Art Direction > Graphics. Elden Ring, or any FromSoftware game, displays this perfectly. Their games’ art and designs are gorgeous, but when you take a closer look you realize the graphics themselves aren’t special. Barring cutscenes, which specifically use HD high rendered blah blah bullshit, you’ll find generally graphics are a couple years behind the game’s release date. Zoom in on any non-boss texture in the game and it looks straight from 2016. Dark Souls 3 looks like 2013. Demons Souls, from 2009, looks like graphics from 2007. And this is also very necessary for these games to run. Combat is very important, and you don’t want your players to die and lose potentially hours of progress because of a lag spike. But you don’t want to sacrifice everything necessary that makes your game truly unique and engaging and fun. Your only truly good option, just generally the best option, is hanging slightly back on the graphics. As long as you don’t squint to hard, it doesn’t matter anyway! I want you to go to the character creator in Bloodborne or Elden Ring and look at the detail in the creator menu vs when you finish making your character and view them during gameplay. You’ll see a very noticeable difference. If anyone ever says Elden Ring has good graphics, they’re not wrong but do correct them if they say it is “cutting edge” graphics or “the best” graphics. They’re not.
Never. Ever.😂 but ue5 does a good enough job to the point where it doesn’t matter. Even though some people dislike it, I like the look of neo Berlin and black state. Epic Games Ue5 has made it so indie studios and literal who’s can make decent looking games. That can’t be understated.
What gamers want : Fun or challenging gameplay Looks good A story that makes you feel nostalgic when you look back at it But nothing can be perfect since devs are humans too
well the solution is to stylize the graphics, because in my opinion that ends up being way more beautiful. Case in point: outer wilds and hyper light drifter
Bruh there were only one dude (quantum tv) who said that elden ring had bad graphics and 15yo guy proved him wrong. Can't recall anyone else saying that it looks bad, even now erd tree dlc looks fascinating
exactly what I think, a stylized game is so much better and makes it so much more unique than the top of the line graphics. My three favourite games of all time are hyper light drifter, rain world and outer wilds. All of them focus on the gameplay AND the art, and in my opinion those three games are all fifty times more beautiful than any "realistic" graphic game ive seen
Couldn't agree more, also its nice to see someone mention Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth as a possible GOTY title. It's by far my favourite game of 2024
I think obsessing over graphics rather than artstyle is unhealthy, yes, I also need to point out that YOU have been obsessed with graphics for years now, making multiple videos about how much you dislike "bad" or "outdated" graphics and consoles, wanting to discontinue older consoles.
Thank you for watching my other videos! That's fair, but I would say as far as my opinions with cross gen games my complaints were more varied. My concern there was that cross gen games are hindering/holding current gen games back, thus hindering how "good" this current console generation is. In other words, I did want graphics, loading, and other features to be pushed forward, but in a natural way that happens with each console generation.
I find it weird how much people complain about the Switch's graphics. They can't just magic a system with better graphics without making compromises to size, thermals and battery life. I'll get Switch 2 when it comes out, but personally I'm not in any rush to buy more e-waste. It's 2016 tablet hardware, if anything it's impressive how much Nintendo has accomplished without cutting edge graphics, and it shows in its sales figures. It's on the verge of becoming the best-selling game console of all time with nearly a hundred million-sellers, and it's a damn tater tot. I just wish they'd chill out on fan games and emulation.
Excuse my English, I'm French. Just discovered your channel and I really like your videos. I agree with your point. For me, art, gameplay and game design are much more important than just graphic. There are some games that are still really good looking 10 or 15 years after they where realesed. Right now I think about The Witcher 3 but of course there are plenty. In that perspective, the only thing we do not master is how games age. Like pixel art is... art but it used to look old fashioned. What are the criterions that make some games stil esteemed and appreciated graphicaly after years ? Isn't there a question of feeling and emotions that we had in the game ? hm...
Agreed with the title. Personally I'd like to see other areas concentrated on more, like more/better environmental physics, body damage and environmental destruction/interactions that were starting to pick up steam in several games in the mid 2000's but all of a sudden disappeared. This is all obviously more CPU related though and seeing as most gaming rigs have at least 8 cores and 8 thread CPU's I'm not sure why we don't have more of it.
Right? SquareEnix is known for their obsession with graphics. Do people mistake semi-realistic graphics (like in FF games) with not caring about graphics?
