Originally Posted by
Odaisé Gaelach
I think that art direction and lighting effects are more important than a high poly count. I see footage of Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid 4 and I can't help but think "That looks a little grey, doesn't it? That looks very yellow..." It doesn't really impress me because even though Gears of War is set in a wartorn wasteland, surely there has to be some colour in there - apart from blood red. Metal Gear Solid 4 is set in the Middle East, but surely there has to be a piece of purple or pink cloth in there...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl really stood out to me because even though it's set around the Chernobyl NPP it's not all bleak industrial greys. There is plenty of colour and effects to amaze you - even in the underground labs. Throw a bolt in an electricity anomaly and the whole tunnel will be illuminated with a burst of electric blue light. Shine a flashlight into a metal grid and you can see the shadows criss-cross on the walls behind. Peg a grenade and it explodes and casts shadows all over the place for a brief split second. Even in one of the most toxic places on earth the noon sky is bright blue and the grass is green. During Blowout everything turns red - and all hell is going to break loose.