Why do Sony games have very bland art styles?

Ori and the Blind Forest won 3 awards at DICE, for art direction, music and animation. This made me realize that the last game that Sony developed themselves that had a note worthy art style was Journey which was IMO one of the best PS3 games. But aside from Journey, Sony games seem very bland and soulless, especially in their art direct and animation. Why is that?

I am a professional artist and I try to keep an open mind but I can't think of a single redeeming quality when it comes to the art direction in Sony's first and second party games. Bloodborne did have a note worthy art style but we've seen this similar style several times in the other Souls Games that it was hard for BB to stand out.

I find Sony's first party output to be pretty soulless in general. There are some notable exceptions, but their games seem more aimed at ticking off genre boxes than anything.

That being said, I think that art design is actually one of the better aspects of Sony games.

It's true, a lot of Sony exclusives lately have been borderline generic and bland, like Knack, The Order, Driveclub, Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, Killzone games etc. I think they're starting to suffer a writer's blockage and a lack of creativity much like Microsoft did last gen, because of similar laziness due to them letting their machine become the third party multiplat showcase.

There's no need to try hard when customers buy the system based on hype, smoke and mirrors and little else.

Knack's art style is so fucking bad.

Generally agree, but Id say The Order is pretty good. Uncharted gets overlooked as well. Uncharted looks great because of its art direction.

Ori and the Blind Forest was a great game and it deserves all the merits it received. However, to dismiss Sony has having a "bland" artistic direction in games is rather lazy. Yes some are bland and dark. Does that make it less artistic? Some games choose certain palettes and tones to suit its ambiance. Others like LBP are more colorful and lively in nature. I'm no artist but I do try to appreciate different types of games regardless of their style.

Sony's first party is only built around what makes a good trailer/e3 demo. The actual games are just shallow, cheaply made garbage with no real substance.

I don't agree with the other stuff that this poster said but his last sentence is bang on. Sony has an actual studio that screams art. MediaMolecule. Check out there upcoming game Dreams. Also there giant studio that's almost like a publisher Santa Monica is known to publish work with smaller devs like giant sparrow's The Unfinished Swan winner of 2013 BAFTA Awards. You mentioned Journey check out there next game coming for ps4 Abzu.

@cautcust seriously I almost want to say get the f**k out of here. Sony does too much of that shit, but of course art direction is very subjective. I thought those few games I mentioned match your criteria. and If you want to go by DICE The Last of Us took that award along with 9 others Literally outstanding in everything in 2014 lol. prior to that Journey and prior to Journey Uncharted. They went like 3 years on roll grabing those Dice awards. Art, Sound and Animation

Paragon

LocoRoco

Bloodborne

The Order

Journey

Tearaway

Art style is so subjective. The OP should point out examples of 8th-gen games which have good art style.

Came here to mention Puppeteer and Rain.

I sort of agree- though there are exceptions of corse. Ratchet and Clank looks really pretty, and Bloodborne, as you pointed out, has some great art too.

One of my favourite art styles ever:

I really hope that series returns one day...

The new R&C looks like a Pixar movie in playable form. That game is being criminally overlooked by everyone.

Yep, Tearaway, Journey and Puppeteer are visual masterpieces.

Best of all it's only 40 euro, instead of the regular 60 euro for a new game.

Makes me wanna run out and buy a PS4... almost.

lol okiedokie mate

Tearaway. There you go.

And Bloodborne's art style was fantastic, I don't care what you say.

Any and all Team ICO games, Shadow of the Colossus especially.

Then there's LittleBigPlanet. And Journey. Rain.

Patapon. LocoRoco. Then there was The Order last year.

You were saying?

I would add another upcoming game, The Tomorrow Children has very interesting art style. Again this can be very subjective.

You really calling games like God of war and Uncharted series for example animation and art direct bland and soulless ? What about Ratchet and Little big planet and all ? What the heck man ?

Oh look an opinion thread and people think it has merit. All it does is tell us what you like. Should be a blog.

ownage.

Sony is the most diverse and best when it comes to 1st party art style. MS is of course the worst and most generic.

Uncharted's art design is soulless, I'd disagree with the OP on Sony being bland in general with games like Horizon and Tomorrow Children. MS Sony and Nintendo all have their standouts and their duds, but for Sony, Naughty Dog is so far down the list on which studios have the most riveting art style.

I find Sony quite diverse in art style and style of games compare to Microsoft.

What I find sad is the art style in 3rd party that kinda blend during the PS3/X360 time. I mean before those consols it was easy to differentiate games made by Capcom again something made by SquareEnix or even by EA... now they pretty much all have that same style and visual effect.

Some do, some don't. Kinda how the cookie crumbles with relation to art style.

