Any recomendations for cel-shaded games?

[Alma Mare]

So I noticed the Borderlands 2 sale on steam, and the aesthetics got me really interested. I loved that graphic style in games like PoP and Walking Dead and got a crave to play another game like that. However I'm not going for Borderlands since I'm not too big into shooters and the way that game is nickel and dimed annoys me. So does anyone has recomendations for games with a similar art style?

 

[shrekfan246]

Okami!

Okay, it's not really the same type of cel-shading, and they go for far more of a watercolor aesthetic, but it's still wonderfully unique and more people need to buy it so Platinum can make another one for Capcom. PS2, Wii, or the HD edition on the PS3!

Or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Gamecube. It's the only Zelda game I've actually completed.

Those are the two obvious ones, at least.

Bastion is very cartoony in much the same way, it's an isometric ARPG. It doesn't have the same hard black outlines from what I recall, but the art direction is definitely one of the high points of the game. The ranged weapons are easier with a controller, though, because mouse aiming is a bit off and using a controller gives you auto-aim.

Dragon Quest VIII on the PS2 is a JRPG with cel-shaded graphics. The franchise works much the same way as Final Fantasy or the Tales games in that you can pretty much jump in anywhere because they're not tied together from a narrative standpoint.

Speaking of the Tales franchise, Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube. Another JRPG, which I think says it all. Really good, though.

If you've got a PS Vita, Gravity Rush is an action-adventure game with a pretty awesome aesthetic in my opinion. Looks beautiful.

Jet Set Radio recently had an HD version release on Steam, it was one of the 'pioneers' of cel-shading. It's a sports game in a similar vein to the old Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games.

Killer7 on the Gamecube or PS2 is... well, a very interesting title. It's basically a rail shooter, and probably one of the weirdest games you'd ever find. Not really to my taste, but it's got a considerable cult following.

No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2 for the Wii are by the same guy behind Killer7, but the 'weird' factor is a lot more reigned in. They're action games that spoof and parody anime and nerd culture, with another quite ridiculous narrative. Grind-tastic, though.

Ultimate Spider-Man, which was pretty much the last Spider-Man game that understood web-swinging. I don't know how well the PC version runs on modern systems, but it's also for the Gamecube, PS2, Xbox, etc.

The Viewtiful Joe games for the Gamecube. The first two are on the PS2 as well. Side-scrolling brawler-platformers, the PS2 versions were made by the same people who did Okami.

Hopefully that lengthy post will give you at least something you're interested in.

 

[deserteagleeye]

Valkyria Chronicles and Slap Happy Rhythm Busters. Good luck finding the last one. Shrek nailed all the good ones. :/

 

[MajorTomServo]

Shrekfan pretty much took all of them, sooo... Sly Cooper? I've never actually played it myself, but I've heard good things about it.

 

[Aeshi]

I'll second that Sly Cooper recommendation, and if you have a PS2 I'd also recommend an obscure little game by the name of Cel Damage.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Okami!

Okay, it's not really the same type of cel-shading, and they go for far more of a watercolor aesthetic, but it's still wonderfully unique and more people need to buy it so Platinum can make another one for Capcom. PS2, Wii, or the HD edition on the PS3!

Or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Gamecube. It's the only Zelda game I've actually completed.

Those are the two obvious ones, at least.

Bastion is very cartoony in much the same way, it's an isometric ARPG. It doesn't have the same hard black outlines from what I recall, but the art direction is definitely one of the high points of the game. The ranged weapons are easier with a controller, though, because mouse aiming is a bit off and using a controller gives you auto-aim.

Dragon Quest VIII on the PS2 is a JRPG with cel-shaded graphics. The franchise works much the same way as Final Fantasy or the Tales games in that you can pretty much jump in anywhere because they're not tied together from a narrative standpoint.

Speaking of the Tales franchise, Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube. Another JRPG, which I think says it all. Really good, though.

If you've got a PS Vita, Gravity Rush is an action-adventure game with a pretty awesome aesthetic in my opinion. Looks beautiful.

Jet Set Radio recently had an HD version release on Steam, it was one of the 'pioneers' of cel-shading. It's a sports game in a similar vein to the old Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games.

Killer7 on the Gamecube or PS2 is... well, a very interesting title. It's basically a rail shooter, and probably one of the weirdest games you'd ever find. Not really to my taste, but it's got a considerable cult following.

No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2 for the Wii are by the same guy behind Killer7, but the 'weird' factor is a lot more reigned in. They're action games that spoof and parody anime and nerd culture, with another quite ridiculous narrative. Grind-tastic, though.

Ultimate Spider-Man, which was pretty much the last Spider-Man game that understood web-swinging. I don't know how well the PC version runs on modern systems, but it's also for the Gamecube, PS2, Xbox, etc.

The Viewtiful Joe games for the Gamecube. The first two are on the PS2 as well. Side-scrolling brawler-platformers, the PS2 versions were made by the same people who did Okami.

Hopefully that lengthy post will give you at least something you're interested in.

