The visuals have become excessive.
The visuals have become excessive.
I've been thinking about this as of late. Has graphics in games gone too far? Lemme esplain. I've been gaming since... Hell, since the C64. I think that was my first machine. Then DOS, then I was blown away when I got my windows PC. For a long while graphical leaps were freaking HUGE. We used to be so impressed with each generation. And then it died down kind of in the middle of the 360/ps3 era. From the last gen to the current gen there was a jump in graphical quality yet again, but it just doesn't feel impressive anymore. Maybe because as a PC gamer I was subjected to a slow and gradual change, so when the current consoles came out I already experienced that quality. But I think there's more to it. I don't feel like I'm playing games anymore. Scene transitions are too smooth. For example I've been playing resident evil 7 and there were times where I questioned if I had control. It feels a bit floaty. Compare that to RE4. It always had clear indication that it's a cutscene, all other times you had full control! And it's not just that game. AC origins too. I think it has to do with the animations and how they are stringed together. It makes it feek unresponsive, because the character is often acting without input. All because it looks better. But then again, Max Payne 3 would be an even bigger offender than RE7 and that's one of my absolute favorite games. (for the record, I really liked RE7 as fell, it just feels really strange to play games like this) I genuinely love oldschool games. Not just because of the nostalgia. I've played through old games that I never played back in the day. I love the PS1 era ugly graphics. They require immagination. And they let you know that you're playing a game. Maybe that's the problem, since I am accustomed to old graphics my brain doesn't recognize these new games as games? Am I crazy? Am I alone in this? I kind of don't want graphics to get any better. I want better stories and better gameplay!
Your perspective on why you dislike modern games is quite unique. Yet your fondness for retro titles and aversion to newer releases is quite typical. When I was younger, playing the PS1, we genuinely thought its graphics were lacking. I distinctly recall chatting with friends about how (Driver 2) didn’t look great and wished it had been redesigned. Now that I’m older, I understand it was mainly because of the technology constraints at the time. While I absolutely enjoy 2D games from the 8-16bit era, early 3D titles seem quite poor today—especially when viewed in their original 240p resolution without any modern enhancements. The consoles simply don’t have enough power to run high-quality 3D graphics properly. Still, it’s normal to prefer classic games over the latest ones. Today’s games are often hampered by increased development complexity, so the effort developers put into a title now really determines its visual progress.
Visuals should align with reality, enhancing your experience without distorting what you see. Upgrade your display settings to improve game quality beyond everyday perception.
I think you've misinterpreted my point. I actually enjoy modern titles, especially those from the PS4 era. Some of my favorites aren't old-school games like The Wizard 2 & 3 or Max Payne 3—those aren’t the ones bothering me. It’s the older consoles that feel less polished to me. I find it confusing when a scene blends characters, objects, and backgrounds together. While PS1 games can be dated, I really appreciate titles like Soul Reaver 1, Tomb Raider, and SW: Dark Forces 2. They’re some of my favorites.
Those who prefer classic gaming find plenty of amazing indie titles on Steam that recreate the charm of old-school games, some doing so exceptionally well. They need only shift their perspective and see past the mainstream releases.
The visuals seem to have reached a stage where game graphics match certain cutscenes in detail. This can be confusing, especially with your RE7 experience—sometimes it feels like you're in control, other times it shifts abruptly. Some players see it as frustrating because they stand still for long periods, while others appreciate the smooth transitions that avoid jarring cuts or outdated PS2-style visuals.
Some titles handle this by using letterboxing when player input is removed. Others turn off the HUD elements. I think these methods help clearly show whether the player has full control. It’s not about disliking modern games overall; rather, I notice a gap when the game doesn’t clearly define what actions are allowed. Sometimes it’s obvious from an object—whether it breaks or can be moved. Maybe I’m just misunderstanding. As an example, NieR: Automata is quite structured. Every element has its role, and the visuals support that structure. While my personal impression isn’t very high, it feels solid and familiar to me.
It seems developers are leaning toward a more realistic visual approach rather than graphics that go too far. To my view, games with realistic styles often look similar, which can make them feel dull and uninteresting. However, some titles balance realism with advanced graphics without these drawbacks. Monster Hunter World is a solid example of this trend.