements of the past. With their exquisite attention to detail and evocative atmosphere, classic art style games offer a truly unforgettable experience that appeals to both the senses and the soul. So, let’s journey through the main classic art styles and answer the unvoiced question: why are 2D games popular again?

Pixel Art Games

Pixel art games are one of the most popular classic art style games that utilize retro-inspired pixel graphics to craft unforgettable experiences. It will be easier to explain the main features of this art style on the example of standout titles in this genre such as Stardew Valley and Celeste, each offering unique gameplay experiences while showcasing the charm of pixel style games.

Stardew Valley invites players to escape to the countryside and embark on a journey of farming, friendship, and adventure. The pixel art not only adds nostalgic appeal to the Stardew Valley game art but also contributes to the game’s cozy atmosphere, drawing players into its enchanting world. On the other hand, Celeste is a platformer who weaves a heartfelt narrative about self-discovery and overcoming personal challenges. The pixel art visuals here provide a stunning backdrop and also serve as a testament to the game’s meticulous design and attention to detail.

As you can see, pixel art style evokes emotion and nostalgia through its beautifully crafted aesthetics. Also, it serves as a powerful storytelling tool for any game that continues to captivate players around the world. Actually, our opinion is that renovation of this art style due to Stardew Valley and Celeste releases is one of the reasons 2D games are popular again.

Games with 2D Animation Styles

There are a lot of games with cool art styles and unique 2D animation that combine artistic flair with engaging gameplay. Among the memorable titles in this genre are the Haiku classic game Allied Spies and Earthworm Jim, both different but each showcases the versatility and charm of 2D animation in gaming.

Allied Spies is a delightful adventure game about a newly married couple who are on a daring mission in Occupied France during World War II. What sets this game apart is its beautifully crafted 2D animation style with a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of classic cartoons. Earthworm Jim is a zany and irreverent retro-style platformer who follows the adventures of the titular annelid superhero. This game boasts a distinctively quirky 2D animation style that perfectly complements its offbeat humor and surreal premise.

Both Allied Spies and Earthworm Jim demonstrate how versatile and engaging 2D animation can be to catch players’ attention and breathe life into imaginative worlds. Whether helping a married couple to organize a scientist’s escape from Europe or embarking on a wild adventure with a superheroic earthworm, these games are perfect examples of the powerful combination of retro and modern 2D animation in gaming.

Hand-Drawn Art Games

Hand-drawn games always remind us of those old Disney cartoons meticulously crafted by skilled artists sketch by sketch to create memorable experiences for their audience. Nowadays, nothing has changed in the gaming world. Hand-drawn art games represent a labor of love that harkens back to the golden age of animation. We can’t find better examples of games with unique hand-drawn art styles than Cuphead and Streets of Rage 4. They perfectly showcase the beauty and creativity of hand-drawn art in gaming.

Cuphead is a run-and-gun action game inspired by 1930s cartoon aesthetics. Every character, background, and animation in Cuphead is hand-drawn, which reminds us of the whimsical charm of classic animation. With its breathtaking visuals and jazzy soundtrack, Cuphead stands out as a testament to the timeless appeal of hand-drawn art in gaming. Similarly, Streets of Rage 4 revitalizes the classic beat ’em up genre with its stunning hand-drawn art style. Set in the mean streets of a crime-ridden city, players pummel their way through hordes of enemies to take down a powerful crime syndicate. The game’s hand-drawn animations capture this gritty urban atmosphere of the original games while adding modern flourishes and visual flair.

While representing hand-drawn platformer subgenres, Cuphead and Streets of Rage 4 exemplify the artistic ingenuity of hand-drawn art games. With their awesome visuals and engaging gameplay, these games push the boundaries of what can be achieved with hand-drawn art in the gaming world.

