Support NeoGAF

[Mibu no ookami]

Why does the industry have this obsession with 2.5D?

Who asked for it? The art direction in 2.5D games almost always looks like complete trash, whereas a purely 2D game can look unbelievable these days.

Why is this such a big trend in the industry? Do some people actually really like it?

Edit: Examples

 

[Rat Rage]

I agree. Sometimes it works, but most of the times plain 2D just looks better. Maybe 2.5D is just easier to produce?

 

[Chastten]

Matter of taste, I guess? I personally prefer 2.5D games over pixelart 2D games most of the times. As much as I wanna like games like Celeste and Owlboy, I just can't get over how ugly the art is.

 

[Diddy X]

2D games are seen as minor so they add an extra half dimension.

 

[ckaneo]

Developers because 3d models are easier to manipulate as opposed to constantly drawing everything

 

[It's all in the wrist]

Same reason they shit out a million 3D kids shows: they're easier to make.

 

[kingpotato]

Another low quality thread with a hot take... I almost ignored you with the other thread, this confirms it.

 

[amigastar]

What are some of the popular 2.5D games?

 

[daveonezero]

Another low quality thread with a hot take... I almost ignored you with the other thread, this confirms it.

Another opinion thread

 

[SirTerry-T]

Some examples may help to illustrate your point? If you are talking about the likes of Octopath Traveller, I think the 3d actually helps push the traditional pixel art assets and let's face it, the more more modern bells and whistles you can add to your 2d sprites the more likely you are to grab the attention of the games buying public and press.

The general public and the press love the shiny, shiny things, though that may be a bitter pill for the 2d purists out there.

 

[nkarafo]

With "2.5D" you mean games that have regular 2D scrolling but feature 3D graphics?

If yes, i can't fully agree with you when Inside exists.

But i do agree that there isn't a single good looking 2.5D shmup.

 

[Captain Toad]

Add some examples. Add some images. Give more reasoning for your strong thoughts.

Who asked for these half-assed threads?

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Another low quality thread with a hot take... I almost ignored you with the other thread, this confirms it.

How will I sleep at night?

 

[BossLackey]

Add some examples. Add some images. Give more reasoning for your strong thoughts.

Who asked for these half-assed threads?

Gonna have to agree. I don't think this was well thought out.

 

[kuncol02]

What you mean by 2,5D? Games that are rendered in 3D but game play is in 2D or actual 2,5D games like isometric strategies and early shooters like Doom?

 

[CircusOfValues]

Who even asked for 3D anyway?

 

[cireza]

Who ask for 3D honestly ? Certainly not me.

Nothing beats a perfect 240p RGB signal through SCART on a Master System, MegaDrive, Saturn or Neo Geo CD.

 

[FingerBang]

I did. So what?

 

[Three]

Not sure I agree with this. Is 2.5D the likes of Ori, Uravel, Trials Fusion, LBP etc? If yes then I don't agree with that at all. The art direction is fantastic in those games.

 

[elliot5]

You're crazy.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Add some examples. Add some images. Give more reasoning for your strong thoughts.

Who asked for these half-assed threads?

Examples? Sorry I didn't realize there was debate over what 2.5D was.

Like, I'm not saying it is always garbage, but it just tends to be in general. The ask here is, do people really enjoy it as an art direction and is that why it's prevalent?

Metroid Dread is an example where it is at least passable, but is this really the best the game could have looked?

 

[The Fartist]

Little Nightmares is fucking dope!

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Some examples may help to illustrate your point? If you are talking about the likes of Octopath Traveller, I think the 3d actually helps push the traditional pixel art assets and let's face it, the more more modern bells and whistles you can add to your 2d sprites the more likely you are to grab the attention of the games buying public and press.

The general public and the press love the shiny, shiny things, though that may be a bitter pill for the 2d purists out there.

What you mean by 2,5D? Games that are rendered in 3D but game play is in 2D or actual 2,5D games like isometric strategies and early shooters like Doom?

I'm looking more at games like Mega Man X8 that feature 3D-Esque character art on a 2d platform.

