On characters, we customize normals beyond soft/hard edges. This is key for faces, so they don't have weird jagged shadows across low geo surfaces, like a cheek. Normals facing up get full light and smoothed normals facing down get a rounded shadow (at the jaw, under the nose for some heads, etc.)

This also means that some elements are fully modeled in, when you might not expect it. Where other games might choose to use a normal map for tiny details, we use geometry, for the linework. We actually use a lot fewer textures than you might expect overall, but that's a post for later.

To look more "hand-drawn", interior hard edges may get a couple soft edges to break the line, so the line isn't solid and has moments to rest. This isn't dissimilar from line breaks in Cozy Grove (which *was* actually entirely hand drawn). It also helps reduce feeling visually noisy.

I love the sky in this screenshot! Beautiful!

Can confirm