In a world of cutting-edge CGI and 3D graphics at every turn, sometimes it can make more of a statement to go back to basics regarding gaming artwork. Talented artists now have a chance to showcase their art in a new medium - not in a museum or gallery, but through video games.
Hand-drawn graphics have recently surged in popularity, with over 3,100 Steam titles listed under the Hand-Drawn tag for PC gaming alone and countless more for Nintendo Switch releases and other consoles. Whether it's small-scale indie games or full-blown triple-A titles, there are plenty of games with unique hand-drawn graphics for gamers to add to their burgeoning collections.
Updated January 1, 2023, by Chris Sanfilippo: Hand-drawn graphics have stood the test of time in the video game industry due to their ability to depict art styles and gameplay mechanics in ways 3D graphics never could. So, in our latest update, we decided to look to the past and future with the inclusion of a Triple-A classic, a pivotal indie gem, and two groundbreaking recent launches!
14 Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator
This crafting puzzle simulation game developed by Niceplay Games places players in a small medieval town. Budding alchemists are tasked with learning and brewing potions for the local townsfolk, managing the townsfolk's needs while maintaining their reputation, with the final aim of crafting the illusive Philosopher's Stone.
Inspired by medieval art styles, the graphics are unique and bewitching, from the character art to the intricate detailing of the Alchemy Map, where new potion recipes are unlocked. Players can also design unique potion bottles and vials, customizing their concoctions to suit their shop.
13 Gorogoa
Annapurna Interactive is renowned for publishing gorgeous immersive adventures. One of its first titles, Gorogoa, exemplifies the company's commitment to unique gaming experiences with moving storytelling. This interactive graphic novel follows a young boy throughout his life as he confronts a mysterious monster known only as Gorogoa. Players solve puzzles by rearranging images in a two-by-two grid and uncover the mystery behind the odd behemoth.
Artist Jason Roberts hand-drew everything in Gorogoa with painstaking detail. Throughout his enveloping tale, you'll find influences of artists like David Roberts, Gustave Doré, Christopher Manson, and Chris Ware. Additional artistic notes were taken from two-dimensional Byzantine art, grounding Gorogoa in a timeless and relatable world.
12 Hollow Knight
This popular and notoriously tricky adventure platformer from Team Cherry is well-known for its iconic 2D hand-drawn art style. Hollow Knight follows your journey through the dark and ancient ruins of Dirtmouth, side-scrolling through caves and tunnels to find your path through the darkness and locate hidden treasures.
As well as the atmospheric painted landscapes, the hand-drawn character designs and animations for the unique cast show extreme attention to detail. For fans of gothic, brooding, and yet adorable art, this one is for you!
11 Cuphead
You'd be hard-pressed finding an art style more recognizable than that of Cuphead. This challenging action-platformer is heavily inspired by early cartoon artwork from the 1920s and 1930s, known as "Rubber Hose," such as that of Walt Disney's Steamboat Willy.
The game's artwork uses all the same practices of the time, from watercolor backgrounds to traditional hand-drawn cel animation. The character designs range from Cuphead and Mugman to a vast array of highly detailed and over-the-top antagonists, with fights all set to original jazz recordings to set the scene.
10 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
When it comes to hand-drawn video games, Vanillaware touts an esteemed reputation. This Japanese studio is known for its compelling 2.5D graphics that pair hand-drawn sprites with a skeletal system that produces seamless animation. However, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim marked a significant turning point for the company. Unlike past fantasy titles such as Odin Sphere and Dragon's Crown, 13 Sentinels told a complex sci-fi tale that pushed the studio beyond its perceived limitations.
13 Sentinels is an engulfing ode to 80s kaiju films with a head-turning twist. Unlike the more colorful backgrounds of VanillaWare past, 13 Sentinels depicted muted cityscapes highlighted by superb lighting effects. Furthermore, the game's character designs take inspiration from Akira Kagami, a prominent manga artist of the 80s. Finally, the game utilized a combination of 2D and 3D assets to bring the massive robotic sentinels to life!
9 Wildermyth
Launched in June 2021, this party-based RPG uses procedural storytelling, tactical combat, and "choices matter" decisions to change the course of your character's journey and the cast of characters that join your quests. Reminiscent of tabletop gaming, the 2D hand-drawn graphics are charming and immersive.
Wildermyth brings iterative storytelling to a new peak with a vast range of new and exciting characters. From the rag-tag team of people who join your quest to the refreshing and quirky villains you encounter on the road, plenty of hand-drawn characters will capture your heart.
8 Spiritfarer
This tearjerker of a game is a cozy management simulation revolving around death. However, Spiritfarer's glorious artwork is breathtaking, using colorful hand-drawn art and character animation rather than a dark, grim graphic style.
