Does art style matter to you in video games?

[Yanrima~]

For me it is, art style can make a huge impact on the gaming experience especially with the visuals (UI, overall art style, theme, etc.)

And art style can enhance the game's atmosphere too. Art styles can also convey the overall theme of the game and immerses the player to the game itself. It's one of the reasons why I'm mostly picky with games when it comes to expanding the game library. If the game has an appealing or unique art style, I might buy or get in to it.

And I'm interested in hearing your thoughts about the matter: does art style matter in video games?

 

[wrenbow]

It's quite important to me. I don't think I'd buy a game just for the art style if the rest of the substance wasn't there, but if an otherwise good game looks bad then I'm a lot less likely to enjoy it or want to play it. That's not to say I won't play anything like that, but visuals do play a big part in my enjoyment of a game.

That said, it doesn't have to be an objectively beautiful game for me to like it. I personally really like the look of older graphics that are considered outdated now if they're done a certain way, but I'm not really a fan of the more realistic styles that have been popular for a while. I agree that a lot of it is about atmosphere.

 

[.: Meri :.]

I'd say it does! I can overlook an art style that I don't totally love if the rest of the game is really appealing to me, but I've definitely been put-off by art styles that I just... don't like to look at. I'm also not really a fan of hyper-realistic graphics in games; I much prefer a more stylized look (which I think ages a lot better anyway).

Oddly, I know art style is a very big thing for a lot of otome gamers, which is completely understandable given the high focus on the art in otome VNs, but I find it's fairly low on my priority list when it comes to those kinds of games. As long as it's decent quality, I'm good. Maybe I'll get pickier if the English market ever becomes truly flooded with titles to choose from, but otherwise it doesn't really factor in to whether or not I get an otome unless it's veryyy rough around the edges.

 

[Paperboy012305]

In some cases yes, but most of the time no.

While I do like how good a game is, it doesn't really sell me into buying it. It's mostly the gameplay that's in my top priority, as in if it doesn't play well I know I ain't getting it.

Sure there are some games that have not too eyepopping art styles (Scarlet and Violet for example) but I still bought it knowing I like the mechanics the game offers.

Let's not forget about the BCP for 8DX. Tracks such as Toad Circuit are a no-brainer in being bad, yet I still enjoy it as it's another course to race on.

I would have more examples but I'm just asking for TBT if I ramble...

 

[Xara]

i would say that the quality of the game’s graphics matters more to me, but the art style matters to me as well. i wouldn’t buy a game just because i like its art style, and i’m able to overlook art styles that i’m not necessarily a fan of if the game itself appeals to me enough, but art style and graphics quality are always factors in my decisions to buy/not buy a game.

 

[Flicky]

I suppose for me it does, at least in this day and age where there are plenty of games to choose from.

It doesn't have to be highly detailed, but at the same time, I don't care for a lot of 'simpler' art. Potentially an unpopular opinion here, but things drawn in the same styles as Pusheen or Steven Universe are games that I won't buy at all regardless of how good it otherwise may be, simply because I don't really think the style looks appealing. I know they're both very popular art styles that have been around for longer than both of those franchises have, but I just don't care for them, 2D or 3D. That being said, it doesn't bother me if some of my OCs are drawn in those styles.

TL;DR - If the art style is too simple, then it matters a lot. Otherwise, I'm not too bothered.

 

[Croconaw]

The graphics and art style both matter to me, but so does the gameplay. I'd say the former matters more since I rarely give a game a chance if I don't like the way it looks. Your first impression of a game is the graphics, so they are somewhat important. You wouldn't experience your favorite game if the art style was bad, because I'd be willing to bet you wouldn't try it in the first place. I'm not saying this is always the case, but this is most commonly the case.

It's similar for real life: Appearance (graphics) draws you in but the personality (gameplay) keeps you long term.

