My monitor is adjusted pretty well, although it has a very high contrast ratio, i can see all but one of the near-blacks. I have to say it's too dark as well. Also, maybe the cock of the gun should be starting to go backward, if the muzzle flash is already that far in progress.

here's a nice ref for yah.



I really like the rendering on the rocks, but the colors don't do it any justice!

The outline detracts, for me, anyway. You also gave him more of a drop shadow, making the outline thicker on one side, making him look _even more_ like a cutout, but the palette change does hold ground. Perhaps if the outline was maybe lightened, and even... hell, lemme just edit it..



There we go. Same edit'd palette, lightened outline, also, cut off at the bottom to ground him to the tiles, while not making him look so much "above" the rest of the image.

edit: i just realized what this reminds me of! Mallow from Super Mario RPG!

The natalie rendering appears to look more like a lure of some sort, rather than an organic creature, is that what you were going for?

I'll also agree, the second underwater piece's color palette and presentation smells of Disney's Atlantis, however, that movie did have a fairly unique style compared to it's predecessors, in regards to environment rendering.

I want to see someone pixel Fantasia.

Bengoshia, critique would be helpful, but when you offer a complete overhaul of the character design, i think you are pretty much trying to force it in the direction you would like to see it go. The character might be designed  to be cartoony, and although i realize it was just a suggestion on your part, I would rather see you trying to help improve the piece that MaD has already shown here. (granted, your croc is pretty badass.) And also, could you provide an example of where you see perspective lacking? It just sounded a little vague.

@ Mad: personally i think you did a good job of converting the character into a more pure form of pixel art, but he does lack a little depth. Shading both legs the same makes them appear on the same vertical plane, same with the shoes. His pose is also a little awkward, as his knees are bent, arms seem to be tucked/bent upward, almost like he is about to do a long jump. I can't really see him going from this pose to a walking animation.

In any case, it looks like you have a very solid game, I'll reserve further critique for when you have progressed with this project.

Don't know if this was mentioned, but because you're putting these dark figures on such a light background, their edges need to become softer, as would happen with a specular highlight. Take some of the mid-blues and use them along the edges of the stalagmite forms to make them softer looking.