Retro Gaming vs Modern Gaming

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I posted this in another forum, and I think it's relevant to this discussion. Heck, this discussion actually contributed to my decision to write it. Anyways, here it is:

I have been gaming for 21 years, and have played countless games in that time. Despite that fact, devs still manage to show me things I have never seen in a game before. Take The Last of Us for example. It is the latest game I can truthfully say that I have finished, and it is still fresh in my mind. My experience with The Last of Us could be compared to my experience with the movie Avatar. The Last of Us, much like Avatar, was regarded by many as a truly incredible experience, and some people have even claimed it has changed their outlook on games, or even life. At the very least, it was considered an absolute must-play for ps3 owners.

Much like Avatar, I knew The Last of Us would have stunning visuals, but, despite playing a small part of the game at E3, I was still curious why it was so unbelievably praised. So, rather than waiting for a while, I checked it out soon after it was released. As it was with Avatar, I can't claim that The Last of Us changed my outlook on life, since that couldn't be further from the truth. However, I enjoyed Avatar, and I enjoyed The Last of Us. Unlike Avatar though, The Last of Us showed me something I hadn't seen in a game before. That something is a true wasteland story in a survival horror game, or at least a survival horror-esque game, as opposed to a zombie apocalypse story, which I think we see too much of. For one thing, the game takes place 20 years after the start of the apocalypse, so it is not based on a recent zombie outbreak. Also, unlike a typical survival horror game, the presence of zombies is not the real focus of the story in The Last of Us.

The story is centred around the relationship between Joel and Ellie, and even Joel isn't portrayed as the ultimate good guy, especially after the decision he makes at the end of the game. The game benefits greatly from the cinematic cutscenes, and the gorgeous visuals that show just how powerful the ps3 can be, which greatly contribute to the impact the story has. In short, I don't think The Last of Us would have worked as well, if it was produced a decade, or even five years ago. It is the kind of experience we can only get now.

However, I can think of a number of different types of games that I just don't see enough of these days, if I even see them at all. I recently dusted off my wii, and have been revisiting Super Mario World, which was the first videogame I ever encountered, way back at the age of four. It must have been a technically impressive game at the time, but it certainly isn't anything like The Last of Us. After a number of close calls, and Game Overs, I can safely say that Super Mario World would make most modern gamers cry, and I feel like I am out of practice with a game like that. Nothing from the 7th gen has been able to provide me with an experience that is quite like the experience I get from my old favorites, even with the number of retro tributes available. Maybe it's the lack of nostalgia, or maybe modern tributes are just not quite the same as games from the era they try to emulate. Maybe that's a good thing though. If all games were identical, I probably would have quit gaming long ago, since I enjoy a good variety of games.

On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing that classic games are different from what we can expect to see when the new consoles release at the end of the year. Some people avoid older games like the plague, but I think there is value in revisiting our roots as gamers, or even playing some older titles for the first time. For example, I recently came across Primal on psn. It's a ps2 classic that I didn't even know existed until recently, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Between its ps2 style action/puzzle mechanics, to its unique take on combat, to its surprisingly relatable female protagonist and sidekick character, I liked this game a lot. It in some ways feels like a product of its time, but it's different enough from anything else I've played. Every gen has its flavour, and as someone who grew up with the 4th-6th gens, I am always open to experiencing games from those eras for the first time. I don't care when it was made, because if I haven't played it, it's new to me.

If someone were to ask me why I play old games when I could be playing something like The Last of Us, I suppose I would say that I do it for the same reason I might watch older movies or listen to older music. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's no longer enjoyable. On the other hand, I can't live in the past either, and deny myself the experience of playing something new with amazing visuals, and cinematic storytelling. I think one should never live in the past, but at most, should have a summer home there. The past shouldn't be forgotten either, because a good experience should never be forgotten, whether it came from a new game or an old favorite. So, as we head into the 8th gen, I say we should look ahead with anticipation for what's to come, while still taking the time to look back and acknowledge where we came from.

Hm, interesting post.


The Last of Us, though, is to me actually a very good example of WHY I dont bother with modern console games. Though I am indeed using it here as JUST an example, mind you. There are other better examples, but that one's recent and I'm lazy, so there you go.


I remember one particular review I saw of it recently, which is basically summed up as: "Yeah, this game, wow! The STORY!! !! The EXPERIENCE!! !! Holy crap, so very good! .....but the gameplay isnt that great and it's not really much fun. .....but ZOMG STORY EXPERIENCE!! !!!111". This was from a professional review, mind you.

