What do you think of the art style of my isometric city builder? (1 year into development)
I've been working on this isometric city builder for the past year.
The game is inspired by the nostalgic era of classic isometric games, but I'm building it with modern technology and hardware. I'm trying to capture that classic visual feeling while taking advantage of what modern hardware allows.
I'm also not using a game engine. Since the focus is on the isometric look, I'm implementing the specialized rendering techniques, tricks, and optimizations that made this kind of game so interesting in the past. One nice advantage is that the game can be compiled to pretty much any platform.
The game also has a time-of-day cycle, so the city changes throughout the day, from night to sunrise, noon, and sunset. I really like how the same buildings can look and feel completely different depending on the time of day.
At this stage, I'd really like to get feedback specifically on the art style and visual direction. I'd love to hear what works, what doesn't, and what you'd change.
My goal with the game itself is pretty simple: I want it to be fun, simple, and relaxing. I'm not interested in the current trend of coin collecting, timers, scheduled upgrades, endless progression loops, or mechanics designed mainly to encourage in-game purchases.
I want the city to be something you can simply enjoy building and looking at, without constantly being pushed toward the next action.
So, regarding the art: does it give you the nostalgic isometric feeling I'm going for? What would you change or improve?
Thanks for taking the time to look at it, and I'd really appreciate any feedback.
---
Updates:
- I'm not a native English speaker, so yes, I used AI to check the text.
- The game is still in an early stage and is far from release. There are many things left to add, especially multiplayer. I've always wanted to have dozens of cities interconnected online.