It was an incredible generation, and the last time there was a true leap in game design. An incredible amount of historic IP and games were launched during this time.
It's easy to classify older games based on which generation they're from, because they shared familiar characteristics. A new generation would bring new possibilities and changes in game design. This progress continued with the 360/PS3, but largely stopped there. Most current games today share many similar characteristics to late 360/PS3 games or feel like they could've been possible in some form on those platforms. Did design peak in this gen, or did other factors cause devs to focus their efforts on other elements?
It was also the last time we'd ever see console hardware truly competitive was PC. When the 360 launch in 2005, it featured arguably the most advanced and capable GPU that existed (for consumers).
It's easy to classify older games based on which generation they're from, because they shared familiar characteristics. A new generation would bring new possibilities and changes in game design. This progress continued with the 360/PS3, but largely stopped there. Most current games today share many similar characteristics to late 360/PS3 games or feel like they could've been possible in some form on those platforms. Did design peak in this gen, or did other factors cause devs to focus their efforts on other elements?
It was also the last time we'd ever see console hardware truly competitive was PC. When the 360 launch in 2005, it featured arguably the most advanced and capable GPU that existed (for consumers).
Why is the Wii bad? Yes it had a lot shovelwares but a ton of great games too. I'm still discovering games on it.
Mario 64 DS basically shipped with the equivalent of a dozen early hit iPhone games.
Love-Hate relationship. Admittedly I was a Sony kid, so their transition to HD came with a lot of growing pains. In hindsight, this was the last gen where they actually were still committed to promoting "Mid-tier and Mascot" games as part of their selling points. But I think the combination of Uncharted 2 being such a smash success and games like the Sly 4 sequel comparatively under-delivering forever charted the course going foward.
Love the handhelds.
Indifferent to the consoles.
ThorHighHeels opened my eyes to the PS360 aesthetic and I don't have any negative feelings toward it or the consoles themselves. I just feel like my favorite genres were better represented on handhelds that gen, particularly Japanese RPGs. Having gone back and tried a number of the console RPGs, I was unimpressed with them overall (with the exception of Xenoblade Chronicles, which lived up to its reputation).
Indifferent to the consoles.
ThorHighHeels opened my eyes to the PS360 aesthetic and I don't have any negative feelings toward it or the consoles themselves. I just feel like my favorite genres were better represented on handhelds that gen, particularly Japanese RPGs. Having gone back and tried a number of the console RPGs, I was unimpressed with them overall (with the exception of Xenoblade Chronicles, which lived up to its reputation).
Was not a fan of the Wii or DS or their particular gimmicks at all. Wii was like a total lost Nintendo generation for me outside of the novelty of Wii Sports.
The PSP was cool but I wasn't playing handhelds much at all at that time.
360/PS3 had some great first party titles. Felt like a lot of third parties were playing catch up. Early days of stuff like online communities that weren't really seen on consoles. I have mostly fond memories of those consoles outside of their quirks that sort of get forgotten (man the constant battles with the way the PS3 download/store functionality was designed. IIRC you couldn't even charge the controller unless the console was on lol)
The PSP was cool but I wasn't playing handhelds much at all at that time.
360/PS3 had some great first party titles. Felt like a lot of third parties were playing catch up. Early days of stuff like online communities that weren't really seen on consoles. I have mostly fond memories of those consoles outside of their quirks that sort of get forgotten (man the constant battles with the way the PS3 download/store functionality was designed. IIRC you couldn't even charge the controller unless the console was on lol)
Pretty positive from '06-'11 or so. Lots of innovation and new ideas getting their footing in this period.
Late 7th-gen to early 8th-gen was probably my least favorite era for mainstream gaming. Just so much homogenization and streamlining.
Late 7th-gen to early 8th-gen was probably my least favorite era for mainstream gaming. Just so much homogenization and streamlining.
Yup. No doubt my favorite generation and it will never be topped most likely.
I'm a JRPG fan. So this was a bum-ass generation. Costs for a new console were through the roof so I got in around 2010 or so and barely found any games I gave a fuck about until 2012. I got about two years of good use out of my PS3 before picking up its far superior little brother, the PlayStation 4.
Yeah I know there were "JRPGs on handheld" but it was early days back then. I wanted my favorite genres to get the graphical upgrades like everyone else did. Telling me to settle for PSP/DS graphics was not something I was trying to hear.
These things didn't really get going until the PS4/XB1 generation. You got the barest hint of a start on PS360, but not enough for that generation to deserve the credit. If you didn't play indie games on PS4 early on you probably didn't have anything to play, but if you did there were a plethora of titles and they never stopped coming.
