What is the Importance of Game Art?

What is the Importance of Game Art?
By Leigh Marrs

Having a sudden urge to change the pace of games I currently play, I ventured out and bought a used N64. That’s right; I’m going from cutting edge games like LA Noire and Final Fantasy XIII-- ALL the WAY back to games like Star Fox 64 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Just as I thought would happen, nostalgia has come over me.

Okay. My dream job, given, is Game Art Extraordinaire(!). I have the desire to sharpen and perfect every single pixel on the next HUGE hero, worthy of criticism from the hosts down at “Attack of the Show”. Also, I am still learning. A few days ago while I was playing Ocarina, my dad walked in, puzzled by why I would still have such a desire to play such an old game because “the 360 has better graphics.”

Side Note: I had wanted to play this game since I was 10.

But I got a Playstation.

o_o

...

At first, I think “This is ironic that I don’t care how good this game looks in comparison to more current games” then I decide that it doesn’t bother me. These games are still just as fun as games today. In fact, N64 games (especially Zelda and Star Fox) still hold a pretty worthy rank whenever I ask my friends what their favorite games are today. So, my question is:

“Of what importance do graphics, AKA quality of game art, play when one is choosing a possible ‘Top 10 favorite games of all time’, or even just reviewing a game in general?”

Obviously, the art direction in video games leaves some sort of impression on gamers, even if the gamer happens to play exclusively first person shooters. People are visual. If there happens to be a climactic scene that makes the gamer say “woa!” (or rather think ‘woa.’), that player is more likely to remember that game as a good game. There are plenty of games that I remember playing and thinking ‘wow, what beauty’ even if the scene wasn’t of that great of importance. Game art, I believe, creates the right mood for a game, and is integral to aiding of the plot line.