DARK SECRETS: Real life pics look like videogames | Rare Historical Photos

Romy Latter was on holiday when Bored Panda reached out to her. But the animator, illustrator and game developer happily agreed to take some time out from her R&R to chat to us about one of her biggest passions: gaming and game development. Latter runs an indie gaming studio, alongside her husband Lasse, so she knows a thing or two about the importance of visuals when it comes to gaming.

"I worked in animation for a long time as a 3d artist and my husband worked as a developer and we've always wanted to work on something together that combines both our skills, that's where our little studio Unsigned Double started," said Latter during our chat.

"Making games is so different to making animation or art or any of the other things I'd done in the past because of the way people interact with it. It combines so many mediums. I find it really challenging and fulfilling to create something that (hopefully, if you do it right) immerses people and brings them a bit of joy or fun."

We asked Latter what she loves most about gaming. "It's a really engaging and active form of fun," she replies. "Where watching a film or series is passive, gaming really requires you to engage and get immersed and learn things in order to get to the next bit or complete the challenge."

She tells us that she also loves playing co-op games with friends. "Not really into competitive online games but more relaxed story based co-op games like Baldur's Gate or It Takes Two are so fun to play together," reveals the gamer girl.

Latter believes game graphics don't always have to be ultra-realistic - like the photos featured in this list. But it really depends on the game. "For some games, realistic graphics add to the immersion and aid the storytelling, but for other games I think good art direction is much more important," said the expert.

She tells us that realism doesn't always equal good. "Some games have amazing graphics/art direction that are far from realistic but are beautiful and stylised, like Neva or Ori and the Blind Forest," explains Latter.

"And then some games have what you might consider 'bad' graphics but it's their aesthetic and people love them and they sell well because the game is a great game."

Latter says while graphics have improved dramatically over the past few decades, there's a shift back to a more old-school look. "Recently there has even been a huge trend in imitating PS1-looking graphics from the past," she told Bored Panda.

"It's budget friendly and people really like the retro, nostalgic feeling. What once was a technical limitation is now an aesthetic that people actively try to recreate."

Before we released Latter back to her much-deserved holiday, we were curious to know a bit more about the game she recently developed with her husband. It's called Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga and is available on the online gaming platform Steam.

She likens it to Nova Drift meets Hades, and says there's a heavy emphasis on the original soundtrack "as a banging back beat while you shoot down alien baddies."

Latter describes the game as a top down 'roguelite' space shooter adventure. "You are Hadley Orah, the pilot of a mining craft from a South African space colony," the developer tells Bored Panda.

"Going through a portal with an untested piece of tech leaves you stranded and alone in a distant alien galaxy. You must portal jump your way home to defeat the DraadMek and save the universe."

"Unlock epic upgrades, explore alien galaxies, make friends, find love and do battle against a relentless alien AI threat," reads the game's description, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't tempted to try it out and get lost in a parallel universe.