Aesthetically Unique: Games That Look Like Nothing Else
Extremely subjective and non-comprehensive list. Feel free to comment with suggestions!
These aren't in any particular order, though I've tried grouping games by particular "auteurs," as well as some with kindred styles (i.e. "crafts"-style games, which have become their own little subgenre). I guess being able to group them this way makes them not so one-of-a-kind, but I've tried to stick with aesthetics that are at least very uncommon, or at least put their own unique spin on something that a few other games have done.
Many of these have very obvious influences in other mediums, but ones which haven't otherwise been used much in gaming. Some have since had lots of imitators, but at the time looked like little that came before them.
NOT ON BACKLOGGD:
- Cursedom (Glamow Research)
- 7dfps (Loren Schmidt)
- STRANGLE/HOLD (Feverdream Johnny)
These aren't in any particular order, though I've tried grouping games by particular "auteurs," as well as some with kindred styles (i.e. "crafts"-style games, which have become their own little subgenre). I guess being able to group them this way makes them not so one-of-a-kind, but I've tried to stick with aesthetics that are at least very uncommon, or at least put their own unique spin on something that a few other games have done.
Many of these have very obvious influences in other mediums, but ones which haven't otherwise been used much in gaming. Some have since had lots of imitators, but at the time looked like little that came before them.
NOT ON BACKLOGGD:
- Cursedom (Glamow Research)
- 7dfps (Loren Schmidt)
- STRANGLE/HOLD (Feverdream Johnny)
293 Games
You'd never know it from the box art, but this otherwise fairly generic RPG is one of the strangest looking games ever made. It looks like a Hieronymus Bosch painting decided to wear pastels for Easter. The Japanese-only sequel, Lennus II, refines the simplicity of the art style into something that looks "better," but in the process tones down the weirdness by about 30%.
Inspired by Fleischer Studios cartoons and a WWII Japanese propaganda film titled "Evil Mickey Attacks Japan": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icVu-acHlpU&feature=youtu.be&t=5m13s
Watercolor RPG!!
The two TinTin games for SNES capture the art style of the comics better than probably any comic-inspired game ever, and are really just gorgeous. It's a shame the games themselves aren't very good.
Let this stand in for the whole series.
Minimalism at its best.
Stunningly beautiful hand-painted backgrounds + ultra-cartoony PS1-era 3D characters
The individual stylistic elements here aren't really all that unique, but the sheer density with which they've been crammed on top of one another is positively baroque.
Pushes the inherent baroqueness of the bullet hell genre to its logical conclusion - the traditional space battle theme is swapped for a bizarre insect-centric one, but ultimately this is more about shape, color, and patterns of movement.
Obviously this is just "Moebius: The Game," but the fact that no one has thought to make "Moebius: The Game" before now is kind of surprising.
ditto what I said about Sable here, but swap "Moebius" for "Studio Ghibli"
ditto my comments on Sable and Ni No Kuni, but for Junji Ito
42 Comments
The Sea Will Claim Everything
Nepenthe - it’s a completely handrawn rpg!
sengoku turb
golem no maigo
golem no maigo
428 shibuya scramble may be cheating, However,
also the voice of cards games are p cool because they only use cards as a way to present the "graphics"
also the voice of cards games are p cool because they only use cards as a way to present the "graphics"
Pentiment, Ghost Trick, Kentucky Route Zero, Aviary Attorney, MOON: Remix RPG Adventure, and The Dream Machine.
Ruins of Mitrion - pixel boy
Exterminary - RETRODEAD
STRANGLE/HOLD - Feverdream Johnny
House of God - Glass Revolver
Maiden & Spell -minodev
Fight Knight - boensaw
POLYBOT - Kyzrati
Remnants - June Flower
LONG LIVE THE AXE - owch
Exterminary - RETRODEAD
STRANGLE/HOLD - Feverdream Johnny
House of God - Glass Revolver
Maiden & Spell -minodev
Fight Knight - boensaw
POLYBOT - Kyzrati
Remnants - June Flower
LONG LIVE THE AXE - owch
Vote for The Case of the Golden Idol to be added
Rym 9000
Going Under
long overdue update – added some of the suggestions + some others
thanks for the suggestions, y'all!
(STRANGLE/HOLD definitely belongs on the list but doesn't have a Backloggd entry)
thanks for the suggestions, y'all!
(STRANGLE/HOLD definitely belongs on the list but doesn't have a Backloggd entry)
Harold Halibut
Manifold Garden
Schim
Flat Kingdom
Replaced
The Last Night
Manifold Garden
Schim
Flat Kingdom
Replaced
The Last Night
TeN
1 year ago
Also added Critters for Sale + Promesa from the earlier suggestions, + a whole bunch of others