Pixel Art Indie Games That Put AAA Art Direction To Shame

I love video games.

To elaborate on this point I love the “video” aspect of video games, the part where you witness the beauty of its art implemented alongside its gameplay mechanics, thereby resulting in a wonderous amalgamation of art and game.

That’s why it saddens me when I see a lot of AAA studios with bland and unimaginative art direction. Although they have the means and opportunity to present us with a five-star product, we instead get something like Forspoken.

You don’t need hyper-realistic graphics in a game if your game’s premise looks dull & uninteresting to begin with.  

This opinion piece is a list of indie games I believe have better art direction than many AAA games. However, to further prove my point all of these games utilize pixel art.

Disclaimer: None of these games are ranked in any order of preference. I just think all of them look neat in their special way.

Sea Of Stars

First up on our list is, Sea of Stars a turn-based RPG reminiscent of the JRPGs of the 90s. The game pays homage to many old-school JRPG titles, such as; Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Super Mario RPG, and many others. Although If I had to choose one, I’d say the game takes the most inspiration from Chrono Trigger.

That being said, the game introduces many unique gameplay elements & mechanics unfamiliar to the older RPGs. Being its own thing, Sea of Stars is a breath of fresh air alongside a nostalgic scent. Clear skies, lush green jungles, a day & night cycle (that you control), and bustling cities; this game feels right at home on an after-school Friday to usher in a relaxing weekend.

World Of Horror

World of Horror is an 80s-inspired Roguelite Horror RPG, centered around solving mysteries, similar to games such as “VA-11 Hall-A, ” Omori,” and the “Fear & Hunger” games. The game takes heavy inspiration from renowned horror manga artist “Junji Ito,” as every moment of gameplay resembles a panel from one of Mr. Ito’s mangas. 

Similar to the usual premise of a Junji Ito manga, players find themselves in a bizarre and uncanny town resembling something from an 80s horror movie. The Ito-esque art style is the game’s strong suit and sells the dire situation the town is in.  

The game is a treat for fans of Mr. Ito and horror mangas in general, due to the terrifying aspect of many of its panels, and various homages to H.P Lovecraft’s works. 

The game also supports various color schemes if you don’t feel like blinding yourself with the default 1-bit white color scheme.

Moonlighter

Have you ever wanted to play the older 2D-pixel dungeon crawler Zelda games but with the fresh atmosphere and vibrant colors of Breath of the Wild? Then Moonlighter is the game for you.

You play as a young merchant ‘Will’ tasked with delving deep into dangerous dungeons. However, your goal isn’t fame or glory, rather it’s to stock up on trinkets and artifacts. They act as your merchandise to keep the family business afloat.

This game is a personal favorite of mine as it has a certain cozy feel. The town of Rynoka is full of life, NPCs are simple but true to their respective archetypes, and the dungeons, although dull at certain times, have moments of awe and mystery.

The game’s art style is simpler compared to others on this list, yet there is a certain charm to its simplicity.

Blasphemous

If Zelda-like isn’t your mood, how about a 2D souls-like filled with religious iconography and gore akin to Bloodborne (release it on PC already please)?

Blasphemous is a very unsettling yet captivating game. The game takes place in the deeply religious realm of Cvstodia. Players take control of ‘The Penitent One’, on a bloody quest to defy the church. 

Blasphemous and the beauty of absolutely vile and grotesque pixel art
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The gothic world of Cvstodia is haunting to look at and its residents are miserable. Around every corner of every squalid building or cathedral, there are vile and grotesque monstrosities roaming. The beauty of blasphemous is its use of beautifully repulsive pixel art. Do yourself a favor and look at the artwork of this game. 

The game’s animation is fluent, its combat bloody and the atmosphere is dark. Every so often you viciously execute enemies during takedowns, bosses are harrowing to look at and are daunting to fight, and the few existing safe areas, rarely evoke safety. 

To quote Cesar A. Cruz, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”

Well, what do you guys think of my list? Do you have any recommendations for games that fit this criteria? Let’s discuss it in the comments.