Games With the Best Photorealistic Graphics

Being one of the best video game art styles, the photorealistic art style blends realism with fantasy which definitely turns the heads of even the most picky players. Fantasy realism games offer mesmerization through the fusion of lifelike graphics and imaginative worlds, inviting players to breathtaking landscapes filled with mythical creatures, epic battles, and enchanting adventures.

One standout example of a game with unparalleled photorealistic graphics is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This epic action RPG dives players into the rich world of The Continent, where they assume the role of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a Witcher. From the windswept plains of Velen to the bustling streets of Novigrad, every corner of The Witcher 3 is rendered in stunning detail with lifelike character models, dynamic weather systems, and breathtaking vistas.

Another exemplary fantasy game well-known for its photorealistic graphics is Horizon Zero Dawn. Action RPG about Aloy, a skilled hunter seeking answers to the mysteries of her world, transports players to a post-apocalyptic world overrun by robotic creatures. Every location in the game is brought to life with a level of detail and realism. Definitely, Horizon Zero Dawn has a visually unforgettable experience that blurs the line between reality and fantasy.

What sets fantasy realism games apart is their ability to seamlessly combine the visual fidelity of photorealistic graphics with the elements of fantasy storytelling. By marrying modern technology with fantastical worlds, these games offer players a truly unforgettable gaming experience that transports them to realms where the impossible becomes possible and the extraordinary feels real.

The Best Casual Art Style Games

Total opposite to photorealistic art style, games in casual art style are simple, easy to learn, and understandable for players of all ages and skill levels. So, the casual art style should match these features and be easy to pick up and play quickly. However, it isn’t like AAA titles ’cause they mostly stand out with hyperrealistic art style and almost always this is the main genre style. A good casual art design has a lot of subgenres such as cartoon, vector, pixel, etc.

1
Cartoon Style Games
These games have colorful and exaggerated visuals reminiscent of old cartoons, often with whimsical characters and environments. Examples: Among Us, a multiplayer game featuring cartoon-style characters aboard a spaceship, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a life simulation game set on a charming island with anthropomorphic animal characters.
2
Hypercasual Style Games
Simple games with easy-to-understand mechanics and minimalistic visuals, designed for short play sessions. Examples: Crossy Road, a game with simple, blocky graphics where players guide a character across busy roads and rivers, and Fruit Ninja, an arcade-style game with colorful graphics.
3
Vector Art Games
Games featuring graphics created with vector art and characterized by crisp lines and geometric shapes. Examples: Alto's Odyssey, an endless runner game set in a minimalist desert landscape with stunning vector art, and Jetpack Joyride, a side-scrolling arcade game featuring vector-style graphics.
4
Minimalist Art Games
Games with minimalist art styles feature simple and clean visuals that emphasize gameplay mechanics and atmosphere. Examples: Monument Valley, a puzzle game with minimalist, Escher-inspired architecture and serene visuals, and Threes!, a puzzle game with simple, clean graphics where players combine numbered tiles to reach higher values.
5
Paper Craft Style Games
Games that simulate a world made of paper or cardboard, often featuring papercraft-style visuals and environments. Examples: Tearaway, an adventure game set in a world made entirely of paper, where players navigate through charming papercraft environments and interact with papercraft characters, and Paper Mario series, role-playing games featuring a mix of 2D and 3D papercraft-style graphics.

Modern Games With Distinctive Art Styles

With every new year, more distinctive art styles are promoting themselves, changing the world of modern games and filling them with unique characteristics. Modern art styles range from cel-shading, which brings a comic book aesthetic to games, to minimalist designs that prioritize simplicity and elegance. We shouldn’t forget about hyperrealism too which aims to blur the line between reality and fiction with incredibly detailed and lifelike graphics that is better and better with every new AAA title. We don’t want to waste time and will dive you just now into the fascinating world of the best modern video game art styles. Ready, set, go!