Gaming is a visual medium, so noticeable gains in visual fidelity have been the easiest way to market new hardware for generations. This problem is primarily on the industry, as it has conditioned audiences to expect better visuals for decades, only to deliver increasingly diminishing returns.
Helldivers has amazing graphics and great gameplay, and still runs fine on most pcs. If people don’t want huge graphics quality, they can turn down their settings so their pcs can run it fine. I don’t see the problem with graphics oriented games.
I've said before on this channel and I'll say it again. I don't want next gen to amount to more photo realism. I want graphics to go back to early-mid 2000s levels but at running profoundly better. Don't give me unreal engine 42069 super detailed teeth and eyeball Link, give me Wind Waker running at 8K 144FPS. New games are technically impressive, but they don't wow me with it anymore. Fan made remasters that make Mario 64 look like the prerendered art do wow me, though. Horizon Forbidden West doesn't impress me anymore with it's graphics than Shadow of The Colossus did nearly 20 years ago. Same with, say, PS2 Gran Turismo VS PS5 Gran Turismo. Both stuck me as hyperealistic at the time, and sure the newer games in those comparisons will hold up more realistic when compared now, but it doesn't matter anymore. If I saw the future and looked at a PS9 Pro super realistic game it wouldn't anymore than today's with looking real. Read Dead 2 could get a current gen patch and even if it improved every asset it isn't gonna look any better than just making the current version run better. That's where focus needs to be. Realism has passed the point of diminishing returns and lapped it twice. Gears 6 could use the same assets as Gears 3 and if it's running at 4k120fps I guarantee it will look better than the same game on the newest unreal engine running at some dynamic checkerboard resolution with all these tricks at 20-30FPS. Game devs went in the completely wrong direction with how they scaled up games in time and budget when they could and should have just iterated on and scaled their 360/PS3 era assets with the improvements of technology. Again, look at Windwaker on Wii U vs Twilight Princess on Wii U. Windwaker HD looks beautiful and with higher FPS and resolution could be a showcase, decades later. It took minimal effort from Nintendo. Twilight Princess HD honestly looks like a shitty port that shows the cracks in it's gamecube era realism, despite it taking significantly more time and effort than Wind Waker HD. Focus on art, not graphics, and let new technology naturally enchance the art. I guarantee you the new switch will be showed off with BOTW and TOTK running better and it'll be much more impressive than Senua 2's hyperealistic teeth.
[Request includes an invalid argument] Getting that message in my attempt to write my argument to this video kinda sums up the general final sentiment i made at the end. No ones going to try to hear this(in relation to my argument, not yours). Have a good day i guess
What do you mean? You said final fantasy rebirth isn’t focused on graphics but that has literally been one of square enix’s foundational objectives with final fantasy since the late 80’s before 3D graphics even existed in the mainstream. I’m not saying graphics are the most important thing but games as a VISUAL medium can still focus on graphics over other elements and that’s okay and can be awesome. I love some games that look amazing and it’s mostly bec I love walking around their beautiful detailed worlds. I enjoy death stranding so much and it’s just walking around big beautiful open fields and beautiful photo realistic cutscenes. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah sure not all games need the most impressive graphics but that’s like no shit, obvious to anyone who isn’t a child. Visuals are important to a visual art form. How those visuals are employed, utilized and considered as a balance for the creative focus of the work IS important though.
People are shitting on ER graphics, man did you see FF16 graphics? Blury mess... same goes for WuKong, every game is now blurry with insane amout of fog.
Couldn't agree more. It just feels like a waste of development pursuing the best possible graphics cause while yeah people like good graphics, the general public not gonna notice every fine detail in a game's realism. Realism has its place in the gaming industry but it gets easily dated while having a unique artstyle goes a long way making that game memorable and also doesn't impede on the most important aspect being the gameplay.
as a gamer my personal need is just good gameplay and story , if not then just gameplay , nothing else matters , sometimes i do appreciate environment but that's less often
I was with you until you kept saying FFVIIR2 doesn't prioritize graphics. Thats just flat-out false. If Final Fantasy, the series that makes a name for itself off of trying to push grapics, doesn't count, then what does?? Rebirth has been having technical issues on PS5 and, according to Square's fiscal report, lost them a lot of money. Its literally a perfect example of how pursuing graphics can hurt a company. Even if the game is still good
Thanks for watching! My point with Rebirth was not that they did not prioritize graphics to the point of trying to make it look as realistic as possible, and that art direction was obviously more important. That obviously did not result in a bad looking game by any means. To me Rebirth is the best game I have ever played, and arguably the most beautiful looking game I have ever seen.
