Pokémon gets the ‘HD-2D’ treatment in fan art demo

With the release of Octopath Traveler in 2018, Square Enix introduced with it a unique art style that it dubbed “HD-2D.”

The aesthetic has proven popular, with its mix of retro sprite art and polygonal environment+s. Ever since, many gamers have been clamouring for older pixel-based games to be remade in the new style. Square Enix has since used its now-infamous aesthetic on a remake of its own – 1994’s Live A Live.

3D Pixel Artist Dott has done exactly this – by creating a demo of the original Pokémon Red and Blue remade in the style of HD-2D.

The concept was created in Unreal Engine 5, according to Dott. The protagonist, named Red, can be seen strolling through his home town of Pallet. For many gamers, this was their first location experienced within the world of Pokémon.

The original Pokémon Red and Blue Versions were released on the Game Boy in 1998, and are responsible for launching the franchise into the North American public eye.

I first experienced the Kanto region on the Game Boy Advance, in 2004’s FireRed Version. It wasn’t long before I would go on to experience the original releases in all their charming glory.

For their part, Pokémon remakes are not uncommon, and so it is possible that Dott’s vision might one day become a reality.

The video can be found on YouTube.

Source: Kotaku via Dott

Image Credit: Dott