Why "Bad Graphics" Make You Feel Good...

Explaining why low poly graphics are the perfect nostalgic tool to make us feel good. In this video I explain why these graphics from the 1990's and early 2000's have aged into an aesthetic people love today.
00:00 Intro
01:44 What does low poly mean?
04:19 Aesthetics culture
06:21 Retro low poly games
08:12 PSX
10:54 Sega Blue Sky
14:44 How nostalgia works
17:04 Closing statements
#aesthetic #aesthetics #retrogaming #retrogamer #retro #videogames #gaming #oldgames #classicgames #nostalgia #90sgaming #2000sgaming #pixelart #pixelgraphics #sprites #lowpoly #retroaesthetic #retrogfx #gameart #ps1graphics #n64graphics #vintagegaming #90s #1990s #y2k #2000s #playstation #ps1 #nintendo #n64 #supernintendo #snes #sega #genesis #dreamcast #mario #zelda #sonic #finalfantasy #crashbandicoot #spyro #blocky #polygonparty #gamingstruggles #thosewerethedays #gamedesign #simplertimes #cantunsee #metroid #donkeykong #megaman #castlevania #tekken #streetfighter #mortalkombat #pokemon #goldeneye007 #banjokazooie #residentEvil #silentHill #metalgearsolid #tombrider #tonyhawk #grandtheftauto #halflife #diablo #starcraft #warcraft #ageofempires #simcity #rollercoastertycoon #thesims #myst #commandandconquer #heroesofmightandmagic

[@theDragoon007yaboiCJ]

youtube keeps recommending me bangers from small channels. Keep the work up.

[@jasonblalock4429]

Yeah, I've noticed that too. At least the algorithm's doing *something* right.

[@Dansplaining]

ayyyy thank you

[@alface935]

​@@Dansplaining You are welcome keep the good work :)

[@boahancock3461]

Same here bruh and I'm loving this.

[@attilamarics3374]

@@jasonblalock4429 I did a house cleaning and mass "do not recommend this channel"d every woke channel, so the algorithm is struggeling.

[@kalasatwater2224]

Low graphics games are more fun, developers nowadays are so fixated with good graphics that they forget the fun aspect

[@RESZKKZSEE]

this is the stupidest thing i have ever read today ​@@Wanderlauch

[@Wanderlauch]

@@RESZKKZSEE not my problem. So you're saying playing a horror game is "fun"?

[@RESZKKZSEE]

@@Wanderlauch Duh, otherwise how else will it be a horror game to begin with? It's there for suspense, not a generic simulator

[@kickassets6414]

Bingo. They were more innovative cause they had to b because of limitations aside from uncharted 3d format at the time

[@rockit2475]

@@Wanderlauchwhat the hell does this mean lmao??? Why would you play a game if you aren’t having any fun

[@JHAN1212]

I swear it's more than just nostalgia. For the past few months I've been only playing old games that I never played as a kid, and I find myself getting sucked into them way easier than modern games despite not having any nostalgic memories attached to them.

[@darkreaper4990]

Interesting insight. Thanks for sharing it. I was stuck on "it's just nostalgia" mindset until I saw your comment.

[@TheBeggies95]

Same. Especially Skies of Arcadia! Definitely Skies of Arcadia

[@xTheReapersSpawn]

Clarity and whimsical feel are not nostalgia, so you're right.

[@lug358]

Its because the game industry nowadays is a scam. Broken games, unspiring games, totally greedy but lacking in fun...of course there are still some good contemporary games like Zelda TOTK broke nintendo's sales once again, but the saying is real: lacking resources exploded imagination and ingenuity. Now everyone is trying to be the next triple A game, having 800+h of gameplay that are filled with air... its good that we give these retro games the apreciation they deserve.

[@hornsteinhof7592]

Absolutely. Those games were made to excell in fun! You gotta make the best possible game for players back then, and players could feel it. Nowadays you'll make the best possible game for share holders. The main question is how much you can hollow out a game to still make it look like the real thing, while really being a dlc and skin shop with some poorly implemented and loosely connected gameplay or story elements. And players feel it as well. I started gaming when Epic was known for a game called Jill of the Jungle and not Fortnite (although Fortnite is a bad excample, it offers decent gameplay for a modern title).

