Written by DJ Francis | 5 min read
The best UI design in video games
Video games are not only a fun way to spend your time, but they also have really good examples of design principles being put in motion. One of the biggest factors of a video game is how the game's User Interface (UI) looks. There have been games that have built strong reputations from their UI alone. The Persona series is a game series that has been known for its cutting-edge UI design. The Persona series, created by Atlus, is renowned for its complex but stylish user interface in addition to its captivating game play and story line. Every game in the Persona series, from Persona 3 to the most recent release, Persona 5, has pushed forward what fans thought was possible with stylish limits of user interface innovation and established new benchmarks for both usability and aesthetic appeal.
Form and function are seamlessly integrated, and this is at the core of the UI design concept of the Persona series. In addition to being aesthetically beautiful, the UI elements also have a useful function that improves the player's immersion and overall experience. Whether interacting with menus, controlling inventory, or fighting, players are met with simple, user-friendly interfaces that go well with the chic art design of the game.
UI Design directly impacts the player’s experience thus making it one of the most crucial elements when designing a game in the first place. In today’s world with gaming on the rise, becoming a mainstream form of media consumption and entertainment having an excellent UI can mean the difference between a 100 million-dollar smash hit and a flop. This ties into User Experience (UX). If the player feels overwhelmed while playing your game due to information not being displayed in a concise readable manner. They will just leave your game for another one.
According to Kenny Trinh, A well-designed UI can make a game more intuitive, enjoyable, and engaging, while a poorly designed UI can greatly detract from the player’s experience.
So what are the most important elements of UI in video games? According to Polydin studios
Clarity: The interface elements should be clear and easy to understand for the players. Consistency: The same design patterns and elements should be used throughout the game to maintain a coherent and familiar interface.
Simplicity: Simplicity is important in-game UI design, as it helps reduce cognitive load Functionality: The UI should be designed with the game’s mechanics in mind.
As gaming elevates as an art form, graphic design in gaming will ultimately become more of a necessity than it already is. Game development studios will look back at Atlus and see how they have paved the way for stylized funky UI. We already see billion-dollar game development studios like Hoyoverse, developers of smash hits Genshin Impact and honkai: star rail, taking inspiration from Atlus which their upcoming game Zenless Zone Zero.
Hey! Im DJ Francis
l always strive to create work that not only represents me as a designer but also me as a person. My goal is to solve problems in the real world through design and to make things more intuitive and easy to use through clean minimal design. This is just the beginning of my graphic design journey and I am excited to leave lasting impressions on the world!
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