research on realism and stylisation in games

For many years it has seemed like the gaming industry has been pushing hard to get graphics to be as seamless and realistic as possible. But a new wave of stylized games has shown that even a game with vibrancy and color can be beautiful.

There is a tremendous amount of games with graphics being used to portray the most realistic experiences possible. Facial motion-capture technology brought real emotion to the faces of characters; dynamic environments simulate greater and greater levels of interactivity, and the continued growth of graphics capabilities brings games closer to the real world than they’ve ever been.

But realism isn’t the only option for video games.

A number of great games have come out recently that are deliberately colorful, bright and a little fantastical — and they’re gorgeous.

One of my favorites thus far is "Firewatch," a first-person adventure developed by Campo Santo and published by Panic. In the game, you are Henry, a middle-aged man looking to get away from the real world by taking a job as a fire lookout in the Shoshone National Forest.

While the setting of the Wyoming wilderness offers ample potential for realistic details, the developers instead opted to emulate the style and colors of retro National Parks Service posters. Rich colors accompany the cartoonish animation to create a uniquely immersive experience. It doesn’t look overly real and it’s not supposed to; that’s what makes it so beautiful. It’s a setting all its own, one that players can get truly lost in because there are not comparisons being made to the real world.

For a long time, I was under the impression that elevated levels of realism were the only way for video games to show their prowess. For one thing, realism doesn’t automatically make a game great. Any game, realistic or stylized, can’t hang on just graphics alone. There’s got to be plot, character development, good game mechanics; the list goes on. But after spending years playing realistically styled franchises like "Grand Theft Auto" and "Uncharted," I began to see the simple pleasure of branching out for a nicely stylized game.

Having a graphic style that’s unique to a particular game cements its identity in players’ heads and makes it more distinguishable long after the last time they’ve played it. That’s not to say having a stylized game automatically gives it five stars either; I’m sure there are plenty of visually distinctive games out there that somehow fell short. But it’s a production choice that definitely provokes a different kind of appreciation.

If nothing else, it’s worth branching out of your graphic comfort zone from time to time. If you’re a fan of realism, maybe try playing something like "Borderlands," which is basically like a playable comic book.

Or, if you’re already into games that are stylized, maybe look into trying Tom Clancy’s "The Division" when it’s fully released in March. It’s environment is incredibly detailed and graphically sharp — not to mention some pretty impressive weather animations.

There is no right way to game. That’s the true beauty of the gaming industry; there’s always something new out there to try, and there’s always something out there for everyone.