You covered pretty much everything worth mentioning[footnote]I mean, does anybody care about Cel Damage or that one Powerpuff Girls game that ripped off Crazy Taxi anymore?[/footnote], except for one: Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner. To this day it's the best looking cel shading I've ever seen, looks like a real cartoon in action instead of a cel shaded videogame.

 

[daveman247]

X111 is my favourite. Perfectly captures the comic-book style with speech bubbles and cut-away panels. As well as explosions being accompanied with words such as "BABOOOOOM!" But thats a shooter so you may not like it.

EDIT: Someone beat me to it!

snip

The style was enough for it to stick in my mind all these years (played it when it came out).

 

[Smertnik]

To name a few:

Catherine
Digital Devil Saga
Team Fortress 2
Darkness 2
Ni No Kuni
Okami
No More Heroes
Killer Is Dead

 

[Alma Mare]

I feel so dumb right now... I should have mentioned I don't own any console. Most of these suggestions, I'd be all over them if I could (Okami, Catherine, Valkyrie Chronicles, Killer 7, to name a few). I'll look up the ones I didn't recognize in case I get lucky. Thanks and keep them coming, please ^^

 

[Pink Gregory]

XIII on the PS2. Also on gog.com, it's a shooter. The setting and style is fantastic.

Not anymore, unfortunately, it was taken down from the catalogue thanks to some thorny rights issues. Doesn't mean it won't be coming back, but it's not currently available.

 

[Jimmy T. Malice]

XIII is pretty great. As well as the graphics being in a cartoony style, there are other elements from the comics that inspired it, such as inset 'panels' on the screen for things like alerting an enemy and various cutscenes.

 

[Winterbird]

This might be helpful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cel-shaded_video_games

My personal recommendation is Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf (AKA Sheep Raider). Originally on the PS, but has been re-released on the PC. It's possibly my most favorite game ever.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Okami!

Okay, it's not really the same type of cel-shading, and they go for far more of a watercolor aesthetic, but it's still wonderfully unique and more people need to buy it so Platinum can make another one for Capcom. PS2, Wii, or the HD edition on the PS3!

Or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Gamecube. It's the only Zelda game I've actually completed.

Those are the two obvious ones, at least.

Dragon Quest VIII on the PS2 is a JRPG with cel-shaded graphics. The franchise works much the same way as Final Fantasy or the Tales games in that you can pretty much jump in anywhere because they're not tied together from a narrative standpoint.

Speaking of the Tales franchise, Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube. Another JRPG, which I think says it all. Really good, though.

If you've got a PS Vita, Gravity Rush is an action-adventure game with a pretty awesome aesthetic in my opinion. Looks beautiful.

No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2 for the Wii are by the same guy behind Killer7, but the 'weird' factor is a lot more reigned in. They're action games that spoof and parody anime and nerd culture, with another quite ridiculous narrative. Grind-tastic, though.

Hopefully that lengthy post will give you at least something you're interested in.

Just about all my suggestions were mentioned right here(the ones I cut, I haven't played and thus have no say), so I'm just gonna add my only suggestion that hasn't been mentioned, to this list.

I would like to add Tales of Vesperia. Great music, beautiful aesthetic, really fun to play, overall wonderful game. Even if the PS3 version is Japanese only.

 

[Aidan(Roland)]

XIII is an absolute blast. The gameplay is the high side of average, David Duchovney's character is the average side of average, but the style was pitch freakin' perfect.

How about a cell-shaded racing game? Auto Modellista for the PlayStation 2. It's not great either. Very drifty. But it IS cel-shaded.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

Here's a pretty comprehensive list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cel-shaded_video_games

Ones I'd recommend on PC are probably the re-release of Jet Set Radio, The Darkness II, Super Street Fighter IV, aforementioned XIII, and indie games like Bastion, Plain Sight, and English Country Tune. It's probably also worth seeking out a cheap Wii (or getting yourself an emulator, Dolphin is a good Gamecube/Wii hybrid emulator for Windows) and picking up Madworld, and No More Heroes, 1 and 2.

If you ever come across an Xbox 360, I definitely recommend The Simpsons Game and Crackdown 2. The first Crackdown is a better game, but the sequel looks reeaaally nice. And The Simpsons Game is probably the most impressive emulation of hand-drawn cel animation with 3D models - it looks properly flat, like an episode of the show. It's not that fun to play - really dated now, too - but it looks and sounds fantastic, and is also properly well-written. So that gets a thumbs up from me.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series. Gawd, I love dem graphics.

No More Heroes

Red Steel 2

Gravity Rush

 

[Nepukadnezzar]

The Sly Cooper series .... But I am afraid I do not know much on the PC.

 

[rbstewart7263]

I feel so dumb right now... I should have mentioned I don't own any console. Most of these suggestions, I'd be all over them if I could (Okami, Catherine, Valkyrie Chronicles, Killer 7, to name a few). I'll look up the ones I didn't recognize in case I get lucky. Thanks and keep them coming, please ^^

well....you know there are.......ways to get around that. >>

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also muramasa for the wii.