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[Borowski_1]

I feel like 15 years ago there was a lot more variety, more innovation, and games were a lot more focused and well paced, without needles content just for the sake of it

Looking back at 2010, i got GoW 3, Bayonetta, Red Dead Redemption, Darksiders, Heavy Rain, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Enslaved, Dante's Inferno, Castlevania LoS, Limbo, etc

Now everything has to be bigger and bigger, or a live service, or a huge and forgettable open-world, or another souls-like

Games like those back in that era (and the PS2 for that matter) are fewer and far between, and that's honestly sad.

 

[Connificent]

Back when trilogies were made in a single gen.

 

[Banjo64]

If you meshed the first half of the 360s life with the second half of the PS3s, like I did, you have the best overall generation of all time.

 

[amigastar]

I never really liked the graphics in the PS3/360 era. Too much brown and piss filter. I even liked PS2 and XBox and GC graphics better. Today the graphics look like the PS2 again but with better fidelity of course.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

I feel like 15 years ago there was a lot more variety, more innovation, and games were a lot more focused and well paced, without needles content just for the sake of it

Looking back at 2010, i got GoW 3, Bayonetta, Red Dead Redemption, Darksiders, Heavy Rain, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Enslaved, Dante's Inferno, Castlevania LoS, Limbo, etc

Now everything has to be bigger and bigger, or a live service, or a huge and forgettable open-world

Games like those back in that era (and the PS2 for that matter) are fewer and far between, and that's honestly sad.

Nah I miss The PS2 Era

Back when these Videogames companies were actually headed by gamers, making games they want to make and making sure that it was for gamers too. Not to mention that's when they were able to make anything due to being given big budgets behind their projects. Both Western and Japanese Developers were equally successful when it comes to selling millions of their games

That's the healthiest the gaming market has been in my opinion

 

[Magic Carpet]

I remember the PS360 struggling to play Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite and moving to PC because the generation lasted way too f'n long.
Console generations should never go that long, as a gamer rule.

 

[Punished Miku]

I'm nearly done with Gears 3 now. Been a lot of fun. Replayed FFXIII last year, and Lords of Shadow.

The era had pros and cons, like all others.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Nostalgia: the thread

 

[Danjin44]

360/PS3 had some great game it also had it share of crappy games in fact we get A LOT of those crappy movie tie in games and I remember people had to pay extra money just to unlock online part of the game.

I'm happy this generation we are getting good amount of quality Japanese games but also this gen I almost completely lost interest in western games.

 

[nush]

Coming back from the store with Orange Box and Bioshock for 360 on the same day. Great day.

 

[Little Chicken]

Mass Effect was a moment.

 

[nial]

I liked 8th gen more.

 

[Borowski_1]

Nostalgia: the thread

Nostalgia?

Read the room. How many of those games are releasing these days?

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Nothing... in fact I have said it several times, it is not only the worst time of the Console Generation, but the worst time of my life.

I hated it, especially because of what Xbox 360 left behind, the beginning of the DLC, games that disappointed, like Bioshock for example in my case...

The emergence of MEMES, social networks... The hardware errors of the consoles.

That generation WII, PS3, XBOX 360 was a fiasco... Only PS3 was what was salvageable and what saved my hobby in my case.

 

[Lambogenie]

PS2 era. Minus Sony wests disdain for 2D.

Since then gaming has just become *more* a business, as they say.

Fuck it, the best and most innovative things since are WiiU (switch just perfecting it) and Pokémon Go. Can leave everything else.

 

[NomenNescio]

When Microsoft wasn't addicted to shopping.

 

[nial]

PS2 era. Minus Sony wests disdain for 2D.

Since then gaming has just become *more* a business, as they say.

That's what SEGA fans say about the PS2

 

[Hypereides]

I feel like 15 years ago there was a lot more variety, more innovation, and games were a lot more focused and well paced, without needles content just for the sake of it

Looking back at 2010, i got GoW 3, Bayonetta, Red Dead Redemption, Darksiders, Heavy Rain, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Enslaved, Dante's Inferno, Castlevania LoS, Limbo, etc

Now everything has to be bigger and bigger, or a live service, or a huge and forgettable open-world

Games like those back in that era (and the PS2 for that matter) are fewer and far between, and that's honestly sad.

I do. I don't get why some have such a negative view on it... looking back, it was better than what we get today. At least, AAA-wise. I'm actually playing and having fun with a notorious game from that gen atm.

I wouldn't say those games "are fewer and far between" though. You're probably not looking in the right places or keeping an eye on the right AA publishers/developers.

Mainstream gaming journalism is failing at spreading the word about the games you're looking for. Their priorities are elsewhere. Those games can still be found in the current gaming landscape, but they're being snubbed, ignored, or buried by reviewers/journos and such. You owe it to yourself to start doing research, go on discovery, or get informed by your fellow forum members to find them.

