I'm tired of pixel games

[Strawberry]

Best case scenario is I'm going to polarize the community, worst-case scenario turn you all against me

Anyway, anyone else feeling really tired of the pixel and 1990-2010 visual type games?
It seems to be "the shit" in the past 3-4 years. Indie game companies pushing those pixelated games and people swallowing them as if it's the year 1995.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think they are bad games. But I'm tired of wanting to play something cool but it looks like shit.
It's almost 2021, I don't want to play games that look like crap.
There are options of course, but my favorite genres, MMORPG and top-down RPGs are the ones that are hit most.

This is why I support games like Wolcen and New World.
Wolcen is.... lacking, to say the least, compared to other options. But you can't deny the game looks absolutely fantastic for an ARPG game.
New World looks good, but is it a good game? Probably not, at least not at its release. But it looks miles better than other MMORPGs. Sorry WoW, you look good for a 15-year-old game, but those blurry stretched out textures should have died 5 years ago. It's time for a new game and I want World of Starcraft!

Pixel games are something we all accepted 20+ years ago. There are finished engines out there like Unreal Engine which is FREE. So why are we dealing with pixelated bullshit today? Lazy developers?

[Toybox]

Designing a 2D sprite is a lot less time consuming than a fully 3D model, which is a big deal for indie devs especially.

I can't say I care in the slightest. Celeste & Touhou Luna Nights are both miles above pretty much every AAA game with super duper graphics I've played in recent years

[StillMcfuu]

Do you mean games that look like this?



Much like any art direction, it depends on how it's used and the context. It looks fantastic in same games, such as above, and awful in others.

[MatPandaZ]

Best case scenario is I'm going to polarize the community, worst-case scenario turn you all against me

Anyway, anyone else feeling really tired of the pixel and 1990-2010 visual type games?
It seems to be "the shit" in the past 3-4 years. Indie game companies pushing those pixelated games and people swallowing them as if it's the year 1995.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think they are bad games. But I'm tired of wanting to play something cool but it looks like shit.
It's almost 2021, I don't want to play games that look like crap.
There are options of course, but my favorite genres, MMORPG and top-down RPGs are the ones that are hit most.

This is why I support games like Wolcen and New World.
Wolcen is.... lacking, to say the least, compared to other options. But you can't deny the game looks absolutely fantastic for an ARPG game.
New World looks good, but is it a good game? Probably not, at least not at its release. But it looks miles better than other MMORPGs. Sorry WoW, you look good for a 15-year-old game, but those blurry stretched out textures should have died 5 years ago. It's time for a new game and I want World of Starcraft!

Pixel games are something we all accepted 20+ years ago. There are finished engines out there like Unreal Engine which is FREE. So why are we dealing with pixelated bullshit today? Lazy developers?

It's not lazy developers. It's a mix of a breakthrough allowing indie developers to really get the attention their games deserve, and a direct response to the previous 'generation' of AAA games that focused purely on graphics and didn't bother with good game mechanics.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

If you're tired of pixel games, stop looking at pixel games. They aren't the only non-AAA games being made.

I think it's a combination of things.

When it comes to indie development, there is a reason why there are a lot of pixel games.

• Millenials who played pixel games in their childhood grew up and wanted to make games like the ones they played when they were a kid.

• A 2D pixel game is relatively easy for a single person or a small team to make.

When it comes to being noticed

• Pixel games are relatively easy to make to look beautiful, so they get A LOT of traction and coverage in the mainstream press. Compare that to 3D games, which takes a huge amount of effort and polish on the part of the developers to get into a passable state, let alone something that looks amazing enough to get a lot of traction for just its visuals.

• Millenials now dominate the mainstream press and make up the bulk of people who spend money on games, and since they grew up with pixel games, it resonates with them more, thus pixel games get promoted more often over other games.

[Video Games]

I'm not tired of pixel games because pixel art can be top tier, but im tired of the same generes over and over. We need more xenogears/bof4 likes

[Ealyssa]

Then don't play them ?
It's ok to not like every single game releasing. No point being a dick about it...

[Relapses]

It's a style. You're free to dislike the art style but it's not like pixel games are taking over the world or something. You may as well have titled this thread, "I dislike indie films and would prefer if Hollywood only released Marvel movies from now on."

