Embracing the Flaws: The Unique Charm That Signals a Classic Game

At their most grand and costly, video games often share a striking resemblance. This similarity typically stems from basic economics: higher production costs necessitate greater returns, leading developers to adopt a cautious approach. This results in a sea of semi-realistic, desolate landscapes reminiscent of death metal album covers, where characters embody some Wild West fantasy, or in hero shooters that resemble Pixar creations but with a muscular twist, ready for fan interpretations that venture into unexpected territories.

Yet, every so often, fresh visual territory is explored. A prime example is Octopath Traveler 0. This latest entry in the Octopath series serves multiple purposes — it’s a welcoming prequel for newcomers, a revamped version of a mobile game, and a standout JRPG. More importantly, it marks the culmination of a 2025 celebration of the art style known as “HD-2D,” a bold experiment that has become a staple in the gaming landscape. An HD-2D title from the studio is a declaration of which classic games are worth revisiting and which new titles deserve similar recognition.

“The HD-2D style originated from the idea: ‘What if we brought back games from the Super Famicom era, the golden age of pixel art, using modern technology?’” said a producer involved in the recent Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. First introduced in 2018’s Octopath Traveler, this art style aims to capture the pixelated charm of 16-bit RPGs like Final Fantasy VI while leveraging the depth and detail of contemporary 3D graphics. The developers at Square and their partner cleverly utilized Unreal Engine, allowing them to render and illuminate Octopath like any modern title, placing 2D characters reminiscent of CRT screens into a world designed for today’s displays. The goal was for Octopath Traveler, debuting on the then-new Nintendo Switch, to be perceived as both cutting-edge and nostalgically classic, appealing to gamers with a fondness for the past.

The strategy paid off. Following the success of Octopath Traveler, the studio trademarked the “HD-2D” name, signaling a commitment to this new visual direction. Interestingly, the subsequent two HD-2D games were not sequels but rather the tactical RPG Triangle Strategy and a remake of the acclaimed 1994 title Live a Live, which had never seen an official English release. Both launched in 2022, marking a shift where HD-2D evolved from a quirky novelty into a core design philosophy. An HD-2D game either aims to be the ultimate homage through original titles like Octopath, encapsulating an era’s worth of hits in a fresh format, or it lovingly reimagines a classic that deserves a revival.

This trend continues: Octopath and its sequels remain the only original HD-2D titles in the SNES-era JRPG style, while Triangle Strategy represents the tactical genre, and next year’s The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales aims to capture the essence of Zelda-style action RPGs. On the remake front, the studio has ceremoniously released Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, following last year’s Dragon Quest III remake, with the release order reflecting the preferred play sequence.

In both scenarios, HD-2D has generally received positive feedback from critics, particularly those who appreciate the games it pays tribute to. “It’s a stunning style that transcends a mere retro aesthetic to create something timeless,” praised a reviewer regarding Live a Live’s implementation of the style, noting its ability to enhance and enrich the classic ’90s video game feel while remaining true to its original essence. Many reviews of Octopath Traveler and its sequel describe the games as “beautiful” or “gorgeous.” The studio’s ambition to forge a visual language that balances nostalgia with modernity appears to be a resounding triumph.

“Some players might see pixel art games as outdated,” remarked the producer of Octopath Traveler 0. “However, this style offers a unique opportunity for imagination, with no limits to what one can envision.”

There’s an interesting nuance here, as the Octopath developers pointed out in a 2019 Unreal Engine promotional video. The HD-2D aesthetic draws as much inspiration from PlayStation-era titles like Xenogears and Grandia as it does from Super Nintendo classics, making it a broader synthesis than often acknowledged. Nonetheless, this should not diminish its impact — the studio continues to showcase impressive variety within its HD-2D offerings. According to the producer, grasping the flexibility of the HD-2D approach is key to its successful execution.

“The definition of HD-2D is quite straightforward; if you create characters and monsters in pixel art and place them against a 3D backdrop, that alone works,” the producer explained. “However, achieving the true HD-2D quality requires careful consideration of elements like color palette, effects, and camera angles to create the right atmosphere. This is crucial and lies at the heart of HD-2D games. Thus, the secret to any HD-2D project’s success is having an art director who understands that feeling and sensibility.”

Ironically, the original HD-2D titles like Octopath and Triangle Strategy are the least visually expansive, adhering to similar muted color schemes and diorama-like staging. The choice of colors is critical; an overreliance on a single shade range can flatten the visuals and compromise the illusion of depth. These limitations are offset by breathtaking visual moments where light enhances a scene in seemingly impossible ways. The remakes, however, are more vibrant. The Dragon Quest titles embrace a maximalist approach that barely hints at pixelated landscapes, leaning more heavily into the “HD” aspect of “HD-2D” and showcasing the distinctive character and monster designs of a renowned artist. This creates a lavish backdrop for the simplicity of a master cartoonist’s work, resulting in an equally, if not more, impactful experience.

“Even within the HD-2D umbrella, none of the five titles released so far look identical,” the producer noted. “There are countless ways to differentiate them, from color palettes to the degree of pixel graininess. That’s why I believe this expression method still has ample room for growth.”

“Timeless” is a term frequently associated with HD-2D, reflecting its success and thoughtful application. This aesthetic emerged from a place of uncertainty — the developers at Acquire initially aimed to create a classic 2D pixel-art game but worried it wouldn’t feel modern enough. This tension encapsulates a fundamental struggle in gaming: the balance between artistic expression and technological advancement. Art captures a moment in time, yet games are intrinsically linked to their technological context, which can sometimes be awkward.

Pixel art can appear muddled on 4K displays, dialogue may seem simplistic due to memory constraints, and music designed for limited sound chips can sound out of place on modern audio systems. Unlike many other art forms, game developers face a crucial decision: should they preserve limitations or move past them? Are compromises made for technology enduring artistic choices or merely temporary solutions?

The allure of HD-2D lies in the belief that it’s possible to create a perfect version of a game that withstands the test of time. It aims to honor the past while remaining relevant for the future, appealing to both the history of gaming and contemporary sensibilities that value convenience and quality-of-life enhancements. However, these questions are inescapable. As we evolve, so too will technology and our relationship with it. It’s beautiful to strive for transcendence, and equally beautiful to acknowledge the inevitability of failure, as most of us will. Video games may all seem alike, until they don’t.