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[Instant_Classic]

It's ridiculous how Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Twilight Princess are the only Zelda games going for the realistic aesthetic.

There is no reason why Zelda's game shouldn't look like this, or better given the hardware.

Who else thinks Zelda games should pursue the realistic look, over this?

I believe Nintendo is taking the easy way out making Zelda games, have cartoony art styles.

The hardware is there to make Zelda games that look like this...

What do you guys think, are Zelda games better when cartoony or realistic?

I pick, realistic.

 

[CartesianMan]

ok

 

[consoul]

No

 

[Deerock71]

Wait until Link shows up in GTA VI.

 

[salva]

Hopefully, but they probably won't.

 

[Buggy Loop]

If anything they should go even more into studio ghibli style

 

[Ristifer]

I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. I like the more realistic look, but I also think Wind Waker is one of the most charming looking games of all time. So, I'm good either way, as long as it's tastefully done.

 

[QLQ]

And who's going to make it? and at what cost? Nintendo's philosophy of the minimum effort doesn't allow for a twice more expensive game that wouldn't have twice the return. And you're asking for them to price that thing at $100 as well.

 

[DoomGyver]

It's mind-blowing that another studio hasn't swooped in and made a Zelda like game with realism.

 

[Instant_Classic]

And who's going to make it? and at what cost? Nintendo's philosophy of the minimum effort doesn't allow for a twice more expensive game that wouldn't have twice the return. And you're asking for them to price that thing at $100 as well.

Nintendo would make it, Zelda should be Nintendo's God of War esque visual showcase.

 

[Kataploom]

Yeah, too realistic in that Wii U tech demo, specially link /s

BTW Zelda should go with different styles as always, that's what makes the series always stay current

 

[ByWatterson]

Or at least real-like. A fantasy-styled simulation of real effects is what I want.

A Zelda game that looks like Kena would be WILD.

 

[Shubh_C63]

Worst take ever.

Let style triumph over realism. Lets them do weird mechanics and charming world building.

 

[Instant_Classic]

Worst take ever.

Let style triumph over realism. Lets them do weird mechanics and charming world building.

Weird mecahnics and charming world building can't work with realistic graphics?

OoT has a 99 Metacritic
TP has a 96 Metacritic

Both go for the realistic look.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Hard pass...

Keep it stylized please....go play the Last of Us if you want realistic characters and pbr.

 

[Geometric-Crusher]

impossible because it would reveal that Switch 2 is weak, after all no Zelda there will be superior to AC for example
man, realistic and nintendo are antagonistic words.

 

[Instant_Classic]

Hard pass...

Keep it stylized please....go play the Last of Us if you want realistic characters and pbr.

Nintendo should switch up the art style, repeating the same visuals every iteration of the game will get boring.

The realistic look is overdue.

 

[Loomy]

BoTW and ToTK sell over 50 million copies combined and are universally lauded.
I Instant_Classic :

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

The realistic look is overdue IMO.

Everyone has a flavor/specific taste.

For example I think people who feel that OoT and Majora's Mask are rendered to be "realistic" have been feasting on crazy beans...

 

[nordique]

Is this thread bumped from 2003??


Wind waker is looked at more fondly today than TP

 

[Syphon Filter]

well not like that last image but an art style like the original gc zelda would be fine.

 

[kevboard]

It's ridiculous how Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Twilight Princess are the only Zelda games going for the realistic aesthetic.

yes...

the realistic Aesthetic in question:

 

[RedC]

Whatever happended to letting creators create what they want?

 

[Shubh_C63]

Weird mecahnics and charming world building can't work with realistic graphics?

OoT has a 99 Metacritic
TP has a 96 Metacritic

Both go for the realistic look.

Instead going for Final Fantasy level graphics everytime and have fiasco like unfinished FF15 on their hands.
With rising cost, huge development times, Nintendo played it well from the beginning.

They will up their game when their last entry stops being fun or exciting. Last time they came out with BotW and rest was history. They will do it again.
Plenty other AAA devs to follow the Zelda formula and none has.

 

[Heisenberg007]

100%. At least one mature, realistic-looking, 18+ Zelda game would bring a new group of adult gamers to this franchise and help it grow. It would be a cool experiment as well.

But I think it runs into hardware limitations, which is why Zelda (and other Nintendo) games are still cartoonish-looking as those graphics age better and are easier to scale as well.

It's a shame that a legendary franchise like Zelda still does not look as good as AA games by first-time studios like Kena.

 

[Crayon]

First off, I have to say that the look of botw is as good as anything has ever been in any style. Cartoony or realistic, it's actually powerful. There's plenty of good looking cartoony games but the visual experience including the animation in botw transcends that genre.