[Super Kami Dende]

I only care if a Game is fun. I couldn't give a shit about its art style whether its full 3d or Pixel.

[Tarx]

There many others non pixel indie games. But the pixel games bring back good memories from the past. When we were young and enjoy every moment.

[Biggles Worth]

I've had so many more hours of actual genuine fun and good times with these indie pixel games than any AAA title in the last 13 years.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Killing a cash cow and putting out a new MMORPG in this day and age because there are outdated textures from old content and unpolished customization, would be downright retarded.

Have fun in New World. Looks before substance is a thing.

And I've never bothered with new pixel games, because my eyes can't handle them without experiencing eye strain.

[Scynfullone]

Best case scenario is I'm going to polarize the community, worst-case scenario turn you all against me

Anyway, anyone else feeling really tired of the pixel and 1990-2010 visual type games?
It seems to be "the shit" in the past 3-4 years. Indie game companies pushing those pixelated games and people swallowing them as if it's the year 1995.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think they are bad games. But I'm tired of wanting to play something cool but it looks like shit.
It's almost 2021, I don't want to play games that look like crap.
There are options of course, but my favorite genres, MMORPG and top-down RPGs are the ones that are hit most.

This is why I support games like Wolcen and New World.
Wolcen is.... lacking, to say the least, compared to other options. But you can't deny the game looks absolutely fantastic for an ARPG game.
New World looks good, but is it a good game? Probably not, at least not at its release. But it looks miles better than other MMORPGs. Sorry WoW, you look good for a 15-year-old game, but those blurry stretched out textures should have died 5 years ago. It's time for a new game and I want World of Starcraft!

Pixel games are something we all accepted 20+ years ago. There are finished engines out there like Unreal Engine which is FREE. So why are we dealing with pixelated bullshit today? Lazy developers?

Unreal engine is free unless you plan to release a product and make money from it. Not knowing this just proves your ignorance to the design behind games. Next!

[XDurionX]

Tbh it doesn't help your point that much citing New World and Wolcen....

[Utrrabbit]

Best case scenario is I'm going to polarize the community, worst-case scenario turn you all against me

Anyway, anyone else feeling really tired of the pixel and 1990-2010 visual type games?
It seems to be "the shit" in the past 3-4 years. Indie game companies pushing those pixelated games and people swallowing them as if it's the year 1995.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think they are bad games. But I'm tired of wanting to play something cool but it looks like shit.
It's almost 2021, I don't want to play games that look like crap.
There are options of course, but my favorite genres, MMORPG and top-down RPGs are the ones that are hit most.

This is why I support games like Wolcen and New World.
Wolcen is.... lacking, to say the least, compared to other options. But you can't deny the game looks absolutely fantastic for an ARPG game.
New World looks good, but is it a good game? Probably not, at least not at its release. But it looks miles better than other MMORPGs. Sorry WoW, you look good for a 15-year-old game, but those blurry stretched out textures should have died 5 years ago. It's time for a new game and I want World of Starcraft!

Pixel games are something we all accepted 20+ years ago. There are finished engines out there like Unreal Engine which is FREE. So why are we dealing with pixelated bullshit today? Lazy developers?

Those games do look cool. Infact they look better than 99% of those graphic intense games. Just cause a game is 3D does not mean it lools good. Both those games you mention look like dog sh*t to me. Just because they have hi def graphics does not make them visually good.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

I'll take substance over appearance any day. I'm tired of games that look pretty, but are devoid of decent systems design and enjoyable gameplay.

[Adam Jensen]

What's the point of this thread?

If you don't like a style of games, don't play it.

[dunkl]

I actually like older video game art than newer stuff. while people go cray over cypunk and deatstanding I think they look bad and off-putting - there's just something unappealing about them visually and graphically. while games like those seem to do what they can to immerse the player, the opposite is done for me, and most of the art jars me out of the experience.