[@moister3727]

For me low poly games are easy on the eyes and mind. I can see everything with ease while moving and every object/actor is more distinguichable from the scenery

[@ringoraqueta9403]

Can see everything with ease if you use bullet-time!

[@moister3727]

@@ringoraqueta9403 I can shoot easily, yes. Exactly

[@demdelthepoet8885]

Sometimes for me, these newer games are hard on my eyes as there is so much so focus on.

[@Rasudo2]

Shemnue is incredibly high poly for a 90's game

[@bugothecatplays7864]

I wouldn't even call it low poly aesthetics, the character faces are so smooth. It would still be past era polygon aesthetics but low poly not sure. I am more on the PS1 N64 being low poly.

[@Rasudo2]

​@bugothecatplays7864 Shemnue has 10,000 poly npcs and 4k poly characters. Sure, it may lack tris in the props or other things (tying it all together with good art and topology), but Shemnue literally is literally bringing the Sega Dreamcast to its knees.

[@SammEater]

Indeed, Shenmue's models are way more expressive and detailed compared to... well everything else from that era.

[@litjellyfish]

@@bugothecatplays7864yes for me the Saturn and PS1 N64 is low poly. Then Dreamcast PS2 GameCube Xbox go then up to mid poly. And from PS3 forward it’s just (high) poly > more and more detailed

[@djvoid1]

Your brain likes to work. Your imagination fills in the gaps and it's satisfying to do so

[@Dansplaining]

fully agree

[@djvoid1]

@@Dansplaining Much like reading a book I suppose

[@LCTesla]

I mean its half this and half the fact that its nice for the eyes to not need to process so much detail...

[@Vingul]

Precisely. Hyrule in Ocarina of Time feels more like a "real" place to me than any recent game. It has atmosphere.

[@LCTesla]

I get that more from even older games, really. 3D is where that feeling stpps for me for the most part.

[@piyaphumL.]

Like someone said, "Graphics is temporary, but art direction is eternal". If the art design in video game is great, it can be the timeless game without look like dated game like Boku no Natsuyasumi (my summer vacation).

[@jasonblalock4429]

Funny. I tried to play one of those recently, and I just couldn't deal with the Peanuts-style cartoon heads on top of otherwise properly proportioned bodies and realistic backgrounds. It totally triggered the uncanny valley for me.

[@piyaphumL.]

@jasonblalock4429 I understand . Maybe I used to read both domestic and international cartoons with this type of art styles so I have no problem with that.

[@VinTheDirector]

Who said that?

[@piyaphumL.]

@@VinTheDirector youtube channel Bricky in video name "Graphics are Temporary, Art Direction is Forever "

[@VinTheDirector]

@@piyaphumL. understandable, thank you have a nice day ✌️

[@guybrush3000]

:) I wouldn't call 1997 an "early stage of gaming". I think a more apt description would be an "early stage of 3D gaming"

[@Dansplaining]

I agree, thank u

[@howicontent]

I mean even in the late 80s you saw racing simulators that ran at single digit fps but yeah in the mid 90s 3D hit it's stride starting with star fox and ridge racer as full 3D hits.

[@woodsie315]

As an Atari 2600 OG, I appreciate this comment.

[@JediMB]

I'm glad lower-fidelity art styles in games aren't as universally viewed as "bad graphics" as they used to be. Minecraft alone did a lot of heavy lifting for polygon graphics in that department.

[@dinsfire8489]

There's still plenty of those dorks out there don't you worry. But I'm glad it's not universal either.

[@PloopChute]

Its wild looking back at our younger selves when we thought these games "looked like real life" One of my favorite video game memories is when my dad (who doesn't play games at all) came into my room one day while I was hunched over in front of Gran Turismo 2. He was legitimately awestruck and blurted out "holy shit! That looks real!" He actually called for my mom to come and look with a "can you believe that? That's crazy!" That was one of the very few times he actually played a game with me. His brain practically exploded when I showed him the replay feature with the dynamic camera. Im sure the shitty, tiny 13" Durabrand CRT helped hide a lot of the more obvious graphical shortcomings of the PS1 lol

[@TroySan1985]

my dad did that with resident evil 2 for ps1

[@sneezydeezymcdeluxe7015]

The same happened to me. I was playing a WWE game on the PS2. It must have been Shut your mouth or Here comes the pain, I can't remember exactly. There was a cutscene and my dad was amazed at how real it looked. It actually did look super realistic. I bet if I found the cutscene now it would look horrendous lol.

