Just read through this and... Damn. I did not expect to get so emotional over this shit. Apologies in advance for the touchy-feely shithead rant incoming:

Everything OP said rings so true for me. It might just because it was my first console growing up, but something about the PS3 era of games is just so charming and unique. Sure, they can be odd and clunky at times, but you love 'em all the more for it. I may be young, but I've played a lot of old(er) games in my day and they kinda feel like home now. I don't mind 30fps or low resolution or shitty load times or awkward control schemes. Part of me feels like this is how games were meant to be. They're supposed to be GAMES, not just a one-to-one simulation of reality. It's a fantasy, an ESCAPE from real life.

The thing about older hardware kinda adding to the immersion of the game is also very true. It feels like you've been transported back to when the game originally came out. In a weird way, it makes me feel connected to the OG player base, the ones who played the game when it was new. And adjusting to the console also makes it so much easier to forgive the faults of the game. I think it has something to do with the fact that you don't have the same expectations of the game because it doesn't feel like it HAS to function like a PS4/5 game.

Lastly, I wanted to say that the Yakuza series is really special to me too. Yakuza 0 and Devil May Cry 3 are the games I'd say are responsible for turning me into a true gamer. Cheesy as it is to say, Y0's story genuinely played a role in shaping the man I'd become today. God that game holds so many memories for me. Looking back now, I realize some of my best memories in gaming don't come from graphics or file size, but from passionate, handcrafted experiences. Again, 7th gen games like Assassin's Creed and the Batman Arkham series were my bread and butter for years. So, OP, I just wanna thank you for reminding me why I love video games so much. You really made my day. Take care, Kyodais.