mostly i care about details and gameplay loop i cant play newer games that look incredible but i cannot cut,shoot,destroy anything in the enviroment......and i boot up crysis and got all of that and its from 2007
I personally never really understood why photo-realism in games seems to be the main focus for so many people. When I play games I want to be taken OUT of reality, not experience something that is CLOSER to reality, graphics wise. I'd play something that looks more stylized over something that focuses on looking realistic any day, and yes I agree that this obsession is making AAA games unsustainable and honestly, in general, boring and unoriginal. Good video.
i can't enjoy this video, not because the video is bad, but because im overthinking about me about to get yelled at because i done fuckd up his car, i plug something, it sparked, and the whole car died lmaoo 😭😭😭. checked every fuses and all connected when i inspect it above flashlight.
Gameplay is much more important than graphics
So is artstyle.
That is why we should play sekiro
@@AbsoluteZero-ob1no Sekiros graphics not bad for a 2019 game and artstyle pretty good
Yah
Nah, it's story
lemme add some
Stop Obsessing Over Graphics *ESPECIALLY* Hyperrealism
Art Direction > Graphics.
Elden Ring, or any FromSoftware game, displays this perfectly. Their games’ art and designs are gorgeous, but when you take a closer look you realize the graphics themselves aren’t special.
Barring cutscenes, which specifically use HD high rendered blah blah bullshit, you’ll find generally graphics are a couple years behind the game’s release date. Zoom in on any non-boss texture in the game and it looks straight from 2016. Dark Souls 3 looks like 2013. Demons Souls, from 2009, looks like graphics from 2007.
And this is also very necessary for these games to run. Combat is very important, and you don’t want your players to die and lose potentially hours of progress because of a lag spike. But you don’t want to sacrifice everything necessary that makes your game truly unique and engaging and fun. Your only truly good option, just generally the best option, is hanging slightly back on the graphics. As long as you don’t squint to hard, it doesn’t matter anyway!
I want you to go to the character creator in Bloodborne or Elden Ring and look at the detail in the creator menu vs when you finish making your character and view them during gameplay. You’ll see a very noticeable difference.
If anyone ever says Elden Ring has good graphics, they’re not wrong but do correct them if they say it is “cutting edge” graphics or “the best” graphics. They’re not.
The first area in shadow of the erdtree is breathtaking, just the dark misty yellow fog is a surreal sight.
Never. Ever.😂 but ue5 does a good enough job to the point where it doesn’t matter. Even though some people dislike it, I like the look of neo Berlin and black state. Epic Games Ue5 has made it so indie studios and literal who’s can make decent looking games. That can’t be understated.
What gamers want :
Fun or challenging gameplay
Looks good
A story that makes you feel nostalgic when you look back at it
But nothing can be perfect since devs are humans too
well the solution is to stylize the graphics, because in my opinion that ends up being way more beautiful. Case in point: outer wilds and hyper light drifter
Bruh there were only one dude (quantum tv) who said that elden ring had bad graphics and 15yo guy proved him wrong. Can't recall anyone else saying that it looks bad, even now erd tree dlc looks fascinating
I even consider OST more important than graphics, trust me, when a game has a 10/10 OST that will single-handedly make you love it
exactly what I think, a stylized game is so much better and makes it so much more unique than the top of the line graphics. My three favourite games of all time are hyper light drifter, rain world and outer wilds. All of them focus on the gameplay AND the art, and in my opinion those three games are all fifty times more beautiful than any "realistic" graphic game ive seen
Couldn't agree more, also its nice to see someone mention Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth as a possible GOTY title. It's by far my favourite game of 2024
I think obsessing over graphics rather than artstyle is unhealthy, yes, I also need to point out that YOU have been obsessed with graphics for years now, making multiple videos about how much you dislike "bad" or "outdated" graphics and consoles, wanting to discontinue older consoles.
Thank you for watching my other videos! That's fair, but I would say as far as my opinions with cross gen games my complaints were more varied. My concern there was that cross gen games are hindering/holding current gen games back, thus hindering how "good" this current console generation is. In other words, I did want graphics, loading, and other features to be pushed forward, but in a natural way that happens with each console generation.
