That's one of the appeals of classic 8-bit-style artwork: characters features are so poorly defined that it's easy for the player to mentally substitute their own perspective for the character's. (The character is essentially imagined to feel how you feel.) This can give the character a kind of 'charm' that hi res doesn't really do.
The art in the games of Bitmap Brothers, and many other games - Star Control I/II, Heroes of Might and Magic I, II & III (all with different styles), the grotesque gothic view of Disciples ][ (beautiful!) and plenty of other 2D games.
For anyone that enjoys it, here is some great art done with 8-bit palette cycling (cylcing dozen or more colors to achieve animation) - http://www.effectgames.com/demos/canvascycle/ - (select other bitmaps too)
