Yeah it depends on the game. If it was really good then it doesn't matter when you play it, you'll always have fun. Now you got me thinking of X-Men 2: Clone Wars....I want that thing on PSN so I can play the shit out of it.
Can retro games hold up WITHOUT the nostalga?
- Thread starter Vault101
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Depends on the nature of the game.
Is it furiously addicting (like Tetris)?
Is it amazingly stylistic and atmospheric (like most of the Metroid series)?
Is it unique in how fucking trippy it is (like Killer 7. This also falls under stylistic, but a different kind of style altogether)?
Is the gameplay just that damn tight? (Most of the Super Mario platformers)
Is the story good/deep? (graphics change and scale, but strong narrative and characters are timeless)
Alternatively:
Is the game shovelware?
Is the game a fad? (remember all of the games featuring Bullet Time? Or even FMVs?)
Is it a dime-a-dozen product for an incredibly stagnant genre? (many clone titles fit in here)
There is also historical context associated with some of these games. (many gamers have heard the horrors of E.T. for the Atari 2600, or Superman 64. But there is more subtle historic significance related to other titles. Secret of Mana was originally Square-soft's prototype "PSX" game before the SNES-CD-expansion project fell through).
Lumping them all into one category and giving a "yay" or "nay" is unfair.
Is it furiously addicting (like Tetris)?
Is it amazingly stylistic and atmospheric (like most of the Metroid series)?
Is it unique in how fucking trippy it is (like Killer 7. This also falls under stylistic, but a different kind of style altogether)?
Is the gameplay just that damn tight? (Most of the Super Mario platformers)
Is the story good/deep? (graphics change and scale, but strong narrative and characters are timeless)
Alternatively:
Is the game shovelware?
Is the game a fad? (remember all of the games featuring Bullet Time? Or even FMVs?)
Is it a dime-a-dozen product for an incredibly stagnant genre? (many clone titles fit in here)
There is also historical context associated with some of these games. (many gamers have heard the horrors of E.T. for the Atari 2600, or Superman 64. But there is more subtle historic significance related to other titles. Secret of Mana was originally Square-soft's prototype "PSX" game before the SNES-CD-expansion project fell through).
Lumping them all into one category and giving a "yay" or "nay" is unfair.
Not all of them. For example, I just find sonic pretty boring, but the mario games have aged quite well.
Depends what era they were from. I don't think the games released near the original Half Life hold up, but before that they can. It depends what game you're nostalgic towards though, if you're nostalgic towards Superman 64 from when you were really young then you're gonna be disappointed.
I played fallout 2 for the first time after playing fallout 3 and I had a lot more fun with it.
I played baldurs gate 2 for the first time after playing dragon age and I though it had a lot more depth to it.
IMO final fantasy games got worse with every sequel.
LttP and the first zelda on the NES are the only zelda games I played through more than twice.
The first secret of mana is better than anything in that serie.
Breath of fire 2-3 >> breath of fire 4-5 theres no debate to be had there.
I could go on and on but I think the point is clear.
So yeah I think retro games hold up without the nostalgia.
I played baldurs gate 2 for the first time after playing dragon age and I though it had a lot more depth to it.
IMO final fantasy games got worse with every sequel.
LttP and the first zelda on the NES are the only zelda games I played through more than twice.
The first secret of mana is better than anything in that serie.
Breath of fire 2-3 >> breath of fire 4-5 theres no debate to be had there.
I could go on and on but I think the point is clear.
So yeah I think retro games hold up without the nostalgia.
Speaking strictly for PC titles I think a good majority of the retro games actually hold up better than the current games. You look at Baldur's Gate (I of II) or Planescape Torment and you will be hard pressed to find any modern title that holds a candle to either of those. Even looking at strategy games like Civ or Age of Empires you just won't see that kind of game anymore.
Ever since developers started making games for the masses the quality has gone down hill quick. The problem with making games for the masses is that the masses largely have the attention span of a particularly stupid gnat and get bored if something awesome doesn't happen every time they press a button.
I really think there is a good bit of money to be made out there for a small studio with enough balls to start making good games FOR PC gamers with the depth and quality like what PC gamers used to see.
Ever since developers started making games for the masses the quality has gone down hill quick. The problem with making games for the masses is that the masses largely have the attention span of a particularly stupid gnat and get bored if something awesome doesn't happen every time they press a button.
I really think there is a good bit of money to be made out there for a small studio with enough balls to start making good games FOR PC gamers with the depth and quality like what PC gamers used to see.
