Trust me, I'm not confused. Metroid is not arty? Are you kidding me? Full hand draw textures, beautifull environments... it's awesome!

Art style in Metroid Prime Trilogy is better than 99% of titles around...

@Dazkarieh

I was genuinely not referring directly to you but I felt my point followed logically from yours. I was more referring to the allusion of some posters (even the OP) that arty refers only to games like NMH, Madworld, Viewtiful Joe and Okami. I agree with you in that I think Metroid has awesome art but is not 'arty' in the way that people think of Viewtiful Joe as arty. I think that if Retro had lent their artists to HVS for Conduit they could have created a game that retains the same basic style, setting and atmosphere ("popcorn blockbuster" if you will) as The Conduit but with a much stronger and better graphical style than it currently has.

Granted that by the time FF got the following it now has, it all was 8 bit and 16 bit when the series first started out. When Conduit 6 comes out, they might be a bit more ballzy too

The prime trilogy does have some of best art i have ever seen. Retro is one of the best studio's around. But the sales of the trilogy also show it didn't sell too well on a nintendo standard. They are revamping it for this reason. It needs to appeal better to more people. The new one is probably aiming for 3 to 4 million at least.

It is a very tricky rope to walk, where you balance a new artstyle and a wide appeal. Luckily Ninteno is good at it.  

Ohh, ok. And I absolutely agree. Devs don't need to make the game different just for the purpose of being arty different. It's possible to make beautiful looking games in any genre, and there is no need to make it cell shaded. And Metroid is the best example. I'm going to get killed for saying this, but I still didn't found any HD title as beautiful as Metroid (Uncharted is close... very close), and I think that's a shame. I hope that, after this initial race to see who gets better lightning, bump maps and most poligons os screen, developers start to look to the artistic part of theirs games.

@ Stefan.De.Machtige

I agreed with you since the begining, and I still do. I find it a shame, but true.

I agree with everyone that says that Metroid Prime 3 has some of the best art around but you have to keep in mind that HVS is a very small studio with less money compared to Retro.  It may not even be that their artists aren't talented as much as they are overworked.  Certainly, with Nintendo's backing, Retro can afford to not only the best artists, but more of them.

If Conduit sells well (lets hope it does), I'm sure HVS can afford to spend more on the next outing.

One thing is for sure though, even if the art isn't the best, HVS has delivered something Nintendo doesn't seem interested in (besides Mario Kart) and thats good online play.  Seriously, who would think a small studio would be able to produce a more robust and fun online experience than a first party?

People who have no idea what they're talking about really need to shut up.

Retro Studios:  ~60 people
High Voltage Software:  ~130 people

Retro Studios:  6 games created to date
High Voltage Software:  ~40 games created to date (not including ports of games to multiple systems)

Retro Studios:  Founded 1998
High Voltage Software:  Founded 1993

Seriously, the whole "High Voltage is a young/new company" ignorance is annoying.

Hum interesting.  I knew HVS has been around a while doing licensed stuff but I figured they were smaller because Retro is a 2nd party studio.  I stand corrected.

My point about funding stands though.  HVS is still doing licensed work (Astro Boy) to fund their new stuff so they aren't exactly dedicating their entire studio to games like the Conduit...

Retro on the other hand, has the luxury of spending as much time as they need on a single game, with as long of a development cycle as they need since they are backed by N.

Also, you have to agree that it is ridiculous that Nintendo isn't interested/can't deliver good online features on most of its games.  I was pretty disappointed that Punch-Out!'s multiplayer wasn't online with voicechat.  If Capcom, can deliver it with Street Fighter 4, I see no reason why Punch-Out! couldn't have it.  Another example, is New Super Mario Bros. coming out this Fall.  Its nice to have 4 player co-op locally, but it is crazy not to take that online as well with voicechat.  Little Big Planet did that over a year ago!

Good art direction hurts sales?

You learn something new every day.

Final Fantasy is so generic with half the characters the only way to tell if they are male or female is if:
A: They have breats.
B. A bulge in their pants (even then...some of the ones that don't....)

GENERIC?!

its one of the most evolving series ever, never have the same story, characters, music, and gameplay.


Yes generic
EMo pretty boys
Tried to play crisis core, it is almost laughable the looks and dialog