Rift has technically impressive graphics, but does its art lack 'soul'?

We're not in Azeroth anymore

It has been nearly a month since Trion Worlds officially launched the eagerly awaited, much hyped MMO, "Rift". Dubbed the "WoW Killer" that some people have been waitings years for, Rift players experienced one of the smoothest major MMO launches ever.  It is much too early to tell if Rift will live up to that lofty billing, but it is off to a pretty good start.  Aside from some expected bugs, a shocking security hole, and the obligatory class balance whining, gamers seem generally content gliding across the Planes of Telara.

I wanted to touch on one aspect of the game that I am extremely pleased with, the visuals.  Rift has some of the prettiest graphics available in an MMO, in this blogger's humble opinion.  It is, of course, a completely subjective matter, and for some, it's a tender one, but the general consensus is one of approval in this area.  Of course, a game like this can't survive on graphics and hype alone (I'm looking at you, Vanguard), but breathtaking visuals sure don't hurt.  Graphics are the most easily demonstrated aspect of the game, and the foundation for immersing players in the game world.

Take a look at the video above and judge for yourself.  Keep in mind, I recorded these clips with maximum graphics settings, above and beyond the game's "ultra" settings, so if you're playing on a lower setting, this may not look like the same game to you.  All sliders were pushed to the max, and supersampling (one of only two AA options) was enabled.  The result left me blown away by not only the quality of the textures, but the level of detail present in the game world.  Rainbows appear at the bottom of waterfalls, grass and trees sway in the wind, desert sand shimmers in the sunlight, even bugs can be seen flying around.

Nerf Locks!  Wait, a minute ...

When I originally posted this video on YouTube and on the official Rift forums, a debate naturally erupted around my contention that Rift had "the best graphics" of any current MMO.  While I probably shouldn't have stated my opinion as such a matter of fact, I'm still prepared to stick to it.  Yes, I know Guild Wars 2 is on its way, and I agree that it will probably dethrone Rift (or AoC, Aion, LOTRO, et al) as the king of MMO eye candy, but for now, I say Rift reigns supreme.

There was one common theme among Rift's graphical detractors that I found quite interesting.  They all seemed to agree that its art-style had no "soul".  Now, I'm not sure if there is a proven mechanism for determining the 'soul' of a game's art.  Surely, it can't be quantified like pixels and polygons, but there has to be a way to adequately articulate what constitutes 'artistic soul'.  My guess is that these folks crave art that is more 'stylized'; these connoisseurs of high fantasy, of grace, elegance, vivid colors, and playful imagery are probably turned off by Rift's sometimes bleak representation of a world engulfed in inter-planar turmoil.  I can appreciate exactly where they are coming from, but I can also disagree.

And I do.

However, let's put the art style aside for a moment and look at the environment.  I've already talked about some of the ambient details I find so enthralling, but the environments, overall, are majestic and awe-inspiring. The textures are immaculate, the layout is superb, and the engine effects are executed flawlessly.  Take a look at the sun's reflection in the water near the end of the video ... A+.  Last but not least, Trion nailed the scale of environmental details.  Buildings, mountains, and trees don't look like you could jump right over them at a distance, and are towering and appropriately massive up close.

Getting back to the art style, I actually prefer Rift's more realistic presentation over the heavily stylized, and sometimes noisy, over the top sort that other games offer, but that's just one gamer's opinion.  What's yours?

PS: I would be remiss if I didn't mention the song I used in the video.  The song is an original composition named "Theory of Everything", and can be downloaded for free, courtesy of Electron in a Box, or purchased on  iTunes and other digital outlets.