Don't Go Down Memory Lane?

fieldsofclover writes "Gamers With Jobs is running a piece today about the darker side of gaming nostalgia. From the article: 'Here's an example. Konami's Castlevania had interesting monsters, catchy music, and a great gimmick: a guy with a whip. But if you went back and played it today, chances are you wouldn't bother playing past the second level. Why are the newest games in the series so drastically different from the original? The answer is because gamers demand more from their hobby now, and there's just not a lot of meat on those old bones. But when the fully 3D, story-driven sequel fails, they point at the original on its lofty pedestal and demand an experience that lives up to their memories. It's a double standard that's next to impossible to satisfy.' Are we shooting ourselves in the foot by staying obsessed with the old classics?"

Comments

Re:Developers not Consumers

[Valthan]

Yes, I agree, but Devs continue to make "throwback" games and sequels because that is what all gets bought mostly, nothing new ever goes anywhere anymore becasue the gaming demographic has aged and all you old fuckers hate change. Don't deny it old guys (and gals) you will just be lieing to us an yourselves. (And if you don't believe me, how many SF games have come out over the years? yes thats right, to fucking many)

Oh, please

[DoktorSeven]

"The answer is because gamers demand more from their hobby now, and there's just not a lot of meat on those old bones."

Bullshit. I play more old games than new, and not for their "nostalgia" value. They are great games. People who "demand more" are graphics whores who like to look at pretty graphics, and are not real gamers.

"But when the fully 3D, story-driven sequel fails"

Which is 99% of the time because not only are the new so-called "gamers" graphics whores, so are the developers. They spend 90% of development time making a game look 5% better than the last shiny, graphically overdone game, then throw in gameplay, control, story, and fun (or lack of same) as an afterthought.

By the way, 74% of the statistics in this post were made up. 87% of you probably already knew that.