Three Video Games Art Enthusiasts Will Love: Ōkami, Gris, and The Master's Pupil

Ōkami, launched in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, is inspired by Japanese calligraphy, woodblock prints, Shinto beliefs, and folklore. It earned the title of IGN's Game of the Year that same year, with an HD version released for the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The game's name is a clever play on words, signifying both "wolf" and "great deity," and follows the journey of the white wolf spirit Amaterasu and her ally Issun as they bring light back to a cursed land. The visuals employ cel-shading and inkbrush techniques, while gameplay features the Celestial Brush for painting spells and attacks. Gris, developed by Conrad Roset and Nomada Studios and released in 2018 for Nintendo Switch, Mac, and PC, explores grief through animated sequences and platforming puzzles, transitioning from black-and-white to vibrant colors. It received the Games for Impact award at The Game Awards in 2019, accompanied by a score from Berlinist. The Master's Pupil, created by Pat Naoum and released in 2023 for Nintendo Switch and Steam, is a hand-drawn experience set within Claude Monet's artwork, referencing twelve actual paintings, including View from Rouelles. The piece contends that video games represent a collaborative and multi-faceted art form.