What type of graphics do you prefer in video games? Why?

[Pull My Finger]

The ones that can't be labeled and stereotyped like this thread attempts ...

I like things with a distinct style, and I expect games to have some sort of art style and deliberate aesthetic direction to begin with. That, surprisingly, isn't even the case all that often.

I can more easily say what I generally don't like: anything that tries to look realistic or even hyper-realistic. Apart from the fact that it's the most boring thing I can think of, it always ends up looking incredibly silly and off-putting, because UNCANNY VALLEY CUDGEL in your FACE.

Oh, and anything Anime makes my flesh creep and my blood boil in rage.

[Afrospinach]

Don't have a preference as such, but I don't like when games prioritize "realism" to the point where it's just ugly and cluttered. Graphics should be "clean" enough that you can easily tell what's going on, rather than straining your eyes.

That is me more or less.

Realistic graphics also age terribly.

I really appreciate an interesting art style over a realism. Realism is kind of lazy and can often hamper function but it can also be rather striking at times.

[Rukh]

Auto Modellista:



Game came out freaking 14 years ago, but it still looks pretty K' because they went with an animated style.

Animated style works great for anime, I've wondered why more games don't use it.

[Lotus Victoria]

2D Anime, like Castle: SOTN.

[Deleted]

I don't have a specific preference, it really depends on ow it's executed and to what game it applies.
For RPG for example Pillars of Eternity/Baldur's Gate 2 > NWN

[Simulacrum]

Depends entirely on the game, but generally I tend to prefer it when things are more stylized, as long as the style is well-executed. Stylized artstyles have a lot more freedom to communicate the messages of the game than artstyles that aim for realism do.

Take WoW for example. Its models have all kinds of fucked up proportions and movements, but it also makes everything really stand out. I haven't played very many MMOs where you can at a glance tell what another character is doing just by looking at their character's animations, even when fully zoomed out and looking at them in the middle of a bunch of other characters. I've played a couple of games where the the models have had such indistinct animations that, when playing as a caster, I would barely have been able to tell if I was actually casting a spell or not if it hadn't been for the castbar, nevermind tell what the other characters were doing.

[Deleted]

I voted for "other". It depends on the game and the genre. I think a horror game with cartoony graphics wouldn't do it for me. But for the most part I don't care that much. Better graphics are nice, but other parts of games are much more important - e.g. gameplay, world/story, etc.

[wariofan1]

It depends on the type of game, for example for platformers I'd prefer cartoony graphics where as for first-person adventure games I feel realistic graphics fit best. Overall I'd probably lean towards cartoony graphics, it's just easier on the eye.

[Aeula]

Doesn't matter too much to me. If it's a 3D game I like a good view distance so that I can look at all the pretty pixel landscapes, that's it. Bonus points if it lets me zoom in to first person (Even if it's just to look around and not to fight in). Beyond that the graphics can be anywhere from unmodded morrowind to heavily modded skyrim. They don't matter that much to me.

[Ciddy]

Depends on the game. I usually prefer the cartoon/realism hybrid though.

[Keile]

Doesn't matter too much to me. If it's a 3D game I like a good view distance so that I can look at all the pretty pixel landscapes, that's it. Bonus points if it lets me zoom in to first person (Even if it's just to look around and not to fight in). Beyond that the graphics can be anywhere from unmodded morrowind to heavily modded skyrim. They don't matter that much to me.

You'd love Xenoblade, then. It has a pretty damn large view distance, and some amazing landscapes.

[Packing an i5]

I voted realistic. My least favorite would be stylized stylism used for swtor because of the hero engine.

[Deleted]

Prefer?

I prefer anything but attempts at photorealism.
However, I would never want devs to stop attempting photorealism, as they're the only thing keeping the consumer PC market alive at this point.

[Katchii]

I like WoWs style, but I also like a lot of other games style.

I prefer stylized games with cohesive themes.

But anything that doesn't look too goofy is fine, Wildstar was borderline.

[Xargoth6634]

Depends on the game. I like the degree of realism in games like Far Cry and Betrayer...they seem to have a good balance. I really dislike cell shading, it was one of many reasons I hate the Borderlands games.

[dixincide]

i really like when games switch things up. Like when a game has a cell shaded cartoony style but has really dark themes to the story
like this:
https://youtu.be/s4zbQh9dUEk

[Lightwysh]

If it fits or compliments the theme of the game. I don't have a style I prefer, I don't want super realistic fantasy characters, they should be fun.

[Sencha]

How do you categorize Divinity: Original Sin graphics, pc version?

[WskyDK]

Anything that keeps me out of the uncanny valley.

[kultivation]

Like others have said, it really depends on the game, but I will say that cel-shaded graphics are usually the most pleasing to me.