I've been considering making a thread about lesser known publishers out there that barely get any proper attention or spotlight.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I jumped into it very late, but it was the last time it made sense to own all the systems on the market.
It was the last gen when the dev skill and budget gap wasn't so wide and AA was still viable. We got new, creative stuff from high-profile devs that are now limited to iterating the same stuff over and over again. We could still get 10/12-hour AAA games. Staple IPs were born then, including Souls, Uncharted, Gears, Mass Effect, Assassin's Creed. Development costs and times hadn't ballooned out of control yet, and woke hadn't yet infected western games.

PS360 gen with SSDs and without the piss filter in some big games would have been perfection.

 

[Dacvak]

The 360 was, by far, the best "modern-style" console we've had, and it's only gone downhill since then. I really miss the golden era of AAA Xbox Live, along with the exploding XBLA indie scene.

 

[MasterDerico]

I don't miss because i have 12 videogames hooked on my tv at the moment, 360 and all Playstation consoles included!

My games collections never get dust!

 

[Fabieter]

It was also when every single platform was the most interesting.

 

[ungalo]

In a lot of ways it was a transition to what we have today and that i don't like.

But big budgets gaming was in the right spot for a few years. And every system performed, wich is rare and a blessing i think (PS3/360/Wii/PSP/DS), it was the last very rich generation.

I really disliked the end of the 360/PS3 era though. 2012 was mid compared to previous years and i absolutely hate 2013 (contrary to most people it seems).

 

[user friendly]

It was the peak for hype for me. Seeing PS3 pull back from the depths was magnificent. KZ2 gameplay reveal was wonderful after all the scrutiny it received (rightfully so). Great competition from all parties.

 

[Wooxsvan]

no way. all i can remember is crappy performance 30 and sub 30fps games. and iv lived through it all.

 

[Inuteu]

Back when these Videogames companies were actually headed by gamers, making games they want to make and making sure that it was for gamers too. Not to mention that's when they were able to make anything due to being given big budgets behind their projects.

yes. Games were made by true passionate people who can find a way around problems



Today is just another day in corporate hell

 

[nial]

2012 was mid compared to previous years and i absolutely hate 2013 (contrary to most people it seems).

Even when ignoring my hate bias for 7th gen as a whole, those years were truly awful. Particularly 2012; third-parties sucked, Wii sucked, Xbox 360 sucked and PS3 (with the exception of Tokyo Jungle, my beloved) sucked too.

 

[AJUMP23]

Everyone wants higher fidelity games but no one wants to pay the cost of time to develop. I do miss the 360 era, I do not miss the red rings of death.

 

[Laptop1991]

I'm a PC gamer but yeah i do, the games were so much better, more creative and not full of MTX, games like Oblivion, Fear, Bisohock 1 to 3, Assassin's Creed, Fallout 3, New Vegas, Skyrim then Dishonored and GTA 4 and 5, and Crysis i would love to experience those games again new, today's games cannot even compare for me

 

[intbal]

I never really liked the graphics in the PS3/360 era. Too much brown and piss filter. I even liked PS2 and XBox and GC graphics better. Today the graphics look like the PS2 again but with better fidelity of course.

My Xbox 360 library didn't have that problem.
Although I suppose it really depends on what types of games you liked.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Key things I miss about that gen were: COD games were much better, games had hardly any mtx vs. modern day constant pop up e-store reminders grifting for sales, and I miss playing a lot of those $1 XBLIG games.

 

[amigastar]

My Xbox 360 library didn't have that problem.
Although I suppose it really depends on what types of games you liked.

Yeah, it depends on the game at some point but looking at Deus Ex Human Revolution for example, it just looked hideous.

 

[Danjin44]

Dont worry when we get to PS6/next Xbox era, people say how they miss PS5/Xbox-X era.

 

[rofif]

Just some franchises and trilogies released that ONE GEN.
Seriously, the amount of games released each month was greater than one year nowadays.
And nowadays people cry if one game comes one month and another big game comes out next month. you know why? Because these games are too huge and bloated.

Gears trilogy - Amazing replayability. I finished each many times. Great multiplayer too
Mass Effect trilogy - Each game is 20 hours long
Uncharted trilogy - Same as gears. amazing
Dead Space trilogy - nuff said
Demons Souls, Dark souls, Dark Souls 2 - only best games ever
Oblivion, Fallout3, Skyrim
Halo3, odst, reach
Bioshock 1,2, infinite
Batman Arkham Asylum, city, origins

And then all the (less than trilogy) games:
-God of war 3
-Killzone 2
-Alan wake
-Dead Rising
-Lost Planet
-MGS phantom Pain (well almost ps4)
-GTA4 5
-RDR
-Burnout freaking paradise
-Sleeping Dogs
-Last of us
-Portal 1 and 2.