Agreed, sony should make more games with a masked man who is in-love with a CGI/digital character or maybe something along the lines of having big dudes with tank like armor and big axes killing every alien in sight because ya know how manly that shit is

Considering that he abandoned the thread after his first post I think it's pretty obvious what kind of poster he is.

@finalstar2007: You might want to tuck that nerve away, TC clearly touched one.

Ni No Kuni?

Art style is overrated, I prefer things to look natural.

The Uncharted franchise gets by on art direction, God of War is a franchise I don't care for, but I'd argue the art direction has usually been on point. And frankly too many complaints about Killzone's visual focus on the art direction, which in the grand scheme of things is an actual well done aesthetic for what they are going for. It's the tone of the story and characters that undermines that games presentation, not the fucking look.

Resistance was fugly, and their recent stuff has been dull. But that's no different than al ot of companies, Square-Enix gets WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much credit for art direction these days, they have a good eye color palette, an actual consistent aesthetic? **** NO!!!!!!!!!!!! their character models are an eye sore. What in the ever loving **** is Numera making half the time.

Nintendo to their credit are the class of the field of the 3 first parties, gotta give it to them on Splatoon, that aesthetic is well thought out across the board. The Look, the feel of the mechanics and how it plays, the music, the sound, it's top notch.

Yeah that is one of the few things the Order had going for it. I don't really believe Sony as a whole is lacking anymore than MS games at art style though. Its a game by game, subjective to what is pleasing to each individual's eyes thing.

Mostly because that's a knee jerk reaction from MS fans about Halo 5 flopping, following up the unmitigated disaster known as MCC, then you add in the holidays which were won by SONY and SONY beating MS in NA and later finding out that PS4 has almost a 2:1 sales advantage over X1

Finally.

Member since:

February 19, 2016

*waves to Tim*

The art style of bloodborne is much different to dark souls.

@speak_low: Dayum. Smackdown!

And i would agree with you there, it's either a very thinly veiled Xbox/pc promotion thread, or just a thread with so little actual thought or experience put into it that it has resulted in, well, this.

Art style is one of the things Sony developers generally do quite well. It's normally the gameplay or design choices that lets them down.

LOL! Art styles in Bloodborne is awesome, art style in KZ : SF is awesome ( Helghast City ), art style in GOW III is awesome, art style in Tearaway is awesome, Toukiden is also great.

What an stupid OP.

Topic Creator got rekt , lol.

And speaking of art direction and DICE

1999 -

• Nominee - Spyro

2000 -

• Nominee - Spyro 2

2002 -

• Winner - ICO

2003 -

• Winner - Sly Cooper
• Nominee - Ratchet & Clank

2004 -

• Nominee - Jak II
• Nominee - Ratchet & Clank Going Commando

2005 -

• Nominee - Sly 2 Band of Thieves

2006 -

• Winner - Shadow of the Colossus
• Nominee - God of War

2008 -

• Nominee - Heavenly Sword

2009 -

• Winner - LittleBigPlanet

2010 -

• Winner - Uncharted 2

2011 -

• Nominee - God of War III

2012 -

• Winner - Uncharted 3

2013 -

• Winner - Journey

2014 -

• Winner - The Last of Us
• Nominee - Puppeteer
• Nominee - Tearaway

2016 -

• Nominee - The Order 1886

I don't even want to go through animation. Too much work.

Some of their games do, aside from Journey, Rime and Tommorow Children. Order 1886 even though it was a bland game had an interesting art style.

Hermit here... not a "Professional Artist (lol)" but obvious troll is obvious....

Roflcopter. So out of everything i said you only choose what fit your argument right ?

Because UC series might have art design not of the likes of journey but what about animation? Then i mentioned God of war series also. Havent god of war a great art representation of greek mythology let alone everything else? Want me to continue ... well i dont have to it seems other did before me with fine examples.

As for Naughty dog being artistic enough ...if they want they sure can its just the nature of their latest games that doesnt need to go that far as other kind of games go. Thats all.

@putaspongeon:

TC overkill REKT!!!!

lol lems embarrassed with their silly opinions about sony games since they don't have any game to criticize or talk about.

Your post highlights how idiotic anyone is who actually tried to make a serious argument out of this ALT account xbox fanboy post.

In terms of art design:

Nintendo > Sony > Microsoft

You must be partially blind if you don't think Sony games have unique/cool art style. Bloodborne, Tearaway, Little Big Planet, Gravity Rush, Puppeteer, The Last Guardian, Ratchet & Clank, Journey etc. Way more diversity than anything Microsoft studios are putting out. Can you get any more boring art than Halo, Gears and Forza? Quantum Break looks good, but still has a generic art style.

@putaspongeon:

so many world class games with top tier art, style and direction.

...and i have seen the artstyle from Ori and the Blind Forest in many games before, it is nothing new that stand out.

TC was destroyed within 2 posts of OP. But we all know its an Alt from a elm who is obviously ashamed of former account since its associated with X1.