Aseprite

About

Aseprite is a single player action game. It was developed by Igara Studio and was released on February 22, 2016. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Aseprite is a pixel art tool that lets you create 2D animations for videogames.Features Compose sprites using layers & frames as separated concepts Create images in RGBA or Indexed color modes Open/Save GIF animations, sequence of PNG files, etc. A timeline where you can copy/move layers, frames, or specific images Animation tools: Real-time animation preview, onion skinning, tag fr…

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 14,950 reviews

graphics114 positive mentions

grinding24 negative mentions

Aseprite is praised for its pixel art aesthetic, user-friendly interface, and specialized tools that make it accessible for both beginners and experienced artists.
The software fosters a lighthearted creative environment, allowing users to create funny and whimsical designs, enhancing the overall artistic experience.
The calming and inspiring soundtrack composed by Joe Hisaishi significantly elevates the user experience, creating a cohesive atmosphere for artistic expression.

Some users criticize Aseprite's limitations in handling higher-resolution graphics and its focus on retro styles, which may not suit all artistic needs.
Frequent glitches and bugs can disrupt the drawing experience, particularly with larger canvases, leading to frustration for users.
The storyline quality is highly polarized, with many players finding it lackluster or nearly nonexistent, indicating that the narrative may not be the game's strong suit.

