Visual Styles of Games

Visual Styles of Games

What are visual styles?

There are different visual styles in video games. In other words its the type of gaming graphics used in the game to present the type of game it is. For example, the developers of a game may want the game to be realistic or they may want it to be cartoon like.

 

Cel-Shaded

Cel-shading is a non-photorealistic rendering style making the video game graphics appear hand drawn or cartoony. This style is generally used in Japanese developed games. This style is quite new. The first cel-shaded computer game came out in the twenty-first century. In comparison to other games, it has a very simplistic style. In these games, the game is most-likely based on a comic book that previously came out before the game was even thought of. The ways of telling that it is a cel-shaded game is that it has feint outlines around each object in the game. Bright vibrant colours is another stereotype of cel-shaded games. Examples of cel-shaded games are, Dragonball Z, Naruto and Afro Samurai.



Dragonball Z - A cel-shaded game 

Photorealism

In photorealism games the game developers try to emulate a realistic game with 3D mesh, whether its fictional or nonfictional. This is tremendously hard to make and requires a highly skilled artist to get the scaling, textures, models and various other things to get the art side if the video game correct. It is also very time consuming. It requires powerful hardware to render the finished product. One of the reasons to why developers use photorealism is to simulate a cinematic realistic experience for the gamer. Examples of games that use this style are, Crysis 3, Max Payne and GTA.

 

GTA 5 - A photorealism game

 

Exaggerated

Exaggerated games are kind of based on photorealism games. The arts that are produced in the game are realistic but have been enhanced and heavily done to make it exaggerated. There are a lot of Japanese developed games that use the exaggerated visual style to make their games interesting to their target audience. One example of this is Tekken. Tekken includes many exaggerated fighting moves, weapons and even hairstyles. Some western games use exaggerated visual style including Batman: Arkham City and Devil May Cry.



Devil May Cry - An exaggerated game

Abstract

This is probably one of the most unique visual styles of gaming. This style is nothing in comparison to others, meaning they are nothing alike. They are usually made up of geometrical shapes and generally don't acquire much skill when playing them. A typical abstract game would use vivid colours although some do use subtle colours to make you feel relaxed. Examples of abstract games are Tetris, Child of Eden and Katamari series.  

Tetris - An abstract game

 

Military

There are many examples of video games that have a military visual style. In a typical military game it will be in first person and will simulate a realistic simulation of what is like to fight on a battlefield. In many ways military games are similar to photo-realism although it has its own separate category because of how unique it is in textures wise. You know when your playing a military game, mostly likely because the textures stand out to their own unique style. Examples of military games are Call of Duty series and Battlefield series.

Battlefield 4 - A military game

 

Rockstar

Rockstar have their own unique visual style in computer games. For example the textures in their games are very similar and once you have played one they all become the same underneath. For example, Max Payne 3 have similarities to their GTA series. All of their games involve crime and have a similar style whilst playing them. Rockstar are a well-like company that make games such as GTA series, Max Payne series, Red Dead series, Bully series and LA Noire.

Max Payne 3 - A Rockstar produced game

2 Dimensional

 

A 2D game is very simplistic. Usually they don't really take much skill, although they can still be as fun and addicting to any other game. Furthermore 2D games don't really have going on in the way of what you can do. Some if the first games created are 2D, for example Pong and Space invaders which were hugely popular when they first cam out.

Space Invaders - A 2D game