Cell-Shaded Games

Has anyone else noticed the recent trend of cell-shaded games? I'm talking about games where all the characters and objects have this black outline over them like they're shaded. It started a while ago with less popular games but now its gone to the big leagues with Zelda and Dark Cloud 2. And it seems like there's more to come. What do you all think?

 

I'm not a big fan. It was one of the main reasons I wasn't too big on getting Wind Waker, until I actually played it.

Wind Waker is excusable, but I prefer my games non-cell-shaded.

 

Not too sure about this but there is a game called 13 (?), which is a cel shaded FPS based on some Belgian comics or something. Looks really cool as well.

 

Yep there is a game called Thirteen coming out which is also cell-shaded.

 

The only cell-shaded game I've played is Dark Cloud 2, and I really don't like the look of it. But maybe that's because I just don't like the game... Well, either way, I'm not really into that game or its look.

Wind Waker, on the other hand, looks pretty cool. I really wish I had a GameCube.

 

I'd have to agree with YoungJedi11.

 

I HATE cel shaded games. I Despise them! When I saw the new look of Zelda I was just like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I was very pissed for quite sometime. The game plays well and has a great story but I still hate the look of it.

Forcebewitya!

 

Cell-shading is excusable for cartoon-games only. Anything else= crime against gaming.

 

I loved the graphics for Wacky Races on DreamCast. Of course, it was a cartoon to start with.

Recent Bomberman games are cel-shaded, and I think it works for those games too.

It all depends on the game in my opinion. I think it's still fine for Zelda TWW since the original game was kind of cartoony also. It feels a little nostalgic.

 

my reaction was the same as forcebewitya. I mean i was really mad when they decided to use cell shading personally I hope the cellshading stays off the ps2 b4 they use it in GTA or something!

 

Cel-shaded games! Jeebus! Why don't they can that crap?

We've got cutting-edge technology packed into these consoles, and what do we use it for? Crazy 2-D crap that would look better on a Super Nintendo.

Cel-shaded games! Jeebus! Why don't they can that crap?

--Koala3K

 

Actually, Zelda uses a cell shading where there aren't any black lines. It's a very cool effect.

 

"I think it's still fine for Zelda TWW since the original game was kind of cartoony also. It feels a little nostalgic"

Yes it was "cartoony" but it was a different type of cartoon. Take OoT and MM for example, yes people (including me) refer to them as "the realistic Zelda games" but really all they are is "realistic" cartoons.

Forcebewitya!

 

The first cel-shaded game I saw was Robotech: Battlecry. I guess they were trying to go for a cartoony look with that but quite frankly it was a poor decision. Then there's "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". Fortunately, the effect there was quite good. Unfortunately the game still sucks. But I've seen this new mode spread to other recent games like Dark Cloud 2 and Z.O.E. 2nd Runner were, IMO, the effect was ill-advised. For the Xbox we have Jet Set Radio Future and the upcoming XIII and I'm beginning to wonder if cel-shading as an innovation has wore out its welcome. Dear developers: less cel-shading, please, and more standard 3D graphics.

 

Cell-shaded games really turn me off. I was geared to buy Wild Arms 3 for the PS2, then I found out that it was cell-shaded. Games with cell-shading seem really childish, and I just find it extremely hard to get into them. -_-;;

I think I'm spoiled after playing games like FFX, Xenosaga, and FFVIII.

 

The look of Thirteen(titled XIII) is going to be cel-shaded to incorporate its comic look. Its cool cause when you shoot a gun it goes old-skoo batman and goes BLAM.

But the Cel-Shaded game I would be excited about is Auto-Modelista, a cel-shading racing game. Plus I'll be able to take it online

 

The look of Thirteen(titled XIII) is going to be cel-shaded to incorporate its comic look.

Well, thats' the thing right there: if I wanted to see/read a comic book, I'd go buy a COMIC BOOK. Games shouldn't have to look like comic books/cartoons needlessly.

 

I believe that XIII has taken the right option in following it's comic book style. I just wish Nintendo had thought twice about doing that with Zelda. A better idea would be to use Pokémon as their first cel-shaded game. They could've created it in a similar fashion to Zelda with a large 3d world, while bringing in all the aspects that made the Gameboy outings top quality games. Then they would've had a game that looks like the annoying cartoon but would hopefully appeal to kids and older gamers who enjoyed the gameboy games.

 

Yes, Cel shading turns me off as well. If I wasn't a big Zelda fan I would never think to buy Wind Waker becuase I would mistake it for a little childrens game. That is what Cel shading does to a great game series (like Zelda).

Forcebewitya!

 

I love Cel-Shading. Games are art, and cel-shading is just another artist decision. If everything looked ultra realistic they would all run together. Unfortunately there are so many Cel-Shaded games on the market right now I expect they'll take a slight hybernation. Variety is the spice of life.

 

What Forcebewitya and Tenorjedi said.

The cell shadingness of Zelda has majorly turned me off, any second I'm expecting Banjo and Kazooie to jump out. Still gonna get it though, hey it's a Zelda game. I really hope they continue in the "real Zelda" direction, not this cartoon stuff.

 

I watched Electric Playground this morning and they had a preview for yet another upcoming cell-shaded game, which is the new Mega Man game for Gamecube.

 

The only games I've really thought were appropriate for cel-shading were Jet Set Radio and its sequel, Jet Set Radio Future. The Wind Waker is a great game, but I still wish they had not used cel-shading.

 

I broke down and bought Zelda, being a fan of the series, and though I do think it's a very good game, I feel that it's a good game DESPITE the cel-shading rather than because of it. Personally, I feel that if they'd gone with a less overtly cartoonish animation style, I'd be enjoying the game a lot more.

A lot of the problems I have with the animation style, however, are related to the animation choices themselves rather than the cel-shading aspect. Watching a monster grab his bum and hop around hollering in comic pain when it's hit with a sword... not exactly the most immersive approach to an adventure game IMHO. Too often, Wind Waker comes off as more of a bad Don Bluth cartoon than anything else.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that Zelda wasn't really even cel-shaded. I would still call it a pseudo cel-shading look. The 3d engine we were used to is very similar. It really is just a different flair. It wasnt revolutionary change.