Unbeatable Aesthetics
Vaguely random assortment of games I think have unique looks and impeccable aesthetic choices, arranged from brightest to darkest.
55 Games
Relentlessly saccharine sugary anime computer desktop simulator
All of the Humongous Entertainment games have great pixel art stuffed to the brim with details but I give this one a special edge because the "Weather Factory" setting is so creative... this huge, whimsical industrial complex just floating in the clouds.
Kinda budget Humongous Entertainment but the pencil shaded children's book arty style is to die for.
There's a lot of indie RPGs out there with similar looks but the rainbow furry aesthetic of this one stands out to me.
The aesthetic PEAK of the series, being forced to work around the limited visuals of the DS gave this one such a charming look that I don't think any of the others were able to match.
Every single thing in this game is so adorable! The bright world, blobby characters, and borderless graphics were very ahead of their time and I don't think any game has nailed them in quite the same way.
I mean... come on.
Probably the purest relic of the late '00s "cool for kids" aesthetic. Bright colors, vague influences from hip-hop/streetwear fashion, and an overall sense of EXTREME!
This looks just like a Cartoon Network show that would receive critical acclaim but get cancelled after one season.
The cartoonish style of the overworld mashed up with the anything goes kitchen sink approach to the minigames is such a win.
A lot of people are into Epic Yarn or even Rainbow Curse but I think this is the underrated aesthetic gem of the Kirby series, there's just something about the level designs and the character models (maybe it's the lighting?) that makes them pop.
The best looking of the already great looking Paper Mario games thanks to the dimension shifting gimmick, plus the character design is simply unbeatable.
I always respect a game that can make so many different items work using a limited number of assets and the jointed, almost doll-like way these models are thrown together gives the game a unique vibe.
I always love a game that can create a look with a strong template for it and I don't think this one gets enough credit for how it did that. So many different worlds and so many different characters built from the same basic shapes.
Just overflowing with charm, the visual style is great (very creative usage of different aquatic environments) but it truly comes to life when the music comes into play.
Because this was aimed at a younger demographic than the main Spore series they had to make it "cuter" and that was the correct choice because the paper-cutout aesthetic they went with is adorable and meshes in well with the (low-key ahead of their time) 2.5D island environments.
They put the ocean in the Wii!
The pixel art design of this one is what does it.
Creates a unique sci-fi world with a very distinctive look.
Jason Shiga is a genius.
This game certainly looks, and it does it incredibly.
The "school" setting kinda feels like a game's asset storage file brought to life, and I dig that.
Stunningly detailed pixel art approached with the eye of a seasoned cartoonist- very few games manage to find warmth and humanity through pixels in the way this one does.
Rainbow items just floating in the void...
Takes a simple idea (playable mural) to a beautiful extreme.
A murder mystery at a mysterious mansion with a cast of wacky characters is a classic setup and this is one of the most immersive takes I've encountered- the art and music bring Tangle Tower and its inhabitants to LIFE. Feels like playing a graphic novel.
It's not out yet (probably won't be for years) but the developer is WILDLY talented at graphics and his diorama style is just eye porn.
A house full of squiggly friends.
Claymation-like graphics, a beautiful tropical island setting, and an incredibly random assortment of creatures. Also banging tunes.
One of the most stylish games ever maybe? A sprawling island of brutalist architecture, scenic beaches, blood soaked temples, marble statues of ancient gods, sparkling crystalline formations, and a sexy af cast. Also vaporwave.
Nails that early web aesthetic in all of its beautifully messy, DIY glory.
The actual art style is gorgeous but what really steals the show is the way it depicts this small rust belt town. Every inch of the game is steeped in character.
The storybook aesthetic makes it feel like, well, playing a spooky old children's story.
Grim tableaus of a dying world of old cartoons, forgotten and left to slowly rot away. Especially cool in that the game gives you a CHOICE in how you want the world to look: do you want to use paint to restore it to its bright, cartoonish glory? Or use thinner to embrace the decay?
makes me nostalgic... perhaps for experiences that were never even mine to begin with
A "hand drawn" game that actually feels hand drawn in the best way- you can actually see the grain of the colored pencils. It's like getting a window right into the imagination of the creator and catching a glimpse of the fantasy land he has in his head.
Gorgeous art and music, I wish real America were like this.
Watching the influence of the killer gradually corrupt and destroy these colorful worlds is a highlight of every game in this series but I found it particularly chilling here thanks to the ominous Greek tragedy influences, creepy backstage aesthetic, and some incredibly striking scenes.
The best I've ever seen this "late night at the pizza joint" aesthetic done, FNAF eat your heart out.
Visually stunning, especially for a phone game. Really it's just a series of environments but they're rendered with such detail, each one is a work of art, and when they start to get more surreal towards the end of the game it's a feast.
it's Yume Nikki, like...
Anime style characters contrasting with a coldly businesslike world rendered in the warm, yellowing tones of an employee training video. It rocks.
Floating islands full of fuckers
A punk, DIY fantasia set in an incredibly unique dystopia where cars are replaced by... giant meat robots?
A personal favorite, especially the introductory dream on the second day. The visual style of juxtaposing cute girls with grotesque imagery is obviously fun but I think it's so cool how the text is also often used more for visual pleasure than anything else.
Sugar soaked in blood. Far from visually polished, but that's what I like about it; uncanny art for an uncanny story told in an uncanny way.
An instantly memorable setting that might not look like much at first but unfolds with endless surprises.
Gothic aesthetic down pat. Imo the best looking of the recent wave of PS2 style games.
Probably cheating to use games that haven't come out yet but I've seen a lot of passion for this just based off the trailer, when it drops it's gonna be good.
This is like aesthetics nestled within aesthetics. The freaky, dark backwoods aesthetic, which folds in to the creepy pop up book card game aesthetic, which folds into the weird CGI thing it has going on, and it all looks rusty and gross. I love it.
The sheer detail of the pixel art is incredible- the game and its world are endlessly bleak, but at least it finds the beauty in that.
Screeching noises from outside the cabin as the characters wait inside for an uncertain fate, claustrophobic in the best way possible.
I want to visit Scarlet Hollow. I would die there. But it would be worth it.
This looks better than multi-million dollar horror movies.
It's a game made entirely in ASCII art, so that's already cool, but then on top of that it looks this good. A really creative way to depict a world of darkness.