[@Onnya-Lemox]

I don't think it's just nostalgia. To me it's like the difference, in 2D art, between realistic drawings and stylized ones. Low poly graphics are more appealing to people who prefer to see the artistic, even cartoony, touch cause it stimulates the imagination and feels like an escape into a fantasy world that still looks immersive enough. They are overall more playful. Whereas today's hyperrealistic graphics appeal mostly to people who don't like to put any effort into filling the gaps, that want everything to be already visualized by game artists and feel like a literal virtual reality. They are more "serious" gamers, and I think that the fact that today there is less stigma towards adults playing videogames is partly connected to this loss of playfulness in favor of a sober realism, dim colors that kids would hate etc. Also, low poly feels more sculptural and clearly defined, you have a stronger perception of shapes as distinct from one another which, even if the rendering is worse than today's, paradoxically appeals more to the sense of touch, looking very solid. Low poly worlds represent an effective simplification of the real world, stripping it of everything unnecessary to show the essence, and just opened the possibility for us to navigate fantasy worlds in all directions. As soon as 3D graphics became just a struggle for a perfect imitation of life, I lost all interest for gaming, cause I've always been in it more for the fun atmospheres created by the visuals than for the gameplay itself.

[@Drstrange3000]

You sound like me lol

[@l.9635]

you write just my thoughts in such elegant way. i also love low poly graphic, because it looks way more interesting and unique. all that high poly graphics just don't stay in my mind, because all that games look faceless. but, indie games more often have stylized graphic and incredible gameplay and ideas. so i have hope in indie creators

[@soraaoixxthebluesky]

Most PS2 titles back the feel like a high poly game to me vs PS1. I can literally fell the massive jump of both graphics and level scale.

[@HollowRick]

It was a huge leap at the time that generation still looks pretty damn good to this day

[@soraaoixxthebluesky]

@@HollowRick Agree

[@JoseJimenez-il5vs]

Whether you use flat or Gouraud shading has nothing to do with the number of triangles. When using Gouraud, the object will appear to be smoother, but it's a more expensive operation because you need to interpolate the colour between vertices. You can have texture mapping and Gouraud shading simultaneously. Crash Bandicoot on the PS1 made extensive use of Gouraud Shading in order to avoid using textures, which helped with the limited amount of RAM the PS1 had (2MB of main memory and 1MB for graphics)

[@PiesliceProductions]

A lot of detail in ff7 characters is also plain vertex colors to conserve storage space

[@ArneChristianRosenfeldt]

Gouraud shading often used lighting. There would be no gradient on a flat polygon. This kind of shading is not consistent and hence not aesthetic. But I think that with LevelOfDetail on a grid mesh consistency can be restored. The next level of detail is interpolated. You store just a small correction value (mostly along the surface normal ). Fits into small RAM. PSX and N64 have no drivers. You can easily implement such a vertex shader. Later GPUs went parallel and could not anymore.

[@RetroGamingDads]

Either we're wrong, or just getting old. But to us "low-poly" would be from the 16, 32 and 64-bit era where you'd be looking at 10s or 100s of polygons on screen. When we get to the Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox and PS2 we're now looking at thousands of polygons per character, Is this really low-poly asthetic?

[@1O1O11]

I used to make characters with a 2,000 polygon budget... I certainly consider making a human out of 2,000 polygons to be low poly. But I can see where they would be categorized as two different versions of low poly. Today I have characters that are 2,000,000 though if it is animated for a game I try to optimize. In the end I think lighting matters more than the number of polygons when it comes to how games look.

[@PascalGetreuer]

Same! Pioneers of "low-poly" were "Descent," released 1995, with polygonal texture-mapped characters, and earlier, "Elite," released 1984, with 3D wire-frame graphics. I tinkered with coding software graphics back in the day and have huge respect for the clever techniques behind these games. I still think of N64 graphics of Golden Eye, Wave Race 64, etc. as fantastically high end... not by "it looks like real life" delusions, just, remembering what we had before and appreciating how far it has come. Awesome time to be alive.