graphics
422 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
71%
2%
The graphics aspect of Aseprite is widely praised for its pixel art aesthetic, which many users find inspiring and enjoyable to work with. The software is noted for its user-friendly interface and specialized tools that cater specifically to pixel art creation, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced artists. However, some users criticize its limitations in handling higher-resolution graphics and its focus on retro styles, suggesting it may not suit all artistic needs. Overall, Aseprite is recommended as a powerful and affordable tool for anyone interested in pixel art and animation.
- “Aseprite is a powerful, user-friendly, and affordable tool for creating pixel graphics and animations.”
- “In an age of hyper-realistic 3D modeling and AI-generated visuals, Aseprite dares to stay focused, charming, and pixel-precise.”
- “The interface is clean and aesthetically pleasing, as well as easy to grasp.”
- “1/10 graphics are blocky.”
- “The graphics are really bad; I don't know why it looks like an old video game. How do I fix it?”
- “Graphics suck!”
humor
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this pixel art software is a standout feature, with users delighting in creating and animating funny characters and sprites. Many reviews highlight the joy of making whimsical designs, such as silly animals and goofy memes, emphasizing the program's accessibility and fun nature. Overall, it fosters a lighthearted creative environment that encourages users to explore their comedic artistic side.
- “Funny pixel art software with funny pixel theme is fun.”
- “I love using pickcels to draw funny goofy guys in a funny goofy style and make animations people will grow to hate after it gets spammed.”
- “I can make funny little guys move!”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
45%
7%
Overall, the gameplay is highly praised for its addictive and immersive qualities, with many users highlighting its depth, unique mechanics, and satisfying challenge. However, some critiques mention repetitiveness and a lack of hand-holding for new players, while the story and character development received mixed reviews. Despite these drawbacks, the gameplay experience is often described as enjoyable and engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Absolutely immersive gameplay, top notch sound effects and environments, an emotional lore deep storyline, and characters you won't forget for the rest of your life. This isn't just game of the year, this is the game of the decade.”
- “The gameplay is amazing, really felt like I was making one of a kind art. I was surprised when they decided to go with a pixel style, but it works really well!”
- “The gameplay is so satisfying yet challenging.”
- “Gameplay is quite repetitive.”
- “Immensely difficult gameplay.”
- “Not good would not recommend the gameplay (I played for an hour) is not fun you have to make your levels yourself.”
story
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
52%
16%
The reviews for the "story" aspect of the game are highly polarized, with some players praising it as immersive and emotionally impactful, featuring memorable characters and plot twists, while others criticize it for being lackluster or nearly nonexistent. Many users appreciate the gameplay more than the story itself, indicating that while the narrative may not be the game's strong suit, it still offers enjoyable experiences. Overall, the story's quality varies significantly among players, with some considering it a highlight and others deeming it poor.
- “Absolutely immersive gameplay, top notch sound effects and environments, an emotional lore deep storyline, and characters you won't forget for the rest of your life. This isn't just game of the year, this is the game of the decade.”
- “The plot was written very well, it was a breeze!”
- “I must say that the plot twist at the end surprised me a lot, and also the open world that is so free that it looks like a canvas.”
- “Basically no storyline.”
- “The storyline felt a bit lackluster but I don't know if that matters much in this game's case.”
- “The story line is very poor.”
optimization
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
50%
13%
Overall, the optimization of the software is highly praised, with users noting its reliable and consistent performance, even on older systems. While it excels in handling pixel art and animations, some users mention minor slowdowns with larger projects and specific UI issues. The program is designed specifically for pixel art, making it a preferred choice for indie developers and artists seeking a lightweight, efficient tool.
- “No random lag, no weird crashes—just reliable, consistent performance.”
- “Aseprite is lightweight and runs smoothly even on older systems.”
- “The developers paid special attention to usability and optimization of the process of working with pixel graphics, including creating animations and working with colors.”
- “The only downside to Aseprite I've seen so far is that it's not optimized for large images, but this isn't the right tool for that, so I can't blame it.”
- “Middle points (not bad, not the best): certain elements in dark theme UI mode can be more difficult to see (for example, the color black on the color palette), transform tool part of the selection tool can jumble up pixels with smaller size canvases (32x32), and performance can start to suffer past 1,000 x 1,000 (not really an issue if you're using this application for its intended purpose).”
- “Although I was having a problem with stuttering, I realized that it was WinInk causing the problems, so I switched to Wintab and it fixed the issue.”
grinding
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Users generally find the grinding aspect of pixel art creation to be tedious, particularly when it comes to making minute adjustments and managing color palettes. However, many praise the software Aseprite for its intuitive tools that streamline these processes, making tasks like sprite creation and animation less burdensome. Overall, while mastering pixel art requires significant practice and effort, Aseprite's features help alleviate much of the tedium associated with traditional methods.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “☑ You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “There is nothing more sanity grinding than making a slight adjustment to the color I'm using, pressing fill on the pixels, then I check with the dropper and it's the same.”
- “Being good at pixel art requires many hours of raw practice and grinding to make any sort of gains with the art form.”
stability
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
5%
78%
The stability of the software is a mixed bag; while many users report it runs well on various systems and is user-friendly, there are frequent glitches and bugs that can disrupt the drawing experience, particularly with larger canvases and certain tools. Users have noted issues like freezing when zooming, visual glitches, and occasional loss of functionality, suggesting that while the software is powerful for pixel art, it requires users to save frequently and be prepared for some frustrating moments. Overall, it is considered one of the best options available, but stability improvements are needed.
- “Runs great on even the most basic of computers, so I can use it on my cheap laptop while I'm away from home.”
- “No glitches or hiccups; if you have $20 and want to learn pixel art, you should use Aseprite.”
- “Looks great, runs great, easy to use interface, perfect for all ranges of artists.”
- “However, there are constant glitches that make drawing something very irritating.”
- “Tried designing a large pixel art about the size of 3000x3000, but the canvas freezes every time you try and zoom out and back in.”
- “I have had occasional run-ins with glitches that happen out of nowhere with no explanation whatsoever; basically, out of nowhere, your ability to place down pixels can just... stop.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The music aspect of the software is highly praised for its calming and inspiring soundtrack, composed by Joe Hisaishi, which enhances the creative process for artists. Users appreciate how the music complements the minimalist design of the software, creating a cohesive environment that allows for immersive artistic expression. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant factor that elevates the user experience, making it enjoyable for both beginners and professionals alike.
- “Aseprite is a fantastic pixel art and animation software that is made even better with its amazing soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack, composed by Joe Hisaishi, is the perfect accompaniment to the creative process, providing a peaceful and inspiring atmosphere for artists.”
- “The music perfectly matches the software's minimalist design, creating a cohesive and seamless environment for users.”
- “It's limited to the hundredths decimal place, making it so more intricate animations (such as art syncing with music) need to be completed outside of Aseprite.”
- “Lacks Mario Paint's music composer though =(”
- “If I use the same analogy, just imagine 3D programs with a 3D UI, but with a music UI?”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a deep emotional connection to the game and art program, highlighting immersive gameplay, unforgettable characters, and a poignant storyline that evokes strong feelings, including tears. Many describe their experiences as heartwarming and transformative, with some feeling a sense of artistic validation and joy. Overall, the emotional impact of the game and program is profound, making them memorable and cherished experiences.
- “Absolutely immersive gameplay, top notch sound effects and environments, an emotional lore deep storyline, and characters you won't forget for the rest of your life. This isn't just game of the year, this is the game of the decade.”
- “No spoilers but the plot twist near the end made me cry.”
- “I cried daily.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The reviews highlight a strong appreciation for character design and art style, emphasizing the game's flexibility and the ease of creating appealing character animations. Users find the tools provided, particularly for pixel art, efficient and effective, allowing for creative expression even for those who are not experts in the field. Overall, character development is seen as a standout feature, enhancing the gaming experience.
- “I am nowhere near being a pro at pixel art, and I feel like I have been making some really cool character designs with little effort.”
- “From character design to animations, Aseprite handles it all with precision and efficiency.”
- “This program is all that I'll need for my character design pixel art.”
- “I sit around thinking and humming and hawing, trying to figure out what to do and why my character design is so trash.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game offers exceptional replayability, particularly appealing to Souls-like fans, thanks to its engaging gameplay loop and extensive content that ensures a long lifespan and significant replay value.
- “Very replayable gameplay loop.”
- “Souls-like gamers are strongly encouraged to play this game because of its tremendous replayability.”
- “Very long lifespan and a lot of replay value.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The monetization model is primarily a single-purchase system with no subscriptions or microtransactions, which many users appreciate for its straightforwardness and lack of ads. However, some users feel that the addition of microtransactions could enhance the experience, leading to mixed opinions on the monetization approach.
- “Single purchase with no bogus subscription models or microtransactions.”
- “One of, if not the best, pixel art software I've seen. It's a one-time purchase, there are no ads, and it's very customizable and easy to learn.”
- “Needs microtransactions, 1 star”
- “Single-purchase with no bogus subscription models or microtransactions.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is significantly enhanced by Joe Hisaishi's excellent soundtrack, which creates a peaceful and inspiring environment for artists. While some may find the low-resolution aesthetic off-putting, others appreciate it for fostering a creative atmosphere that is often missing in contemporary offerings.
- “The soundtrack, composed by Joe Hisaishi, is the perfect accompaniment to the creative process, providing a peaceful and inspiring atmosphere for artists.”
- “The excellent soundtrack composed by Joe Hisaishi elevates the software to another level, providing a peaceful and inspiring atmosphere for artists.”
- “I don't know how big of a deal the aesthetic will be for some people; maybe the low-res nature of it will drive some of you batty, but to me it helps encourage a creative atmosphere, which is something sorely lacking in today's market.”