And that, right there, is one of my problems with recent console games. The gameplay is what makes a game what it is..... people may like story and cutscenes and graphics and all, but let's face it.... movies can do those things, or TV, or whatever. The gameplay should be the most important part, except.... with so many games these days, PARTICULARLY on consoles, it just isnt.

I've seen some of the game myself, and..... yeah, it looks pretty typical. I mean, the graphics are nice enough I guess (well, as nice as you're going to get on a console anyway, for now), but the gameplay really indeed didnt look very interesting.

Just.... aaaaaaagh. I swear, the more I see of recent console games, the more I'm glad I outright dumped the accursed things. Story and cutscenes and graphics in GIANT FREAKING LETTERS..... with "gameplay" relegated to the tiny legal text found somewhere if you look hard enough. Feh.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with that assessment of TLoU's gameplay. I had a great time playing it, with its mix of action, stealth, puzzle, and exploration elements. I even enjoyed hoarding and crafting items. That review you mentioned is a prime example of why I don't read reviews. I rarely agree with what these so called "professionals" have to say, and I find they're no less biased than anyone else. I usually know enough about a game before I check it out, so I don't need anyone's help anymore, and in the off chance that I do, I'll just ask my friends. Metascores and individual review scores mean nothing to me. If action/stealth type gameplay mixed with exploration and puzzle solving, as well as horror elements, doesn't appeal to you, then I wouldn't recommend TLoU, but for me, the game was plenty fun to play, in addition to having a great story.

Like I said, it was just an example.... though one of the reasons why it even occurred to me is that I've heard it echoed now all over the place. Everyone and their grandma and their grandma's dog and the fleas on their grandma's dog is playing that game, but I seem to only very, very rarely hear much in the way of talk about the actual gameplay; it's all story, environment, graphics, atmosphere, story. And what little I've seen of it seems very.... typical, as gameplay goes. And that's NOT pro reviews or anything like that, that stuffs is mostly from forums or people talking about it.

But yeah, just an example nonetheless. It's one of those games I wont actually touch with a 300 foot pole myself; "stealth" stuff and also cutscenes of any sort are to me the ultimate cure for insomnia. So I can only say so much about it directly.

^I haven't played TLOU myself, but I hear the combat is good and the "stealth" is too easy.

I was wondering whether there was some sort of middle ground, and that's what I believe. I'm surprised so many are fans of retro. Don't get me wrong, I love myself some retro too, but there are things in which modern games are better. It really comes down to genre and what you're looking for.

To sort of add to my earlier posts, retro gaming can also be cheaper since meny of us already own the equipment and have since they were new and with meny games being overproduced, outdated or out of style etc. they can be had used very resonable prices compaired to always paying full or close to it upfront for the latest ang greatest, so that must add to the appeal of retro gaming, that and the nostelga feel good factor from playing with childhood toys with meny good memorys. The internet has also made finding retro gaming equipment and vintage toys in general so much easier to do and has in some cases drivin down the cost of some items becouse they are no longer as rare or hard to find is they once appeared. The economy may may play a role aswell becouse when it takes a down turn the collecters market in terms of prices goes down with it yet the price modern gaming equipment, with the exception of promotions has stayed much the same as far is I can see. In short retro gaming from a budget standpoint can be a very attractive feel good option to consider.

A lot of retro games are also available for digital download now. Not all, mind you, but you don't even necessarily need to own the original systems and order the games off of Amazon to acquire them.

In response to Hansgrohe, I will say that there's more to a game than pretty graphics. As you already mentioned, some games and genres benefit more from better hardware than others do. Sports games, racing games, fps, etc. largely depend on prettier graphics, better sound, and improved physics to set them apart from their predecessors, and, as a result, all of the above are major parts of the experience for those kinds of games. So, fans of them tend to gravitate to the newest games, just because they deliver better on the technical side. You could argue that jrpgs benefit greatly from the cinematic cutscenes and improved sound quality of more modern systems.

But, there's more to a game than how it looks, sounds, and mimics reality. Not everyone likes modern game mechanics. The reality is, games play different than they used to, and will play differently in the future than they do now. Not everyone likes the way games feel now. I could go into great detail, but I don't think that's necessary. Games are just different now than they used to be, and though things continue to improve from a technical standpoint, the quality, or lack thereof, of the core of a game's experience, will always be subjective.