[@jasonblalock4429]

I got hit by this recently. A low-budget Mexican game called "Aztech Forgotten Gods." It looks and feels so much like an upscaled PS2 game that it's downright charming, and actually triggered a bit of a nostalgia goggles effect. Even though it's only a couple years old. (Plus the low-poly look works pretty well with its techno-Aztec art design.)

[@lucas18314]

Calling it bad graphics is an anachronism

[@daddad9978]

saying that n64 ps1 graphics look better then the ps5 and xbox series x graphics is like saying the atari 2600 graphics were better then the nes and snes graphics lot of people today are being nostalgia blinded and sure today graphics may look bad but that only became game developer has less time to work and game companies only care about money

[@SammEater]

They are better to look at. A thing that I dislike about the "realistic" style that modern games took is that the screen is filled with visual noise. Information overload, like the ending to Man of Steel, is just tiring to look at.

[@marcellosilva9286]

I getcha, low-poly games are a lot easier to read and information is easier to parse, when you enter a room in Quake you immediately know what is an enemy, what is an ammo or health pickup and what is an environmental hazard. I had a lot of fun with RE4 Remake, but the valley area looked so visually busy that I was having trouble spotting enemies at a distance, which is a problem for a large area where you're encouraged to use a sniper rifle. When every rock has a billion jagged edges, that's a ton of visual information you don't need.

[@QwertyS3]

​@@marcellosilva9286The video game industry needs to stop worrying abour making every game photo realistic graphics, chances are most people already have seen what photo realistic is, it's not special once you played any of these modren games and realize that games aren't movies being overstimulated actually makes the game overall less fun. Not only do video game companies have to set back their expectations so do the consumers, once the audience realizes that realistic graphics actually hinders the gaming experience gaming companies wouldn't be afraid to not care to make their games 360/PS3 levels of graphics, they might even try making n64/ps2 styled games

[@jjo3874]

Nostalgia, you feel good because you remember a very happy time of your life when you actually had time to play and enjoy a game.

[@daddad9978]

that only became kid are just more native then adult and saying that life was simple would not be possible without the help of mom and dad these adult help us grow up and mature but for some reason people were just saying that life was much more happier or you actually had time to play and enjoy a game like if the 90s were better then today world well first of all the internet was just slow and have that sound that hurt my ears second: if you rent the movie at blockbuster then good luck became you can only watch the movie in one day and the store is gonna give you the late fee thank god stream service anytime of the day is just lot better and mtv just decide what kind of music will make it on the channel and if that music suck too bad you were stuck listen it and if there was the music you want to heard you have to wait on the tv all day before it air im just glad Spotify and youtube exist

[@andrewdiemer]

Bout to Jam Out to the PS1 start up noise, don't call, don't text

[@MastermindAtWork]

I wouldn't even call this "low poly" in some cases. These models can be passed as modern in the right context, especially Nintendo Switch games.

[@Dansplaining]

lookin at you Pokemon

[@rushalias8511]

​@Dansplaining there is also an argument to be made that if you are clever with how you texture it you can get some very good visuals.

[@josevanz7654]

I love this canyon theory! Im from the 80s, so I played a lot of games of Sega Genesis. When the Saturn came in, nobody wants 2d games anymore, everyone wants 3D YEAH, "3D IS AWESOME". But now, everybody loves "2D sprite" games again!

[@zerozeroone4424]

What was once considered realistic, true to life and state of the art, is now seen as nostalgic and "cartoony" looking. It's kind of wild. Imagine 20 years from now people looking back at witcher 3, cyberpunk or GTA 6 and talking about how "nostalgic" these games make them feel and how "bad" they look in comparison to the modern day

[@bang5284]

Nah man, there will be no such effect anymore, because 10 years have passed since the release of TLoU, and still graphics look very pleasant

[@nylana4552]

@@bang5284 to be fair tlou cant have a break and its being milked over and over again with the releases so it is not really in the nostalgia age yet

[@bang5284]

@@nylana4552 idk fo me most of the gen 7 games aged pretty well

[@DarthCovider]

I’m afraid that this ‘wow factor’ we used to get from graphical leaps won’t never be a thing again. We evolved too fast for my liking, now there’s not much room for any noticeable change. My hope is the industry will notice that and stop focusing on graphics, get back to the basics of what made games fun in the first place.

