# Artsy games



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

I'll always have a soft spot for them. Games with gorgeous, uniquely detailed aesthetics and/or atmosphere that draws you into the world combined with strong storytelling...

I'll name a few to start:

-LIMBO
-Deadlight
-Dust: An Elysian Tail
-Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
-Valkyria Chronicles
-Journey/Flower
-Monochroma (upcoming indie puzzle platformer that's like a cross between ICO and LIMBO - please Greenlight this game on Steam btw if you want it to see the light of day: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=156723130)

What are your favourite "artsy" games?


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

I don't know if i'd really consider Ni No Kuni an artsy game just because they had studio ghibli consult on the art direction (i mean Dragon Quest VIII lead art director was Akira Toriyama and it certainly wasn't artistic)... same with Valkyria chroncles (as much as i loved that game), Cell shading isn't anything new. Thatgamecompany intentionally tries to push boundaries in interactive design an narratives so of course they are always going to recieve praise for artistic direction (its their primary means of branding as an indie company). All games have an artistic team of designers so i mean, what differentiates an "artistic" game against a non-artistic game?.....:blank


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

^It can be any game that you would consider aesthetically/visually striking or which stands out visually.


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

trisquel said:


> ^It can be any game that you would consider aesthetically/visually striking or which stands out visually.


I still wouldn't categorize a pretty game as an "artsy" game (in the same way people dont categorize a visually striking film as an artistic film, Thats usually reserved for avant garde film makers). But that's just me


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

Kiba said:


> I still wouldn't categorize a pretty game as an "artsy" game. But that's just me


You're right. There really aren't any games that I can think of off the top of my head that could be classified as a real work of "art," tbh - in that case, I think LIMBO is the only one on my list that would qualify. However, I believe there are quite a few "artsy" games out there that aren't necessarily works of art.


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

trisquel said:


> You're right. There really aren't any games that I can think of off the top of my head that could be classified as a real work of "art," tbh - in that case, I think LIMBO is the only one on my list that would qualify. However, I believe there are quite a few "artsy" games out there that aren't necessarily works of art.


I think a lot of games have a very strong art direction if you take into context the work it takes to create an immersive experience for the player.


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

Kiba said:


> I think a lot of games have a very strong art direction if you take into context the work it takes to create an immersive experience for the player.


For example, Ocarina of Time is considered the 'best game ever made' by quite a few people. I'd agree that it's the best in terms of pure gameplay, but I wouldn't consider it a work of art. It has the most formulaic story ever - that doesn't disqualify it from being a good 'game,' but it isn't a work of art for that reason. On the other hand, Majora's Mask is something very different altogether and I would consider it much closer to being an "artsy" game.


----------



## Nunuc (Jul 9, 2013)

Thirty Flights of Loving

Haven't played these but they are considered quite "artsy" by many
The Path
Bientôt l'été
The Graveyard

edit. A Link to the Past is better than Ocarina of Time!


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

^Hehe, I considered purchasing "The Path" previously and I agree that it's a very different kind of game. "The Graveyard" isn't actually a game, though.

Oh, I should add "Dear Esther" (even though it wasn't considered a game by some people - I think it qualifies more than "The Graveyard")


----------



## scooby (Jun 24, 2009)

I'm a bit fuzzy on the definition of an artsy game. Would you say Braid or Bastion could be considered?


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

^From what I've seen, "Braid" would definitely qualify - it's supposedly a brighter, much longer version of LIMBO.


----------



## scooby (Jun 24, 2009)

It's a great game. I prefered it over limbo, but I thought both were awesome anyway.


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

Oh, can't forget "Machinarium."
It's interesting, I think puzzle games are probably my favourite genre, yet I'm so terrible at them.


----------



## Nunuc (Jul 9, 2013)

trisquel said:


> "The Graveyard" isn't actually a game, though.


That depends how you define "game". It was a nominee in IGF 2009 for some category though.



trisquel said:


> Machinarium


Yes, and two other games developed by Amanita, Samorost and Samorost 2. No idea about their latest game, Botanicula.


----------



## Richard Pawgins (Jul 11, 2013)

Catherine and Okami


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

^Catherine does look kind of interesting...

Odin Sphere for the PS2 is another one that comes to mind.


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

trisquel said:


> ^Catherine does look kind of interesting...
> 
> Odin Sphere for the PS2 is another one that comes to mind.


