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I miss being blown away
- Thread starter Alan Wake
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geary
Member
Get a hooker...
chromatic9
Member
Hifi Rush comes close in terms of the work involved and the art work quality, not so much the graphics on a technical level or the demands of a GPU. It's a great achievement by those that created it.
Team Andromeda
Member
Well said there are a few amazing looking games out there on the consoles that do blows one mind. I think there are 2 issues they're just not regular enough and you also need a pretty good TV to see the benefits the current consoles bring. I still have my Xbox One and PS4 and it is painful to go back and play on those systems now the lack of full VRR is telling the screen res is socking and the load times a killer.
LimanimaPT
Member
It's harder to improve on what is already incredible looking.
The Shepard
Member
The last time I was blown away was seeing junon for the first time in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and then walking under it. The time before that was the boss battles in FF16.
I was blown away by Quest 3 automatically mapping my living room in passthrough, and then an alien spaceship landing on the sofa, and being able to walk around it and look at it from different angles...
Richie's Plank Experience, while being quite basic graphically, causing total high anxiety nevertheless
Richie's Plank Experience, while being quite basic graphically, causing total high anxiety nevertheless
JimmyRustler
Gold Member
Won’t happen any more. Last time I was blown away wasn’t even from the game itself but from the TV. Seeing Horizon on an OLED screen with HDR was awesome and closes to the amazement I felt during my childhood.
Games just look too good now.
Games just look too good now.
Schmendrick
Member
Techwise: The first UE5 Demo and the Matrix UE5 demo.
In an actual game: CP2077 DLC in overdrive mode. Definitely the highest highs any game can currently produce, visually.
In an actual game: CP2077 DLC in overdrive mode. Definitely the highest highs any game can currently produce, visually.
crackajack
Member
The big steps don't happen anymore, they just can't. Even VR is not really that much of an actual revolution for me as Mario64 was, since 99% of these games could easily be flat as well, especially if you have at least some imagination. Mirrors Edge already happened. Supreme Commander already happened. No Mans Sky happened if you are into pure filler/ boring af exploration games, which is anyway just an evolution of other procedural vast nothingness games.
The last games that felt somewhat impressive to me where Spiderman (1, PS4 version), Stray, both Plague Tale games and most recently F1 2023.
All of these are still cross gen titles, but all nailed their style and felt more impressive than the few actual next/current gen only games, while maybe technically not pushing the same advanced features and details.
Therefore I also strongly believe that devs should dial down on next gen stuff, since it anyway is practically a waste of ressources, and should continue with PS4 level of graphics, just optimise the tools and workflows for that and certainly not extend the dev times several years without anyone really caring and noticing much.
The last games that felt somewhat impressive to me where Spiderman (1, PS4 version), Stray, both Plague Tale games and most recently F1 2023.
All of these are still cross gen titles, but all nailed their style and felt more impressive than the few actual next/current gen only games, while maybe technically not pushing the same advanced features and details.
Therefore I also strongly believe that devs should dial down on next gen stuff, since it anyway is practically a waste of ressources, and should continue with PS4 level of graphics, just optimise the tools and workflows for that and certainly not extend the dev times several years without anyone really caring and noticing much.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
Nah, so far a better gen than PS3 and PS4.
Still a ways off PS1/PS2 but think it will easily become by 3rd fav gen for PS. Who knows maybe higher.
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dragonyeuw
Member
Last time I was blown away? Probably playing the Astrobot demo on the OG PSVR. I remember thinking 'man, imagine if you got a Super Mario game like this', that was definitely a 'Mario 64' moment. And I recall being wowed by BOTWs beginning when Link leaves the cave and looks across the unexplored wilderness.
Ah first time seeing Halo on Xbox. Man what an experience. Went to a buddy who had Xbox, the intro, the music, the GFX, riding Warthog with yo buddy. What a beautiful memory.
Games that blew me away:
- Halo (reason above)
- MGS (for ps1 to see such a story driven game with excellent graphics was astonishing imo)
- MGS2 (MGS raised the bar but man MGS2 was a masterpiece in every aspect).
- AC4 on PS4 (in "Full HD", I honestly thought GFX ain't gonna get better than this)
- Killzone 2 (looked simply amazing and animations superb)
- Division/Wildlands/any Ubi game when I first switched to PC gaming with Ultra setting (felt like I was playing games in the far future)
- Cyberpunk (on PC obviously, holy moly what an experience)
Games that blew me away:
- Halo (reason above)
- MGS (for ps1 to see such a story driven game with excellent graphics was astonishing imo)
- MGS2 (MGS raised the bar but man MGS2 was a masterpiece in every aspect).
- AC4 on PS4 (in "Full HD", I honestly thought GFX ain't gonna get better than this)
- Killzone 2 (looked simply amazing and animations superb)
- Division/Wildlands/any Ubi game when I first switched to PC gaming with Ultra setting (felt like I was playing games in the far future)
- Cyberpunk (on PC obviously, holy moly what an experience)
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
Yeah, but it’s still Elden Ring.When you discover Siofra River for first time in Elden Ring.
