Poll: Gaming aesthetics, when are they a turn-off/-on?

[ManutheBloodedge]

I have read multiple times about people who decided against playing a certain game because they didn't like it's aesthetics. So I would like to ask what designs makes you avoid or buy a game.

For the record, I never decided against buying a game because I didn't like the aesthetics. I have bought games with gameplay I normally avoid because I liked the aesthetics, but I never have avoided a game with gameplay I like purely because of the aesthetics. And while I have my preferences (who doesn't?) I played games that don't follow them because of the gameplay alone. So I would (and have) played games where every character is dressed like it is theme night at the strip clup and games where everyone wears the same suit of practical grey power armor.

What are design aesthetics you can't stand, and what designs you like enough to carry sub-par gameplay?

 

[Casual Shinji]

Anime aesthetics usually send me running, which is weird since I kinda like anime. I guess it just gives off the impression that the game will have anime tropes and archetypes, which I don't really like. Also, I despise the look of current anime. It's what'll probably make me avoid Persona 5.

On the flipside I did buy Okami just because the visuals made it seem really interesting. And that was a good call.

 

[ManutheBloodedge]

Does the use of RPG Maker as the game's Engine count as aesthetic? That's usually the dealbreaker for me.

Well, given that it produces a certain look regarding sprites and characters, I would say yes, definitely. Does it just look to cheap to you or is it overexposure?

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I know I'm in the minority here, but cel-shaded is an instant turn off. It looks absolutely terrible. Like something from Reboot or Food Fight.
Simply lazy and cheap. And yes, it may cost money and takes work to make it, but it never looks like it. Cel-shading looks cheap and lazy, and I simply can't respect or play a game with it.

 

[Pirate Of PC Master race]

For me, the aesthetics are always on the evaluation mode, until I finish the game. Game aesthetics are only the part of the game - and they should be judged with the game that comes with it.

I would give exception to the game series that changes aesthetics significantly. Ugh.

 

[felbot]

I took one look at a dragon age 2 screenshot and thought it looked absolutely awful, the colour the designs just everything looked like garbage. I also tend to hate any game that uses pixel art because most of the time its just lazy hipsters trying to look retro.

 

[Lightspeaker]

I bought Contrast based on aesthetics alone.

Don't regret it in the slightest. Gorgeous game and really fun.


I can't put up with something with poor gameplay just because I like the look of it though. I mean...it gets some forgiveness and leniency but if its unplayable or terribly frustrating I'm still going to drop it. I like the look of Borderlands and I think the setting is cool but actually playing it was like having bamboo shoved under my fingernails.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I rented El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron on visuals alone.
While the game itself really only clocked in at "okay", holy sh*t, that game is gorgeous.

And as long as I'm here, more graphics rather than aesthetics but God Of War III instantly turned me to a Playstation fanboy.

Anyway.

I can forgive a game for a lot, there's no one thing that'll make me drop a game wholesale. I say this a day after posting in a thread that maps near kill experiences for me but I've calmed down on that.

Thinking about it, I think like video, bad sound would really kill it for me, but I've never played a game that had truly awful sound foley or quality. I've seen sound not sync up sometimes (lookin' at you Alien: Isolation) and it's kind of immersion breaking but it's usually a fluke.

 

[Fox12]

I don't think aesthetic ever stopped me from playing a game if it was good. I'll avoid anything generic looking like the plague, though.

That's actually what stopped me from playing Dark Souls for years and years. It looked somewhat generic, and I assumed it was going to be just like the droves of other generic Tolkienesque fantasy titles. Dragon Age, Kingdoms of Amular, World of Warcraft, Oblivion, The Witcher. Elves, Dragons, Dwarves, orcs, and Dark Lords. There was a glut of generic fantasy, and I assumed that Dark Souls fell right into that based on the art direction and cover. I mean, it didn't do itself any favors. Generic knight walking towards or away from the audience? Yawn.

Boy, was I wrong. It's currently one of my favorite games of all time.

 

[wizzy555]

I don't play the rebooted tomb raider franchise because of the edgy aesthetics.

I will probably buy unravel for the aesthetics alone.

 

[CaitSeith]

Does the use of RPG Maker as the game's Engine count as aesthetic? That's usually the dealbreaker for me.

If the game has the visuals of every other generic RPG made with that engine, then yes.

 

[King of Asgaard]

While aesthetics have never sold me a game in the past, they've certainly convinced me not to buy something, though usually in tandem with one or more reasons.

Case in point, Hotline Miami may be an excellent game (I'm told that it is), but the constant swaying, pixel art and psychedelic colours turned me off because it was turning my stomach just watching some gameplay on Youtube.
Another such decision which will earn me much ire is Undertale, though that also had to do with the amount of cringe in the dialogue in the first hour or so, as well as the damning simplicity of the game's mechanics.

 

[verdant monkai]

I still haven't play psychonauts as it looks so hideous. I here its good.

How a game looks is all important for me. Even if a game has great story and music I'd be hesitant to play it if I hated the way it looked.

 

[scw55]

I bought Patapon on Aesthetics alone.
I came across a trailer for the game and I found it absolutely beautiful.

I played it and I did enjoy it. My only gripe was that I needed to play with headphones so I could hear the music better. I also found playing it really exhausting due to the immense concentration and discipline.

I now find the game kinda challenging to play since the NPCs refer to me as their God. As a Christian, it's quite awkward, even if it is fiction and hypothetical.

 

[Maximum Bert]

There are games I do and dont like the look of but I dont believe it is down to a particular style merely how one is implemented in line with my aesthetic taste.

If a game really appeals to me aesthetically but I am fairly certain I will hate the game experience I wont buy it whereas if I hate the aesthetics but am fairly certain I will love the overall game experience I will give it a go.

That said if I love the way it looks that is a pretty big positive towards it.

For fighters in particular it has to really appeal to me both on an aesthetic as well as gameplay level for me to keep coming back long term probably due to the nature of the genre.

In short I suppose aesthetics can be important to me but it is never an insta turn off or on there are always other factors.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Anything with magical loli bullshit on the cover is an immediate turn off.