As a gamer, I crave an immersive and hyper-realistic gaming experience that transports me into another world. The graphics need to be stunningly realistic, the user interface should feel seamless and intuitive, the movement mechanics should have a sense of weight and gravity, the acting must be believable enough to win an Oscar, and even the color palette within the game needs to mirror reality for maximum immersion.
In other words, while a game might have an appealing appearance and sound quality, it doesn’t necessarily mean the game is excellent. There are games that can be outstanding even if they don’t focus heavily on realism.
For the first time, I’ve delved into the original Red Dead Redemption game with a new perspective. As a child, I merely roamed around taking lives, but now, the experience is starkly contrasted to Red Dead Redemption 2.
I’ve discovered that the initial Red Dead Redemption stands out as a brilliant example of a stylish video game, and I wish more games would follow suit, deviating from the pursuit of extreme realism. In truth, games that prioritize style tend to surpass those that strive for photorealism.
Stylized Games Have a Distinct Soul
Remaining Vivid in Memories
In many video games, a focus on aesthetics over realism is rare, with developers frequently toning down stylistic elements to create a more lifelike experience – take Detroit: Become Human and Assassin’s Creed as examples. For these types of games, the style tends to serve only an aesthetic purpose, rather than being integral to the gameplay mechanics or world-building, which can make the stylization feel more like a decorative touch than a meaningful aspect.
Persona 5 and Journey exemplify the artful integration of style throughout their gameplay, in stark contrast to many other game developers who excessively prioritize “realism” to the detriment of overall effect.
The quest for complete immersion becomes counterproductive…
Despite my strong affection for Red Dead Redemption 2, its gameplay was exceptionally sluggish, making it frustratingly hard to grasp (and even more challenging when I had to reacquaint myself with the controls after playing other games). This slow pace eventually robbed it of a genuine feel, and the pursuit of total immersion seemed self-defeating under these circumstances.
Unique among games are those that are stylized, often fondly remembered due to their innovative methods for creating immersion. For instance, the original Red Dead Redemption aimed to provide a gaming experience akin to watching an American Western movie, and it achieved this exceptionally well thanks to its design and gameplay mechanics.
As a gamer, I find myself immersed in an experience that transforms me into a lone gunman akin to Clint Eastwood. The Dead Eye mechanic empowers me as the quickest marksman in the Wild West. Unlike its more realistic counterpart, this game maintains the iconic tropes and dialogue reminiscent of those classic Western films, instead of adopting the grittier, grounded dialogues seen in later installments.
In this project, while visual elements were taken into account, it’s apparent that they didn’t take precedence over the user interface or audio aspects. Essentially, this production prioritized its narrative and gameplay experience above graphical details. This approach, unique in a video game context, greatly enhanced the overall experience for players.
Consequently, Red Dead Redemption established an unique identity all its own, independent of the sequel in terms of presentation. Nowadays, merely mentioning the game stirs a specific style in players’ minds, demonstrating just how influential this style has become for gamers.
It’s clear that RDR isn’t unique in its artistic style, as previously discussed. When people think of Journey, they envision vast sand dunes bathed in golden light. They recall the sensation of floating with each leap and the chills that ran down their spine when they first heard Apotheosis. The game may not be realistic in any conventional sense, except for its natural backdrop, but this is more than enough to captivate players because it’s all about the experience.
In other words, it’s more appropriate for stylized games to have more time in development because the ‘uncanny valley’ effect isn’t as significant when realism isn’t the primary focus of the game.
The process of immersing oneself into a game is just as much an adventure as the mechanics themselves, and it can be quite challenging, particularly because we’re aware of what to anticipate. We know what appears real, what sounds real, what feels real – and what isn’t. This is due to the fact that we inhabit the actual world, giving us a clear benchmark for spotting elements that might disrupt our immersion, unlike in games with a stylized aesthetic.
As technology advances and graphics become increasingly lifelike, players often scrutinize hyper-realistic games with a discerning eye. The “uncanny valley” effect, which occurs when something looks almost human but not quite, is less likely to be experienced in stylized games compared to realistic ones. Over time, stylized games are more likely to be appreciated because the uncanny valley, a phenomenon that arises from our expectation of realism, isn’t as relevant when realism isn’t the main focus.