And that's only a few... Sure, with ps4 and 5 we have a ton of amazing games but not that many. Thankfully, the quality is great, uncharted 4 or bloodborne are better than anything before for example

 

[Borowski_1]

Dont worry when we get to PS6/next Xbox era, people say how they miss PS5/Xbox-X era.

Never

 

[nial]

-MGS phantom Pain (well almost ps4)

That one is PS4 era.

 

[skit_data]

I still got my PS3 hooked up and slowly making my way through Dark Souls because I neve platinumed it despite it being the first From Software game I played and while it has its charm I for one suddenly realized just exactly how horrible the framerates were at times back then. Just made it through Blight Town at least so I guess the worst is over...

...in this first cycle...

 

[Danjin44]

Never

People said same thing in PS3/360 era and here we are.

 

[intbal]

Yeah, it depends on the game at some point but looking at Deus Ex Human Revolution for example, it just looked hideous.

I played that on PC first. But I wanted a version for my 360 a few years later. I got the Director's Cut edition which removed that filter.
It actually looks kinda bland and lifeless. They clearly designed all their art and lighting around that yellow filter.

 

[nial]

People said same thing in PS3/360 era and here we are.

People said that in the PS2/XB era too.

 

[Punished Miku]

Just some franchises and trilogies released that ONE GEN.
Seriously, the amount of games released each month was greater than one year nowadays.
And nowadays people cry if one game comes one month and another big game comes out next month. you know why? Because these games are too huge and bloated.

Gears trilogy - Amazing replayability. I finished each many times. Great multiplayer too
Mass Effect trilogy - Each game is 20 hours long
Uncharted trilogy - Same as gears. amazing
Dead Space trilogy - nuff said
Demons Souls, Dark souls, Dark Souls 2 - only best games ever
Oblivion, Fallout3, Skyrim
Halo3, odst, reach
Bioshock 1,2, infinite
Batman Arkham Asylum, city, origins

And then all the (less than trilogy) games:
-God of war 3
-Killzone 2
-Alan wake
-Dead Rising
-Lost Planet
-MGS phantom Pain (well almost ps4)
-GTA4 5
-RDR
-Burnout freaking paradise
-Sleeping Dogs
-Last of us
-Portal 1 and 2.

And that's only a few... Sure, with ps4 and 5 we have a ton of amazing games but not that many. Thankfully, the quality is great, uncharted 4 or bloodborne are better than anything before for example

Meanwhile, in Japan ....

 

[LordOfChaos]

If you meshed the first half of the 360s life with the second half of the PS3s, like I did, you have the best overall generation of all time.

I've also always wondered what would have been if the PS3 wasn't gimped with a last minute GPU missing unified shaders because their Toshiba plan didn't work out. Blu ray storage size, Xenos GPU + eDRAM, and the Cell, what would that best of all worlds have been like

Granted Cell was weird and took time to come to grips with, but by the end of the generation when devs were really using it, it was often just making up for the lacklustre RSX by doing preculling etc for it

 

[Hypereides]

Even when ignoring my hate bias for 7th gen as a whole, those years were truly awful. Particularly 2012; third-parties sucked, Wii sucked, Xbox 360 sucked and PS3 (with the exception of Tokyo Jungle, my beloved) sucked too.

You're trippin', amigo.

 

[nial]

You're trippin', amigo.

Fair enough, I always forget about this game.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

I think the industry peaked during DC/PS2/OG Xbox gen. Much less cynicism from publishers and way more variety (in the AAA space). Also, Japanese developers were still on their game.

PS3/360 era is also great, though, and I've been going back to those games a lot recently. Just bought this the other day, since I missed it upon release:

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

that gen was a goddamn mess

 

[GametimeUK]

It was my favourite generation. I can't believe the amount of incredible games I got to enjoy. It felt like there was constant banger after banger.

However I can't go back to them levels of performance.

 

[StereoVsn]

Eh… not sure if I would go that far. We had an awful lot of "brown palettes" all over the place.

RPG and strategy side was fairly weak as well with some standouts (if we don't count handhelds).

I mean the era certainly had some bangers. ME Trilogy, Oblivion, Fallout 3/New Vegas, Skyrim, GTA IV, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Infamous 2, Last of Us, Uncharted and a lot more.

But I just don't know, i remember Dreamcast/PS2/PC pre-2006 and post say 2012 with more fondness.

 

[Plies]

While highly flawed, this was the last generation that felt magical.

 

[StereoVsn]

Yeah, it depends on the game at some point but looking at Deus Ex Human Revolution for example, it just looked hideous.

Deus Ex (not the Directors Cut) looked great on PC with piss filter removed and some mods.