 

[93xfan]

I mostly agree, OP. Would love for the next 2D Mario to do ditch 3D, maybe even look like the Super Mario World cover art/booklet

 

[Urban]

Ask Pandemonium.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

I want 4D games. I want to taste the controls and hear the framerate and physically manipulate the numbers in RNG with my transcendent digital manifestation.

 

[Kagero]

It's time and cost savings.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

It's time and cost savings.

Does it really save that much time over sprite work?

 

[Knightime_X]

I love 2.5d as well as 2d.
So gonna fight now or what?

 

[BossLackey]

Does it really save that much time over sprite work?

Seasoned sprite artists are not at all common anymore. Sprite work is significantly more time intensive than 3D, therefore more expensive and not practical for most studios making a large game.

IIt's that simple.

 

[Osaka_Boss]

 

[Portugeezer]

Does it really save that much time over sprite work?

Think about how you can edit a 3D model and it affects all angles/animations of that model.

For sprite work, any edits would have to be done on each individual sprite animation.

 

[KillaJamm]

Just you wait till 3.5D hits.

 

[playXray]

Examples? Sorry I didn't realize there was debate over what 2.5D was.

Like, I'm not saying it is always garbage, but it just tends to be in general. The ask here is, do people really enjoy it as an art direction and is that why it's prevalent?

Metroid Dread is an example where it is at least passable, but is this really the best the game could have looked?

It's not so much a debate as to there being several definitions of it. Games with a 2D plane of movement rendered with 3D graphics (e.g. Pandemonium) are considered 2D, as are games that use an illusion of 3D but aren't actually fully rendered in 3D (e.g. Doom). It also seems that you are referring to another type of 2.5D, though I'm not sure exactly what it means in this context.

 

[ReBurn]

Oops I think I asked for it once. Sorry about that.

 

[TintoConCasera]

What about giving some examples OP? For me, 2.5D are games like DOOM or Duke Nukem.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

What about giving some examples OP? For me, 2.5D are games like DOOM or Duke Nukem.

added to the OP

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[TintoConCasera]

added to the OP

Thanks man. Yeah in those cases I would prefer traditional sprite work, but it's much more expensive to produce than 3D things.

It's one of the reasons I was disappointed with Bloodstained.

 

[lastmessiah]

It's not a big trend though.

 

[Magic Carpet]

added to the OP

Ah I was worried you were talking about 3d games with limited view like, Inside, Limbo, Far: The Lone Sails. If so then I"M the one asking for more of those types of games.
Speaking of Far: the Lone Sails.... there is a sequel coming to gamepass in a month.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

You meant those?

No these are 2d games with backgrounds that are made to look more 3d. Not a huge fan of this, but it's more the other way around that bothers me.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Yeah, it's never a positive for me. There are 2.5D games that look good, but I can't help but think that just about all of them would look better with proper 2D art. And that's to say nothing of how 2D games tend to feel a bit more responsive.

 

[PhaseJump]

I don't know about you guys, but I trace any and all grievances I may have with 2.5D graphics back to a Yoshi's Story on N64 rental. Paid a late fee returning it the next day after 6pm. Fucking bullshit.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

Why does the industry have this obsession with 2.5D?

Who asked for it? The art direction in 2.5D games almost always looks like complete trash, whereas a purely 2D game can look unbelievable these days.

Why is this such a big trend in the industry? Do some people actually really like it?

Edit: Examples

Here is the problem: you are looking at those screens and comparing them to a non-existent ideal 2D game in your head, and wondering how anyone could prefer 2.5D to a game that looks like Metal Slug or Street Fighter 3.

The reality is, you have to imagine a game full of shitty budget mobile game 2D art and then ask yourself which would you prefer between the two. Because that is the actual reality of the developers choice.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Just you wait till 3.5D hits.

VR ?
It's the controllers that add that extra .5 to the 3d isn't it.

 

[ymoc]

Ask Pandemonium.

He said he's fully 3D.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

So... 2.5D?

Like I said, don't love this either, but the other way around is way worse.

I honestly don't get it, but some people have suggested that it is cheaper to make.