And you said yourself it took until the PS4 generation to get meaningful progress on the other thing. Why should the PS360 gen get any credit?
Yeah I know there were "JRPGs on handheld" but it was early days back then. I wanted my favorite genres to get the graphical upgrades like everyone else did. Telling me to settle for PSP/DS graphics was not something I was trying to hear.
These things didn't really get going until the PS4/XB1 generation. You got the barest hint of a start on PS360, but not enough for that generation to deserve the credit. If you didn't play indie games on PS4 early on you probably didn't have anything to play, but if you did there were a plethora of titles and they never stopped coming.
And you said yourself it took until the PS4 generation to get meaningful progress on the other thing. Why should the PS360 gen get any credit?
Another thing that came to mind was that mechanically speaking, games felt more watered down compared to the PS2 era. This is mostly noticeable in PS3 sequels to PS2 games. Example, Final Fantasy 13's level design, Resident Evil 5 ditching systems that were in RE4 like inventory management and the in game economy was scaled back, DMC3's battle system was scaled back greatly in DMC4 and DmC, MGS3's cameo system and survival mechanics were scaled back in MGS4, GTA4 removed lots of features and mechanics that were in GTA San Andreas, like the life sim elements of gaining weight or all the other lite RPG mechanics as well as things to do in the world.
In terms of gameplay innovations and mechanics, I don't know what the 7th generation provided outside of HD visuals and standard online systems. All that comes to mind was cover systems, more characters on screen, and that health regeneration mechanics that found their way into 90% of games.Games just felt a bit dumbed down and more streamlined for the mainstream to me compared to the 6th. At least in terms of HD AAA single player games.
In terms of gameplay innovations and mechanics, I don't know what the 7th generation provided outside of HD visuals and standard online systems. All that comes to mind was cover systems, more characters on screen, and that health regeneration mechanics that found their way into 90% of games.Games just felt a bit dumbed down and more streamlined for the mainstream to me compared to the 6th. At least in terms of HD AAA single player games.
360 provided the best Forza Motorsport games in the series but the hardware was very unreliable until the slim model was released.
PS3 was an epic RPG console. Atelier, Final Fantasy, Neptunia, Tales, White Knight Chronicles. Poor efforts for Gran Turismo and it had YLOD which wasn't as bad as 360's RROD, but still annoying.
Wii is legendary. Wii Sports, Xenoblade, Zelda, Mario Kart, Mario Galaxy, superb for FPS games, Metroid Prime Trilogy and the Virtual Console was so good.
DS was extremely good, but I think the New 3DS perfected the concept. Still, it had many unique games and I hope it's something Nintendo can revisit in the future.
PSP was a huge disappointment, but the game library was quite diverse. I don't have many games for it but what I do have covers quite a few genres. The worst thing was the battery. Any Nintendo handheld still has some charge in it even if you don't use it for months. PSP drained so quickly that it needed to be charged every time I wanted to use it. Total nightmare. I do remember docking stations being available for it, so maybe the intentiopn was to leave it docked so it was always available.
PS3 was an epic RPG console. Atelier, Final Fantasy, Neptunia, Tales, White Knight Chronicles. Poor efforts for Gran Turismo and it had YLOD which wasn't as bad as 360's RROD, but still annoying.
Wii is legendary. Wii Sports, Xenoblade, Zelda, Mario Kart, Mario Galaxy, superb for FPS games, Metroid Prime Trilogy and the Virtual Console was so good.
DS was extremely good, but I think the New 3DS perfected the concept. Still, it had many unique games and I hope it's something Nintendo can revisit in the future.
PSP was a huge disappointment, but the game library was quite diverse. I don't have many games for it but what I do have covers quite a few genres. The worst thing was the battery. Any Nintendo handheld still has some charge in it even if you don't use it for months. PSP drained so quickly that it needed to be charged every time I wanted to use it. Total nightmare. I do remember docking stations being available for it, so maybe the intentiopn was to leave it docked so it was always available.
Favourite era by far. So many platform choices, so many great games & experiences. The arrival of the PSP was everything I had wanted in a handheld. And it was a time when steam sales were actually worth checking out.
And best of all developmental cycles hadn't yet ballooned to the current ridiculous levels. It was a time when you knew a popular game would have a sequel ready in 2 to 3 years usually. I miss all that.
And best of all developmental cycles hadn't yet ballooned to the current ridiculous levels. It was a time when you knew a popular game would have a sequel ready in 2 to 3 years usually. I miss all that.
