Best Video Game Art Direction of 2021
Second Runner-Up: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
News Editor Giuseppe Nelva: Final Fantasy XIV has been out for eight years and its engine hasn’t received any major overhauls despite spanning three console generations. This means that its graphics certainly do not rely on extreme visual glitz.
So how does Endwalker, in 2021, still look so great with an engine that is almost a decade old? The answer is art.
Square Enix’s artists never fail to create memorable character and environmental designs. Every single area in Endwalker is absolutely beautiful to look at, simply standing on a cliff and enjoying the vistas.
Especially satisfying is the exotic island national, Thavnair. Many dedicated Final Fantasy XIV players have been waiting ten years to visit this area. The art team at Square Enix absolutely nailed its cultural looks, making it one of my favorite zones in any MMORPG or game in general.
