The world was shocked (Okay, the fighting game nerds were shocked) when Capcom revealed their design for SF4. Our beloved 2D characters we’d been in love with for almost 20 years had been rendered with hand-drawn 3D graphics. While at least the game still only moved on a 2D plane, the entire game had been changed for me. I mean, those characters are UGLY.
This is Ryu in the Street Fighter 3 era:
This is him now:
Also, what is up with Chun-Li’s thumb?
Ewwwww
Let’s face it, Capcom. You guys screwed up. SF5 better be one sexy looking 2D game or angry letters will be written.
Well, at least they’re the only great 2D franchise to go 3D, right?
…Stupid Arc System Works.
Meet Guilty Gear 2: Overture. It sucks. To their credit, Arc System Works managed to do a nice 3D transition while still making it look nice, which is good. However, they decided to basically take the whole “Fighting” element out of the “Fighting Game” part of Guilty Gear and turn it into some algamation of real time strategy, action and torture. They’ve preserved the rock soundtrack, but it doesn’t stop it from sucking.
While 3D games seem to be getting uglier and uglier, 2D games are getting sexier and sexier.
This is BlazBlue, a game by Aksys Games and Arc System Works, the same guys who made Guilty Gear. How they managed to make such an awesome game and such a crap one at the same time are beyond me, but that’s not the point. The point is, look at those beautiful hand-drawn graphics! Yum. Also, it’s got Guilty Gear-esque gameplay, not to mention equally whimsical characters, with spiky hair and huge swords all around! It’s out in arcades right now, and I’m practically salivating at the mouth to get a chance to play it.
Moving on now, to King of Fighters XII. Two words: Mai Shiranui.
And for the ladies, Iori Yagami:
King of Fighters is another fighting game series that’s stayed true to their 2D roots. It’s one of the more popular fighting games out there, with twelve installments out already. Compare that with Street Fighter, which has had around five installments right now (I’m not counting the variations on the Alpha series and the three different versions of SF3) and they’ve ALREADY gone 2D. Not to mention KoFXII is definitely THE nicest looking 2D fighter I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s also completely hand-drawn, just adding to the Wow Factor.
In short, 3D may become the dominant graphics type in videogames, but 2D is always going to hold that special place in my heart. And did I mention the Mai Shira-wait, never mind. Anyway, those are all my opinions. What are your opinions on 2D graphics versus 3D ones? Which one do you think works best with video games?
7 Comments
3D only works in non-capcom/non-arcade games such as PS3′s FF, KH, and other stuff that include smexy 3D graphic. But I will say this once. DO NOT create 3D graphic games if the company does not have the ability or skills to make it look hot. Final Fantasy can do it, because they are freaking good at it. But Capcom kind of failed there, I have to agree with you. They turned classic Japanese/Asian games into some weird American cartoon.
you know…. I don’t know much about video games but looking at the pictures I really do have to agree with you: those Capcom guys did screw up. And wowww.. what a manly thumb.. Hotttt.. *sarcasm* Anyway, like what Tiffany said, I really thought Final Fantasy did a superb job at making 3D games. I remember myself replaying the music video thing of it a million times about a year ago…
The 2D games that are legendary, like Mortal Kombat, etc. will always be fun, but just about all the games these days that are being made are all 3D. Chun-Li’s thumb is really freaking the crap out of me though… Too manly. It’s as if the illustrator decided to go retard and make the manliest thumbs I’ve ever seen. Anyway, 2D games will always have a place in someone’s heart, especially mine, but 3D games are now the most dominant, and has completely taken over the 2D games world.
It depends what type of game it being made.I think that 2D games should be for fighting games like Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Street Fighter, etc.
I think that 3D games should be for FPS’s like Call of Duty 4 and action games like Prince Of Persia.
I don’t play fighting games (sorry D:!) so I prefer 3D games. I love shooting off people’s heads in COD4 :l..
I played this game when I was on humanities class.
It was so fun!
I like the game!
I think 3D works better for video games because it makes it more relastic. :/
nice post etienne!