Cel-Shading: Bringing Comics Aesthetics to Games

Cel-shading is a popular artistic technique used in video games to create a visual style with comics or animated cartoon aesthetics. Shortly talking, it involves rendering objects with flat colors and bold outlines, giving them a two-dimensional appearance while still existing in a three-dimensional environment. Based on our opinion, this technique enhances the game’s aesthetic appeal a lot, often resulting in stylized graphics that set it apart from more realistic visuals but in a good way.

Example games are Jet Set Radio, a stylish action game that combines cel-shaded visuals with a funky soundtrack; Gravity Rush, an action-adventure game with gravity-defying gameplay mechanics and cel-shaded art style; and Borderlands art style. Well-known for a distinct cel-shaded graphics and irreverent humor with elements of first-person shooting and RPG mechanics in a post-apocalyptic world.

Minimalism: Less Art is More

We’ve been talking a little bit about a minimalist art style in games before and explained that they emphasize simplicity and elegance, using clean lines, geometric shapes, and limited color palettes to create impactful visuals in modern games. We like this artistic approach because it strips away unnecessary details and focuses on essential elements to convey significant senses to the player. Minimalist games prioritize gameplay and storytelling, allowing players to engage with the experience on a deeper level.

Examples are Alto’s Adventure, an endless snowboarding game with minimalist, vector art-style graphics; Super Hexagon, a fast-paced arcade game with minimalist visuals and challenging gameplay; and Limbo, a puzzle-platformer game with minimalist black-and-white visuals.

Hyperrealism: Games Beyond Reality

We’ve also been talking about hyperrealistic art in games before in this article, and we’re totally inspired by this amazing art style. It’s not surprising: hyperrealism bravely blurs the borders between reality and fiction. While working on hyperrealistic games, people should pay huge attention to details, work on realistic light and shadows, and use advanced rendering techniques to simulate the textures, surfaces, and nuances of the real world. Hyperrealistic games are breathtaking, surprising everyone with their stunningly realistic environments, characters, and objects.

Examples are The Last of Us Part II, an action-adventure game that showcases breathtaking attention to detail and lifelike character models; Red Dead Redemption 2, the open-world game that sets a new standard for hyperrealism with its sprawling landscapes, attentively created environments, and lifelike character animations; and Death Stranding, a game with hyperrealistic graphics that bring a surreal and dystopian world to life.

Art Direction and Game Design of Your Style

How game developers can ensure a cohesive outstanding player experience? By prioritizing a seamless integration of art direction and game design. This isn’t an easy process because it involves creating a delicate balance between the visual aesthetics of the game and the functionality of its gameplay mechanics. However, without this balance creating a successful title will be impossible.

This balance is extremely important because art direction and game design are intertwined aspects of game development, each influencing the other. For example, the art style chosen for a game shouldn’t only be visually appealing but also complement the gameplay mechanics. This means that character animations, environmental design, and UI elements should all complement each other, enhancing the gameplay experience and player engagement level.

At the same time, gameplay functionality must remain a top priority for game development studios. While stunning visuals can draw players in, it’s the gameplay mechanics and interactive elements that keep them engaged. Therefore, every artistic decision must consider its impact on gameplay, ensuring that aesthetics don’t come at the expense of functionality.

This is why art directors are so important in this process. They lead the game’s visual direction, guiding artists and designers to create assets that align with the game’s creative vision and technical requirements. Art directors collaborate closely with game designers to ensure that the art style enhances, rather than detracts from, the gameplay experience.

Sounds quite difficult, right? In this case, full-cycle game development outsourcing is a great opportunity to bring a project to life saving time, effort, and money. Outsourcing allows developers to tap into specialized expertise and resources, from concept art and asset creation to programming and quality assurance. By partnering with external teams, developers can streamline the development process, reduce costs, and ensure that the game meets high standards of quality and polish.

Impact of Art Style on Player Experience

The impact of art style on player experience can’t be overstated, as it plays a significant role in shaping how players perceive and interact with a game. In the realm of UX for games, art style is one of the most significant components that directly influences player engagement and enjoyment level.

