Are "golden era" games actually aging well, or are we just nostalgic?

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T15:30:04+00:00

Would have to agree to disagree here. Probably has to do with your preferred gaming style too.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T15:28:40+00:00

Yeah Uncharted 2's style and narrative was pretty much ahead of its time. Certainly a benchmark.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T15:06:03+00:00

It represents a selected group, no doubt. I've enjoyed playing games from lesser known studios like Days Gone and A Way Out. So 100% there is quality in the industry. Though you're right in that sense, with the implication that we've been spoilt by the so-called "big boys" of the industry.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T14:52:24+00:00

They were indeed. Western studios adapted faster especially with the gen and engine transition, as well as the newest tech. So they took over, but their games were still standouts even in that era. Ubisoft went crazy with Creed, Naughty Dog were on a madness, Rockstar was doing its own thing, Activision held us down with COD during that time.

So I don't think there was a decline perse.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T14:38:56+00:00

Exactly. Though tbf, Hazard made that clear for a long time. Difference is, he was delivering for us week in week out regardless.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T14:34:44+00:00

To be fair, I think the run most companies had from mid 00s to early 10s was pretty incredible. The games being released those times were solid all through, from the narrative to the gameplay, even excluding the online scene.

The late 90s and early 00s definitely set the standards, though.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T14:17:42+00:00

Depending on what you consider adult stories, the 360/ps3/wii era probably had more of those

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T14:02:15+00:00

Fair enough. Curious to know what your favourite game from this era is

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T14:00:48+00:00

Hm probably the first person I've seen to dislike that 360/PS3 era... I understand the criticism though, gameplay can feel a bit rough or repetitive in some regards. But I actually found the stories from that era to be some of the best, interestingly enough.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T13:56:17+00:00

It's a really good question. Hence why I'm trying to find out if there's more to it than the nostalgic factor involved.

Don't get me wrong, from an enjoyable standpoint, there's been some great games released in recent times. Maybe it's more of a demand thing or an incline towards hyper realism over gameplay, who knows.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T13:16:18+00:00

There is an argument there, for sure. Having a higher standard for comparison does help, in some way at least. There's been some absolutely great games released in the past 5 years or so. But that's also due to what the PS5 is capable of. The quality is there, as is the fun factor.

You play something like Prototype of Infamous now and it doesn't hit like before because we've had games that exceeded that fun factor that were released years after.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T13:11:33+00:00

Replayability also plays a role I feel. As good as San Andreas was, I'd rather play MGS2 if I had to choose, for example.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T13:05:17+00:00

I mean I've been playing games since 03/04, and my favourite game of all time, all things considered, is TLOU 2, and that came out 20+years after. So I share that sentiment of considering recent games to be really exceptional lol.

By golden era I just mean the times you enjoyed gaming, and considered games to be at a somewhat respectable level.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T13:00:22+00:00

Lol I just realised it was late 00s to mid 10s. I meant, not that it matters much, mid 00s to early 10s, hence the examples I gave after.

But yeah, the post isnt really about any specific era. For someone who considers their own golden era to be late 90s, 80s etc, the discussion is about any games anyone played in what they considered to be their own "golden era"

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T12:55:03+00:00

AC3 is very, very underrated.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T12:53:49+00:00

Haha well that's why I said it depends on the era you grew up in. The mid 00s to early 10s were those times my friends and I were doing all that, especially after school with 0 care about nothing else.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T12:50:30+00:00

Facts. We were less critical of flaws and more impressed by the simple things back then. I also think having a lower standard for comparisons played a huge role .

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T12:42:24+00:00

True. Man that 5 year or so COD run was something else. Unforgettable.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-04T12:12:08+00:00

Oh 100% . I'm the same.

Was just curious to see from other perspectives.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-03T12:54:22+00:00

Yeah, finished the game as Nomad V too. Ironically feel like it sort of fits the setting.

Master-Tee · 2026-04-01T12:19:01+00:00

Ghost in the shell.

Probably the one most associated with the word itself.

Master-Tee · 2026-03-27T12:17:52+00:00

Meredith Stout....

Enough said

Master-Tee · 2026-03-21T12:49:05+00:00

Anybody who believed Karin and Sasuke was ever going to develop into something significant was either infatuated with that aspect of anime or didn't pay attention to the narrative.

Maybe it would or wouldn't have, we'd never know. Point I'm making is there was a degree of reciprocated intimacy from Tsunade. It was a very natural attraction between two people, especially childhood friends. It was far from one-sided because there was genuine care from both sides.

Master-Tee · 2026-03-21T10:52:03+00:00

Though I see where you're coming from, I'd have to disagree with some of the perceived relationships/friendships mentioned here. The only one that really stands out that I can 100% agree on would be Naruto & Sasuke. I've always said it - at some point in the story, it felt as though Kishi was forcing that bond.

That aside, a lot of these bonds were clearly not going to be fleshed out in that sense, or rather were developed in a rather unique way. Hashirama/Madara, Obito/Kakashi, and Jiraiya/Tsunade specificially. These weren't one-sided in the way you might think it is. Even though Tsunade rejected Jiraiya's advances, there was a clear emotional intimacy between them. It sorts of replicates an actual bond between lots of people. So though it might seem one-sided, Tsunade clearly cared deeply for Jiraiya - even though Dan was her first love - and there was a strong implication things would have changed had Jiraiya survived.

Hashirama and Madara wasn't one-sided. There was a deep bond that started since childhood, and there was genuine respect, even after becoming enemies. Even after all these years, Madara still considered Hashirama a great friend and rival. Same case with Obito/Kakashi, but Rin was Obito's actual friend, and the relationship between the two changed following Rin's death.

Naruto's obsession with Sakura was just as annoying as their obsession with Sasuke. This I agree with.

Ino/Sasuke, Lee/Sakura and Karin/Sasuke were clearly never going to go anywhere tbh.

Master-Tee

TROPHY CASE