2D or not 2D?
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It occured to me that I've probably spent more time playing 2D games, often with sprite based graphics, than 3D ones this year. Maybe it's a blip, but 2D gaming seems to be better than ever right now, even looking only at the more traditional genres.
Celeste, Guacamelee 2 and Dead Cells have been some of the highlights of the year, and I haven't even got to others, like Hollow Knight, Octopath, Yoku's Island or Steamworld Dig 2. Really good 3D games have been thin on the ground, meanwhile, with only Monster Hunter World and SotC remake really doing it for me.
Even if you compare it to the 16-bit days, where almost every game was 2D, in terms of genuinely high quality titles I think the current crop could give any year a run for its money.
So, what do you reckon about 2D gaming? Is there a rennaissance? Is this a good thing? Do you give a shit? What are some of the highlights? etc. -
We got past the point where EVERYTHING MUST BE 3D, so if a game would work in 2D, people will make it. Plus, people have gotten over downloadable games having to be dirt cheap. Because people are buying them again, startup devs are willing to dip their toe in with 2D games which are cheaper and easier to make.
I think we'll continue to get a mix. -
The renaissance started when XBLA found its feet imo. As a fan of 2D platformers above anything else I've been pretty well catered for for a few years, but the last couple of years have been particularly strong.
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What does it put you off? -
I think that's an important part of it. A lot of 2D games can be seen as 'proper' games again, not just a quick throwaway alternative between major releases. More and more often, the polish and care they receive is right up there.Diluted Dante wrote:We got past the point where EVERYTHING MUST BE 3D, so if a game would work in 2D, people will make it. Plus, people have gotten over downloadable games having to be dirt cheap. Because people are buying them again, startup devs are willing to dip their toe in with 2D games which are cheaper and easier to make. I think we'll continue to get a mix. -
WorKid wrote:What does it put you off?
Wanting to buy them.
I get there’s an element of - this is an economic art style but all I see is games that I’ll play for two minutes and give up on. -
I think the ease and cost thing is interesting, because I wouldn’t be surprised if it largely depends on dev scope and audience expectations. Games like Ori and Owlboy can’t be cheaper or quicker to make than the Housemarque games, Assault Android Cactus, or Overcooked for example. 2D = cheap seems to gloss over how time consuming and intricate pixel art is versus soft, low texture 3D art.
I would hazard that the main reason many people chose 2D to develop in is because they tend to have grown up with NES/Megadrive/SNES and are recreating what inspired them. People want to make Metroid or Zelda again, and it’s much easier to transpose design elements from 2D to 2D than from 2D to 3D.
I also reckon that’s why roguelite/likes are so popular because there an easy way to port an old school aesthetic and sensibility into something that feels fresh and worth your money in 2018, because the games we’re getting aren’t really much like the games we had beyond their looks. Plus it’s real hard to make a game that succeeds at having a well thought through single run that matches player expectations and recoups costs. -
Relevant article perhaps - https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/08/20/children-of-morta-is-ridiculously-pretty-and-looking-a-rather-splendid-hack-me-do/
I know there’s a large contingent of people who profess themselves “fed up with” pixel graphics. I’d like to address this notion with some alternative phrases people could say:
“I’m fed up of watercolour paintings. Why can’t people just take high res photographs?”
“I’m fed up of orchestral music. Why can’t people just listen to theramins?
“I’m fed up of cuddles. Why can’t people just click ‘like’?”
Pixel graphics are neither an attempt to look “retro”, nor indeed are they a way to cut budgets. They’re an aesthetic choice, just as much as it is to choose bland shiny walls in Unity. And when the results are as stunning as Children Of Morta’s, the choice makes so much sense.
I’m not going to pretend that it doesn’t have a nostalgic quality for me too, but crucially it’s not a nostalgia for a period of gaming in the ’80s or early ’90s, but rather particular moments of gaming in that era when astounding beauty was portrayed in the pixel animations. Most pixel art games then and now look bland. Some pixel art games then and now look incredible. Anyway, now everyone’s learned not to be wrong about this, let’s move on. -
My most anticipated game is using 2d to do cool stuff I've not seen done before.
The trailer is a wee bit underwhelming but there's loads more here. -
I have seen those kind of pixel-particle interactions before in little web applet games such as "Falling Sand" if anyone remembers pootling about with those. I'd link one here but most of them seem to require Flash which I can't be arsed with. Great to see that kind of stuff in a game now, makes a lot of sense.
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I’m fed up of acoustic songs. Why can’t people use drum machines and synths?
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I especially appreciate new 2D presentations that are neither bodgey AAA 3D side on, over-outlined cell animation nor pixel stuff with too many alpha-channel fx all over it. There aren't many of those. -
Realistically, pixel stuff will never vanish because it's actually possible for small/hobbyist teams of humans to finish a product with that approach.
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I don't consciously prefer one over the other. As long as the design matches my tastes I'm happy. I prefer clean abstract lines but not exclusively so.Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009. -
I find it immensely amusing when a dev team thinks using pixel art will disguise the fact they don't have an artistic bone to share among them.
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