No Matter what approach you take, All Elements should
be made with consistancy to a style in mind.
Very true !

With hardware level up each year, games standards level up also. Crysis 2 are said to be the best looking game on PS3 and new standard visually. It's each time an increase in details on textures, animations, physics etc ... you can't compete ans an Indie. Each big production game is big teams with people having years of industry work.


Trine, is not incredible also, very good, it uses some good textures, and models, and shaders, but it is still a little game.It don't have incredible level design or gameplay, or character design like in God of War 3 ! You can't compare what is not comparable ! It's more some sort of very refined visually mini game.


Not all times realistic design make a big game !
For example last FF13 on PS3 , is beautifull, but
very annoying : long combats , and only combat. You pass all your time watching menus and life bars !!!!!!!I enjoy lot lot more playing God of War 3 , you watch action, you have big top nocth real time game play.Just my personal taste, but yeah graphics, even top notch won't make the game, if gameplay, fun are not present !


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Some Lego games are really great, like Star Wars series.
Simple character design, but with variations, customisations.
But very good gameplay, fun , very entertaining !
And visually their style is cool !

Another example is the game BorderLands !
It uses some shaders, but all is cartoon style like in comics ! i find it very beautifull this way. And gameplay, loot, RPG system are so good Another good example of unrealistic design !