Good art styles set the tone and atmosphere of a game, conveying its themes, mood, and plot to the players. A well-chosen art style can evoke deep emotions, draw players into the game world, and even change their personality a little bit. For example, a colorful art style can create a sense of wonder and joy in a platformer game, while a dark and gritty art style can easily evoke feelings of tension and suspense in a horror game.

We can also see a parallel with gambling here. Nowadays, the most recent trend in the gambling industry revolves around incorporating visually stunning art styles into online casino games. With advancements in technology and graphics, game developers use hyperrealistic art styles with lifelike environments and engaging characters to totally change the gambling experience and continuously attract and retain players.

Games Awarded for Their Art Style

Of course, game awards aren’t always objective and we shouldn’t judge a game for critical statements until playing it by ourselves. However, there are TOP 3 games that are SO GOOD we don’t even need to check do they have art direction awards or not. We just know they have.

1
Ori and the Blind Forest
The list opens Ori and the Blind Forest game, which won the Art Direction award in 2015. It is a visually stunning platformer developed by Moon Studios. Set in a lush and vibrant forest, the game has hand-painted artwork that creates a magical ethereal atmosphere. The art style blends watercolor backgrounds with outstanding character animations.
2
Ico
The next one is Ico, a minimalist puzzle platformer that won the Art Direction award in 2001. Well-known for its atmospheric art direction and subdued color palette, the game transports players to a hauntingly beautiful castle filled with mystery, lights, and shadows. The art style focuses on simplicity with detailed character animations that evoke a sense of solitude and melancholy. In our opinion, Ico is a prime example of how art direction can elevate a game's storytelling and atmosphere to create a truly unforgettable experience.
3
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Last but not least is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker game which won the Art Direction Award in 2003. It is an action-adventure game that has a cel-shaded art style, combining colorful graphics with expressive character designs. The art style breathes life into the game's vibrant world of islands and oceans, creating an unforgettable sense of adventure and exploration.

Indie Gems: Artistic Triumphs on a Budget

We often work with indie projects so we know they are often skipped by other people and sometimes aren’t even taken seriously. We want to change this situation and share with you TOP-3 indie projects with the most beautiful video game art that will forever change your opinion about indie titles.

1
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a stunningly beautiful Metroidvania game set in a mysterious underground world filled with insects. The hand-drawn art style with unique character designs and atmospheric environments brings the hauntingly beautiful world of Hallownest to life.
2
Gris
GRIS is a breathtaking platformer that tells the story of a young girl dealing with grief and sorrow. The game also has a hand-drawn art style, combined with its evocative use of color and animation, which creates a beautiful and emotionally resonant experience.
3
Lighthoof
Lighthoof is an indie gem with a minimalist art style. Set in a world where light is scarce, players navigate shadowy landscapes and mysterious environments. Through striking silhouettes and clever use of contrast, Lighthoof showcases the ingenuity and creativity of indie game developers.

🔍 Hidden Gems like isometric indie games: These games often contain hidden complexities and innovations that are not immediately apparent.

Art Style in Different Game Genres

Yes, art styles are different for every game genre! While playing many of them, you’ve definitely seen some similarities between games’ designs, and this is it. We’ll tell you about the most popular art style approaches for various genres. Imagine, that it’s your small guide in case you will be an art director in the future ;)

Roguelike

Roguelike’s game art style can be various, but one thing stays the same: it focuses on boosting the strategic part of the game. Intricate character designs, a diversity of objects, and outstanding environments create an amazing mix of everything that players need in the game. Examples: our new action-packed roguelike game Ocean Keeper.

Match-3

Match-3 game art style often features colorful and vibrant designs, with cartoonish graphics and playful animations. Bright colors and simple character designs help to create an accessible experience for players of all ages and skill levels. Examples: Candy Crush Saga, Bejeweled, and Puzzle Quest.