Emotions run high in this heartfelt and moving story about life, death, and everything beyond, with a host of fantastical animal characters to keep you company and assist you in guiding recently deceased spirits to the afterlife. Customization options for your character and boat also mean that you can enjoy all of the beautiful artwork at its finest.
7 Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
This award-winning game has an Overwhelming Positive rating on Steam with over 10,000 positive reviews, and even just a glimpse of Ender Lilies will be enough to tell you why. Set in a fantasy world ravaged by evil, this 2D action RPG pits you against deadly enemies in challenging Metroidvania-style battles to solve the kingdom's mysteries.
Each landscape, character, and animation is painstakingly drawn by hand, reminiscent of similar challenging games like Hollow Knight and Bloodstained. Ender Lilies is perfect for fans of dark fantasy and emotional, heartfelt games with a great atmospheric soundtrack.
6 Street Fighter 3
Street Fighter 3 holds a reputation as the franchise's most underrated series of games for several reasons. The most prominent factor was the game's roster, which swapped out many of the renowned world warriors of Street Fighter 2 with a new cast of characters. Additionally, the game added highly technical elements, including its precise parry system, thus making it less accessible to newcomers. Finally, in a landscape that was shifting favor to 3D polygonal games, Capcom decided to keep Street Fighter 3 2D.
Thankfully, this decision was the right call because Street Fighter 3's hand-drawn graphics are some of the best in fighting game history. The series utilized Capcom's new CPS-III arcade hardware, allowing developers to create higher-detailed sprites. For instance, each character contains between 700 and 1,200 hand-drawn animation frames. Plus, the game set a genre standard by running at 60 frames per second. So small elements, from simple gestures to flowing clothing fabric, are sights to behold!
5 Tale Of Immortal
This open-world sandbox RPG takes its inspiration from Chinese mythology and culture. Originally published exclusively in Chinese, Tale Of Immortal was later updated with an English language patch in August 2021, opening up the highly stylized game to a broader global audience.
Tale Of Immortal uses hand-drawn art for each mountainous and seascape environment, inspired by ancient Chinese tapestries. The characters you encounter on the path to your destiny are also beautifully hand-crafted. Choices matter in this game, with difficult decisions and unexpected consequences every step of the way.
4 Omori
The deceptively cute RPG with adorable colorful hand-drawn artwork quickly descends into psychological horror reminiscent of Doki Doki Literature Club. Landscapes in the background vary from cute, colorful, and cartoon-like to a basic black-and-white room design that looks like it was drawn with crayons.
The horror factor is amped up considerably when villains and evil creatures lurk in the darkness, with graphics that look creepily like what kids draw in horror movies. In addition, its uncomplicated style is a great way to lure unsuspecting audiences into a false sense of security.
3 Skullgirls: 2nd Encore
This critically-acclaimed 2D indie fighter from 2013 contains over a dozen hand-drawn and animated characters with unique personalities and characteristics. In addition, Skullgirls contains various gameplay modes, from a fully-voiced story mode to a full-on multiplayer brawl session with friends locally or online.
The cast of colorful characters combined with an extraordinarily dark world of detailed landscapes helps to set the scene for the perfect fighting match. Streets of Rage meets Bayonetta in the artistic stylings of Skullgirls, thus making the title perfect for players of arcade-style brawlers.
2 I Was A Teenage Exocolonist
Adolescence is a memorable time of one's life, filled with fears of change and excitement for the future. I Was A Teenage Exocolonist, developed by Northway Games and published by Finji, captures these nuances in the setting of an uninhabited alien planet. This indie gem received critical acclaim at launch, including a 2022 Game Award nomination.
I Was A Teenage Exocolonist follows your protagonist as they live through events across various lifetimes. In one timeline, your childhood friend dies in a freak accident. In another, that friend lives on and births the space colony's firstborn child. You may study xenobotany, get elected governor, or die before you find your life's vocation. The game's illustrators carefully depicted each possible reality through hand-drawn event scenes, location backgrounds, character designs, and unique skill cards.
1 Hades
As if we could refuse this one-of-a-kind rogue-lite a mention. Hades, the indie rogue-like dungeon crawler from Supergiant Games (creators of Bastion and Pyre), puts players in the depths of the Underworld, fighting for their freedom from the god of the dead. Enlist the help of the Olympians, including Zeus, Athena, and Poseidon, and attempt to escape to victory.
In true Supergiant fashion, all environments are entirely hand-painted, with a hand-drawn cast of larger-than-life characters. The unique art style, adrenaline-pumping soundtrack, and fast-paced gameplay mechanics are all enormous boons to this fantastic game, amassing a loyal fanbase since its launch in September 2020.