To be fully engrossed in a game, it doesn’t always require hyper-realism. These instances serve as clear evidence that even the most fantastical experiences can deliver an unforgettable immersion.
It Doesn’t Have to Be Ultra-Realistic
It Just Has to Be Relatable
As a dedicated gamer, let’s pause our gaming journey for a moment and draw inspiration from the world of animation. Just like Hayao Miyazaki, the brilliant mind behind Studio Ghibli, I’ve been reflecting on some fundamental lessons he shared in his book, “Starting Point,” based on his remarkable career in animation.
In the Beginning, Miyazaki offers advice that every author, artist involved in animation, and tale-spinner ought to internalize deeply. This piece of wisdom provides a solid base for maintaining a narrative while preserving its unique style.
Miyazaki asserted that although anime often portrays fictional realms, he maintains that it should carry an underlying sense of authenticity. In other words, the artistry involved in animation lies in creating a fabricated truth that appears so genuine to viewers that they might question if the depicted world could potentially be real.
Instead of requiring authenticity, what matters is creating a sense of reality, which is far more straightforward than meticulously adding each skin cell to a character model. The setting should simply resonate with life, tapping into emotions we experience daily – something that stylized games can effectively convey. In these games, the essence of life isn’t depicted through graphics, but by the intricate world-building and gameplay mechanics themselves.
Let’s examine another captivating example: Okami, set in a fictionalized Feudal Japan-like world. Although I have visited Japan and learned its history, none of us have lived during the Sengoku Period. However, despite the possibility that Okami may be historically inaccurate, it doesn’t feel that way as we delve deeper into the narrative.
As long as a story’s plot and its characters seem authentic and familiar, like the people we encounter daily, the quality of the visuals becomes almost irrelevant.
In this production, the personalities and plot are crucial in delivering an authentic feel without excessively spending on visual effects. Undertale is a fantastic demonstration of this balance; it boasts a deeply engaging cast of characters and a captivating narrative that rival each other in complexity. Remarkably, its art was created using MS Paint, yet it remains one of the most impactful games from the 2010s. The audience’s adoration for the characters and story came first, followed by appreciation for gameplay, and lastly, the graphics.
As a passionate admirer, I’d like to highlight how masterfully Undertale harmonizes its mechanics with its plot and characters. The gameplay offers a unique choice: either embrace the Pacifist approach or embark on a Genocide route, each dramatically altering the game world as you progress. The Genocide Run stands out, creating an atmosphere where monsters cower in fear of me, their disdain mirrored by several characters as I traverse a desolate landscape that seems to be my own doing.
In a more conversational style, it could be rephrased like this: A game that felt astonishingly authentic, even surpassing any Call of Duty title, wasn’t about its visuals. Instead, what truly matters is if the narrative and characters resonate and seem as genuine as the people in our everyday lives. The graphics then become secondary.
We Need More Games with Style
A Breath of Fresh Air From Realism
It’s a pity that many contemporary games which focus more on style tend to be independent productions, often going unnoticed and not receiving the recognition they deserve. These games are frequently overshadowed by the AAA industry’s emphasis on hyper-realism, which can be disheartening – more so when you consider the innovative concepts in these AAA titles that might have been discarded for the sake of prioritizing hyper-realism over creativity.
It’s important to have more games that stand out by having their own distinct identity and style, instead of being carbon copies of popular trends. A game doesn’t necessarily need stunning graphics to provide an engaging and immersive experience; it can be achieved without putting excessive pressure on developers during crunch time to perfect the visuals.
Currently, we find ourselves immersed in a period of gaming where remakes, remasters, re-releases, and other re-branded versions dominate. The originality in media seems to be gradually suffocating, and I strongly feel that an overemphasis on hyper-realism might be partially responsible for this – isn’t it ironic that so many stories have gone untold simply because they weren’t deemed “realistic enough”? Instead, games that prioritize style tend to resonate more deeply with our emotions rather than stimulating our logical faculties. Perhaps the primary reason we play video games is precisely for this emotional connection, for becoming part of a narrative, for escaping into a fresh realm.
These games offer a refreshing change for both veterans and novices, providing immersive experiences that let players dive deep into the game’s universe and its intricacies. Ultimately, though, the final outcome relies on the creativity and vision of the game developers.
I just wish that vision wasn’t exclusive to realism.
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2025-06-02 16:12