I find it weird how much people complain about the Switch's graphics. They can't just magic a system with better graphics without making compromises to size, thermals and battery life. I'll get Switch 2 when it comes out, but personally I'm not in any rush to buy more e-waste.
It's 2016 tablet hardware, if anything it's impressive how much Nintendo has accomplished without cutting edge graphics, and it shows in its sales figures. It's on the verge of becoming the best-selling game console of all time with nearly a hundred million-sellers, and it's a damn tater tot. I just wish they'd chill out on fan games and emulation.
Love the Switch but I sure wouldn't mind if everything ran at 60fps
@@gridline bro a phone has more power than the switch it struggles playing fortnite at 30fps.
Excuse my English, I'm French. Just discovered your channel and I really like your videos. I agree with your point.
For me, art, gameplay and game design are much more important than just graphic. There are some games that are still really good looking 10 or 15 years after they where realesed. Right now I think about The Witcher 3 but of course there are plenty.
In that perspective, the only thing we do not master is how games age. Like pixel art is... art but it used to look old fashioned.
What are the criterions that make some games stil esteemed and appreciated graphicaly after years ? Isn't there a question of feeling and emotions that we had in the game ? hm...
Agreed with the title. Personally I'd like to see other areas concentrated on more, like more/better environmental physics, body damage and environmental destruction/interactions that were starting to pick up steam in several games in the mid 2000's but all of a sudden disappeared. This is all obviously more CPU related though and seeing as most gaming rigs have at least 8 cores and 8 thread CPU's I'm not sure why we don't have more of it.
Damn man i enjoyed the video and the way you speak so calmly. You’ll make it as a big TH-camr
Thank you! I hope so.
Awesome video my man 👍🏾
Gameplay is king in a video game lol
You do video essays well, keep up the solid work.
Baldur’s Gate 3, FF7R Part 2, and LAD IW aren’t pushing graphics forward??? Excuse me??? Are we looking at the same games???
Right? SquareEnix is known for their obsession with graphics. Do people mistake semi-realistic graphics (like in FF games) with not caring about graphics?
you say that, and yet this game has incredible graphics
Great video! Commenting to stimulate the algrithm for ya brother!
I appreciate that! Thanks for watching!
Gaming is a visual medium, so noticeable gains in visual fidelity have been the easiest way to market new hardware for generations. This problem is primarily on the industry, as it has conditioned audiences to expect better visuals for decades, only to deliver increasingly diminishing returns.
Helldivers has amazing graphics and great gameplay, and still runs fine on most pcs. If people don’t want huge graphics quality, they can turn down their settings so their pcs can run it fine. I don’t see the problem with graphics oriented games.
I like your video, Tidus Laughing Man
Great video!
Thank you! Glad you liked it.
I wanted to say that with this video in mind, I can now 100% confirm that Hotline Miami is a GEM!
Games need graphics like ghost of tsushima man games have to be colorful n shit but that game has good gameplay too so not every game can balance both
I've said before on this channel and I'll say it again. I don't want next gen to amount to more photo realism. I want graphics to go back to early-mid 2000s levels but at running profoundly better. Don't give me unreal engine 42069 super detailed teeth and eyeball Link, give me Wind Waker running at 8K 144FPS. New games are technically impressive, but they don't wow me with it anymore. Fan made remasters that make Mario 64 look like the prerendered art do wow me, though.
Horizon Forbidden West doesn't impress me anymore with it's graphics than Shadow of The Colossus did nearly 20 years ago. Same with, say, PS2 Gran Turismo VS PS5 Gran Turismo. Both stuck me as hyperealistic at the time, and sure the newer games in those comparisons will hold up more realistic when compared now, but it doesn't matter anymore. If I saw the future and looked at a PS9 Pro super realistic game it wouldn't anymore than today's with looking real. Read Dead 2 could get a current gen patch and even if it improved every asset it isn't gonna look any better than just making the current version run better. That's where focus needs to be. Realism has passed the point of diminishing returns and lapped it twice. Gears 6 could use the same assets as Gears 3 and if it's running at 4k120fps I guarantee it will look better than the same game on the newest unreal engine running at some dynamic checkerboard resolution with all these tricks at 20-30FPS. Game devs went in the completely wrong direction with how they scaled up games in time and budget when they could and should have just iterated on and scaled their 360/PS3 era assets with the improvements of technology.