The levels in Catherine get ridiculously hard like not even halfway through, (even on easy difficulty)


----------



## AlexSky (Jun 1, 2011)

Alice: Madness Returns. 
The art design is STUNNING, and the art book is amazing.

My favorite level is the dollhouse. It's so surreal, creepy and disturbing.


















Rule of Rose:










Ico:










Fragile:


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

The ending from "Syberia" (2002) has to be one of the saddest in gaming history. Aside from that, it was a very visually stunning game.


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

AlexSky said:


> Rule of Rose
> Fragile Dreams


Holy crap, i didn't realize anyone else played these! Rule of the rose is by far one of my favorite games and Fragile dreams was the only noteworthy game on the Wii, as terrible as the game mechanics were; the voice acting and drama in that game were unreal.


----------



## AlexSky (Jun 1, 2011)

Kiba said:


> Holy crap, i didn't realize anyone else played these! Rule of the rose is by far one of my favorite games and Fragile dreams was the only noteworthy game on the Wii, as terrible as the game mechanics were; the voice acting and drama in that game were unreal.


Agreed. :yes

I'm sad that a lot of guys don't play anything other than sports games and Call of Duty.
I love a lot of extremely unpopular games with amazing art styles. It's sad to see that a lot of them become forgotten with time.

For example, you like Final Fantasy, but have you heard of Square Enix's Sigma Harmonics? I swear, it's like this game doesn't even exist!


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

I actually heard Rule of Rose was a crappy game with terrible gameplay.


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

AlexSky said:


> Agreed. :yes
> 
> I'm sad that a lot of guys don't play anything other than sports games and Call of Duty.
> I love a lot of extremely unpopular games with amazing art styles. It's sad to see that a lot of them become forgotten with time.
> ...


Nah, i must have missed it.



trisquel said:


> I actually heard Rule of Rose was a crappy game with terrible gameplay.


You listen to other people to much. Instead of reading other peoples reviews... Why don't you try making first hand judgement's based on your own experiences. And the Ocarina of time was not "the greatest game ever made"..... Best Zelda game? ya without a doubt. Best game?.... People need to get out more.


----------



## AlexSky (Jun 1, 2011)

trisquel said:


> I actually heard Rule of Rose was a crappy game with terrible gameplay.


Depends. If you want to beat the crap out of enemies, this isn't the game for you.
If you want a subtle, oppressive, atmospheric experience, then it's more for you. Calling it a "crappy" game doesn't do it justice.

It's also extremely artsy, with fairytales and surrealism, mixed in with 1930s imagery using a child's imagination. It's dirty, industrial, nostalgic and foreboding. The gameplay can be stale sometimes, sure, but if you can overlook that, you can find a lot of value in other areas.

Plus the CGI is amazing.


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

AlexSky said:


> Depends. If you want to beat the crap out of enemies, this isn't the game for you.
> If you want a subtle, oppressive, atmospheric experience, then it's more for you. Calling it a "crappy" game doesn't do it justice.
> 
> It's also extremely artsy, with fairytales and surrealism, mixed in with 1930s imagery using a child's imagination. The gameplay can be stale sometimes, sure, but if you can overlook that, you can find a lot of value in other areas.
> ...


The narrative alone is worth playing the game through for


----------



## louiselouisa (Jul 12, 2012)

I like artsy games and slightly cartoonish games better. they just look more appealing than most xbox/ps3/pc games d:

bastion
psychonauts
prof layton
trine
rayman

ios:
ridiculous fishing
badlands
sworcery
yearwalk


----------



## Chieve (Oct 9, 2012)

Journey is probably the most artsy

It's really cool

I like the music and the world you travel

It's a neat game

I think some of the LOZ games are artsy too

I mean any game really...I could find beauty somewhere almost anywhere


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

Kiba said:


> You listen to other people to much. Instead of reading other peoples reviews... Why don't you try making first hand judgement's based on your own experiences. And the Ocarina of time was not "the greatest game ever made"..... Best Zelda game? ya without a doubt. Best game?.... People need to get out more.