I think older developers knew to use cute or simplified or animation-inspired characters, art, and worlds; xenosaga, ff10 and prior, tekken, cuter zelda art, pokemon, etc, because using those styles completes the world in which the game takes place, and feels right, like a good story where everything fits, and doesn't try to do what it's not supposed to - be super realistic. I think most developers knew they couldn't go super realistic so they didn't try, but also knew that their story's world shouldn't be super realistic anyway, and so they went the extra mile to develop an originally art style for their game world, which I appreciate and it totally draws you in and it does justice to the game, world, story, characters, etc. most game worlds deserve to have their own unique appearance and art and music, etc, and if the games like today which go super realistic had their own style instead of realistic, it'd show the creators cared. but they don't. they don't or else they'd give their game worlds their own unique look and feel and not not try to force realism. since no game has come close to looking real, they shouldn't try, it's disingenuous to the game world, characters, story, music, ect, and to us players. we won't have fond memories of realistic games, we will have fond memories of games that capture out hearts and minds and gave us full experiences.

while I love all the ff games, after 10 kind of feels like they lost the magic and charm, and went in a direction that is both too realistic, yet failing to produce actual realistic, so the concepts and designs and overall appearances come off as not knowing what it wants; does it want anime-esque models and animations, or does it want realism? neither is achieved and the result is something forgettable. sorry but even though ff9 was somewhat pixely, they had/have a complete world built using a completely original style for that entire; game, music, art, animations, etc. it's memorable and for most who play it, meaningful - it's an entire experience. while I've played all ff games before and after, the ones after 9-10 are bland and boring and visually there's nothing that says to me the company cared about creating a world; which is sad because their worlds were fully realized in all the previous games.

I like nintendo a lot but even their mascot characters look so polished now that they sort of lose their charm. that's just a nitpick and I still love them all, but when the art and style and presentation of characters and landscapes and menus and backgrounds and even simpler music, becomes so fine tuned that nothing is left for the imagination to fill in gaps, they become less memorable and less meaningful, to me, and so most of the super nintendo-gamecube games, or playstation 2 ish era games, and of course dreamcast, have more special places in my heart and mind due to the connection I formed with those games and worlds and art styles by me becoming part of those experiences by subconsciously using my imagination to fill in 'gaps' or 'less polished' look.

most who played on older consoles won't remember the less realistic visuals, they'll just feel fondly about their experiences, and in their heart they have a stronger connection to those consoles and games so much that looking at pictures now you might not believe how clunky some of them looked, yet you had a better time playing those games than a more fully polished game today that leaves nothing for your imagination and barely gives you a memorable experience, since the game is basically it's own complete experience whether you play it or not.

xenosaga, the first one, had that because graphically it was very pleasant to look at yet still a little rough around the edges wchich allowed the player to fil in the gaps and appreciate what the appearance was accomplishing. not everything has to be 100% complete for the player to be able to experience something - sometimes the lack of completeness, here and there, allowing the player to finish the graphics and meet the creators the rest of the way by using our imagination, not only completes the game bu strengthens it. for instance, in ff8 or in super mario sunshine, there were areas where the sunlight would land on rocks but you'd still see the texture of the rock as if it weren't lit, or, you'd have to use yoru own imagination to round out rough edged graphics, etc. mari 64 is pretty darn rough to look at but the mind naturally smooths out everything and in that process you're sort of symbiosesing with the game and making it more complete, usually without thinking, therefore the lack in less polished games actually invites the player to participate and the player unknowingly forms a stronger bond and better memories with it - because you are using your own mind, subconsciously, to create an eve more polished world and focus more on the story and characters and music and art and everything because it's not all done fore you.

seems like the newer games try to do all the work and experiencing for you, which leaves little for your mind to connect with. they also fail to achieve immersion, by trying to be too realistic and never, ever, landing it. that's why I prefer games with more charm and less 'polish' because they truly invite you in, intentionally or not, with their style, while your mind fills in the rest while enjoying the experience - creating memories and fondness and meaningfulness.

[Shakzor]

The thing you'll notice for pixel art games, is that they're often made by a single person or a team of 2-5 people, since it's a lot less expensive and if well done, will still look good in 30 years.
I mean games like CrossCode, Stardew Valley, One Step From Eden or Owlboy seem like they could've been made in the 80s-90s, yet still look good in comparison to games that went for a realistic 3D approach, like Tomb Raider, FF7 or Golden Eye

The indie games that go with graphics like Wolcen are already bigger than a few others combined. Money is a big issue and not every dev (team) can afford current 3D graphics or maybe don't have people (yet) that can do it good.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Yeah they aren't for me but the example Mcfuu put up is decent enough(IMO).