City-Building

The city-building game art style is detailed and often has realistic or stylized representations of buildings, landscapes, and environments. Players can expect to see a variety of architectural styles and landmarks, along with bustling cityscapes and lively citizens. Examples: SimCity, Cities: Skylines, and Banished.

Real-Time Strategy

RTS game art style showcases realistic or fantastical settings depending on the game’s theme. Players enjoy unit designs, mysterious maps with a lot of hidden treasures, and dynamic environments that evolve. Examples: StarCraft, Age of Empires, and Warcraft.

Survival

The post-apocalyptic art style for a survival game typically has gritty and unfriendly settings with detailed environments and realistic character designs. There are rugged landscapes everywhere, depressive weather effects, and atmospheric lights and shadows that totally change the game’s sense of tension. Examples: The Forest, ARK: Survival Evolved, and Subnautica.

Platformer

2D platformer art styles surprise us with colorful and imaginative elements, whimsical character designs, and vibrant environments. So, usually, you can find in platformers fantastical worlds filled with unique obstacles, hazards, and collectibles. Examples: Super Mario Bros., Hollow Knight, and Celeste.

Tower Defense

Tower defense art style is cartoonish, with colorful graphics and charming character designs. We can’t imagine tower defense games without playful animations, quirky tower designs, and whimsical enemy units. Examples: Plants vs. Zombies, Kingdom Rush, and Bloons TD.

RPG

RPG art styles can vary from realistic to stylized, depending on the game’s setting and theme. You can find detailed character designs, unforgettable landscapes, and atmospheric lighting that help to create memorable worlds. Examples: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Final Fantasy series, and The Legend of Zelda series.

Our Case Studies: Art Style from RetroStyle Games

Our team can’t live without various experiences, so we have worked with a bunch of projects from cartoonish and bright Match-3 games to unforgettable fantasy RPGs. Our studio can allow something like this only due to our professional artists who have years of practice and can create something unforgettable for every project. We aren’t those people who scatter words/ To prove our professionalism, we would like to share with you our three favorite projects.

We’ll begin with Clash Royale and Brawl Stars-inspired game Spell Arena: Battle Royale. Clash Royale’s art style is a blend of fantasy, cartoonish design, and various characters and elements on the battlefield. Brawl Stars’ art style also features a variety of cartoonish characters, each with an intriguing and bright design.

Spell Arena: Battle Royale is a mix of them (but more like Clash Royale's art style) with exaggerated features, expressive faces, and colorful appearances.

The next one is a dream room in a stylized style. Bright, colorful, with a lot of interesting elements you want to discover, this is definitely room for our dreams. As you can see, we wanted to create a cozy place with a retro vibe that is on top of the trends right now. And, we think, we did it perfectly ;)

Do you want to scare yourself a little bit?

Because we’re here with art style for realistic zombie games!

However, this project isn’t actually scary.

We would like to say it’s cool and modern. Just look at this realistic bike and armageddon buggy and say you don’t want to have something like that in reality. We would never believe you! With amazing realistic art style, our team can present you with a motorcycle with a lightweight body, but a powerful engine, and a buggy with huge massive tires, sturdy chains, and metal rods that will protect you from enemy attacks. It’s one of the best art styles in the world!

Advanced Technologies and Art Style

In 2024, any game development company can’t work without advanced technologies. So, it’s not a surprise they have significantly influenced the evolution of art styles in gaming, offering artists innovative tools to create visually stunning experiences for their audiences. Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies provide players with hyperrealistic environments, where good art styles can range from minimalist to fantastical, depending on the creative vision of the team. Procedural generation techniques allow for dynamic content creation from breathtaking landscapes to detailed character designs. Additionally, AI-generated art introduces new possibilities for creativity, assisting developers in generating textures, showing new art styles and perspectives, and allows to see content in new proportions.

However, any spoilers! Just continue reading this article.

