As a lover of pixel art as a medium this plagues any game that doesn't look like it's trying to challenge Metal Slugs obscene level of detail and quality. If you're not aiming to eclipse the gods you're just doing it for nostalgia....no consideration for the low skill floor of pixel art, no consideration for the art style to exist as something to explore and love for its own merits no it MUST be because you're pandering to a time forgotten. Should such people have their way the exploration of the visual space of old games would never occur and the space would become even more dull as they lament that games are all boring now and the medium is dying....well, even more than they already do~
Fantastic little write up, looking forward to Angeline Era!
I played Anodyne in 2020, and absolutely loved it! I still listen to highlights from the soundtrack on my headphones while going for walks. What a great, emotionally affecting game.
You make great points...it would feel silly for someone to apply that kind of ageism to books or music.
I definitely feel the same on the element of friction. I've found the "cozy games" genre to be pretty dull because so much of the genre is fully set on making things as effortless and controlled for the player as possible. Even Animal Crossing, a series that was typically great at keeping things balanced with just enough friction, fell into this trap entirely with New Horizons.
But yeah, games don't age. I am a firm believer of that. Games do not change with time, only the perspective we have of them. If a game is tedious now, it was tedious for those same reasons when it released. If a game is fun now, it was fun for those same reasons when it released, etc.
This medium is a near-endless ocean to explore of experiences that can impact and resonate in countless different ways. People who look at the industry this way are merely denying themselves valuable experiences that they could have if they were simply willing to come out of their shell a little bit.
As a lover of pixel art as a medium this plagues any game that doesn't look like it's trying to challenge Metal Slugs obscene level of detail and quality. If you're not aiming to eclipse the gods you're just doing it for nostalgia....no consideration for the low skill floor of pixel art, no consideration for the art style to exist as something to explore and love for its own merits no it MUST be because you're pandering to a time forgotten. Should such people have their way the exploration of the visual space of old games would never occur and the space would become even more dull as they lament that games are all boring now and the medium is dying....well, even more than they already do~
Fantastic little write up, looking forward to Angeline Era!
As a huge fan of Anodyne and someone deeply engaged in studying the history of video games, this was such a wonderful read. Thank you!
I played Anodyne in 2020, and absolutely loved it! I still listen to highlights from the soundtrack on my headphones while going for walks. What a great, emotionally affecting game.
You make great points...it would feel silly for someone to apply that kind of ageism to books or music.
thank you for reading!!
I definitely feel the same on the element of friction. I've found the "cozy games" genre to be pretty dull because so much of the genre is fully set on making things as effortless and controlled for the player as possible. Even Animal Crossing, a series that was typically great at keeping things balanced with just enough friction, fell into this trap entirely with New Horizons.
But yeah, games don't age. I am a firm believer of that. Games do not change with time, only the perspective we have of them. If a game is tedious now, it was tedious for those same reasons when it released. If a game is fun now, it was fun for those same reasons when it released, etc.
This medium is a near-endless ocean to explore of experiences that can impact and resonate in countless different ways. People who look at the industry this way are merely denying themselves valuable experiences that they could have if they were simply willing to come out of their shell a little bit.