Art design and graphics play such a crucial role in video games that many a title has found itself judged by its design, for better and for worse. But while this has resulted in most video games are constantly trying to push out every bit of performance from their respective gaming devices and/or console, some are happy to take a different approach.
Instead of focusing on realistic graphics, some designers and visual artists choose to defy the norm. The result? Out-of-the-box game design that’s often paired with gameplay that’s just as unique.
Simply put, we’re talking about the types of games that will make designers want to play a game and inspire players to want to become designers and artists in the future.
With that said, you’ll find such games that are sure to spark inspiration and get those creative juices of yours running in our round-up below.
1. Mirror’s Edge
A true cult classic, Mirror’s Edge was released by EA Digital Illusions CE back in 2008. Unfortunately, it didn’t sell quite well. Why? We don’t know. But we’re willing to bet it’s because of how much different its art style is compared to what was popular at the time.
Featuring nineties aesthetics at a time where realistic graphics were everything, Mirror’s Edge stood out like a sore thumb, and we mean that in as bad of a way as possible. However, years later, the first-person action-adventure game has since received the credit that it deserves, even receiving a soft reboot in 2016, albeit one that wasn’t as well-received.
In any case, despite being released more than a decade ago, Mirror’s Edge’s visuals stand up quite well.
Jumping off of rooftops remains as amazing of an experience as ever. This is especially true because of how doing so constantly exposes you to the game’s beautiful utopian cityscape that perfectly blends panes of reflective glasses with vivid blues and blinding whites.
2. Okami
Okami is so popular due to its unique visuals that including the game in our list feels like a cop-out answer. But at the same time, it also felt like we would be omitting a title just because it’s a no-brainer if we didn’t include Okami, which felt even more wrong, so here we are.
For those that don’t know, Okami was released way back in 2006 as a PlayStation 2 title. It has since been re-released for various platforms, including the Nintendo Switch just as recently as two years ago in 2018.
The main draw of Okami is its visual design. You can’t just help but praise it. The action-adventure game uses cel-shaded visual style graphics, along with a gesture-system called the “Celestial Brush”, which work hand-in-hand to conjure a smorgasbord of beautiful visuals en route to creating a special atmosphere that just constantly sucks you in from the first minute up until the game ends dozens of hours later.
A game that’s literally painted in front of you as you play it, there’s a reason why Okami is a game that’s still being talked about among gamer and game design circles alike today.
3. Shadow of the Colossus
Another game that was released more than a decade ago, Shadow of the Colossus pushed the PlayStation 2 to its absolute limit when it first released in 2005. Featuring the kind of realistic graphics that were thought to have been impossible at its time, Shadow of then Colossus featured colossi that sometimes spanned the entire screen, and then some.
The attention to detail that Japan’s Team ICO put to bring the beasts to life in Shadow of the Colossus is evident right from the very moment you play it. You could argue that the designers approached each colossus as if they were a separate video game. This is because of how unique and well designed each one is. This results in a visually captivating experience that remains just as good today as it did nearly two decades ago.
Regardless of whether you play the original Shadow of the Colossus release or the high-definition remake released in 2018, you’re sure to find yourself captivated by the entire journey all the same.
4. Cuphead
Cuphead is a run-and-gun shooter that pays homage to the early days of animation with its art style. The 2016 title takes a lot of liberty in incorporating art styles similar to what Walt Disney and Max Fleischer used all those years ago. This results in easily distinguishable features in both the game’s character design and background design.
From the big and bulging eyes to the exaggerated features, and so much more, Cuphead took something so familiar in the eyes of the older games and turned it into something that even modern players can relate to.
Just be careful not to expect an easy time playing Cuphead. It’s definitely not the type of game that will help you relax, by any means.
5. MirrorMoon EP
The final entry in our list is a game that you probably have not even heard of, but will definitely give a trip after this.
A game whose visual design takes inspiration from the album covers of 80s pop music, MirrorMoon EP makes you question, well, reality itself. Although it is a first-person shooter and players do receive a gun, MirrorMoon EP always finds ways to constantly remind players to find a non-confrontational approach to solving their problems.
As the only human left alive, MirrorMoon EP will have you asking a lot of questions while satisfying your eyes with its unique visual art and style.
Take Inspiration from These Visually Stunning Titles
As you now know, a game doesn’t have to have realistic graphics to spark inspiration. Far from it actually, as it’s usually the games that try new things that deviate from the established norm that are the most visually unique.
Having said that, these 5 video games and their unique designs will surely inspire you to come up with creative and unique ideas.