I started developing a videogame that's similar in concept to Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo, where two players manipulate grids of gems to deplete health from their opponent. My concept is a fair amount different from the inspiration, but that's not the focus of the thread. I started creating avatars for the players to choose from, and the artstyle for the game has been fluctuating between games like Pocket Fighter (the pseudo-successor to SPF2T) with its super-deformed proportions and minimal shading, and games like King of Fighters XIII with their relatively realistic proportions and lighting. Well, the anatomy of that game never really entered into play on this project but the lighting did.





Above are my attempts at character designs (those marked with a square are even more WIP than the others), and although they mostly subscribe to super-deformed proportions you can tell where some sprites keep most of their outlines and where some sprites have different lighting cues. I'm beginning to think I'm going off-track with the advancing artstyle and the clash between shading and proportions may be to the detriment of the designs overall. Some advice and criticism would be appreciated in this factor, because I want a solid grasp on where the art direction for these sprites is going before I get to grips with the animation.

EDIT: Gem replacement