And that's why I would love to see what they would do with a realistic one. The real issue would be having to make the characters act more real, too.

 

[QLQ]

Nintendo would make it, Zelda should be Nintendo's God of War esque visual showcase.

Sit down and wait for it..

 

[Kotaro]

I want souls-like Zelda game

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Couldn't care less. Graphics don't matter at all.

 

[Neff]

yes...

the realistic Aesthetic in question:

I think OP simply means 'not cel shaded', and on some level I agree. The 3D Zelda games with traditional lighting and textures are the nost visually appealing imo. They've never recaptured the atmosphere of OoT and that's kind of a shame.

 

[Danjin44]

Why the the fuck would I want that? Fuck no!

I like Nintendo game because they are not going for realism.

 

[Come On Tars]

I used to say the same thing till twilight princess sucked and I hated the way it looked.

I'm sure there is a more realistic artstyle that would kick butt but iv'e yet to see it. I am undecided on the UE5 OOT port being worked on.

I will def play it tho.




Same creator made a snippit of the game Ghibli style and to be honest it really fits.

 

[Glass Joe]

Yeah it bothers me that the graphics in a game about an elven boy and his fairy companion aren't gritty enough!!

 

[_Ex_]

I remember a quarter century ago when Nintendo lied and told us we'd get Zelda graphics like this:



But instead we got

Spoiler

 

[kevboard]

I think OP simply means 'not cel shaded', and on some level I agree. The 3D Zelda games with traditional lighting and textures are the nost visually appealing imo. They've never recaptured the atmosphere of OoT and that's kind of a shame.

the only thing celshaded in BotW and TotK are characters. the world isn't celshaded.

but in the end, all of them are cartoon-esque. What's the difference if it's partially cel shaded cartoon style or fully soft shaded cartoon style?

 

[tylrdiablos]

1: It's been proven time and time again that a good art style/aesthetic is better than "realistic" graphics.
I'll take the cell-shaded art styler of Wind Waker over the realistic textures from back in 2002 (when WW was released).

In 10 years time, Wind Waker, Hollow Knight, Celeste, ICO, Mario 64, etc will still look great because of the decisions their art team made.

2: Obvious troll is obvious.

 

[Danjin44]

the only thing celshaded in BotW and TotK are characters. the world isn't celshaded.

but in the end, all of them are cartoon-esque. What's the difference if it's partially cel shaded cartoon style or fully soft shaded cartoon style?

I dont mind new artstyle for next Zelda game not because I didn't like BotW or TotK, mostly because I like each mainline Zelda games have different artstyle.

I didn't mind TotK having same artstle because it was direct sequel just Majora's Mask was for OoT but next Zelda game need new artstyle.

But we absolutely DONT NEED realistic visuals for Zelda games.

 

[baphomet]

I'd rather they still look and play like Link's Awakening on the Gameboy, but neither of us are going to get what we want.

 

[Codes 208]

How about no?

Part of the charm of ANY nintendo game is their art style.

 

[nick776]

I'm sick of the cartoony crap also, give me realistic. I'd like to play a darker Zelda game too, think Zelda Universe but designed like the Gears of War universe. Totally reboot Zelda, it's time.

 

[Robb]

The hardware is there to make Zelda games that look like this...

 

[existensmaximum]

OoT looks realistic?

The graphics are so atrocious you couldn't tell what kind of art style they were going for.

 

[Fess]

No thanks. At most they should do it like the WiiU tech demo. No further into realism is needed and will only make the games age faster.

 

[Hawk The Slayer]

OoT, MM, and the WII U tech demo aren't realistic but I'll say they are indeed the better and BEST style for how Zelda should be. They combine the dark magical style with vibrant colors to have a wonderful unique look.

I also dislike the BOTW, TOTK washed out paper paint like graphics. If they ever go back to the OoT, MM style or something like the HD WII U tech demo style than I'll buy a Switch 2 just for it alone.

 

[Madserb2023]

I used to think this but Wind Waker still looks good, better than Twilight Princess. Okami still looks good. Can't say the same for most games that generation.

 

[calico]

Wind Waker looked so good it made me get the only non-handheld Nintendo I ever owned.

 

[Diddy X]

Going realistic means a lot of effort and Nintendo are such lazy fucks.

 

[crackajack]

Or at least real-like. A fantasy-styled simulation of real effects is what I want.

A Zelda game that looks like Kena would be WILD.

Yes. Kena looked just gorgeous and probably with a reasonable budget as well. Something Nintendo should easily be able to do. Zelda does not look awesome not even interesting at all since forever.

 

[Hudo]

I still think they should do another mainline Zelda game with the Wind Waker style.

 

[March Climber]

Nintendo:

Although I agree that at least one Nintendo franchise should try and go for realism in art style.