Storylines in video games are important. However, graphics play just as big of a role in enticing gamers to move from level to level. They also help players stay loyal to franchises that have released several installments over decades. Sometimes, the graphics in video games are so stunning and surreal that they could be considered an art form. This article will explore a few of these games.

Limbo
Some of the best art evokes feelings that many want to avoid: loneliness and hopelessness. The most famous examples include Edvard Munch’s The Scream, which symbolizes anxiety, as explained by the BBC. In the video game industry, the puzzle-platform video game Limbo (2010) does something similar through its graphics, exploring ideas like fear. While the video game is dark and eerie, the graphics are also beautiful, and many have dubbed the game a masterpiece.



The Last of Us
Many artists have explored the concept of a new world in their art. A great example is Nick Pederson’s “Sanctuary” project, which envisions a modern civilization in which exotic animals have left their enclosures and taken over.

When it comes to video games, this new world is often post-apocalyptic, and one of the best examples is The Last of Us. The Last of Us is an action-adventure video game that recently turned into an HBO show. This ExpressVPN article on The Last of Us show explores all of the different visual characters viewers will see in the show, such as the different zombies. These are the same creatures in the video game. Both the show and the video game have been praised for their visuals. The critics claim the graphics in the video game were among the best for a PlayStation 3 game during its initial launch.

Flower
Opposite Limbo and The Last of Us, Flower is an example of a video game set in a beautifully colored world. Much like Monet’s Water Lillies, Flower is full of hues of pink and purple as players navigate playing the wind, moving a flower petal around the world. The game evokes feelings of calmness, much like many famous landscape paintings like The Monk by the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich.



The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
When you play Skyrim, it’s as if you’ve stepped into an icy Emily Carr painting. While the character graphics are brilliant, the nature scenes stand out the most. The game is set in the fictional province of Tamriel, but it has many similarities to the Pacific Northwest, from which Carr took inspiration. Carr was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. This CBC article describes how she was a late-bloomer to the art world and didn’t rise to fame until she changed her painting subject matter to landscapes such as forest scenes.

Many forget that video games are an art form and that designers spend years perfecting their craft. While video games entertain us, they can also inspire us with their beauty. Many games are full of stunning visuals and graphics, and Limbo, The Last of Us, Flower, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are only a few examples.