You would think with ever increasing power of computer and game systems that art direction would become more and more important. That appears to not be the case. Few games have used these new tools and abilities to do anything new. Just more realistic shades of brown. There are exceptions (Bioshock for one). What HAS been pushing art direction forward has been casual gaming and Flash games. It is yet another example of how having limitations can actually push people to do things creatively.
Fiest is a good example. Not a Flash game but it is just a simple 2D platformer (for the Mac). Using silhouette and light, they have taken the "simple" is better model and come up with a wholly original look. I have no idea how it plays but it is just pretty. And adorable.
(via IndieGames)
Russia's The Dead Hand
15 years ago