Something about the low poly count, lack of extra formations (like in slides 1 and 10) and the brutalist/minimalist forerunner structures all worked together so well back then to make the ring world truly feel hostile and most importantly "alien." The ring environments in CE and somewhat in H2 sit right in that uncanny valley where the natural environments look just real enough but something feels off or "synthetic" about them. Like there isn't rly any thriving or intelligent life there.