 

[Belle T]

I wouldn't say it "matters" in the sense that I evaluate my decision to purchase a game based purely on art style, but I do think on even a subconscious level, it does impact the experience. The art style can enhance or detract from the game's mood. For example, I'm not a fan of the art style of the Five Nights at Freddy's games (or indeed, the games in general really), but I will say that said style does suit the games to a T. and do go a long way towards creating a very unique and off-kilter atmosphere, so I have some sort of respect for it and wouldn't want the games to change it. I would also say that much of Fortnite's success can probably be attributed to having a unique art style. It's simply much more pleasant and more exciting to look at than PUBG, which looks cobbled together from stock assets (though whether or not it actually is, I couldn't say).

On the other hand, playing a game for long periods of time will probably foster an appreciation for certain aesthetics. I didn't really like how Minecraft looked when it first came out, but I did enjoy its mechanics. After playing it for so long, I feel there's a sort of simplistic elegance to it, so I can understand why there's such an avid community of modders creating shaders and resource packs to enhance but not altogether replace the style of the game. It's not a "beautiful" game by any means, but it's not devoid of charm, either.

 

[QueenCobra]

It does to an extent. For example, I didn't like when the art style changed in Dawn of Sorrow (though I usually like anime art style), because I preferred the art style in Aria of Sorrow. (I believe it was done by the same person who did the art style for other Castlevania games, like Symphony of the Night). Nevertheless, I enjoyed the game because it was a good game-- my experience wasn't ruined by the art.

 

[MiniPocketWorld]

Kind of. I'm pretty open to styles so it would have to be pretty ick in my eyes for me to not even want to play it because of art style alone.

Overly bright shader effects and particles have caused me to skip platformer games before.

But art style has a large effect in sim, exploration, and sandbox games because those games deal with immersion so much impo.

 

[Khaoticnoize187]

its a make or break for me, like if it wasn't for nomura i wouldn't be into twewy as much as i am now because it just wouldn't be the same without his art.

 

[Mistreil]

For me, art style does matter to an extent! I won't turn a game down because I dislike the art style for the most part, but I  will buy a game just because of its art style. Although, it's not so much a prettiness factor as it is an "I really like games with a strong art direction and good stylization."

I feel like stylized games age better, and it helps with setting the tone, environment, and storytelling.

As an example, I really want to play the Crayon Shin Chan game just because I adore how they translated the 2D art style into 3D!

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

It's probably the biggest factor for me. I don't play a huge variety of games so I guess when I am playing a game, I want to be looking at something pretty and/or polished

 

[Drawdler]

It’s a visual medium. It matters a lot.

I did actually get turned off from Xenoblade 2 because of the visual design, and I tried for about 20 hours but I couldn’t get past that. Like, the characters, the storytelling, art style is part of all that.

Definitely not the only reason but it was a big factor.

And then with game remakes such a huge part of them is the art style that yeah it turned me away from some of them too.

 

[Sharksheep]

It does matter to me but I don't mine games with just good enough graphics if the gameplay is fun. For cozy type games or games with alot of cutscenes the visuals matter a lot more. But if it's a mostly action and combat, I wouldn't care about the graphics as much unless it was glitchy or poorly animated.

 

[Aerith]

If someone says the story is good or the gameplay is fun, I'll still give it a chance, but poor art/an unfavorable style can be a deterrent for me looking into it without a recommendation.

 

[Midoriya]

It matters to an extent for me, but it won't make or break a game for me. As long as the actual gameplay is good, that's mostly what I care about.

 

[liliyoa]

arty style matters a LOT to me, if its ugly i will not want to play it. however i cant think of a game that i didnt wanna play bc i didnt like how it looked.

 

[podunk]

Art style matters a lot to me, too. While I like his art in DragonBall, I've never liked the artists art in video games.
I know Chrono Trigger is one of the most beloved games of all time, but I just don't like it's style.
That said, graphics quality don't really bother me. I can play old games no problem, and I really love pixel games!

 

[rosefairy]

I've definitely discovered a lot of my favorite games based on art style. Especially back in the day when I was picking up most of my PS2 and DS games from stores instead of discovering them through social media. I was always picking up games with box art that caught my eye. (I came across the Persona series and Zero Escape this way!) The box art was the first thing I noticed when it came to games that weren't completely mainstream. That said, I can make an exception when it comes to games with amazing stories. Even if I don't totally dig a game's art style, I'll look into them if I hear that the writing or themes are interesting enough.