Yeah, games on the dreamcast, ps2, xbox and gamecube still hold up. Games do look better now graphically, but at the cost of more and more that made games fun and unique.
I looked at my PS2 collection recently for a nostalgia hit, and for what to play next. The standout games were not those with amazing graphics, but with a unique art style that set it apart from the rest of the games at the time.
As an example, Gran Turismo 4 looks great, but so does Sly Cooper 1 and 2, for very different reasons.
The soul part was always a bit of a meme but honestly, its true. New games lack the passion the devs put into the game not only in gameplay but also in look. Something like say klonoa still looks better than a TLOU2
I also think it was just an easy way to say that the game felt good overall.
From responsive tight controls, to the gameplay itself being fairly interesting and engaging. The moment to moment stuff might've been monotonous, like collecting all the jiggies, or spelling kong or whatever you did outside of normal get from point A to point B in the games. You knew what was asked of you, and how to go about it. Whether you just wanted to play the game and collect only what was right in front of you, or get it all and do it all, that was your decision.
Now story elements are sometimes locked behind having to play the game a specific way just to get you to continue. And they're starting to feel more and more like a tacked on reason for in game stores to exist. Or they exist just to be indoctrination engines, with games surrounding them.
Basically, it feels like you're either paying with your money or your mind. And I'd rather my entertainment be entertaining.
Doesn't even have to be a collect-a-thorn game really. Look at good ol' Deus Ex giving you freedom to do whatever you want, free form choices. There IS games like this out there still but it's almost never a AAA game and if it is it's never a western dev doing them. AAA western games are, as you stated indoctrination engines with games surrounding them.
Yeah, games on the dreamcast, ps2, xbox and gamecube still hold up. Games do look better now graphically, but at the cost of more and more that made games fun and unique.
I looked at my PS2 collection recently for a nostalgia hit, and for what to play next. The standout games were not those with amazing graphics, but with a unique art style that set it apart from the rest of the games at the time.
As an example, Gran Turismo 4 looks great, but so does Sly Cooper 1 and 2, for very different reasons.
The soul part was always a bit of a meme but honestly, its true. New games lack the passion the devs put into the game not only in gameplay but also in look. Something like say klonoa still looks better than a TLOU2
I think you're right about soul being a meme.
I also think it was just an easy way to say that the game felt good overall.
From responsive tight controls, to the gameplay itself being fairly interesting and engaging. The moment to moment stuff might've been monotonous, like collecting all the jiggies, or spelling kong or whatever you did outside of normal get from point A to point B in the games. You knew what was asked of you, and how to go about it. Whether you just wanted to play the game and collect only what was right in front of you, or get it all and do it all, that was your decision.
Now story elements are sometimes locked behind having to play the game a specific way just to get you to continue. And they're starting to feel more and more like a tacked on reason for in game stores to exist. Or they exist just to be indoctrination engines, with games surrounding them.
Basically, it feels like you're either paying with your money or your mind. And I'd rather my entertainment be entertaining.
Doesn't even have to be a collect-a-thorn game really. Look at good ol' Deus Ex giving you freedom to do whatever you want, free form choices. There IS games like this out there still but it's almost never a AAA game and if it is it's never a western dev doing them. AAA western games are, as you stated indoctrination engines with games surrounding them.