Right that's it... Old games FTW

[Xiorell]

OK, a few of you might have read my Thread a while back that I sold all my consoles and got a Wii for simple messing about, and that I was suprised to find myself enjoying it a lot more than I had been enjoying PS3 and Xbox in a long time.

So, in Phase 2 of my "Regain you love of Gaming" mission, I have been replaying and discovering older games on my PC.
They are much better. My PC is more than capable of running modern games but they just aint as good, in my opinion.
Playing games from about... 5years old up to 12 or more.

They just to me seem more honest somehow, don't know how to explain that. Everything about them feels a bit more "fantastical" somehow, maybe because of the uber-realism shit that's everywhere now... stories seem to be on the whole alot better to me, or at least like they was trying something different.

Of course I am enjoying newer games to, recently found MW2 to be better than I expected... for the 3mins it took to finish. Just they don't seem as game like somehow.

Thoughts? Do you think games could do with rolling back the miles in some areas or, do you think new games should keep steamrolling down the road they are?

 

[manythings]

Depends on the game. I don't want to but I'm going to have to play the "Are they really good or is nostalgia talking?" card with regard to your opinions. It's ok if it is nostalgia so long as you don't present it as something else.

With regard to older games I own a few of those classics discs for the playstation, Ristar was fucking boss. Oddly enough steam added a bunch of classics today.

 

[Tzekelkan]

I wish graphics would stop getting so advanced it's getting in the way of the experience. I just started playing Half Life 2 again (they slightly updated the Source engine to the one from 2007) today and couldn't help but stop and wonder at the awesome graphics that even my mediocre laptop could render in high resolution and with jaw-dropping beauty.

Graphics are good, but gameplay and story + better. Also, less awesome graphics + more awesome art style means more people with older computers can play your game = more money.

So yeah, I think old games are great, even though there are some new ones that are magnificent as well (even though they look worse on my laptop than HL2 because I tone down the settings).

 

[Dannyboy1186]

Well video games now have become bigger in the industry and large in its capabilities than in the past. You could say publishers are making developers make games how they are since they want the moneys. Theres also the fact that all the new and fresh ideas have all been taken so it gotten harder for some developers to make new game without being labled as using the same formula as an older game.

 

[Xiorell]

"Are they really good or is nostalgia talking?"

Well this is the thing... I have been playing these games again recently so I can't just be remembering it wrong.. and alot of them I never got round to playing in the day !

I aint saying ALL old games are better, or that ALL new games are shit or anything like that... I just think what games seem to have lost (to me), they have not made up in other areas

 

[Xiorell]

you sold your PS3 and 360 for a wii?

lol. I was worried I'd feel like that too but, the PS3 and 360 was getting used less and less (Each had a good dust city though) and I figured my PC was much more powerful than either if I wanted "propper" gaming... so I thought what the hell. Turned out to be a good choice for me.

 

[Thaius]

Old games and new games are just different styles of game due to the technological differences. None of them are inherently better than others simply based on time: Mass Effect 2 is a truly amazing game, as is Final Fantasy VI.

I think the difference is the games you're playing. If you want more fantastical games without all the "realism" crap, try something like the Prince of Persia games (the Sands of Time series, specifically; the new one was a bit short on the story as compared to the Sands of Time, but the gameplay was fricking EPIC), or Final Fantasy. Just go looking for modern games that specifically specialize in storytelling and awesomeness.

Also though, while you're playing old games, I highly recommend Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and Super Metroid, all on the SNES. Good stuff.

 

[manythings]

"Are they really good or is nostalgia talking?"

Well this is the thing... I have been playing these games again recently so I can't just be remembering it wrong.. and alot of them I never got round to playing in the day !

I aint saying ALL old games are better, or that ALL new games are shit or anything like that... I just think what games seem to have lost (to me), they have not made up in other areas

I suppose that is just the way things go. When hollywood was a $10 a movie industry people could do whatever they wanted but now new ideas are seen as being wrong because new ideas run the risk of not making 150 million dollars. That's corporate thinking, the same thing that is trying to push 3D into all new movies.

 

[Xiorell]

I am particually reffering to FPS games in a way... old ones just seem.... better somehow... less technical, less "woah", but better.... and RPGs.

 

[xscoot]

I am particually reffering to FPS games in a way... old ones just seem.... better somehow... less technical, less "woah", but better.... and RPGs.

Quake and Baldur's Gate are old games. Quake and Baldur's Gate are the epitome of their respective genres. Therefore, old games are good.

 

[VhenRa]

I am currently replaying FFIX via PSN Store on my PS3 so yeah.

 

[Flying-Emu]

you sold your PS3 and 360 for a wii?

Why not? Most PC and 360 games worth anyone's time are available in a superior format on the PC. Can't say the same for the Wii.

 

[Aura Guardian]

you sold your PS3 and 360 for a wii?

And that's bad how? I've been a Wii gamer for 4 years and the only regret I have is buying an Xbox 360. Damn dust collector.

 

[Leftnt Sharpe]

I am particually reffering to FPS games in a way... old ones just seem.... better somehow... less technical, less "woah", but better.... and RPGs.

Quake and Baldur's Gate are old games. Quake and Baldur's Gate are the epitome of their respective genres. Therefore, old games are good.

This man speaks the truth BG+BG2 and Planescape Torment are better than almost every RPG that has come out since.

 

[The Madman]

Every time I mention an older game I get the whole 'nostalgia' complaint thrown at me, with people saying that no, the old games aren't that good, I'm apparently just insane. And while I *do* call myself The Madman, when it comes to gaming I am most certainly not insane, thank you very much! The games really are just that good.

I think it's simply that many older games have soul. It's hard to explain, but when you're playing these older games you realize this isn't just some generic porridge whipped up by a faceless group of programmers conforming to yet more faceless executives will. No! These are games that the developers genuinely wanted to make and so put all the effort they could into producing something to match their vision of what the game should be like (Or at least the ones worth remembering are!). Whether it's simply a shooter or an rpg, rts, adventure, or any other genre, it just feels like the developers 'cared', and that's a rare thing nowadays. The number of games released in the past few years where I got that feeling I can list on two hands, and many were complete failures sales-wise. That's sad!

That said if you want to delve into the real pumping heart and soul of PC gaming, I'd suggest trying out some good ol' PC adventure games. Monkey Island, Gabriel Knight, Tex Murphy, Sam & Max, as well as the somewhat more recent The Longest Journey. All amazing series that represent a pinnacle of sorts for gaming as a story-telling medium.

Regardless, ya want a good list of old PC games to look over you can't go wrong with Good Old Games. Fantastic little website with some of the best all-time classics available in a format that works on new computers.

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is also amazing... oh, and the Baldur's Gate saga... oh, and the Broken Sword adventure game series... oh and... no, I oughta stop here before I just end up listing my favorites.

Good luck!

 

[Stilt-Man]

lol. I was worried I'd feel like that too but, the PS3 and 360 was getting used less and less (Each had a good dust city though) and I figured my PC was much more powerful than either if I wanted "propper" gaming... so I thought what the hell. Turned out to be a good choice for me.

I did the same thing. When I stepped back and honestly looked at what I was playing, the Wii was the only console on which I was actually having FUN. Not "WOW!" moments, or "Ooh, that's pretty!" but fun. So... I got rid of the 360 and PS3. I still have the PC for those things, but when it comes to fun, I'm all about the Wii. /highfive

 

[scnj]

I think that the same good to bad ratio has always existed. People just think that all old games are good because they only revisit the good ones.