Greetings, one and all!
I've been experimenting w/ ways to display the same character art on differing backgrounds for Dark RPG (so the same character art assets can be re-used whether you're speaking to the npc in the sunshine of the Seaside Grotto or in the depths of a mysterious ruin). And the following are examples from that in-progress development.
One has the character art displayed directly against the background, with only a slightly darkened layer between them, while the other is the same, but with a 3D drop shadow added beneath the character art to make it pop out in a more pronounced fashion.


I can't quite decide which looks better. Maybe you guys can help me out. Which style would you prefer to see used in the game?