The debate about video game visuals, the graphics vs. aesthetics, was never hotter. Even though the actual GPU capabilities in the top have skyrocketed so much that we now have amazing games with almost photo-realistic graphics, the introduction of mobile gaming has opened a whole new approach.
Now, because most people playing games will do so on mobile, you can’t expect developers to focus only on high-end desktop PC builds. And this might be a good thing, because many have now, for the second time in history, opted to focus on the story more than the visuals.
Generally, what you see on the screen can be judged in three categories:
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Style
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Clarity
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Immersion
And, in each category, there will be a mixture of the subjective and the objective, as well as the relationship between the three. Namely, you have something like the real money slots online to play where nobody expects photorealism. In such games, it is only important that you can see what you are doing and that it is interesting.
On the other side, there are modern RPG games such as Cyberpunk 2077 which are undoubtedly superior in graphics and are still shamed for the mistakes they have made, which destroyed the immersion for many people.
It Depends on the Game
If the game would be visually stunning or not will always depend on the expectation of the player. One of the best examples for this is the cult classic Psychonauts which got its sequel in 2021. The game’s visuals are basically the same as the original that came out way back in 2005.
But, this was to be expected, and nobody was pushed back by what can now be considered outdated. The game is crisp, very immersive, and has Tim Shafer’s visible style to it.
In this case, games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt were lauded exactly because they didn’t focus on the graphics when selling their game, but on the story, which left gamers stunned by how magnificent the visuals actually were.
Finally, there are those games, which are ironically the most popular, where we don’t expect graphics at all. There are also online slots games for real money where the actual mechanic is the most important factor. Too much flair in these games can actually push players back.
Graphics are Situational
Graphics describe the technical quality of the visuals. For such games, you can actually calculate how many polygons, how many colors, and how many pixels are present in the image, as well as how good they render on the game.
But, there is such a thing as too much for any game. Something that is trying to be too realistic or stunning can easily end up in the uncanny valley and actually look ugly. Also, with high graphics, you can exclude much of your player base that wouldn’t have enough power to start those games.
In the end, the game can flop because it is too heavy and subjectively ugly, even though it is mathematically superior in pixels and rendering.
Aesthetics are Subjective
Probably the best example of this is the Shovel Knight game that came out in 2014 which had aesthetics as the late 90’s games, with just a bit more mechanics. It was a major success and is still played now.
But, many players never even tried to play the game because they don’t find it visually appealing. Some prefer to have clear models and crisp pictures on their screen and will miss everything else.
In that case, the aesthetics of the game, especially if you are trying to make it look retro, can be a gamble. In many cases, the nostalgia will kick in and your studio will see amazing success. But, in many others, you would just make something that looks bad and nobody wants to play it.
