It's time for animators to get more ambitious, says Wonder Boy dev

"Basically I would like to see better animation. Because most of the time, even in really big productions, you see animations you don't believe in."

- Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap developer Ben Fiquet

During a recent Twitch stream we were joined by Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap developer Omar Cornut and Ben Fiquet, and naturally we seized the chance to quiz the pair about the game's unique art style, and the ins and outs of animation. 

More specifcally, we asked what design and animations philosophies they wished more developers would take on-board. The duo didn't pull any punches with their answer. 

"Basically I would like to see better animation. Because most of the time, even in really big productions, you see animations you don't believe in," said Fiquet. 

"I understand it's difficult, especially for 3D games because there are lots of constraints. I know that. But for example, you see Skyrim. I love Skyrim. It's a beautiful game. But suddenly you go to a village and people are like mummies or zombies. They don't feel very much alive."

Diversity, says Fiquet, is sorely lacking at the moment. But it's a problem that's easy to solve, if creators are willing to roll up their sleeves and find the bravery to try something new. 

"You see a lot of the same things over and over because of 3D, because of the techniques used to create games, and I don't know, when you make a 2D game or even 3D, you can try different techniques. You can try to look like an old movie, or try to look like a painting from the 19th century," he adds.

"You only see similar things, and that's a bit boring to me. Because it's not difficult to just have the will to make something else." 

To hear more you can check out the full stream right here. After that, be sure to follow the Gamasutra Twitch channel for even more game dev insights, tips, and tricks.