Talking Backwards
Senior Citizen
- Oct 5, 2009
- 1,833
- 43
- 48
I just move on with games because after beating a single player game, unless I go for some self-imposed challenges, I don't find any value in replaying them if I've already done everything I wanted to do (remember when achievements and trophies were player created?). I want to experience something newer. I get what you're saying about gameplay mechanics and graphics, because I'm similar to an extent, but I'll still play games from the 32 bit era from time to time if I'm bored enough (started replaying Chrono Cross months ago).
Nostalgia plays a pretty big factor in replaying a game though for me. Unlike you, I can remember what it was like when I first played a specific game that blew me away, just like I can remember exactly how I felt when Aeris got impaled in FF7 (even if I felt FF6 was vastly superior). I can remember how it felt playing Tenchu for the first week, and what all of my friends felt about it as well; similarly with the first Resident Evil and especially the sequel. Would I really want to replay most of the games from the Playstation era? Most certainly not, unless they were brought up to date. I would replay the hell out of Tenchu if it was on the PS3 or 360, but with Ninja Gaiden like graphics, and a camera that doesn't constantly shit all over itself, nor all of the collision problems the game had. Still, when it was on a "modern" system, it was one of those games that was simply unlike anything else.
Your thoughts about systems in the future is kind of ironic too. While I'm currently playing Human Revolution again, I keep having this mixed sense that the graphics are pretty bland in many areas and that I feel like I'm playing something from 2003. I love the aesthetics of the game, but sometimes the graphics give me a strange sense of outdated deja vu. But then I realize that even if the game looked photorealistic, it wouldn't really add too much more if everything else remained the same.
I think everyone probably has a threshold of what they find acceptable and what they are willing to put up with. I think for me, the line is drawn with the Wii/PS2. I'd replay many PS2 games no problem, but it doesn't hurt that they can be played on the PC with enhanced resolutions either. The Wii on the other hand still annoys me. It's nothing but a Gamecube with motion controls and the graphics are really not acceptable except with a few games. Gameplay trumps graphics, but sometimes you can't help but get pissed and realize just how much better a game would be on one of the bigger systems--Xenoblade Chronicles.
On the other hand, think about how many games have been released on the PS3 and 360. Think about how many of them are either clones or nothing but graphics. How many games have been released this generation that you could honestly call a classic? The "current" generation may have had two big gun systems instead of more of a stepped hierarchy, but it just seems like the PS2, PS1 and even SNES had more memorable games and more true classics. Maybe I'm just jaded and burnt out on having played so many, but I only buy the games that I think will be worth having, and rent everything else. Out of all of the games I've purchased since 2006, I'm not sure I could claim more than ten of them were worth it. Everything else is or was rental, download territory or forgettable. Hell, I just finished replaying all of the Baldur's Gate games not too long ago and couldn't help but feel once again that Dragon Age: Origins was totally overrated and didn't offer much of anything new aside from an okay narrative and some stellar voice acting. Despite the claims of "tactics" innovations, it was exactly the same as every other game that had been done on the Infinity Engine gameplay wise. The tactics system barely worked, and everything had to be done manually anyway. What's left? Graphics.
