In fact, the cutting edge of today is so dreary that even lively last-gen games like Dragon Quest VIII and ICO still stand out when directly compared; what they lack in polygon count they more than make up for with impeccable art direction and palette. Faced with this glut of dirt-brown games, we felt it necessary to call out the most beautiful-est games 2008 brought us, and if this year’s any indication, maybe the next-gen smog is about to be lifted forever.
Zzzzap!
Swwwwish!
Frrrrap!
Staaaaaare!
Frawiiiishhhh!
It’s not just the searingly beautiful effects though; each fighter is drop-dead gorgeous and the arenas in which they battle are as varied as they come. Sun-soaked beaches, illuminated waterfalls and strobing throne rooms set a glorious stage for each and every battle. And if you don’t care for the roster, you can dive into the massively deep character creator and make your own.
Above: How many games let you make a color-coordinated Galactus?
There aren’t a whole lot of fighters for 360/PS3, and even fewer released in 2008, but even if Tekken 6, Street Fighter IV and the long-awaited Rise of the Robots ’09 Remix came out this year, SoulCal IV would still emerge as the most colorful scrapper in years.
For every attractive game there’s a slightly less alluring cousin that we still admire but can’t bring ourselves to choose over the far-prettier relative. In this case, brawler Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit wowed us with its teeth-rattling speed and burn-your-eyes-out visual punch, but offered little else. If it played as good as it looked, maybe we’d stick around to hear about its day after we’d ogled it for hours.