The gif conveniently cuts the next second, when the character is killed by an arrow shot from a couple miles away while the player was sightseeing. That blows, all right.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
I also miss being blown.
Laptop1991
Member
Yep, Skyrim was the last time a new game blew me away on release over 12 years ago, i agree with the OP
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TintoConCasera
I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Last time was probably when I played Half-Life: Alyx on a Valve Index. Shit was so cool I spent an hour in the first part of the game just messing around with the environment.
Before that... I dunno, Rogue Leader looked amazing on the GC when it came out and felt like an immense jump from the N64, but after that I can't say I've been really blown out by graphics. Diminishing returns an all that I guess.
Ratchet rift apart is insane looking.
Horizon as well. The games are here.
I remember division 1 shadows of enemies that were projected to a wall and warped and it was insanely immersive in a Tunnel.
God of war 2018 dropped my jaw in the first fight against Baldur.
So ... yeah i still get those Feelings. Did grow up With a snes and played secret of mana and thought that looks incredible ( it still does )
Horizon as well. The games are here.
I remember division 1 shadows of enemies that were projected to a wall and warped and it was insanely immersive in a Tunnel.
God of war 2018 dropped my jaw in the first fight against Baldur.
So ... yeah i still get those Feelings. Did grow up With a snes and played secret of mana and thought that looks incredible ( it still does )
Mahavastu
Member
I am currently playing Cyberpunk 2077 and I am impressed quite often. I know, it had a very rough start (I did not play it before the 2.x versions) but now on the PS5 in performance mode it is a really good game with impressive graphics.
Thinking of it having intense ray tracing and better upscaling (the low internal res causes flickering here and there) would make it even better.
When I was young, the game which impressed me most was Turrican on the Commodore64. The C64 had a not that great 1Mhz processor and a very simple graphic chip, and in this game was a scene with like 5 layer parallax scrolling in butter smooth 50fps (PAL). That was quite something back in the day...
Thinking of it having intense ray tracing and better upscaling (the low internal res causes flickering here and there) would make it even better.
When I was young, the game which impressed me most was Turrican on the Commodore64. The C64 had a not that great 1Mhz processor and a very simple graphic chip, and in this game was a scene with like 5 layer parallax scrolling in butter smooth 50fps (PAL). That was quite something back in the day...
kyussman
Member
Yea,it doesn't really happen anymore with modern games......I will say Death Stranding did it for me though.....the incredible landscapes and the way gameplay was incorporated into them felt like something new and exciting.The days of me being blown away by graphics are well and truly over though,give me interesting gameplay mechanics instead.
Polygonal_Sprite
Member
We just have to accept that huge visuals leaps will no longer happen again unless there’s a huge shift in how games are made which if it happens will be A.I. based with the visuals being streamed from cloud computing.
I used to be obsessed with visuals but after being burnt out on gaming for a few months recently I bought myself an N64 with 10 games. I played, enjoyed and finished Mario 64, Rogue Squadron, Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye and Ocarina of Time and honestly haven’t had that much fun with gaming for years. It’s then you realise it really is all about gameplay and level design.
Those games run at 240p/15-20fps but they straight up murder most of todays bloated AAA games because they spend more development time and budget on visual fidelity, cut scenes and voice acting rather than asking “is the game actually fun” when it’s stripped back to base polygons, level design and controls.
I used to be obsessed with visuals but after being burnt out on gaming for a few months recently I bought myself an N64 with 10 games. I played, enjoyed and finished Mario 64, Rogue Squadron, Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye and Ocarina of Time and honestly haven’t had that much fun with gaming for years. It’s then you realise it really is all about gameplay and level design.
Those games run at 240p/15-20fps but they straight up murder most of todays bloated AAA games because they spend more development time and budget on visual fidelity, cut scenes and voice acting rather than asking “is the game actually fun” when it’s stripped back to base polygons, level design and controls.
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makaveli60
Member
I feel you, but recently Cyberpunk is providing me this feeling, and I thought I will never have it again.It all started with me being blown away by a game. When I started playing console games in the early nineties the Mega Drive/Genesis and the SNES were pushing the limits with more and more impressive games. I remember thinking that nothing could possibly be more beautiful than Sonic 3 & Knuckles. After that, generation by generation, there were always games that blew me away. Often by how they looked, obviously.
I will never forget the first time I played Sonic Adventure. Or Halo. Yes, I was younger but I don't think that mattered much. These experiences stick with me to this day. These were launch games that made the old consoles look obsolete right there and then. We've had impressive games since, but for every generation they're fewer and fewer. Especially at launch. PS4 had some impressive looking games (TLOU2, The Order: 1886, Detroit: Become Human) but apart from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart I haven't seen anything that impresses me on my PS5.
I know we're probably not going to see these huge technical and graphical leaps again, and I also understand that looks is not everything. I enjoy small indie games as much as AAA titles, often even more. But I sorely miss that feeling of being floored by a game on a new console. That moment when I look at the console in disbelief wondering how the hell it is capable of that.
