Games with Unique Art Styles That Will Blow Your Mind in 2023

The number of unique and stylish games is increasing yearly, and 2023 is no exception. Gamers are increasingly paying attention not to the plot or gameplay but to the video game art style, and today this is an axiom of game development. Why?

Everything is simple. Games with unique art styles allow gamers and even regular players to find something new among the regularly appearing content. Check below for information on how the modern game industry works and what games you can play in 2023.

Understanding Unique Art Styles in Games

The video game art style is the business card of the project, which will be recognizable and used for promotion. It is customary to distinguish two main areas – 2D game art style and 3D. Depending on the studio’s direction, the future setting and the combination of visual elements will depend on how to immerse players in the gameplay.

Even considering that modern technologies already allow the creation of realistic 3D graphics, many authors consciously choose pixel aesthetics for their video games, and this is also a characteristic of uniqueness since there are much fewer projects in this style today. As a result, you can often meet projects in pixel art, voxel art, low poly style, or the minimalist style of the first classic video games.

Of course, there are games with unique art styles, both in 2D and 3D, but their tasks are completely different. Using 3D graphics, developers can fully reveal all aspects of the game, storylines, characters’ facial expressions, environment, etc. In the case of 2D, resources are limited, and for a good reason: most of these game projects are focused on aesthetics and narrative, which has a greater impact on gamers’ experience, forcing them to pay attention to details or directly influence gaming style and decisions.

Top Games with Unique Art Styles in 2023

To reveal the features in more detail using the example of several games. Each has its unique video game art style and genre, allowing you to notice the difference between different design solutions.

Diablo

Diablo IV, developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, is an action role-playing game set in the world of Sanctuary from the Diablo series. One notable aspect of Diablo IV’s art style is its medieval city atmosphere. The game’s assets are rendered in standard 3D, allowing for in-game cinematics and interactions with the environment. This shift to 3D assets enhances the visual fidelity and adds depth to the game world.

Players can explore five diverse regions in Sanctuary, each with its own setting and enemies. From the forested coastal area of Scosglen to the war-ravaged wasteland of Kehjistan, these regions showcase meticulous attention to detail in their design. The art style effectively brings the various environments and characters to life, creating an engaging experience that transports players to a medieval-inspired world.

Dead Island 2

Dead Island 2 is an adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic zombie-infested Los Angeles. The game’s unique art style consists of representing the world after a zombie attack. With a first-person view, players can explore the streets of Los Angeles as they watch the city turn into a quarantine zone.

The game’s art style combines realistic imagery with an focus on the decay and destruction of the environment. The visual effects effectively convey the chaos and destruction of the zombie apocalypse: destroying buildings, scattered debris, and ghostly atmospheric details. The art direction conveys the atmosphere of a world overrun by the undead.

Redfall

Redfall, developed by Arkane Austin and published by Bethesda Softworks, is a first-person shooter set in the fictional town of Redfall, Massachusetts. The game’s art style depicts a post-apocalyptic setting. As players explore the vampire-infested city, they encounter a combination of realistic visuals and a crumbling environment.

Redfall’s visuals effectively convey the chaos and destruction caused by the vampire invasion. The crumbling buildings, scattered debris, and eerie atmosphere create an immersive gaming experience. The game engages players in a struggle to survive and liberate the city from vampires and their human allies.

Exploring Game Style Innovations in Gaming

Along with the release of games with unique art styles, many trends and new technologies are being created for the game development industry. First, this uses AI to create new styles or even full-fledged games. Fortunately or unfortunately, this technology is only in its initial stage, but it gathers many people around it, including interested investors and skeptics.

The second, more familiar, and “human” trend is the growing popularity of indie developers or outsourcing. An indie studio created Limbo, and some aspects of the game were created by a game studio with outsourcing expertise (the second half of the storyline). But as you may have noticed, such decisions and innovations provide a chance to create new styles, graphics, and genres, benefiting the industry.

Case Study: Unforgettable Art Styles in Hidden Escape: Murder Mystery

Murder and Mystery Games are a unique genre of games that has appeared thanks to many studios. The advantage of such games is an exciting plot and unique design that allows you to immerse yourself in the gameplay. Hidden Escape: Murder Mystery is one such game that was released by RetroStyle Games. A feature of the game is complete immersion and the feeling that you are watching a detective film or series, looking for evidence, interrogating suspects, etc.

The first thing to notice is the characters. On the one hand, they are unique and have their character, motives, and place in the plot. On the other hand, they are simple and clear, which can confuse users even more. Hidden Escape: Murder Mystery is made in 2D graphics, which noticeably distinguishes it from other projects that use 3D due to the level design.

As a result, the project is included in the list of one of the best stylish games. Despite the content and details, the games were created by a small outsourcing company, which shows the opportunity for other indie studios to enter the market and develop unique ideas and designs.

Conclusion

Games with unique art styles can be divided into dozens of variations, replenished daily by various studios or single artists. But one thing is for sure – these games are the standard of the modern game development market, which is overflowing with hundreds of thousands of titles. For some, this is something new for the game library collection, and for some, a world that cannot be forgotten because of the visuals.

For more information about art styles and how unique games are created, feel free to check out the RetroStyle game studio with outsourcing expertise website, where the team shares all the design and game creation features.