Yes it does. Every time I boot up Star Wars: Jedi Outcast, or SWAT 3, I encounter that wonderful moment of nostalgia before being thoroughly impressed with the game itself.
The original Final fantasy was definitly not sluggish and slow. I can think of 2 bugs no more that would affect the gameplay. Final fantasy unlike its sequel actualy made you work for your equipement, it made you talk to people to try and figure out where you should go next, it made you explore big dungeons (not straight lines) and it was actualy hard. If you want a more bug free version get the PSX one.Kysafen said:
I agree so, so much. I gave my ps1 to my grandad to get him hooked on Spyro and when I stayed round there for a few days, I played Spyro 1 and loved it a lot more than some current-gen games that I like. Also, Toasty the scarecrow sheep was brilliant.Sizzle Montyjing said:
Golden Sun (albeit not TOO retro) will hold up when the time comes that it does fall under the category of incredibly retro.
I generally play games that are at least 5 years old (usually more like 7 or 8), and while that may not be far enough back to warrant being called "nostalgic," many of them are still fun to play (especially ince they work on my laptop). Examples: KOTOR, Sands of Time, Psychonauts.
The original Spyro trilogy, the original Crash Bandicoot games including CTR, the Soul Reaver games (Not Blood Omen though, story's fine but gameplay is a little bit dated. Although I haven't played Blood Omen 2 so I can't say if it holds up), the Parasite Eve games, The Dino Crisis games, the original Silent Hill, and even RE 2 and 3 (1 not so much) still hold up as at least fun games to play.
It depends largely on the genre. For example Golden Eye doesn't hold up to Call of Duty 4, Ocarina of Time doesn't hold up to Wind Waker, but Castlevania: Symphony of the Night does hold up to New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Shadow of the Colossus holds up to any other giant monster killing game that relies entirely on quick time events. Hell, i still think Shadow of the Colossus has better environments than a lot of modern titles.
Sometimes, yes. Though in some cases the existence of Savescumming helps a lot, depending on how retro we're talking.
Just this past week, I've replayed through Castlevania III, both quests of Zelda, and the first two (real) Ninja Gaidens (Ancient Ship of Doom is on deck).
Loved every damn second of it.
Just this past week, I've replayed through Castlevania III, both quests of Zelda, and the first two (real) Ninja Gaidens (Ancient Ship of Doom is on deck).
Loved every damn second of it.
I started gaming more seriously when PS2 came out, on PS1 I spent most of my time watching my big brother play Final Fantasy until few years after the console had died.
And yes, I think they can. I can pick up even some PS1 and N64 era games and still have tons of fun with them, even though many consider that the time of the awkward transition from 2D to 3D (rightfully so I guess, but still). I recently picked up Parasite Eve II from PSN and was actually blown away by it. Even NES has some really awesome games as far as I'm concerned, like Batman, which to me is the second best Batman game ever after Batman: AA.
I guess it's the simplicity that appeals to me in the older games, and for some strange reason the blocky graphics in PS1 can be fun to watch in some games as far as I'm concerned, like in Tenchu where the shitty videogame violence is just hilarious.
And yes, I think they can. I can pick up even some PS1 and N64 era games and still have tons of fun with them, even though many consider that the time of the awkward transition from 2D to 3D (rightfully so I guess, but still). I recently picked up Parasite Eve II from PSN and was actually blown away by it. Even NES has some really awesome games as far as I'm concerned, like Batman, which to me is the second best Batman game ever after Batman: AA.
I guess it's the simplicity that appeals to me in the older games, and for some strange reason the blocky graphics in PS1 can be fun to watch in some games as far as I'm concerned, like in Tenchu where the shitty videogame violence is just hilarious.
a lot of retro games I played lately held up awesomely, and some that I have never played before
like Metal Storm on the NES or Super Metroid on the SNES
hell, Doom (and Doom 2) and Strife are great too, and while I did played Doom and Doom 2 before, I can say it still really holds up because of how well crafted it is
like Metal Storm on the NES or Super Metroid on the SNES
hell, Doom (and Doom 2) and Strife are great too, and while I did played Doom and Doom 2 before, I can say it still really holds up because of how well crafted it is
The graphics don't' hold up, most controls don't hold up and most technical aspects don't hold up. Some amounts of gameplay can hold up (lots of casual games of today mimic old arcade style gameplay and are quiet popular). Story usually doesn't hold up because there often isn't one. Some aspect have gotten better some aspect are part of the timeless section that never changes much.