Gearbox have revealed the first online screenshot of the Borderlands’ not-cel-shaded-but-a-bit-like-that style. Just one shot, the meanies, and peculiarly they’ve stamped a big advert for the forthcoming PC Gamer US June edition all over it. Peculiar because the current ish of PC Gamer UK has the same shot. Meanies because PCG UK has seven more in its pages that aren’t online. But shitting crikey, we’re looking forward to this. There’s an advert-cropped version of the shot if you click on the pic above, and you can see the whole thing at the game’s site.
The art design is called “Concept Style”, inspired as it is by traditional concept art. It’s a combination of hand-drawn work and magical computer tricks to give it the comic book feel, and it’s gorgeous.
Make sure to check out our interview with Gearbox producer Simon Hurley.
PS. You can see the cover of next month’s PCG US here, which has another rather lovely image, once more showing off the hand-drawn feel to the whole thing. Also you can see the cover splash, “Prepare to be shot and punched in the face by this role-playing shooter.” You can then fear for the future of the universe.
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borderlands – isn’t that the game that had 1000000 different gunmodels as their biggest selling point a few months ago. have to convince me with more than just a “different” look. I wanna hear about features and handling, design comes 2nd or 3rd.
I certainly hope “shitting crikey” has a prominent position in the press accolades adorning the final box art.
This is not full throttle, this is Silverfall, a really lousy game.
@Ian: Still going on about that, eh? ;) I tend to feel the dislike of the dislikees (of a game and/or related issue (and dislikee is no English, sure. Sue me)) hangs around more visibly since it targets an audience rather than a game.
Sorry, I should just stop going on about that, but I can’t seem to help it.
Anyway.. the art style kinda reminds me of the Chronicles of Spellborn, except MadMax-ey. And less extreme. Looks interesting.
I echo the agreement of many here with James G. The easiest retro titles to pick up seem to have distinctive art styles that move them from being a product of an era into an almost timeless quality that makes things like bit depth, polygons pushed per 60th of a second and resolution not matter as much when you pick it back up 5 or 10 years later. To stick to one genre (and to stick to games I’ve fired back up within the last year), I’m thinking Last Express, Grim Fandango and Monkey 3 compared to, say, the Tex Murphy series of games. The first 3 were much easier for me to get back into: to, if you will, suspend my disbelief, even if they aren’t as “photo realistic”.
I’ve been really following this game for multiple reasons (not the least of which is that my wife actually wants to play it too) and, with procedurally generated guns and, (a man can dream) a huge world with some hopefully randomized elements this game can lead toward replayability over and over through the years. Keep on polishing, please. This much promise needs to deliver.
Meh, it’s still ‘Cel shading’… coming up with fancy new names for something that’s already established as “a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make computer graphics appear to be hand-drawn” is just a marketing ploy – unless of course everyone is claiming that “*cinemaction” (TM) is a valid term now as well?
That being said, the game is gorgeous. I just hate people who feel like they need to change a term because they’re afraid to stand behind their decisions…. aka Valve/Stardock/Windows “It’s not DRM, this is better!” syndrome.
*See the Space Marine action game videos
@Muzman
Actually, the style makes me think of Sparth, not Mullins.
@John
You can’t just split sentences in half when writing haikus.
apnea: it was more that it doesn’t resemble either of them nearly enough
I don’t know maybe it’s because my background is in the fine arts rather than illustration, (although I can’t imagine illustrators think this is that innovative either) but I’m not sure I see the big deal here. I mean give those 2 a sandwich and it wouldn’t look terribly different from other games.
Incidentally while we’re appropriating aesthetic styles why not steal from someone interesting like Giacometti? Or a horror game based on Francis Bacon could be brilliant.
FUCK YEAH BORDERLANDS.
Cool new art style, would have bought it anyway, but blimey! Bonus!
My anticipation went from 90% to 10%. It looks terrible in comparison to what they were going to have (see first trailer, see E3 footage)
In contrast, my anticipation went from 0% to 100%
@Muzman
It’s a start, at least. Compared with the slurry of Military Grittiness and Cartoony Impertinence, it’s getting there.
I concede that it could be better, of course. But then, 2008 – Year of the EA – crushed any innocence this gamer had left.
For the record, I agree. I’m for this sort of thing in principle, got nothing against the design style either. I just don’t like this shot very much (and am slightly perturbed by the gushing it’s getting. It looks like someone took a normal screenshot and ran it through Photoshop’s watercolour filter)
I’m fine with the whole not cel-shaded but is kinda maybe deal, but is there some law that says game + cel-shading= thin characters?
If people want photorealism, look at a photo, go outside or watch a movie. Realism is boring.
And I can’t really answer on Gillen behalf, but it’s my understanding that 2000AD’s economic and ownership policies leave some to be desired. Which is why there’s a good couple of British comic artists and writers that refrain from being involved with them, especially after somewhat establishing themselves in the industry. I could very well be wrong, but that’s my current understanding.