The gaming industry is massive, and is packed with plenty of variations for people to explore. If you find something that you do not particularly like in one game, you should be able to track down another that offers you an experience more akin to what you are searching for. A big deciding factor in the type of game that you choose can often be the art style. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular art styles you might come across in gaming.

Realistic

Realistic games try to bring things to life in a manner that is as true to the real world as possible. While there still might be a degree of stylisation to this, everything should be as realistic as can be.

Of course, the more resources that we are able to dedicate to game development and computing power, the more realistic we can choose to make games. Old classics that were once touted as having cutting-edge graphics now look very blocky and out-dated, especially when compared to some of the sleek new titles we can see today. Though they can quickly look out-dated, realistic often still hold a special place in their players’ hearts.

Cartoon

Games with more of a cartoon theme are also very popular. This can be hard to categorise, as you could basically describe any game that does not use realistic graphics as a cartoon one. Therefore, it can be better to describe cartoon games as ones with highly stylised themes.

From online slots to classic platformers and more, you will be able to find cartoon games everywhere. Each studio has its own neat little take on the genre, and it has helped to create some of the most iconic characters in video game history.

Manga

As a subgenre of cartoon games, we must also consider manga. This is an art style from Japan that is very popular among certain games and markets. Though it is easy to categorise manga games as all looking the same, there are some variations in the art styles depending on the genre. It is also possible to track the evolution of these art styles, particularly as manga and anime grew in popularity in the West.

Manga is very distinctive, and it can make for some fantastic games. Though it is not a genre for everyone, trying a few games based in this style will give you some appreciation for the differences in the artwork and the vibe of the games overall.

If you are finding yourself bored with a lot of the games you are playing, try playing one with a different style of artwork than you would typically go for. It is such a difference on the eyes that you might not even notice similar motifs and mechanics since the game feels that bit much different. These are the three main ways to categorise video game art styles, but there is still an awful lot to explore within them!

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay