First, you'd actually need to have 1080p console games for the majority of people to make that comparison.
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I hated PS1 visuals
- Thread starter MercuryLS
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First, you'd actually need to have 1080p console games for the majority of people to make that comparison.
It's kind of silly to look back now and say "I didn't like the way that game looked". In hindsight, of course you don't - look what we play now compared to 1997. Nothing, on either the Nintendo 64 or Playstation looks incredible today (save a few 2D games and games that aren't fully 3D).
It's not like we had very many high polygon count games when the Playstation and Nintendo 64 were in their prime.
That's like saying "I didn't like black and white TV very much."
It's not like we had very many high polygon count games when the Playstation and Nintendo 64 were in their prime.
That's like saying "I didn't like black and white TV very much."
Flame Lord
Member
I never had a PS1, and had an N64 instead. I remember always wanting a PS1 and thinking that because it was so popular and used CD's that it must be better. Then I played it at a friends house and realized most of the games on it looked like shit.
Slamtastic
Member
So out of curiosity, what do you all who don't remember PS1 graphics fondly think of modern retro 3D/3D sprite type art?
Are your problems with PS1 graphics due to technical problems (draw distance, flickering, overall screen resolution, etc.) or simply the pixelation of the low res textures or the blockiness of the shapes of objects? Do you like/dislike Minecraft ('s graphics)?
Are your problems with PS1 graphics due to technical problems (draw distance, flickering, overall screen resolution, etc.) or simply the pixelation of the low res textures or the blockiness of the shapes of objects? Do you like/dislike Minecraft ('s graphics)?
Shadow Hog
Member
I must say, though, one thing I really like about the screenshots I'm seeing posted in this thread is how much more vibrant everything was back then compared to now (with some exceptions, like Mirror's Edge, Assassin's Creed 4 or virtually anything Nintendo).
I know that's all down to art direction, but still.
I know that's all down to art direction, but still.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
It was kind of an adolescent era; 3D was just coming into its own adolescence itself, and it showed not only in the graphics, but the scope.
What got me about that point in time was the 2D efforts were SCORCHINGLY good but were poohpoohed by so many in favor of the rather mundane early PS1 3D, (ie, not Gran Turismo 2, Chrono Cross, Vagrant Story). Next Generation were particularly bad about this.
What got me about that point in time was the 2D efforts were SCORCHINGLY good but were poohpoohed by so many in favor of the rather mundane early PS1 3D, (ie, not Gran Turismo 2, Chrono Cross, Vagrant Story). Next Generation were particularly bad about this.
i stitched this together from an emulator memory dump when i was bored one night
drool
I wish Saga Frontier 2 wasn't absolutely incomprehensible to play.
93xfan
Banned
When up close, I agree. Those faces still haunt me.
This is one of the few ps1 games that I still don't mind today.
I enjoyed the 32-bit era. I definitely preferred the PSX/Saturn approach to the N64 approach, if only because they could actually display somewhat detailed textures. Texture filtering was nice and all but only if you have something to filter in the first place.
I was just playing some N64 yesterday and tried a bit of Top Gear Rally. Man does this game look like ass today. Youtube compression hides just how blurry and plain the textures really are, it looks decent in this video. You can see the foundation from which modern 3D games came, with the perspective correction, good draw distance and texture filtering. Saturn/PSX look like a whole other deal in comparison.
N64: Top Gear Rally
PSX: Gran Turismo 2
Saturn: Sega Rally Championship
I was just playing some N64 yesterday and tried a bit of Top Gear Rally. Man does this game look like ass today. Youtube compression hides just how blurry and plain the textures really are, it looks decent in this video. You can see the foundation from which modern 3D games came, with the perspective correction, good draw distance and texture filtering. Saturn/PSX look like a whole other deal in comparison.
N64: Top Gear Rally
PSX: Gran Turismo 2
Saturn: Sega Rally Championship
It was a pick your poison scenario back then, with each system having its own strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I definitely preferred the look of N64 games as all the texture warping on the PSX drove me crazy. Funny thing is, the simpler looking games from that era (like Mario 64) ended up aging the best.
PS1 won
That looks like it's probably not running on original hardware in that shot, but the quote was too good to pass up.
There was something charming about the graphics in the PS1 Harry Potter games though. Even with the terrible character models.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmuEwe2IivE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o8Fxnu2NHE
jeremy1456
Junior Member
Pre-rendered backgrounds saved so many PS1 games and titles that used them have aged significantly better than purely 3D titles on the system.
Man I remember playing Twisted Metal on a kiosk and not even realizing the game was on next generation hardware because it was ugly.
I was never particularly blown away by purely 3D graphics on the system, ever. Crash Team Racing has that weird problem, where the polygons feel like they're always moving weirdly in motion. The environments sometimes look like they're bending slightly.
The other Crash bandicoot games have this problem too. It's hard to explain but the environments are bending.
I haven't experienced is issue in any n64 title.
Man I remember playing Twisted Metal on a kiosk and not even realizing the game was on next generation hardware because it was ugly.
I was never particularly blown away by purely 3D graphics on the system, ever. Crash Team Racing has that weird problem, where the polygons feel like they're always moving weirdly in motion. The environments sometimes look like they're bending slightly.
The other Crash bandicoot games have this problem too. It's hard to explain but the environments are bending.
I haven't experienced is issue in any n64 title.
Fortunately, unlike N64, there are a respectable number of 2D games (same with Saturn). These are the games that have held up over the years.
There are certain titles which still managed to appear somewhat nice even in 3D, however.
Tobal 2 springs to mind with its higher resolution and use of gourad shaded rather than fully textured characters.
True. I always loved the look and smooth action in the Tobal games.
Otherwise, it's mostly true that 3D polygonal PS1 visuals were never very good, even when the PS1 was "current gen". Wasn't that great even when it was "next gen" (before it released). Just kind of ugly.
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
FFIX still looks beautiful.
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
I hated it too
Hey, at least FF7 used PS1's technical deficiencies to add some charm.
FF8's style looked worse IMO.
Muffdraul
Member
Fortunately, unlike N64, there are a respectable number of 2D games (same with Saturn). These are the games that have held up over the years.
There are certain titles which still managed to appear somewhat nice even in 3D, however.
Tobal 2 springs to mind with its higher resolution and use of gourad shaded rather than fully textured characters.
I don't think many people are aware that PSX had an actual High Definition mode, and that the Tobal games ran in it. Off the top of my head, the only other game I can think of that used the HD mode was Chrono Cross, but that was only in the character status screen. Maybe Crash Bandicoot 1? I remember being amazed that his character model was so smooth and didn't have visible joints.
thehunter01
Banned
Same for me i had a n64 at the time, my friend had a ps1. And i just couldn't get used to the absolute terrible visuals.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Yup, I love how PS1 and N64 games look. With all of their imperfections.
semiconscious
Member
...PS1 graphics are nothing like games like Minecraft.
The only thing of note is that Minecraft has not (at least before a recent update) had texture filtering, everything else is fine (unlike the PS1, which can not map textures correctly and does not handle polygons on a sub pixel level).
HoodWinked
Member
i love the emulator shots, its basically the "this is how i think i imagined these games looked"
LOL.
gran turismo 1/2 to me looked fugly at the time and looks even worse now.
the best looking racing game was R4 even the menus had a beautiful minimalistic look, got that smooth jams soundtrack it was a near perfect game but buried in the pages of history now :/
LOL.
gran turismo 1/2 to me looked fugly at the time and looks even worse now.
the best looking racing game was R4 even the menus had a beautiful minimalistic look, got that smooth jams soundtrack it was a near perfect game but buried in the pages of history now :/
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
I agree with what you're saying in principle, but I found Silent Hill to be a terribly ugly mess, and not in a good way. Given my limited first-hand experience with PS1 games, Silent Hill was the first game I thought of when reading the OP.
bengraven
Member
Mind blowing visuals.
My two least favorite things in gaming graphics are pixelated textures and jaggies.
This screen confirms why of all generations, PSone was my absolute least favorite graphically. It's the only one that doesn't even have charm (unless we're talking about the retro REMADE graphics like someone mentioned earlier,) to look back on.
It was just a shit looking stepping stone from beautiful sprites (SNES) to sexy polys (PS2/Xbox/GC).
Weltall Zero
Member
Fortunately, unlike N64, there are a respectable number of 2D games (same with Saturn). These are the games that have held up over the years.
There are certain titles which still managed to appear somewhat nice even in 3D, however.
Tobal 2 springs to mind with its higher resolution and use of gourad shaded rather than fully textured characters.
You have very good taste, sir. Tobal 1 and 2 looked amazing for the time, and made me wonder why more games didn't eschew pixelated textures for god-tier shading and resolution. They were also pretty revolutionary and it just sucks that there hasn't been anything like their dungeon modes ever since (each of which, in turn, was very different from the other). Some of the most unique experiences on the PSX for sure.
Incitemaybe
Member
I agree with you OP, most ps1 graphics were ugly to me at the time and certainly are today.
N64 (arguably) crushed it, PC crushed PS1, N64, and SS in a way that makes current high end PCs compared to last gen consoles look like the same damn thing, and a few of the very best looking games can arguably spoil everything for the rest of the generation (Virtua Fighter was as I recall high resolution and 60 FPS, something most PS1 games simply weren't... and neither were most Saturn or N64 games.)
There is a charm for it to me admittedly, though usually from Japanese games, but that was really just a painful period for 3D on consoles even within that period, and even PC doesn't really hold up too well either. It's why it's disappointing we saw 2D drop off the way it did, because even on the PS1 that could look crazy good.
velociraptor
Junior Member
Even though the PS1 was considered to be fairly 'cutting edge', it still looked ugly to my 8/9/10 year old eyes.
Metal Gear Solid looked quite good though, and it holds up well for such an old game.
Crash Bandicoot is another game that looked alright. Crash Bash was good. FIFA 99 was alright.
I also liked Colin McRae Rally and Gran Turismo (although this looked kinda ugly, but better than everything else). GT2 was a massive improvement.
Metal Gear Solid looked quite good though, and it holds up well for such an old game.
Crash Bandicoot is another game that looked alright. Crash Bash was good. FIFA 99 was alright.
I also liked Colin McRae Rally and Gran Turismo (although this looked kinda ugly, but better than everything else). GT2 was a massive improvement.
. . . It is. Put it on and press the shoulder buttons, you're rotating your viewpoint, and certainly not in a way that would've worked well in full 2D at that period in time (and isn't really practical to go for when 3D does the trick.)
Incidentally because of its simplicity it looks as good as it does, or so I thought. Usually the worst looking games were the ones that overshot what the PS1 was really capable of doing justice to, yet couldn't actually scale to higher resolutions well.
It could hold up FINE with the N64. Yep it was pixelated but it was not filtered to death.
Games like MGS, GT2, FF9 and so on looked great as hell and N64's lineup was so limited it didn't even have equivalent games to compare in many situations, so what's even the point... (I was a Nindork at that time BTW)
Games like MGS, GT2, FF9 and so on looked great as hell and N64's lineup was so limited it didn't even have equivalent games to compare in many situations, so what's even the point... (I was a Nindork at that time BTW)
Didn't console manufacturers actively push for 3D adoption?PS1 could do great 2D games. I was really dissappointed that so many companies felt compelled to jump into 3D
velociraptor
Junior Member
It was a strange era... We were playing games in 3D, but knew deep down that what we were playing was ugly.
Many of us were already playing games in 64 bit... N64 games were easier on the eyes, for sure... and many of us probably compared the two without realizing it.
But, you know, CD had to win out.
dude n64 games look ugly as shit.