We mark the launch of Skyward Sword with a look at some of the game’s spectacular concept art. Take a look within…
It’s often the case that a game’s concept art is far more textured and engaging than the assets that appear in the finished product; all too often, a designer’s distinctive style is lost in the transition from paint to pixels.
That’s certainly not the case with the sumptuous character artwork you can find within this post; quite apart from showcasing Skyward Sword’s beautiful congregation of friends and enemies, it’s a reminder of just how close the game’s programmers have stuck to the initial concept art.
In an engaging combination of The Wind Waker’s cel-shaded style and Twilight Princess’ grittier aesthetic, the look of Skyward Sword has a subtle painterly feel that retains the atmosphere of earlier Zelda games, while at the same time introducing its own unique palette and approach to character design.
There’s a distinct fusion of Eastern and Western design approaches present in these artwork samples, which reflects fusion of Japanese and European fantasy storytelling styles in the game itself. It’s pleasing, too, to see some familiar faces among the cast of new characters; Zelda geeks everywhere will surely be thrilled to see the presence of a Goron tribesman in the images below. As ever, click on the thumbnails to see the artwork in its expanded glory.
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