After several years of independent developers creating innovative and unique games using classic 8-bit and 16-bit pixel art, the hand-drawn aesthetic has begun to gain some traction, as well. Tsioque, a Kickstarter-backed game for OhNoo Studio, previously resurrected the 2D animation of classic Disney films, and the adventure game Candle looks to take the medium into a space we haven’t really seen before: watercolor.

“Instead of making a game based on a previous concept-art step, we decided to create a game that was the concept art itself,” says director Jose A. Gutiérrez in a Candle developer diary. “And that’s how we started working on Candle.”

The team opted for a watercolor visual style, but this game wasn’t just “inspired” by this style of painting; the backgrounds and characters were actually painted by hand, and the “texture of the canvas” is actually visible in-game. As the painting process was much more permanent than Illustrator or another digital tool, the team at Teku (also the name of the game’s main character) had to plan each scene completely before they began doing any actual illustrating.

“There was also a random effect to the process that created some imperfections here and there, but that’s what gives the game its own personality and makes it feel more authentic,” adds artist Jorge Rueda.

A similar, albeit intentional effect is visible in the upcoming action-platformer Cuphead. Burns, hairs, and other minor scuffs are visible on the screen to emulate the imperfections of traditional film and animation.

Though the official release lists Candle‘s release window as “Q3 of 2016,” the game’s Kickstarter page is more specific, stating that the game is scheduled to be released this month as both a physical and digital release. It will be available for PC, Mac, and Linux. While audio options will only be available for Spanish and English, there will also be subtitles for “French, Italian, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Russian.”

Related Posts

Your Xbox ecosystem just levelled up across every device

Gaming Copilot is now live in the Xbox mobile app (beta), offering real-time AI help for gameplay, achievements, tips, and more.

I’ve played every major Zelda game, here’s what The Legend of Zelda movie needs to get right

In terms of iconic pop culture heroes, Link is up there with Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, and Superman. While Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has proven himself capable enough to lead The Legend of Zelda's cast, adapting Link’s character for the big screen is a challenge. For much of the Zelda franchise, Link is depicted as a silent protagonist who serves as a stand-in for the player. However, that doesn't mean Link isn't a unique character. Each version of Link has a distinct story, but they are all known for their incredible courage, loyalty, and dedication to protecting the innocent. However, he has also shown many times that he can be silly, reckless, rageful, guilty, and tempted by greed. Link doesn’t necessarily have to speak in the film to appeal to audiences. However, he just can't be a one-dimensional fantasy hero. We have to see how multifaceted a person Link is as he grows and reacts to everything, carrying such a heavy burden as the Hero of Hyrule. Zelda should share the adventure with Link

PlayStation 5 can technically be a CD-player, if you’ve got a tinkerer’s heart

But a creator behind the YouTube channel Will It Work? decided to test that limit with a clever workaround. Using an unusual optical drive, he managed to trick the PS5 into reading CDs as if they were USB storage devices.