Otogi was a nice artsy game set in feudal Japan where you fight lotsa demons and such.
On a lesser note, I always enjoyed the background artwork for Samurai Shodown 2. Like the galleon in Galford's background, the huge mural painting in Charlotte's background or the insane, trippy background for Mizuki.
I find Tenchu to faithfully capture the Tokugawa-era look and feel perfectly, with Bushido and Daimyos all the rage. Asakura's soundtrack is exemplary in using traditional Japanese instruments as well.
Have I mentioned Ico? It feels as though you are playing a midday dream with the way light and the setting interact with the narrative. Really, any criticisms one has of the way the game plays are more than made up for by how it looks and sounds. Here's a little excerpt about the legacy of Ico from that wiki article:
"... Several game designers, such as Eiji Aonuma, Hideo Kojima, and Jordan Mechner, have cited Ico as having influenced the visual appearance of their games, including The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, respectively.[13] Marc Laidlaw, scriptwriter for the Half-Life series, commented that, among several other more memorable moments in the game, the point where Yorda attempts to save Ico from falling off the damaged bridge was "a significant event not only for that game, but for the art of game design".[45] Movie director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) has cited both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus as "masterpieces" and
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After the Ico mention I had to throw Shadow of the Colossus in here. The scale of everything from the colossi themselves to the soundtrack, everything just fit. I don't know any other game that could make me feel that emotionally attached to the vehicle used to transport me around the game field.
Another art direction shoutout goes to Princess Crown, Odin Sphere, Muramasa Blade and Grim Grimoire. 2D never looked so good as in the hands of Jouji Kamitani.
Also, if you haven't played Braid, do so. It's cheap and has some of the most interesting story and art direction I've ever seen.
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On a lesser note, I always enjoyed the background artwork for Samurai Shodown 2. Like the galleon in Galford's background, the huge mural painting in Charlotte's background or the insane, trippy background for Mizuki.
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Have I mentioned Ico? It feels as though you are playing a midday dream with the way light and the setting interact with the narrative. Really, any criticisms one has of the way the game plays are more than made up for by how it looks and sounds. Here's a little excerpt about the legacy of Ico from that wiki article:
"... Several game designers, such as Eiji Aonuma, Hideo Kojima, and Jordan Mechner, have cited Ico as having influenced the visual appearance of their games, including The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, respectively.[13] Marc Laidlaw, scriptwriter for the Half-Life series, commented that, among several other more memorable moments in the game, the point where Yorda attempts to save Ico from falling off the damaged bridge was "a significant event not only for that game, but for the art of game design".[45] Movie director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) has cited both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus as "masterpieces" and ( ... )
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Another art direction shoutout goes to Princess Crown, Odin Sphere, Muramasa Blade and Grim Grimoire. 2D never looked so good as in the hands of Jouji Kamitani.
Also, if you haven't played Braid, do so. It's cheap and has some of the most interesting story and art direction I've ever seen.
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