Hey everyone!

So it’s been a bit since I posted anything game-related on here mostly because I’ve been busy writing up a bunch of game reviews over at the blog I freelance for, N3rdabl3. Plus, so many awesome book tags have been popping up lately, I couldn’t stop myself from doing them!

But, here’s another gaming post for you all 🙂 This ones about some of the best games that I’ve come across in terms of art!

The Last of Us

The Last of Us is a game that is made up of all the things I enjoy from a game – an original concept, realistic characters that I can connect with and feel something for and of course gorgeous (if not sometimes horrific) art that makes me stop in the middle of my game and just stare in appreciation at the world Naughty Dog has created.

The last of Us is a game that takes place during a zombie apocalypse and centers around the relationship between Joel and Ellie. After a shattering loss when the outbreak begins, Joel is basically just wandering aimlessly through his new life of odd jobs around the safe zones until he comes across Ellie, a fiery teenage girl he’s been roped into protecting. The game is heart-wrenchingly beautiful and heart breaking at the same time and the art matches that. Between the crumbling sky scrapers, nature overtaking the streets and haunting abandoned apartments, lets just say that the art book has definitely been on my wishlist for some time 🙂

Life is Strange

Life is Strange, while technically taking place in the real world, has this strange and unrealistic feel to it’s art. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that this gorgeous indie game has a certain sci-fi element – Max, a new photography student at Blackwell Academy, discovers she has the ability to turn back time when an incident at school awakens her power. Max reconnects with old childhood friend Chloe and the two go on journey using her newfound powers to dig into the dark and sinister mystery behind a young girls disappearance.

I love the care-free vibe of the game and how it feels like I can take my time enjoying the academy’s green quad or talking to the townspeople in the local diner. And don’t get me started on the colorful graffiti and art that scatters the walls of Chloe’s bedroom or her clubhouse in the junkyard. All in all, this game’s art is the perfect motivation for players to explore a games universe at their own pace.

We Happy Few

This eerie indie game that explodes with color and horror at every corner is as stunning as it is bone-chilling. This horror-survival game puts you in the shoes of a group of people trying to escape a totally re-imagined England in the 1960’s. Mixing both retro and dystopic elements, this terrifying new world’s inhabitants are drug-fueled and ruthless. Willing to punish anyone who seems out of step, you must blend in with the crowd in order to escape it.

I’ve always thought that the most eerie images are the ones that look ‘too-happy’ and the bright colors of this alternate England pull that look off really well. The look of the town and inhabitants in We Happy Few remind me loosely of Tim Burton’s work (which I love!)

Oxenfree

Oxenfree is a haunting indie game about a group of friends who visit an island for a weekend of bonfires, drinks and fun. At first, this game cleverly lulls the player into a calm with it’s interactive conversations and pastel color palette. But when Alex, her best friend and new step brother decided to explore an old cave that’s rumored certain radio-frequencies trigger supernatural events, things get real creepy and a voice crackles to life on Alex’s radio.

This unsettling 2-D game has a contrasting art style that is easy to get lost in despite the creepy happenings going on in the game. Even the ghostly events are so well executed, turning the once tranquil island into a completely new bone-chilling scene.

Final Fantasy 12

All Final Fantasy games are pretty awe-striking, with imaginative universes and mystical lands that stretch far beyond our imagination. but Final Fantasy 12 is one of my favorites from the series! Following a group of rebellious citizens who all have a stake in overthrowing a corrupt ruler, I love how both the environments and characters are all so diverse.

Being an open-world game, Final Fantasy takes you through all types of different lands from snow and ice to forest and desert. Inside castle walls, travelling by airship or escaping dungeons there’s so much to see in this game! I’m bias towards the Bonnie-and-Clyde-like pair Fran and Balthier but also love all the other characters like bad-ass princess Ashe and thief Vaan.

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It’s been a while since I posted a gaming-related post but I hope you guys enjoyed the wonderful art! Have you played any of these games? Which games do you enjoy most for their art? Let me know in the comments down below! 🙂 Until next time – Goodnight!

-Mel xx