Best Art Direction of 2014 - Article
by Joseph Trotter , posted on 11 January 2015 / 5,759 Views
Art Direction ought not be something defined by whose £400 console is better than their neighbour's £400 console at producing pixels. Readers with eyes will notice the heavily stylised nature of the nominees; it is harder to become more excited by the possibilities of extra pores on Cristiano Ronaldo's nose than the sheer beauty of a well-constructed artistic endeavour.
'Realistic' looking games will always have their place in gaming, particularly as technical demonstrations; indeed, all such games are equally eligible for this category and yet none were put forward. Why? Because they're so damn uninteresting, so interchangeable, so lifeless, which is ironic for a style meant to imitate life. 2014's entrants celebrate the visual skill of developing great art for video games. Not only does each art style on show below enhance the game in question but also embodies its spirit.
The Nominees Are:
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
And the Winner is...
Celebrated on its release for its striking visual style and barnstorming gameplay, Sunset Overdrive was the first console exclusive of this generation to really pull in envious glances from owners of rival consoles. Bright and colourful, the outrageous cartoon visuals fit perfectly with frantic gameplay to produce a memorable experience. Individually, the two components may have struggled; together, they create one of 2014's most endearing releases.
