What Are HD-2D Games and Why Are They So Popular?
Square Enix has been single-handedly responsible for bringing many incredible games to us over the years. From Final Fantasy titles to Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts, it is impossible not to see how much of an impact Square Enix has had on the gaming industry as a whole.
But its shining library is not the only thing Square Enix has revolutionized the gaming industry with. Square Enix is also responsible for creating HD-2D graphics, a whole new art style that successfully blurs the lines between modern gaming and the classics that inspired them.
What Does HD-2D Mean?
HD-2D is an art style that blends beautifully rendered and dynamic 3D backgrounds with 2D pixel sprites, creating an interesting intersection between old and new-school graphics. Many gamers feel a lot of nostalgia for the pixel art styles of the past, and even with the constant evolution and improvement of realistic graphics, it is hard to beat a great pixel art game.
But by combining the charm and familiar comfort of pixel art with dynamic HD backgrounds, HD-2D brings those elements of old-school gaming into the modern era.
Why Are HD-2D Games So Popular?
The HD-2D art style was first introduced with the release of Octopath Traveler in 2018. Gamers were captivated by the beautiful lighting dynamics that have now become synonymous with the art style, and Octopath Traveler almost immediately took the gaming world by storm.
But while the HD-2D art style is genuinely beautiful in itself, several other reasons also played a part in how and why it became so popular.
HD-2D Appeals to Both Old and New Gamers
Pixel art is still a valued art form, and there are many programs out there that provide you with the tools you need tocreate your own pixel art. So it is definitely safe to say that pixel art never died, but it does have a certain element of nostalgia attached to it.
If you grew up gaming in the golden era of the 90s or ever had a Game Boy, for example, playing a pixel art game immediately brings you straight back to your childhood.
Pixel art is always going to have a certain charm, but you may not have the same reaction to it if you don’t have the nostalgia that gamers from older generations do. By combining the 2D pixel sprites with 3D backgrounds, HD-2D creates a single art style that appeals to both groups of gamers. Those who love 2D and those who prefer 3D.
HD-2D Has Brought the Past Into the Present
HD-2D allows developers to introduce more detailed lighting and shading effects, as well as more complex character models and designs to create a pixel-art-but-better visual experience. That combination of old and new inspiration creates a brand-new graphical style that still retains the same look and feel of the classics.
This method of bringing the past into the present allows developers to create intricate and nuanced modern experiences that pay homage to the games that helped inspire them.
HD-2D Is the Perfect Way to Breathe New Life Into Remakes
While it is easy to see the many ways in which this art style can be implemented in new titles, it is hard to ignore its most valuable application. That is, of course, breathing new life into the classics from the past.
Hundreds of new video games are released each year from big or small developers all across the globe. But even with so many options for brand-new experiences, it’s difficult to beat the classics.
As time goes on and technology advances, it becomes harder to access games that were released on hardware that is becoming obsolete. Some of the biggest players in the console game, such as Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo do offer ways to play some classic retro games. But retro games are by no means their focus andsome consoles better than others in terms of retro gaming.
Creating HD-2D remakes of classic games like Live A Live and Dragon Quest III makes them far more accessible to more players, which is valuable in itself. But it also allows developers to bring them into the modern era without tampering with the original spirit of the game so much that it loses what made it so special in the first place.
HD-2D Is the Best of Both Worlds
While new games are amazing, it is still incredibly important to keep classic titles from becoming obsolete. HD-2D is the perfect vehicle to bring those games back to life, so gamers of all ages can experience them.
There have already been several new video game installments using the art style, and hopefully, we see even more remasters and remakes of classic titles that utilize the HD-2D art style in years to come.
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