2D Isometric Vs 3D

I switched up to using 3D exported sprites in a 2D isometric game world. Thanks to PixelOver, the process was relatively simple. Using character models made in Vroid, the result is shown below.

I like this retro look; it reminded me of early isometric games that used 3D characters exported into 2D, like Diablo and Baldurs gate; from a pixel art perspective, the sprites are much easier to get to look consistent with 8 frames of animation in all 8 directions without taking forever to sprite and this also allows you to still use 2D images as your world instead of going to length to model an entire 3D environment with physics, good thing point and click doesn't require any complex physics unlike maybe a 3D action RPG. I still kept wondering how this would look in 3D with some basic cell shading, so I threw up a 3D scene using the GLB 3D model I made in Vroid.

I have to say it didn't look half bad. Keep in mind I am a complete beginner to anything 3D, so this was the best I could do; the lighting has its advantages with 3D, but to be honest, I spent an entire hour messing around with the camera to get something believable for an isometric perspective, setting the camera to orthogonal and shifting around the axes and rotation of the camera eventually resulted in something that I guess could pull it off. The project workflow for 3D, however, is so time-consuming.

Here is how the 2D project looks. It's much simpler to get to work, and there is 2D lighting enabled, although in 3D lighting is obviously much more advanced. I think I will keep it 2D isometric for now and keep it going, but it's good to know that stylized 3D is an option, perhaps for a future project after I get a grip on that 3D camera that's bugging me.

As pixelated as it looks, the 2D isometric style is growing on me. I think by now, it's time to make a game and really put this demo project to the test before I move on to catch bigger 3D fish.