3. Street Fighter IV
If it wasn’t good enough that SFIV is one of the best fighting games ever made, then its unique visuals are truly the icing on the proverbial cake. No series has undergone as many graphical reinventions as Street Fighter from 2D sprites, to hand drawings culminating in the cel-shaded graphics of SFIV and it’s always a delight seeing how your favourite special moves will look in each subsequent instalment. With a very alive and kinetic visual style, SFIV could talk the talk as well as walk the walk.
2.The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Wind Waker holds an odd place within the Zelda series. Much like Marmite, fans seem to either love it or hate it. There were certainly a few pacing issues with the gameplay, but the visual style was a good move for sure. Even if you weren’t personally a fan, there was still a certain enjoyment in seeing your favourite Zelda characters and enemies reinvented in the new toon style. It also helped to introduce the franchise to a different audience so, even if you disagree with the implementation, you have to admit it was an interesting idea.
1. Okami
Few games look quite as good as Okami does. With its unique cel-shaded style, it looked exactly like a moving Japanese oil painting and, considering the game revolved so much around the idea of painting as a unique power, it just all seemed to fit right into place. Few games have also been so under appreciated. Admittedly, Okami came out at a bad time right at the end of the PS2’s life cycle, but there were no excuses for the poor sales of the Wii port. Let’s sort it out people. If the upcoming DS sequel, Okamiden, looks and plays half as well as its predecessor then make sure you’re all lining up for your copy on release day. Thanks to OkamiTube for the vid.
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