We're often warned about judging a book by its cover, and it's absolutely true. Those superficial enough to do so often miss out on a lot of inner beauty and substance. Having said that, there are some games that are just so stunning-looking that a single screenshot or a few seconds' worth of a trailer is enough to keep you invested.
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Tragically, though, some stunning games don't get that love-at-first-sight adoration that they deserve. There are always great games that fly under the radar, and we're going to highlight some that, through no fault of their own, did just that.
Neva
If You've Neva Heard Of It, You Should Give It A Try
Nomada Studios' Gris was first released in 2018, a celebrated platform title with beautiful hand-drawn visuals and an equally stunning soundtrack. The game ties both these elements together in the central mechanic of singing, and how it can restore life and lush color to a world from which it has faded. Six years later, the studio returned with Neva, a game that just doesn't seem to have attracted the same level of fanfare.
The story revolves around a young woman, Alba, and her wolf companion (the titular Neva). This title embraces a similar dreamlike, flowing aesthetic, in which a lush and colorful world is corrupted by a force that manifests as dark, shadowy enemies the duo must defeat. Combat isn't the most involved, but it has its own style, and the passage of time is reflected in the changing of seasons, which seamlessly alters the color palette of the world as the game progresses. It may be somewhat short-lived, but the wonderful animation and art make Neva a thrill to watch in motion.
Gravity Rush
A Colorful And Chaotic Cacophony
PlayStation Vita was quite a formidable system when it arrived (first in Japan in 2011), with its primary weakness being that it lacked big exclusives. One superb Vita-only title, until its remaster a few years later, was Gravity Rush. The unique concept took full advantage of the system's capabilities to lead Kat through the city of Hekseville and the surrounding regions of the World Pillar through her command of gravity. Touchscreen controls are particularly prominent in the Vita version, with maneuvers including twisting and shaking the system to change the direction of gravity and direct evasive moves in combat through touch.
Kat feels wonderful and slightly chaotic to control, and this, along with the game's heavy action focus, is complemented by the art style. There's an immediately identifiable look to Gravity Rush, and it works so well. It's a perfect fit for the stylized approach, and it's a shame that the franchise's future hangs in the balance. 2017's PS4 sequel Gravity Rush 2, may have been the end of the line.
BloodRayne: Betrayal
A Brutal, Stylish Brawler
Hack and slash titles and brawlers lend themselves so well to a stylized, exaggerated look. It really makes the action pop, and each strike feels that much more visceral. BloodRayne: Betrayal is acutely aware of this, and uses its glorious 2D art to great effect. The BloodRayne games are well known for their gore and high-octane action (as well as for beloved vampire Rayne), and though Betrayal was a very different direction for the franchise, it did a fantastic job of maintaining that.
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The game originally launched in 2011 for the Xbox 360 and PS3, before being reborn a full decade later as BloodRayne: Betrayal - Fresh Bites. It's the story of the conflict between Rayne and Kagan, her formidable father, whose castle the Dhampir battles to infiltrate and bring down in a Castlevania-esque fashion. The remade version sought to address some criticisms of the original game, primarily the frustrating difficulty, but it didn't set the gaming world alight in either iteration. Nonetheless, the health-draining mechanic and swift, responsive action keep it engaging throughout for genre fans. Needless to say, it looks grotesquely beautiful, too.
Eastward
Pushing Pixel Art To Its Limits
Indie developers have certainly had a penchant for pixel art in recent years. This isn't to say, though, that the style doesn't still look incredible when used effectively. Eastward presents the tale of John and his adoptive daughter Sam, who become entangled in the mystery of a certain Miasma that threatens the world. It's quite a traditional RPG in some regards, with an engaging battle system and classic town exploration focus. Whether you're battling in real time (wielding a frying pan) or talking with the locals, though, the great thing about Eastward is how alive its world is.
There's rich detail in the visuals, with effects layered on the 2D pixel art to really emphasize every animation from characters and enemies, each of which has its own unique personality and bizarre details. It's a world that you'll want to pause to take in every inch of as you travel east on your remarkable train.
Severed Steel
A Beauty You'll Wish You Had More Time To Admire
In an FPS, there doesn't tend to be much time to focus on the smaller details. A developer can lovingly craft the little details on an office desk, for instance, but as you blast your way through the building, you'd probably never even notice them. In Severed Steel, then, the most impressive details and effects are made part of the action itself.
The indoor environments have something of a futuristic, metallic vibe that could have potentially made them feel a little samey and uninspiring. This is intentional, though, ensuring that every stylish smash of windows, glow from bright neon lights, and colorful explosion draws the eye as much as possible. The game has relentless energy, and all of that is reflected in the stunning effects on the screen throughout.
The Pedestrian
Because Realism Can Hide The Extraordinary
At first glance, 2021's The Pedestrian looks... Well, pedestrian in its visuals. The environments look realistic and ordinary, with street scenes, office spaces, and other everyday places. What you'll quickly realize, though, is that the action in the game is what happens against these backdrops. You'll want to look closer as some of the minutiae of life play out in stunning detail against these dioramas, but if you do so, you'll lose focus on what really matters here: The puzzles within the panels in the foreground.
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The contrast of the simplistic lead-the-stickperson visuals in these panels, against the world in the background, is incredible. Snookum Arts really created something special here, and the transition between those panels as you lead the characters between them is a work of art in itself. The Pedestrian quickly ramps up the difficulty, and beginners could use some guidance at times, but it's never anything less than transfixing.
The Pathless
Forge Your Own Beautiful Path
The Pathless shares a lot in common with Ori and the Blind Forest. While it's an open-world adventure rather than a Metroidvania like Ori's journey, it also explores the tragedy of a very unnatural calamity befalling the natural world, and the quest to restore some light and hope to a seemingly doomed forest.
The goal of The Pathless is for the splendid visuals to tell and guide the story, and they do this very well. The bond between the protagonist and their winged companion is generally an unspoken one; taking control of the duo means embracing a freedom and agility that's lacking from many open-world titles. The best visual and audio design can touch the player's heart without the need for lengthy dialogue and exposition, and the fierce, bright colors of fire and calamity here, contrasted against the peaceful, earthy tones of the surrounding forest, really emphasize that.
Sable
A Thought-Provoking Experience
Some gamers absolutely revel in an experience like Journey. If you're looking to be blown away by non-stop action, you're in the wrong place, but for a slow, thoughtful, philosophical slow-burner, there's little better. Sable is cut from a similar cloth, a game that perhaps didn't get a fair shake on its September 2021 launch because it was blighted with a lot of technical issues. The concept, though, remains an intriguing one, and it really is a wonder to behold.
Sable, the young protagonist, is embarking on The Gliding, a journey that members of the Ibexii clan partake in at a certain age. It's their elaborate means of choosing a career, essentially, and it sparks an open-world journey in the purest sense. Simply getting out there and traveling the world is your objective, and Sable has a nifty little ride with which to do so. Journeying across a rather barren planet in your vehicle, with everything so very stylized, is reminiscent of traveling the planet in the original Borderlands. The gameplay, comprised of light platforming and traveling, makes it a real slow-burner that may frustrate. For those players who appreciate this sort of title, though, it may prove as captivating as it looks. Open-world games are all about immersion, and this one does a great job of that, too.
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