Seven distinctive visual styles to ponder for your forthcoming game creation
In the world of video games, art has come a long way since the days of 256x192-pixel resolution and 15 colours on the ZX Spectrum. Today, we witness an array of captivating visuals that rival the real world, thanks to the advancements in technology and the creativity of game artists.
Game art has evolved to encompass various styles, each with its unique charm and purpose. One such style is vector graphics, which, due to their small file sizes, are popular in light mobile games, providing fast loading times and better performance. Vector game art uses mathematical equations to define shapes, lines, and colours, making it flexible for different screen sizes and resolutions. Games like Monument Valley and Castle Crashers are prime examples of this style.
Another notable style is pixel art, a throwback to the golden age of early video games. This style uses a grid of blocks in limited colours to create a distinctive pixelated look. Contemporary games like Hyper Light Drifter continue to embrace this style, offering a nostalgic yet modern gaming experience.
3D realism is another popular game art style, often seen in AAA games like Call of Duty and The Last of Us. It aims to create virtual environments and characters that closely resemble the physics of the real world. With the advent of software like Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 combined with 3D scanning and mocap technology, 3D realism is becoming more accessible to indie developers.
Unreal Engine 5 is fast becoming the most popular engine for 3D games, but Unity is also an option for game development. For modeling and animation, software like Maya, 3ds Max, and Blender can be used.
Stylized realism, a blend of realistic elements with exaggerated or imaginative features, is another popular choice. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are great examples of this style, which overlaps with realistic 3D in terms of the software used but employs custom shaders in game engines to achieve the unique look.
Cartoon/Cel-Shading, with its bright, bold colours and pronounced outlines, is another style that has found a place in the gaming world. Games like Fortnite showcase this style, which artists often create using tools like Blender, Maya, or 2D tools, with cel-shading implemented in engines like Unity or Unreal.
Lastly, monochromatic (black-and-white) visuals use limited colour palettes to create mood and depth, as seen in games like Limbo. This style can be achieved with varied approaches, using 2D drawing tools and game engines that support stylized shading and effects.
In summary, the most popular game art styles range from ultra-realistic 3D modeling and texturing to stylized and cartoonish 3D, pixel art, monochromatic visuals, and low-poly aesthetics. Each style has its unique software and tools, integrated into real-time engines like Unreal Engine and Unity, offering game developers a rich palette to create immersive and engaging gaming experiences.
- A game artist's creativity is showcased in the unique charm of various game art styles, such as vector graphics, as demonstrated in Monument Valley and Castle Crashers.
- Pixel art, a style rooted in the early days of video games, continues to be used in contemporary games like Hyper Light Drifter, offering a nostalgic yet modern gaming experience.
- 3D realism, featuring virtual environments that closely resemble the physics of the real world, is prominent in AAA games like Call of Duty and The Last of Us, and is becoming more accessible with software like Unreal Engine 5 and 3D scanning technology.
- Unreal Engine 5 is becoming increasingly popular for 3D games, but Unity is also an option for game development.
- For modeling and animation, software like Maya, 3ds Max, and Blender can be utilized.
- Stylized realism, which blends realistic elements with exaggerated or imaginative features, is a popular choice, with games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild exemplifying this style.
- Fortnite showcases the popular cartoon/Cel-Shading style, a technique often created using tools like Blender, Maya, or 2D tools, with cel-shading implemented in engines like Unity or Unreal.
- Limited colour palettes are used in monochromatic (black-and-white) visuals, as seen in games like Limbo, to create mood and depth.
- Game designers may use 2D drawing tools and game engines that support stylized shading and effects to achieve monochromatic visuals.
- Technology, including software like Adobe's Photoshop and graphic design tools, gadgets, and artificial intelligence, plays a significant role in the development and evolution of game art, enabling game artists to create captivating visuals that rival the real world.
