Are there games that you tried but just couldn't get into because they feel outdated? Games that, in theory, you would enjoy, but don't because the controls, graphics, writing, or mechanics just don't feel good anymore. Games that, compared to today, just don't hold up to your standards.
I recently tried playing Heroes of Might and Magic III, and I realized that a lot of the invisible language used through game design from that era, I do not understand. There are many things that the game didn't explain, and I assume they were just understood by players. Not only that, but I imagine there was a lot of crossover between video games and board games back then, so maybe that language was used as well. I ended up downloading a manual and putting it on my second screen and I get it and played it, but it just wasn't for me.
I also dropped Mirror's Edge, but this time it was because of the graphics. It looks and feels great, but the graphics give me a headache. There is way too much bloom, and for some reason, there are some parts that look like the imaginary lens has been covered in Vaseline. This didn't bother me before, but my eyes are not used to it anymore.
There are also games like the first two Tony Hawk Pro Skater games that I can't fully get into because they're missing mechanics from the later games. The levels and controls feel great, but they don't feel complete without those mechanics. It keeps me from enjoying the games as much as the others.
Please share yours!
I posted on another comment about how HL2 just doesn't stand up anymore because it was a game that's at least 50% interesting because of the physics gimmicks, which we've seen thousands of times now, so I totally agree.
The more recent games iconic games that I don't think have been surpassed yet are Dark Souls and Factorio. They've both spawned whole new genres, but I still think they're the best examples of their genres.
Dark Souls combat has been done better since, but the total package I think is still better in that one. The world they created is nearly perfect, and no successor has even really attempted to recreate the experience of traveling through it.
Factorio copycats never try to do better than Factorio, just different. Satisfactory is cool, but being 3D significantly limits the factory building aspect, though it adds architecture design which is cool.
I'm sure there are others that I haven't thought of or we don't recognize yet.
I completely agree with Dark Souls! That was also the title I had in mind which did groundbreaking work and paved the way for so many games since.
Haven't played Factorio so maybe that's one I missed again lol.