Sci-fi vs (medieval) fantasy game art

[Mechanical Man]

Not sure if this is the right section, but I wanted to make a question to artists. Over years I got an impression that sci-fi art is much easier medieval fantasy at making look good. Rather than concept art I have in mind game assets, models, textures, sprites, interface, maybe even cinematics. Especially notable in games around 2000, first example could be doom vs heretic, same engine, but heretic looking more out of place because of all boxiness. Also seeing in RTS games, c&c, total annihilation, outlive, submarine titans, star trek armada and other space based game looking better than their medieval fantasy counterparts, despite their simple graphics in the core.

I'm not saying that fantasy art is worse, just harder to make it look it good. In sci-fi you make some blocky structure and it's already good for a spaceship, while in the other theme you must do a well done organic body (even mechanicals are harder). Then also fantasy seems to require more complex animations as there are melee attacks and other special moves. Sure there are organics in sci-fi, but they are rarer and even without them the game still looks good. Low budget indie games are more likely to be sci-fi than fantasy. There is absolutely no shortage of the latter, just the decent ones are made by big studios. So what do you think?

 

[Eagle XI]

I think even if it may seem considerably easier to create sci-fi themes its harder to create something original that is yet not unappealing to the eye and/or mind.
Fantasy has rather well known clichees and troupes that all content is more or less conforming, and built around with.
When i say Orc your average expectation is to see an greenskin humanoid barbarian with an big axe that hails from an warlike culture, not an species composed of overly intelligent gentlemanly scholars.
In sci-fi you need to (detailingly) explain more about your creation and why it is so as it is, due to the audience being more "geeky", so to speak.
In fantasy its easier to explain why something is appearing weird or funny stuff like why an character is wielding an christmas tree as an weapon, since its fantasy after all people dont hang on it too much, but do the same in sci-fi and im almost certain the reaction will be negative.