Holy ****ing ****, calm down! I know you probably have all the time in the world to try every game out there, given how you seem to take comments about something as frivolous as a -game- personally, but not everyone else does. I based my comment on the overwhelming majority of reviews that were written about this game, and given that I have a limited amount of time on my hands given the difficult university program I'm studying in, I'm not going to waste either the limited time or money that I have on some extremely rare/expensive, poorly received game. (Yes I live in Canada, and the game is ~$200 on amazon last I checked)

And I'd like to know what other game besides OoT has received an equal amount of 'perfect 10' scores from literally -every- gaming source out there? There is no argument there - OoT doesn't have any flaws, and to this day it's widely regarded as the 'best game ever made' for that reason alone. That alone doesn't make it -my- favourite game, but what exactly is the point you're trying to make by patronizing others who consider it theirs by saying they need to 'get out more' (and that is pretty ironic coming from you)? :roll Lmao


----------



## Nunuc (Jul 9, 2013)

Kiba said:


> You listen to other people to much. Instead of reading other peoples reviews... Why don't you try making first hand judgement's based on your own experiences. And the Ocarina of time was not "the greatest game ever made"..... Best Zelda game? ya without a doubt. Best game?.... People need to get out more.


:twak



trisquel said:


> Holy ****ing ****, calm down! I know you probably have all the time in the world to try every game out there, given how you seem to take comments about something as frivolous as a -game- personally, but not everyone else does. I based my comment on the overwhelming majority of reviews that were written about this game, and given that I have a limited amount of time on my hands given the difficult university program I'm studying in, I'm not going to waste either the limited time or money that I have on some extremely rare/expensive, poorly received game. (Yes I live in Canada, and the game is ~$200 on amazon last I checked)
> 
> And I'd like to know what other game besides OoT has received an equal amount of 'perfect 10' scores from literally -every- gaming source out there? There is no argument there - OoT doesn't have any flaws, and to this day it's widely regarded as the 'best game ever made' for that reason alone. That alone doesn't make it -my- favourite game, but what exactly is the point you're trying to make by patronizing others who consider it theirs by saying they need to 'get out more' (and that is pretty ironic coming from you)? :roll Lmao


:twak

Shut up, people, and go play ****ty ****ing Art Game!
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/568481


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

^Kiba seems to enjoy targeting me for some reason. I guess we just rub each other the wrong way, but I decided I had enough.


----------



## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

Kiba said:


> You listen to other people to much. Instead of reading other peoples reviews... Why don't you try making first hand judgement's based on your own experiences. And the Ocarina of time was not "the greatest game ever made"..... Best Zelda game? ya without a doubt. Best game?.... People need to get out more.


What the hell does thinking Ocarina of Time is the best game ever have to do with getting out more? What a cheap attempt to sound condescending and superior.


----------



## Marakunda (Jun 7, 2011)

What about Yume nikki?
Probably the most "artsy" game I've ever played...






The cool thing about Yume nikki is, it's the music that makes it so artsy. The feeling, or overall vibe that the music gives is amazing. The first time I played it, it reminded me a lot of Silent hill 2, another game with GREAT atmosphere. I think music is SO underrated when it comes to aspects that are important in games. I think visuals pale in comparison to the music.


----------



## AlexSky (Jun 1, 2011)

trisquel said:


> I'm not going to waste either the limited time or money that I have on some extremely rare/expensive, poorly received game. (Yes I live in Canada, and the game is ~$200 on amazon last I checked)


First of all, the game wasn't "poorly" received. It was mixed.

On metacritic, the critic score is 59/100 - the user score is 8.6/10 (which is very good!) On GameFAQs rating, according to 159 votes, it has a 7.7/10. So it's definitely not mediocre.

Secondly, you can easily download the game online (although it's borderline piracy). If not that, then watch a playthrough of it on YouTube. Try this:


----------



## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

trisquel said:


> Holy ****ing ****, calm down! I know you probably have all the time in the world to try every game out there, given how you seem to take comments about something as frivolous as a -game- personally, but not everyone else does. I based my comment on the overwhelming majority of reviews that were written about this game, and given that I have a limited amount of time on my hands given the difficult university program I'm studying in, I'm not going to waste either the limited time or money that I have on some extremely rare/expensive, poorly received game. (Yes I live in Canada, and the game is ~$200 on amazon last I checked)
> 
> And I'd like to know what other game besides OoT has received an equal amount of 'perfect 10' scores from literally -every- gaming source out there? There is no argument there - OoT doesn't have any flaws, and to this day it's widely regarded as the 'best game ever made' for that reason alone. That alone doesn't make it -my- favourite game, but what exactly is the point you're trying to make by patronizing others who consider it theirs by saying they need to 'get out more' (and that is pretty ironic coming from you)? :roll Lmao


Lol, damn butt hurt much? I'm sure whatever your majoring in is oh so much harder than applied physics. I'm not patronizing others, i'm patronizing you for being ignorant and googling your opinions instead of forming your own (i guess your "difficult Uni program" fails to teach any form of critical thinking). Reviews mean jack **** in entertainment (especially in gaming), I'll say it again, Ocarina of Time is far from the best game ever made.