[@bang5284]

@@DarthCovider so... Games should be like... More cartoon'ish or what?

[@caexy_]

low poly on the graphics, high quality on the Dan

[@Ruins21]

When you said "Let's all teleport somewhere chill", and you took us to Chao Garden; I made a big grin :D

[@danielscott70x7]

Loved the dansplanation on this. Perfectly expressed what it is about these older generations of gaming that I miss and find myself so enthralled by here in 2024.

[@dyscotopia]

Just talking about aesthetic... I passed a Pepsi truck the other day and I immediately thought "Frutiger Aero" so, as an old man, I assume that aesthetic is dead

[@kieran9882]

I wish Frutiger Aero made a comeback

[@alface935]

Low Poly Graphics are also great at having low cost to make which is great since it doesn't gatekeep people from making Their own 3D games if They like to and that has allow a very big number of Indie Devs to make 3D games without having much cash or be part of a big studio

[@TayoEXE]

Just look at MDickie's games. They are quite low-poly but have so much charm to them.

[@alface935]

@@TayoEXE True

[@cheeze7081]

This is awesome man! Super excited to see what videos you'll make next!

[@Superhermit]

You got me, I was looking for something to put on while cooking

[@Optimus6128]

Another aspect I realize, in modern games graphics are so drowned in detail and filter effects that it takes my brain time to adjust. I play anything modern and I might miss things (and then devs just patch it in with immersive breaking solutions like yellow paint or other "modern design" ideas). But when I play some low poly games, graphics are also so clear, sometimes there is a room with flat walls and simple textures, a door, a corridor, two barrels, some enemy, that are all so easy to distinguish, so I can enter an area and instantly recognize things to interact with. Besides that there is something about old graphics that makes them so immersive. I don't understand it. I play some modern game with new graphics even games consider really good and I am not immersed. I play the jankiest old thing ever (you say low-poly and show Shenmue as an example? I present you with King's Field series on PS1) and I am so immersed into it's atmosphere and exploring the world. It's the elusive thing of what magic they did in the past, that we call nostalgia maybe, that just works for me. One might say nostalgia is about games you played in the past, but I didn't play King's Field in the past, I didn't even know them,. the first I saw some screenshot I am like "That looks janky awful even to me" but then I was hooked. It happened with other old games I missed in the past. Although I am a bit too old, my first computer I played games was an 8bit Amstrad CPC with games that look and feel worse than the 8bit consoles at the time.

[@Drstrange3000]

It isn't just you. I feel more I needed with more stylized and basic graphics.

[@berg450]

Technical limitations are the reason why these consoles were so iconic, they had to work with the limitations of the console be it memory size or the limited ability to load lots of complex geometry. We end up with PS1 games where they use beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds or place the character over a looping video, thanks to the low poly it is seemless. The transition between your character moving over a pre-rendered background to a cool FMV cutscene was so immersive and felt like the RTX equivalent of SNES style 2.5d games.

[@whaaat5436]

Awesome video! Nostalgia plays the main role in convincing me to want to complete those low-poly games that I couldn't beat when I was a young kid.

[@danmcfarlane7121]

Crazy taxi is an amazing callout!

[@apex_prey]

This video alone demands more likes and demands this channel gets more attention.

[@JEOliver94]

Great video! And loved the explanation of the nostalgia canyon I see this all of the time! Definitely subscribing for more!

[@WhatInTheActual]

There was a first party PS1 controller prior to the DualShock that did have two sticks but did not vibrate.

[@HollowRick]

Yup it was called the Duel analog controller :) it also had had concave sticks similar to the Duelshock 4 and duelsense but they were made of hard plastic instead of being topped with rubber

[@WhatInTheActual]

@@HollowRick Good call, I remember it being a great controller and I've always preferred the concave. Btw, My name is Rick too 🏝️🎮☺️📺🏝️

[@johnnydang4397]

Good video bro. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Feel like it popped up in my recommendedT a good time.

[@SorcererLance]

Great video dude, though I can't help but nitpick on some details; No mention of Starfox, which was noteworthy being one of the first 3D games on consoles (ignoring PCs of course) as its graphics could arguably be considered "ultra low-poly" having many ships and enemies be merely just warped pyramids and cubes fused together. Sonic 3D Blast is kinda pushing it as "the first 3D Sonic game", as it was more isometric while using 3D models that were scanned to become sprites, much like what Rare did with Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct... Sega's actual first attempt at a 3D Sonic was Sonic R, which technically was made by Traveler's Tales, as well as the 3D overworld in Sonic Jam which devs admitted to being their actual prototype to what we'd later get with Sonic Adventure. Aside from these tiny tidbits, this video was pretty solid, dude. Nice work.

