Bad and good pixel art

Do you think there is some talent to design good minimalist pixel games ?

I think it depends on the definition of 'talent'. There is definitely skill behind making good graphics, no matter if they are high definition (HD) or pixel art. Making good pixel art takes practice, and while some people are 'better'/'talented', the secret to making good art (no matter what it is) is practice!

The people who made Minit most have practiced quite a bit to get such nice graphics :smile: Making a game entirely with only two colors (black and white) would be hard regardless of the pixel art factor. Making a pixel art game with only two colors, and one that looks that nice, must have taken lots of tweaking and refining. From what I saw of the video, it looks like they did a great job!

As to what makes good pixel art or bad pixel art, I'd say its a matter of personal opinion. Personally, there's some pixel art I've seen that is bad (like my attempts at it :tongue: ) and then there's pixel art that's really good (like Stardew Valley, for example). Personally I don't really like Undertale's pixel art style, but lots of people really like it, so who knows? I'd say as long as the developer(s) making a game like its pixel art, then that's all that matters :smile:

Consistent design style/art direction.

While taste in art has always been subjective, how well art communicates specific feedback to the audience can usually be judged based on objective criteria. Picking out how this happens with 2D pixel art is actually easier, as the more minimalist design frequently boils the visuals down to their simplest forms. Looking at how 2D pixel art and animation communicates with the user is a valuable learning tool.

Of course, this means that a lot of artistic basics also translate over into how pixel art is used. Contrasting colors can be used to set elements apart. Similar/complementary colors can be used to make other elements visually blend together. Effective use of contrast can make intended foreground elements stand out from the background. Use of these approaches in the game itself can form better or worse visual compositions, affected by the user's input. Balancing the composition of a given scene, with sight lines and other focal elements, can help to control and affect the player's experience.

And all of this ties into the designer's intentions, and how they are communicating with the player. You would not handle visuals for a horror game the same way you would handle them for a platformer. In some games you will want to set the player at ease, giving them a more pleasant visual experience. In others you may need to set the player on edge, keeping them in a constant state of heightened tension.

There is definitely talent in crafting good pixel art. But you shouldn't get too hung up on talent, as that is only a shortcut. The truth is, a lot of what makes for quality game visuals is based more on solid artistic fundamentals, and their effective application, than pure artistic talent. And this is doubly true for pixel art. (which has its roots in icon design, boiling concepts down into visual short-hand) The important thing is that you learn these artistic basics, practice using them, and apply some solid critical thought to your own visual work. Do that, and you can handily offset any lack of talent for your pixel-art game. Having some artistic talent is nice, but in games it isn't mandatory. Simplistic graphics can be used to communicate with the player quite handily, sophistication and detail in the visuals are simply an additional tool, and one with marked diminishing returns.