Do you guys remember the last time you were floored by how a game looked? Do you still get that feeling now and then or is it a thing of the past?
God damn.
King Dazzar
Member
The real special gems for me are always few and far between. But I still play some stuff going, this is amazing. Which is cool, as I've been gaming since the 80's.
For me, whilst I was recently wowed by the last of part II remastered in 4k with VRR. More major things have kept gaming exciting in recent years. Firstly the move from SDR to HDR back in 2017 for me. And then more recently getting an 85" 3k nit TV. And secondly, adaptive triggers and haptics. Still love my gaming.
For me, whilst I was recently wowed by the last of part II remastered in 4k with VRR. More major things have kept gaming exciting in recent years. Firstly the move from SDR to HDR back in 2017 for me. And then more recently getting an 85" 3k nit TV. And secondly, adaptive triggers and haptics. Still love my gaming.
phant0m
Member
Came to post this.
Get a Quest 3 OP. There’s a ton of experiences that will knock your socks off. Alyx is a great example, as is Asgard’s Wrath 2, all the Star Wars games, and a lot of the AR stuff.
King Dazzar
Member
Very, very special game. Funny enough though, on release I was totally turned off by it. Getting to Riverwood for the first time and having a cow drop from the sky. I was like, what the hell is this janky shit. Of course I then grew to love it as the years went by and its now one of my all time favourites. Even if it is still a flawed diamond.
Borowski_1
Member
I'm with you, OP
Things these days all look and feel the same as 5 years ago.
Things these days all look and feel the same as 5 years ago.
Laptop1991
Member
Getting out of the cave and just going to Riverwood wowed me i played on PC, my game wasn't janky fortunately. Yeah it's been too long for a new TES, but i haven't forgotten the 1st time i played it, still a great gameVery, very special game. Funny enough though, on release I was totally turned off by it. Getting to Riverwood for the first time and having a cow drop from the sky. I was like, what the hell is this janky shit. Of course I then grew to love it as the years went by and its now one of my all time favourites. Even if it is still a flawed diamond.
Punished Miku
Gold Member
Last one that got me was Starfield. Couldn't put it down for 500 hours. The scope and quality of the art design and OST just sucked me in completely. Felt like I lived in the world. Took dozens of pictures while playing like I was a tourist.
www.neogaf.com
Had a similar feeling with Breath of the Wild. There's more I could think of if I put some effort in to it.
Hubble Tele-Noscope - Starfield photomode OT
Another starfield thread, but one where we can share photos of our adventure so far.
Had a similar feeling with Breath of the Wild. There's more I could think of if I put some effort in to it.
Guilty_AI
Member
I can somewhat understand the feeling. I feel more joy in picking up a random cool wad i found out online than watching the GTA 6 trailer.
MonkeyClaw36
Member
I get blown away every 2 seconds in Helldivers. Due to carpetbombs mind you......
Oh and Robocop blew me away visually. Its THAT good.
Oh and Robocop blew me away visually. Its THAT good.
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Regginator
Member
One of the most visually stunning games of all time with an immensely detailed world and memorable characters, but an unbelievably dull chore to actually play. The great things it does are almost vaporized by the trademark dated ass Rockstar gameplay and mission progression it's riddled with.Many people feel blown away and say that nothing out there compares to it.
Sometimes I half-jokily call it a Western GTA 3 on steroids, because Rockstar has done so very little growing from those times aside from just making their games bigger and prettier looking. I really dislike saying this or that game is overrated because experiences are subjective and all that, but from a gameplay point of view RDR2 truly is one of those games.
Holammer
Member
I'm regularly blown away even by 2D games. Shredder's Revenge & Souldiers for example have better pixel art than most games from the 90's and Elden Ring's flexing its HDR especially in the underground bits. The shader work in Nintendo's games is amazing, Splatoon games, Luigi's Mansion 3, Animal Crossing and recently Kirby's Forgotten Land blow me away because they do it on such humble hardware.
Maybe OP should stop and smell the roses.
From Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion, some of the background elements in places have Nintendo hardware and Splatoon themed parody games for them. I had to stop and gawk at them every time.
Maybe OP should stop and smell the roses.
From Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion, some of the background elements in places have Nintendo hardware and Splatoon themed parody games for them. I had to stop and gawk at them every time.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Playing VR might do it for you. It’s the only fresh experience I’ve had the last several years that’s blown me away.
Otherwise gaming is really just the same old thing over and over.
Otherwise gaming is really just the same old thing over and over.
Guilty_AI
Member
Rather than doing little, they went backwards in some senses. Their missions are more linear and scripted than they were back then, and honestly i find no joy in exploring the maps anymore because there's little incentive to do so.
ByWatterson
Member
This is a bit like complaining that getting on a jetliner, which is an engineering miracle, is kinda boring and you miss the heady days of 1903 Kitty Hawk, hanging out with Wilbur and Orville.