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Click to watch a sample trailer

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

When this title was originally unveiled in 2001, it was met with an incredibly negative response from its fans. Since the franchise had been continually evolving into a darker and more mature style as the technology improved, this charming cel-shaded style was the absolute last thing most expected. As such, most couldn’t even consider it a true Zelda game. I was always amazed how a style-change could completely alter fans’ opinions of a series whose gameplay was just as enjoyable as ever.

I actually found this new look more appropriate for the series, as it has always been known for being a bit comical and light-hearted in parts. More importantly though, its lack of detail or textures allowed the Gamecube to focus more of its power on keeping the gameplay smooth and responsive.

Over time, fans have come to appreciate its look, and in the process learned not to judge a book by its cover….

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Click to watch a gameplay sample

Rez

With a focus on both music and gameplay as a unique combination, Rez’s greatest achievement is by using visuals that enhance the music (or is it the other way around?). With each level pulsing to the beat of a techno/trance song, and every action you make affecting the music, you’re completely immersed in a game that’s essentially a glorified iTunes visualizer.  That’s what makes the style so fantastic though, as this is the perfect representation of interacting with electronic music.

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Click to watch a gameplay sample

Wario Ware, Inc. Mega Microgame$!

Although this will probably the most bizarre series I will ever play, Wario Ware’s frantic pace and random microgames were accented by inconsistent and insanely bizarre visuals. It’s the first game I’ve ever played where the graphics are intentionally pathetic, yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s almost as though making it look as horrible as possible is an art form in and of itself.

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Click to watch a sample video

Killer7

Although it must be played in order to be fully understood (and even then I was still a bit lost) this title uses simple gradients and heavy contrast to create an atmosphere that’s simply unmatched. By straying from realism, its violence is showcased through this striking visual look – making the experience much more engaging. Mix this with animated cutscenes created by completely separate artists with very different styles, and you’ve got a game centered around art. The game is rated ‘Mature’ for many reasons, but the sample video I’ve chosen is safe to watch.

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Click to watch a gameplay sample

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

When the most recognizable video-game character of all time is going to star in a game that plays nothing like you’d expect, what is the design team to do? Apparently make him and his entire world out of paper. What’s most fascinating is how it’s not just a visual overhaul for the sole purpose of having a different look – instead, being made of paper is an integral part of the gameplay. Fold into a paper airplane, turn sideways to slide into thin areas, etc. It’s all visually entertaining and also quite clever. It’s great to see how it all comes together. Oh, and the game is also hilarious, but that doesn’t have much to do with design, does it….

Some Backstory…

AVI Biopharma develops technology to support the treatment of (and hopefully cure for) various genetic disorders, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and deadly viruses like Ebola. Clearly their “product” has the potential to significantly impact the lives of people, in addition to possibly benefiting the portfolios of investors.

The Challenge

The following is a sample of some preliminary page layouts we were presented with, which illustrated the direction the company was headed with regard to their web site redesign.

Our assessment was that, overall, these layouts had a pretty sterile and scientific look to them. This made sense, as most of the staff at AVI were scientists, and had a stake in the legitimately impressive work being done “in the lab”. We raised the question, however: “What is true about this company that will motivate our audience in way that will be lasting, and that we can be proud of?”. Enter the Human Touch.

A New Position

We suggested a strategy that purposefully centered around the impact AVI’s work is having on people. Since the audience for their web site is largely made up of investors, one could cynically assert the notion that investors don’t care about people; investors care about “the bottom line”. We addressed this concern, arguing that even the most hard-hearted investor wants to leave a legacy. Statements like “imagine if your money could continue making a difference, long after you’re gone” illustrate our point. Sure, AVI would want to give the impression that their aggressive pursuit of new scientific discoveries would ultimately result in making investors wealthier. But to us, that story was already being told – ad nauseum. The missing element was humanity.

The Redesign

Ultimately we persuaded AVI to allow our assertions to influence the redesign of their web site. The new site embraced an environment that used colors, typefaces and imagery that softened the scientific edge without blunting it altogether. As you’ll see if you click the link below, they couldn’t resist the urge to direct the design back in the direction of the lab (note the less diverse color palette). The images below, however, show our original design, which I’m confident illustrates a defendable position for AVI to take.

> View the AVI Biopharma web site