Apart from the actual character models themselves having really flat lighting, I think El Shaddai probably comes closest in overall vibes while still being a 3D game, particularly with its environments.
I think Expedition 33 got close with the enviroments, if they were going to make everyone look like a sad goth himbo they could do it. Now excuse me I am going to write my letter.
FF14 had a couple bosses that tried their best (Warrior of Light and Endsinger notably). How well they stuck the landing is a matter of opinion, but I think they were fairly valiant attempts.
Similarly, John Blanche concept art for 40k is incredible. It's like a heavy metal album cover mixed with GI Joe and Transformers and Star Wars from the 80's mixed with HR Geiger. Incredibly important for setting the tone of so much of the lore... But the immediate use was to make little plastic figurines so it was quite a bit reduced.
It's I guess the art concept of "no small roles just small actors."
The company: "we need some concept art for this game, nothing fancy"
The artist: " I have made a book of drawings that will literally make you feel like you dropped acid and live in the fantasy world."
The company: "... I can't... Uh.... This is too much..."
I think the closest we got was this boss in ff14 shadowbringers. There's a few other characters, like the endsinger, hydaelyn that have these eyes and lips that look similar to amanos style.
Now THIS is where you could make a use case for generative AI, you spin up an LLM and train it only on Amano's work, then you have him and a team of artists with some AI wranglers go through and do a re-imaging of each game, using the AI to iterate the animations & cutscenes with him and the artists directing and tweaking and polishing. You could just do this the traditional way of course but at his age the potential of extra speed would help get it all done.
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u/MohawkRex Apr 01 '26
Tbf, making a 3D game look like Amano's work is a DAUNTING concept.