Again, look at Windwaker on Wii U vs Twilight Princess on Wii U. Windwaker HD looks beautiful and with higher FPS and resolution could be a showcase, decades later. It took minimal effort from Nintendo. Twilight Princess HD honestly looks like a shitty port that shows the cracks in it's gamecube era realism, despite it taking significantly more time and effort than Wind Waker HD.
Focus on art, not graphics, and let new technology naturally enchance the art. I guarantee you the new switch will be showed off with BOTW and TOTK running better and it'll be much more impressive than Senua 2's hyperealistic teeth.
[Request includes an invalid argument]
Getting that message in my attempt to write my argument to this video kinda sums up the general final sentiment i made at the end. No ones going to try to hear this(in relation to my argument, not yours).
Have a good day i guess
What do you mean? You said final fantasy rebirth isn’t focused on graphics but that has literally been one of square enix’s foundational objectives with final fantasy since the late 80’s before 3D graphics even existed in the mainstream. I’m not saying graphics are the most important thing but games as a VISUAL medium can still focus on graphics over other elements and that’s okay and can be awesome. I love some games that look amazing and it’s mostly bec I love walking around their beautiful detailed worlds. I enjoy death stranding so much and it’s just walking around big beautiful open fields and beautiful photo realistic cutscenes. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah sure not all games need the most impressive graphics but that’s like no shit, obvious to anyone who isn’t a child. Visuals are important to a visual art form. How those visuals are employed, utilized and considered as a balance for the creative focus of the work IS important though.
People aren't anymore lol. But the Switch is way too underpowered and can't maintain a stable framerate in some games.
Not only the frame rate but the resolution it can get down to 360p in some games
Elden Ring is the best game ever created.
devs should stop but ill continue to
Black Myth: Wukong hype in a nutshell. Yes, it's very pretty. And?
Monster Hunter Rise received way more hate than it deserved.
People are shitting on ER graphics, man did you see FF16 graphics? Blury mess... same goes for WuKong, every game is now blurry with insane amout of fog.
I rather have good performance. Action RPGs don't need to push tech boundaries.
Couldn't agree more.
It just feels like a waste of development pursuing the best possible graphics cause while yeah people like good graphics, the general public not gonna notice every fine detail in a game's realism.
Realism has its place in the gaming industry but it gets easily dated while having a unique artstyle goes a long way making that game memorable and also doesn't impede on the most important aspect being the gameplay.
as a gamer my personal need is just good gameplay and story , if not then just gameplay , nothing else matters , sometimes i do appreciate environment but that's less often
I was with you until you kept saying FFVIIR2 doesn't prioritize graphics. Thats just flat-out false. If Final Fantasy, the series that makes a name for itself off of trying to push grapics, doesn't count, then what does?? Rebirth has been having technical issues on PS5 and, according to Square's fiscal report, lost them a lot of money. Its literally a perfect example of how pursuing graphics can hurt a company. Even if the game is still good
Thanks for watching! My point with Rebirth was not that they did not prioritize graphics to the point of trying to make it look as realistic as possible, and that art direction was obviously more important. That obviously did not result in a bad looking game by any means. To me Rebirth is the best game I have ever played, and arguably the most beautiful looking game I have ever seen.
NINTENDO 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥
mostly i care about details and gameplay loop i cant play newer games that look incredible but i cannot cut,shoot,destroy anything in the enviroment......and i boot up crysis and got all of that and its from 2007
That still costs a lot of dev time and a lot of money to implement, something that wouldn’t benifit most games.
@@oo--7714 wrong most AAA studios have the budget but sadly time and investors make it worse
I'd rather have full polish on gameplay than "perfect" graphics. Look at indie games for goodness sake
If someone likes graphics let them like it
To be fair, RDR2 is an absolute masterpiece, with the best graphics of the PS4 as well as one of the best stories and characters of any game.
I personally never really understood why photo-realism in games seems to be the main focus for so many people.
When I play games I want to be taken OUT of reality, not experience something that is CLOSER to reality, graphics wise.
I'd play something that looks more stylized over something that focuses on looking realistic any day, and yes I agree that this obsession is making AAA games unsustainable and honestly, in general, boring and unoriginal. Good video.
i can't enjoy this video, not because the video is bad, but because im overthinking about me about to get yelled at because i done fuckd up his car, i plug something, it sparked, and the whole car died lmaoo 😭😭😭. checked every fuses and all connected when i inspect it above flashlight.