Understanding the Importance of Art Styles in Video Games and How They Enhance the Player's Experience

All pieces of art, whether paintings, movies or some other form, are accompanied by a distinct visual style that conveys specific messages and feelings to the audience. As arguably the most intricate form of art conceived, video games are no exception. Each video game is unique in not only gameplay, but also the style of graphics used to portray its visual (and sometimes audio) components. This thesis explores why visual styles in video games exist as well as some of their more well-known components, functions of graphic art styles, and the psychological impacts that stylistic choices may have on the player. This will be accomplished through a literature review on the subject, detailed analysis of two specific games with highly distinct art styles, and finally the valuable opinions and observations of three industry professionals.