/vr/ - Retro Games

Our rationale for choosing the fifth-generation systems as a cut-off is not based on age, but instead on what we deem to be particular technical attributes of these consoles compared to the sixth-generation and subsequent consoles. Specifically, we believe that there is enough of a style difference between the fifth- and sixth-generation consoles in a way we do not believe exists to the same extent for the sixth- and seventh-generation consoles or beyond that there is a benefit to focusing on the former (and earlier).

The sixth generation was the first full generation of consoles where the use of bitmap-based 2D in games was purely for the purposes of style rather than technological expedience. The sixth generation also saw the rise of certain styles of games which still dictate the games we play today, including Halo, which presaged an era where first-person shooters would be designed with consoles as first-class citizens, changing from Quake-influenced twitch shooters to slower games with limited weapon carrying and also popularising the use of vehicles in FPS games beyond just replicating rail shooter mechanics; Grand Theft Auto III and its sequels, which crystallised the attributes of the open-world third-person action-adventure; The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, which saw the first signs of the series becoming a mainstream success, with a tighter scope over its sprawling predecessor, along with the start of what have become gargantuan series such as Call of Duty and Battlefield. There are precedents in other fields in maintaining strict characterisation based on style that does not progress simply because of age.