Some gamers complain about the “Unreal Engine look”, typically characterised by hyper-realistic rendering, dynamic lighting and cinematic polish. But every so often a game comes along that reminds us that Unreal Engine 5 isn’t only for games that strive for photorealism.
The short first-person psychological horror game My Paper Forest eschews 3D realism for a hand-drawn art style that makes it look like a sketchbook come to life (see our pick of the best game development software and laptops for game development if you plan to start making your own spooky indie gem).
indiedev from r/IndieDev/comments/1qizm2r/i_made_a_game_in_unreal_engine_5_that_looks_like
My Paper Forest was created by indie developer Pazatrah, who previously made a game called Destiny of Fisherman. This time he worked with a friend who draws in this distinctive style.
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The gameplay is simple. Players must search for notes scattered among the trees in a paper forest while old TVs spring to life and mysterious eyes watch on. The developer’s main focus was on creating an eerie atmosphere with the visuals. Hand-drawn textures give the game a unique art style that’s a world away from the so-called “Unreal Engine 5 look”.
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My Paper Forest uses 100% hand-drawn textures for a distinctive and eerie look(Image credit: Pazatrah)Eyes watch in a tunnel(Image credit: Pazatrah)The red sky creates an unsettling atmosphere(Image credit: Pazatrah)
The textures, fog and red sky create an unsettling atmosphere, while the art style reminds some of the Radiohead Kid A Mnesia Exhibition game.
The game is finished, although there are some technical issues on lower-end hardware. You can download it for free from Pazatrah’s profile on itch.io.
For more inspiration, see our features on other indie game developers.