Originally associated exclusively with older 8-bit and 16-bit games from the '80s and '90s, pixel art has become a purposeful stylistic choice in modern years. Lending a nostalgic ambiance to modern games, pixel art has grown from the simplistic visuals of Space Invaders to the visually complicated aesthetics of games like Hyper Light Drifter.
In the past, pixel artists used to be hard to come by. However, the genre's growing popularity has cultivated an expanding community. There are some beautiful games available for the PS4 and/or PS5 that are not only fun, but also feature incredible pixel art.
Updated June 19, 2023 by Jouanna Bondakji: Pixel art has gone from a forced optimization due to graphical limitations to a deliberate choice that can make games even better than if they had super realistic, high-definition graphics. They're great for simple games with sweet messages and wholesome themes, but using pixel art to create ambiguous horrors has much more impact than you would think. It's such a flexible art style, which is why you can easily find it in the chillest games, as well as the most brutal. The Playstation hosts a number of wonderful pixel art games of all genres.
13 Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
If you have any nostalgia for 8-bit sprites, or just an appreciation for the style, Shovel Knight will instantly tickle your fancy. But gorgeous pixel art isn't all it offers. Treasure Trove features four different stories that follow four different knights, each on their own special quest.
They all work a little differently, but the essence of platforming and fighting foes off on the way to their goal is always there. There are some RPG elements to the games as well, since you can upgrade your weapons and armor along the way. With fun gameplay, a beautiful soundtrack, and superb pixel art, what more could you want?
12 Enter The Gungeon
Enter The Gungeon is an intense dungeon crawler where everything and everyone is shooting dozens of bullets at you at every turn. You get to choose between a few characters, and each one has a different reason for risking it all to reach their goal. The Gungeon is a procedurally generated bullet hell that makes sure to increase the challenge every time you triumph against a trap or enemy, so you can never let your guard down.
You'll find different guns to use, which will discharge anything from lasers to fish and bees. Enter the Gungeon is the perfect fit if you're looking for a pixel art game that provides you with a good challenge and some humor. It even has co-op!
11 Octopath Traveler 2
Indie games made by small teams may come to mind when you think of games with pixel art, but that's definitely not the case with Octopath Traveler 2, a turn-based RPG developed by Square Enix and Acquire. There are eight protagonists whose stories you can experience, and you control how you do so.
Every character has a different Path Action that you can utilize to progress through the story or get some bonuses, and they all contribute something different in battle. The secondary jobs and skills you unlock for them give you even more room to fight in your style, like whether you want to combine the Apothecary with a secondary Cleric job for maximum heals and support, or go the more aggressive route by making them a Hunter too.
10 Stardew Valley
It’s hard not to think of Stardew Valley when you hear 'pixel art.' Its initial release may have been in 2016, but this evergreen indie game has remained relevant with a series of updates, additional content, and tons of fanmade mods.
With new lands to explore and characters to meet, extra starter plots, and additional things to add to your farm, even seasoned farmers have a reason to keep coming back to Pelican Town. This modern take on farming simulators like the Harvest Moon series is not only fun, but it's also beautiful to look at (and listen to).
9 Carrion
Described by reviewers as a “reverse horror game,” Carrion puts you in the shoes (or rather tentacles) of a strange monster. Your job is to make your way through the facility without being killed by the humans and various traps. And, of course, you'll have to feed. Be careful — if the humans figure out you’re nearby, they’ll attack first.
As you progress through the game, you'll piece together the origins of the monster you control and eventually uncover the truth of the facility you’ve been trapped in.
8 Vampire Survivors
This indie shoot ‘em up will immediately have you asking, “Where are all the vampires?” Despite its name, it seems you’ll fight just about anything but vampires. Nevertheless, Vampire Survivors is an incredibly fun and deceptively simple roguelike.
You’ll unlock an arsenal of weapons, new maps, upgrades, and special characters as you search for the titular monsters. Try different combinations of abilities to evolve your weapons into powerful armaments that will decimate the increasingly frenzied waves of enemies.
7 Blasphemous
If you associate pixel art with cuteness, this game might change your mind. Traverse the nightmare world of Cvstodia and unlock its many secrets in Blasphemous, a hack-and-slash Metroidvania that takes some notes from Dark Souls in difficulty and Roman Catholicism in themes.
Your character, known only as The Penitent One, is a silent knight who is on a pilgrimage through this cursed land to find the Cradle of Affliction. But first, he will have to complete the Three Humiliations to prove his worth. You’ll have to master spellcasting and sword-wielding to progress through the challenging levels of Cvstodia.
6 Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a soulslike Metroidvania. Since its initial launch in 2017, the game has grown exponentially as the developers have added lore, levels, and new weapons for your character, the mysterious Prisoner, to wield as he traverses the island and uncovers its secrets.
With a diverse set of equipment, every run has the potential to be a bit different. The storytelling is minimal but effective — slowly but surely, you’ll unravel the sad tale of what happened on the island, and how its occupants were transformed (or killed) by a disease called the Malaise.
5 Celeste
Celeste was originally developed in a mere four days during a game jam. The fully fleshed-out version was released two years later by the original creators.
The fictional Mount Celeste is the backdrop for this game, and you control Madeline, a climber who must face more than steep inclines as she attempts to reach the summit. This platformer is not only challenging, but also beautiful. From the Forsaken City to the Mirror Temple, you’ll have to help Madeline reach the top unscathed by climbing, dashing, and collecting items.
4 Hyper Light Drifter
The lead developer Alx Preston described Hyper Light Drifter as a combination of Zelda: A Link To The Past and Diablo. You’ll play as the Drifter, who can use ancient technology that the other inhabitants of this world have forgotten how to use — not unlike Aloy in Horizon.
Afflicted with a mysterious illness, the Drifter will have to face increasingly difficult monsters to achieve his goal, learning new abilities along the way. Hyper Light Drifter has been praised not only for its impressive gameplay, but also for having some of the most spectacular pixel art in recent memory.
3 Undertale
Indie darling Undertale’s tagline is: “The RPG game where you don’t have to destroy anyone!” You control a child who mistakenly wanders into the monster realm beneath the earth. You’ll have to find your way home by getting past a magical barrier meant to separate the human world from the monster world.
Despite the tagline, there are several ways to play Undertale, and several outcomes. With funny dialogue, critically acclaimed music, and an imaginative landscape, this game is worth playing through more than once.
2 Coffee Talk
Coffee Talk is a visual novel from Indonesian studio Toge Productions where you run a coffee shop in a fantastical Seattle populated by elves, orcs, and other mythical creatures. You serve warm drinks and a sympathetic ear to your patrons, who will tell you their stories over time (with a little prodding from you, that is).
The game spans a two-week period, and each day functions as a vignette. Coffee Talk focuses on narrative rather than gameplay, but is nevertheless quite engaging. It’s reminiscent of the world of Shadowrun, but from a lonely barista’s perspective.
1 Unpacking
Another narrative game, Unpacking tells its story not through dialogue, but boxes. You’ll play as a girl through various stages of her life, with each level divided by years: 1997, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018. Each of these years represents a significant move (literally) in the protagonist’s life.
At each stage, you’ll help her unpack her belongings and move them into her new home. A sweet game with lovely pixel art, Unpacking explores the complicated feelings behind one of the most relatable adult experiences: moving.