VR and AR

Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies changed the world of game art styles forever. In VR games, players are transported to fully realized 3D environments, where art styles can range from hyper-realistic to fantastical. On the other hand, AR games overlay digital elements onto the real world, allowing for interactive experiences that blend virtual and physical environments. AR art styles are playful, surreal, and sometimes even educational, integrating seamlessly with the player’s surroundings to create unique experiences.

We can say that VR and AR technologies are pushing the boundaries of game art styles, offering artists and designers unprecedented opportunities to create visually stunning content that redefines the gaming landscape.

Learn More: How Much Does a VR Game Cost

Procedural Generation

Procedural generation is revolutionizing game art styles by offering artists and designers dynamic and diverse content creation tools. Unlike traditional methods where art assets are manually crafted, procedural generation creates game content algorithmically, resulting in endless variation and unique experiences for players.

In terms of game art styles, procedural generation allows for the creation of landscapes, environments, textures, and even characters with unparalleled flexibility and efficiency. This approach helps developers create expansive worlds filled with diverse terrain, flora, and fauna, all without the need for extensive manual design work.

One of the key advantages of procedural generation in game art styles is its ability to enhance replayability. Since content is generated dynamically, players can explore procedurally generated worlds repeatedly, encountering new landscapes, challenges, and surprises with each playthrough. This not only enriches the player experience but also adds longevity to games by offering endless possibilities for exploration and discovery.

AI-Generated Art

One of the key advantages of AI-generated art in game development is its ability to streamline the creative process and reduce the need for manual labor. AI algorithms can generate textures, landscapes, characters, and even entire game worlds based on input data and parameters set by artists. This enables specialists to create vast and detailed game environments quickly and efficiently, saving time and resources.

Furthermore, AI-generated art opens up new possibilities for creativity and innovation in game design. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI algorithms can identify patterns, trends, and styles that human artists may overlook. This allows artists and designers to explore new artistic directions and experiment with unconventional art styles, resulting in games that push the boundaries of visual storytelling.

Industry Insights and Expert Opinions

“Art style is form. Sometimes it is a decorative form and has no function other than to give pleasure to the eye. Often it is an expressive form, related to conceptual content, to meaning. It is always abstract; but like a gesture or tone of voice it has the power to command and hold attention, to create symbols, to clarify ideas”.

This is the quote of art director and designer Leo Lionni who highlights the importance of art style in design. And we agree with him! Working on art style is a complex process that requires a lot of experience, patience, and attention to detail. This is a key to success in this field. Learn and discover new things, and your approach to art style will be the best in this world!

Recap of Key Points

Games are created by diverse individuals with unique visions and ideas, leading to a wide array of art styles within the gaming industry.
Classic art style games, whether pixel art or hand-drawn, offer timeless masterpieces in the gaming world, paying homage to renowned artists and art movements of the past.
Pixel art games like Stardew Valley and Celeste evoke emotion and nostalgia through their retro-inspired visuals, enhancing the games’ cozy atmospheres and storytelling.
Games with 2D animation styles, such as Allied Spies and Earthworm Jim, demonstrate the charm of classic 2D animation in gaming.
Fantasy realism games like The Witcher 3 and Horizon Zero Dawn blend lifelike graphics with imaginative worlds, offering players breathtaking landscapes and enchanting adventures.
Casual art style games encompass various subgenres such as cartoon, hypercasual, vector, and minimalist, catering to players of all ages and skill levels.
The role of art directors is crucial in balancing art/design with gameplay/functionality, ensuring that aesthetics enhance, rather than detract from, the gaming experience.
Advanced technologies like VR/AR, procedural generation, and AI-generated art are reshaping game art styles, offering innovative tools and techniques for creating visually stunning gaming experiences.

The Best Classic Art Style Games

Pixel Art Games

Games with 2D Animation Styles

Hand-Drawn Art Games

Games With the Best Photorealistic Graphics

The Best Casual Art Style Games

Cartoon Style Games

Hypercasual Style Games

Vector Art Games

Minimalist Art Games

Paper Craft Style Games