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

Kiba said:


> Lol, damn butt hurt much? I'm sure whatever *you're* majoring in is oh so much harder than applied physics. I'm not patronizing others, i'm patronizing you for being ignorant and googling your opinions instead of forming your own (i guess your "difficult Uni program" fails to teach any form of critical thinking). Reviews mean jack **** in entertainment (especially in gaming), I'll say it again, Ocarina of Time is far from the best game ever made.


Don't kid yourself, you're not smart enough to study applied physics (and from the looks of it, you would have been better off studying English). :roll And I'm glad you think that use of critical thinking is completely dependent on a person's decision to play through a game they're not interested in due to a number of reasons (nevermind the fact that the game in question is obscure as **** and only 15,000 copies exist in North America), but because of that they shouldn't be allowed to comment on what they heard from other sources. I actually heard about the game LONG before (when it first came out), and remembered seeing reviews for it because the only reason it got any publicity was due to allegations of pedophilia in the game. Nice try, though - maybe you should also stop being a presumptuous prick and assuming that I 'Googled' for my opinions? (Oh, and if that comment was direct at OoT - I played through it, and I agreed with the reviews even before I saw any of them.)
Why did you continue to post in this thread even after you established that you thought it was pointless in your very first post, anyway? It's ironic that you seem to like Rule of Rose so much, given that the game is essentially a metaphor for bullying and you seem like one of the real-life aggressors that the story was opposed to.


----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

AlexSky said:


> First of all, the game wasn't "poorly" received. It was mixed.
> 
> [/url]


Lol, fanboys

Why do you care whether or not someone has played "Rule of Rose." I mentioned that I heard the game was poorly received when it first came out, which it was, and that isn't even me expressing an opinion of what I personally think of it. I have no desire to watch a playthrough of this game or download it period. If the game should be played for the narrative alone, then it should have been a novel, plain and simple. I have many other games on my plate from now until September, although I don't get a break until august and that will only be for a month. After that I won't have any free time for games. That doesn't mean I think Rule of Rose is unworthy of my time (although I don't see why you care either way) - but god forbid I make a comment that I HEARD it was a bad game 7 years ago that people would take personally and accuse me of being incapable of using critical thought over.


----------



## Sanctus (Dec 10, 2010)




----------



## Earl of Lemongrab (May 15, 2012)

^Yes! The Void was also such a cool pc horror game


----------



## AlexSky (Jun 1, 2011)

trisquel said:


> Lol, fanboys
> 
> Why do you care whether or not someone has played "Rule of Rose." I mentioned that I heard the game was poorly received when it first came out, which it was, and that isn't even me expressing an opinion of what I personally think of it. I have no desire to watch a playthrough of this game or download it period. If the game should be played for the narrative alone, then it should have been a novel, plain and simple. I have many other games on my plate from now until September, although I don't get a break until august and that will only be for a month. After that I won't have any free time for games. That doesn't mean I think Rule of Rose is unworthy of my time (although I don't see why you care either way) - but god forbid I make a comment that I HEARD it was a bad game 7 years ago that people would take personally and accuse me of being incapable of using critical thought over.


I don't care whether or not you play Rule of Rose. Maybe Kiba does, but I don't.

And in the game's defense, as well as all story-driven games, they still provide an experience that a novel can never achieve: music, art, visuals, interactivity and challenge.

Also, Kiba said that the narrative alone is just one reason why it's worth playing the game, not that it's the ONLY reason. There are lots of other reasons to check out the game. The music is gorgeous. The voice acting is pretty good. The symbolism and depth is great. The environments are creepy and extremely detailed. The game also provides a good challenge, in regards to boss battles.


----------



## Joe (May 18, 2010)

I liked No More Heroes art style & Madworld being black and white was pretty cool.


----------



## Nono441 (May 14, 2012)

What is going on in this thread :|


----------

