Eye of the Beholder's art instantly puts a smile on my face ) It looks like a game that knows it's a game
Lands of Lore looks fun and very carefully crafted and doesn't remind me of anything else.
Realms of Arkania though made me burst with laughter twice in less than a minute. It looks like early digital art made by artists who tried really hard (and it showed) mishmashed with indie games made and drawn by children here on itchio ) Thing one won't dare say about this game is that it looks boring or by any means predictable. It's cool to have a wild card as reference to remind self of wild possibilities.
Talking about wild possibilities and heavily retro-inspired pixel art look for a modern game i want to mention 2 special cases:
1
Infernax
which is mostly metroidwania but leans into more detailed art for the sotrytelling bits and when presenting player with interesting choices
2
Fit For a King
thing about this game most relevant to our conversation (and coolest to me) is the story told by it's steam comments
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1110380/Fit_For_a_King/
Some people roleplay even when commenting, others tell stories of their lives, playthoughs and relationships with other games and many — and this is the part that made me remember it, without even playing — opens up about this game subversing their expectations by giving them a novel experience inspired by things they loved in the past without delivering on the impossible promise of taking them back.
Historic love letter, continuation and novelty.
Homages and tributes are all legit and one can naturally progress from there too.
It's just i find these 2 cases so specifically interesting