Behind the Cartoon Sci-fi Artwork of Roguelike Shoulders of Giants – Out Now

It is a great feeling to be able to release this book. Giants Shoulders! The whole Moving Pieces team is feeling quite reflective since we launched. We are also all slightly scared/excited at the same time!I felt it was appropriate to write a couple of thoughts about one of our most prized aspects of the game: the stylized visual graphics. It would be wonderful to share our inspirations for the design of the game.

While it’s amazing to see how far photorealistic graphics can be pushed with the latest Xbox hardware, what really excited us was creating something that combined the latest graphics technologies like physically based rendering with a more stylized shading approach like cel shading. This is the base of the technical and artistic approach we took to creating the visuals. Giants Shoulders.

To see what it might look like, we started with some concept art. We then created basic worlds and no gameplay. At first, we tried to keep the cel-shaded look but then realized that there were more details when we used photorealistic rendering techniques.

We knew we wanted to set the game in a sci fi universe. This meant that there would be a skybox filled with stars, planets and swirly clouds. The 1970s sci-fi art style was heavily influenced by us. We loved the way it featured giant planets as background, which helps keep the horizon fresh.

The basic story of the game is that the dark and cold forces of Entropy have taken over the Universe, and it’s the players’ job to restore life and balance. One of the game’s main NPCs is an all-powerful Owl from an ancient order, and many of the levels and props found throughout the game are inspired by that of ancient civilizations, like Ancient Egypt and Greece.

The levels were to have abandoned ruins left by an ancient order that could be explored. The layout and design of these levels were influenced largely by this idea.

Many of the props, levels, and scenes in the game are also inspired by surrealist paintings. This is especially true for the last act. Our thoughts were of stairs leading to the horizon and rumbling clouds.

To make the most of our stylized style, we emphasize using color to tell the story. Giants Shoulders. The game’s most prominent theme is “Dark versus Light”.

Each level begins with the player in darkness. As you advance and beat each level, the world becomes lightened.

Making the “light” version of our landscapes pop with color was straightforward, but making the cold, dark versions of these alien worlds sing with color was not trivial. Our art director and I spent days pouring over palettes, and eventually decided we had to re-evaluate what “dark” really meant. Our art director and I decided to look more at darkness as an idea of cold or lack of living.

We eventually found lighting and colors that were bright and appealing, yet allowed us to convey our themes. There were white deserts, snowy fields and glowing caustic acid environments.

We can’t wait for players to hop into the world we created!

For more information, check out the game’s store page and official website, or join our discord.

Giants Shoulders

Moving Pieces Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
25

★★★★★

You can simultaneously control two robots, one a space frog and one a sword-wielding weapon in Shoulders of Giants. This sci-fi adventure is colorful and fun. You can play alone or with friends, as well as a team of four, to cut through enemies and rescue the galaxy.

Entropy’s forces are causing star chaos, destroying living planets, and encouraging the end of life. One scrappy group of survivors from space are working together to bring back the equilibrium, led by the psychic Owl. The mysterious mech Sharpshooting amphibian The two must team up to cut through the waves of evil and return light and life back to the galaxy.

For a limited edition dye set and special visual effects, pre-order the game. Your friends will be amazed!