Could you review the maractite color please?
I really like it when Neopets' colours actually have some worldbuilding behind them—in this case, Maractite is a metal from Maraqua that played an important role in the Curse of Maraqua plot. It has a distinct look with complex patterning all over, so it lends itself nicely to a colour as well.
It's also a very consistent colour—dark blue base with intricate light blue (cyan) markings all over the body. However, there are some quirks here and there. For example, some Maractite pets have much thinner lines than others, and I don't know if this is a hot take or not, but I like the thin lines much more. The thicker embossed lines feel too busy, and mostly just distract from the actual shading.
Another variation is how underbelly/color markings/eyes are handled. Are they cyan, or the same color as the body? Do they also have symbols, or are they just plain? What texture should they have, if any? For the record, I think that plain cyan with no markings wields the best results; with markings tends to make the designs too busy. Regardless, it's a solid colour all around.
Maractite was released post-customization, so there's no old art or pet styles to discuss.
Favorite Species:
Hissi: The Maractite Hissi is just beautiful. The markings are excellently placed and perfectly accentuate the body, with stripes on the tail, V-shaped lines on the wing feathers, and a circle in the middle of the forward. The flow is great, the contrast is high, and it's not too busy or overcrowded despite the relative complexity of the design. Also, the subtle rock texturing is nice.
Techo: The Maractite Techo is similar to the Hissi—excellent texturing, perfect markings, and just the right amount of complexity. The swirls on the knees referencing the Techo's normal kneecaps are just perfect, and I also really like the tail patterning as well, which contours beautifully with the body.
Lenny: I kind of wonder if all three of my top favs were done by the same artist here, as they're all very similar (beautiful thin-line patterns, solid accent markings, light blue eyes, and marble texture). The Lenny looks just as good as the last three, and I particularly like the flow of the lines on the head feathers and wings.
Least Favorite Species:
Moehog: The Maractite Moehog isn't the worst thing ever, but it's not great either. Most Maractite pets at least have a darker base color so the markings pop, but here everything's basically the same color. There's also a few too many markings, including areas like the stripes and hooves, there's no texturing, and the body shading isn't well-defined. I do like the markings in isolation, but this one just doesn't work well as a whole.
