The Best Game Animation of 2023

The Nugget

2023 had a wealth of beautifully-animated games across various styles, from hand-drawn whimsical adventures to 3D spectacles, showcasing the diverse and impressive animation talents in the gaming industry.

Key quotes

"A traditional animator can easily adapt and exaggerate a character's form to emphasize motion or enhance their visual appeal from any angle."
"It is so cool seeing games like this which evoke the limitations of retro hardware, while also improving upon and polishing the gameplay experiences that inspired them."
"The rhythm-driven combat move set, the animated elements in all of these environments that are all moving in time to the beat, the way that everything Chai does, even just running or standing in place, is still grooving to the music, emphasizing rhythm at every moment."
"The characters in this beautifully-abstract game are very simple, built of just a few disconnected lights and shapes floating in space. But the animation on these nebulous forms, especially in combat, is not only gorgeous but astonishingly easy to read."
"It's not just the existence of a deaf main character performed by a deaf actor, but the amount of effort so many people have clearly put into doing that character justice."

2023 saw a range of pixel animation styles and approaches in games:
- Various pixel art styles like 8-bit inspired, 16-bit, and Flashback-like aesthetics showcased in games like Bat Boy, Gravity Circuit, and Full Void.
- Games like Blasphemous 2, The Last Faith, and 9 Years of Shadows balancing lush detail with slightly stiff character animation.
- Bread & Fred stands out with hilarious animations, while Sea of Stars impresses with environmental and boss animations.
- Wargroove 2 offers a beautiful Advanced Wars influence, highlighting the diversity in pixel art animation.

Games in 2023 employed distinct animation approaches:
- Hi-Fi Rush: Showcases a cohesive and confident animation style in a comic book aesthetic.
- Pseudoregalia: Utilizes a retro-inspired visual style and animation to enhance gameplay feel and control.

2023 saw impressive animation in AAA games:
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Expertly captures Spider-Man's agility and combat style with polished animations and performances.
- Resident Evil 4 Remake: Combines realistic and slightly exaggerated animation for gameplay clarity and impactful combat.
- Final Fantasy XVI: Balances emotional performances with over-the-top combat animations, creating visually stunning battles.
- Alan Wake 2: Successfully integrates live-action film into its digital characters, showcasing nuanced character performances.

Games paid homage to classic animation styles and techniques:
- Mortal Kombat 1: Balances improved character animation with nods to the series' unique, traditional motion-captured style.
- Super Mario Bros Wonder: Adapts 3D character animation to mimic the appeal and flexibility of 2D drawings, enhancing character expressiveness.

💥 2D can still shine: Traditional 2D animation in games like "The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo" and "Disney's Illusion Island" proves that classic animation can still be a significant draw.
🎮 Pixel variety: From 8-bit to Flashback-inspired styles, pixel animation in games like "Blasphemous 2" and "Sea of Stars" offers diverse visual appeal for players.
🕹️ Innovative approaches: Games like "Hi-Fi Rush" and "Pseudoregalia" demonstrate how unique animation styles can elevate gameplay experiences.
🌟 AAA animation highlights: Titles like "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" and "Final Fantasy XVI" showcase the pinnacle of animation in AAA games, combining emotion and spectacle.

This summary contains AI-generated information and may be misleading or incorrect.