# Newish good games with "Animated Movie" art direction? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 27, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601 "2020-02-27T14:29:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/1 "2020-02-27T14:29:38Z")
I kind of like this style in a game, but the last one I played that I consider fits the bill was [Bioshock Infinite](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v92V_pjvuls). That’s from 2012. I really like that kind of look; stylized, cartoony, pretty, and not really going for realism. It doesn’t have to be an FPS, but that’s my cup of tea. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/2 "2020-02-27T18:59:41Z")
Outer Worlds is similar to Bioshock Infinite (it’s a FPS) and is somewhat cartoony both in visual style and story. And very colorful. Also, it’s really fun. So that’s what I recommend. There’s an active thread on this board discussing it: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=22161643](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=22161643) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/3 "2020-02-27T20:10:38Z")
Hmm, maybe take a look at Void Bastards. It’s a cartoony fps roguelike. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/4 "2020-02-27T21:53:57Z")
Cuphead? ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/5 "2020-02-28T06:18:49Z")
Borderlands 3 ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/6 "2020-02-28T16:11:47Z")
Ah, sorry. I knew animated and cartoony are too ambiguous. I’m looking for something that looks more like a Disney-type computer animated movie. Like, say, Frozen, in environments and character design. Not hand-drawn. Those do look cool though, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/7 "2020-02-28T16:40:11Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Ah, sorry. I knew animated and cartoony are too ambiguous. I’m looking for something that looks more like a Disney-type computer animated movie. Like, say, Frozen, in environments and character design. Not hand-drawn. > > Those do look cool though, thanks. Bioshock Infinite looked nothing like a Disney-type animated movie, so not only are we sure what you’re asking for, I’m not sure you are either. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/8 "2020-02-28T19:29:23Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Bioshock Infinite looked nothing like a Disney-type animated movie, so not only are we sure what you’re asking for, I’m not sure you are either. ☹ I think they’re [pretty](https://66.media.tumblr.com/64ab6aef399d00aadf16f02fd4758ab6/tumblr_ptbh5kFism1uq2srao1_500.gifv) [similar.](https://media.giphy.com/media/q9gYgau4s9SYE/giphy.gif) At least, as much as an old video game and rendered movie could. YMMV, of course. Obviously Bioshock Infinite delves into dark territory that you’d never see in a Disney movie. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/9 "2020-02-28T19:49:18Z")
I wish Disney did make a Bioshock film though. I’d watch it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/10 "2020-02-29T14:46:36Z")
Subnautica. First person, but kind of an anti-shooter I guess. Fabulously good game. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/11 "2020-02-29T17:55:28Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > I think they’re [pretty](https://66.media.tumblr.com/64ab6aef399d00aadf16f02fd4758ab6/tumblr_ptbh5kFism1uq2srao1_500.gifv) [similar.](https://media.giphy.com/media/q9gYgau4s9SYE/giphy.gif) At least, as much as an old video game and rendered movie could. YMMV, of course. Obviously Bioshock Infinite delves into dark territory that you’d never see in a Disney movie. Those… don’t look similar to me. You’ve picked two characters kinda doing the same thing in scenes with similar color palettes and yet the difference is still striking. Bioshock Infinite is built using the Unreal engine, and it looks a LOT more like Unreal than it does like Tangled. The only unusual similarity I can think of is the brightness. Bioshock Infinite is a very bright and colorful game; it’s set mostly outside, and uses the whole color spectrum. Most first person shooters are dark (including, incidentally, Bioshock) and are dominated by brown and grey. Some games like Quake and Fallout 3 are hardly any color OTHER than brown and grey. I’d agree with others that Borderlands games are very “cel animation” looking, though at times their color palettes are dull. World of Warcraft is a very colorful, animated game, and I’ll give an enthusiastic thumbs up to Subnautica. Team Fortress 2 is very animated-looking. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/12 "2020-02-29T22:00:25Z")
Does it have to be “new”? Eg **XIII** is known for its cel animation more than anything else. I played the original but haven’t tried the new remake. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/13 "2020-03-01T05:18:33Z")
This really isn’t about Bioshock infinite. It’s about art direction that like a CG animated movie in character and environment design. I used Elizabeth as an example because she has been compared to a Disney character many times. I will happily take a look at something that, in your opinion, does not necessary look like Bioshock infinite and does, in your opinion, look like a disney movie. And by animated I don’t mean the appearance of hand drawn or cell shaded animated movies. And, maybe that doesn’t exist outside of Disney or Pixar IP. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/14 "2020-03-05T23:59:31Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Bioshock Infinite looked nothing like a Disney-type animated movie, so not only are we sure what you’re asking for, I’m not sure you are either. ☹ I know exactly what the OP is referring to. Maybe Bioshock doesn’t specifically look like Disney, but the characters have slightly cartoonish proportions, similar to what one might see in a Disney, Pixar or anime film. Probably due in a large part to avoid venturing into the “uncanny valley” by trying to make the characters too “realistic” using 2012 CGI tech. Don’t have an answer for the OP regarding new games like that. Sorry.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/15 "2020-03-06T00:16:49Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Does it have to be “new”? Eg **XIII** is known for its cel animation more than anything else. I played the original but haven’t tried the new remake. They remade XIII? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/16 "2020-03-06T00:41:49Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > They remade XIII? Check it out: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQwxuVFzgbI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQwxuVFzgbI) Though I can’t tell from that advert what the remade graphics look like… ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/17 "2020-03-06T01:40:22Z")
I hope they keep the style of the original and improve the overall game play. I’ll be anxious to see how this turns out. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/18 "2020-03-06T02:25:34Z")
[“Shadwen,”](https://store.steampowered.com/app/425210/Shadwen/) kinda—although the preview graphics now look a bit more realistic than what I remember when I last checked. ('Brain’s getting old, I fear) [“Overwatch”](https://www.google.com/search?q=overwatch+characters&safe=off&client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=ALeKk022NTQv90dPq3fqN9kUIPe77e1Ahw:1583459171062&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiy86CL3YToAhX6JzQIHcCBDzEQ_AUoAXoECA0QAw&biw=1500&bih=737#imgrc=BWmjKvzHNxdskM) is a bit cartoony in the character design, though I don’t know if it’s up to your standards, or the kind of game you’d like. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/19 "2020-03-07T00:27:48Z")
[Sunset Overdrive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDNW-u5-kCo)is about as cartoony as a zombie apocalypse can get. Fun game. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601/20 "2020-03-07T02:21:39Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > [Sunset Overdrive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDNW-u5-kCo)is about as cartoony as a zombie apocalypse can get. Fun game. I’ve never heard of that game but it looks like a blast and I just picked it up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newish-good-games-with-animated-movie-art-direction/848601.md?page=2)