[@mushman1395]

Great video! I appreciate the production value too, you deserve more subscribers!

[@TheWeazle5000]

Great video! Love the little hydro thunder shoutout. We’re probably the same age so really appreciated this video 🎉

[@notnabaz]

Really appreciate the quality of the video. You deserve a lot more 🙌.

[@holdenmuganda97]

1:07 I remember gaming back then and I don’t remember feeling like things started to look realistic until the Dreamcast and PS2 era

[@HollowRick]

Same tbh

[@benmcreynolds8581]

I'm dying to see new focused games that utilize PS1-PS2 era designs, art style, etc. ~Even tho Tech has advanced, I wish the game industry would alter their approach to gaming. Bring back previous gen games, but they are made in our modern day. Game projects like that will cost less $, take less time to build. We drastically need Additional selection to our game library. We need games that harness art design. Designs that have proven to be timeless. Cell shaded, low poly effects, pre rendered backgrounds, 2D, 2.5D, creative 3D that's not trying to be hyper realistic. Inspiration from previous gens shouldn't stop, just because new consoles have come out. Timeless games don't need hyper realistic graphics. Some of the best games have creative art styles such as Sly Cooper. Anytime i say this someone in the comments always says: "well we have indie games" but that's not my point. I wish the gaming industry would recalibrate their focus & start making games for consoles with all sorts of styles & designs. Just look at current Gen consoles Game Library's? It's NOTHING compared to the N64, PS1, Xbox, GameCube, dreamcast, 360, PS2, Sega Saturn, classic PC games, etc. Life would be amazing If game companies will start making games that are inspired by these previous gen designs. We shouldn't leave those unique aspects of gaming in the past. Hopefully the struggles of the modern triple AAA games will organically transition the gaming industry back towards a better direction. It's exhausting how long it's taking for most games to be made. Just for a lot of those games to end up being total let down projects anyways. It's crazy. Idk how these game companies have been able to keep getting away with this BS.

[@jk_lol9266]

Watching this video was like perfectly toasting a toaster-strudle on the first try. Your channel is about to blow up. Excited to see it! One constructive criticism: Try to keep the microphone from blocking your entire mouth.

[@Dansplaining]

haha I will give that a shot for next time

[@PETERGREENDAY100]

I loved this video from the beginning to the end. It was clear, well made and interesting. Thank you dude, great job. I followed it smoothly even tho I’m italian. The explanation behind every aesthetic sub-genre was on point, I didn’t know many of them. Awesome channel, you earned a subscriber from overseas 💙 It is so paradoxal, buy tech limits from 90/2000s led to an extraordinary spark of creativity. Nowadays this aspect of videogames feels so less relevant (in terms of aesthetics)… or it is just me?

[@Last_Summer]

I'm just so glad I'm not the only one feeling good about all that kinda stuff. Those old video games (especially the Nintendo 64) are part of who I am today. Loved the video P.S.: I started raising Chaos in Sonic Adventure 2. I love my children 💓

[@Fetus_Tree]

Great video man keep em coming!

[@krono5el]

Model 2 and Model 3 games still are the most amazing looking games aesthetic to me, timeless and wonderful.

[@MoonbearStartiger]

I can not explain why, but the way SHENMUE looks has such a tactile, touchable, hefty feel. Like it feels so weirdly SPACIOUS and I mean even compared to new open-world games, which despite their nearly lifelike detail and scope... for whatever reason... that makes them somehow feel LESS real and LESS fun to move around in. I can't really put my finger on it, but it's true.

[@cashvendetta]

i luv you talked about FF7, and that you put “Prelude” on when you did. i’m actually sampling FF7 for my whole next album

[@GeneralFatPug]

Great video mr.splaining!

[@shira7211]

already see skies of arcadia within 5 seconds of watching. this vid is going to be pure kino

[@xPancakes4lyf]

I've always theorized that due to the low poly nature of the environment, it makes you use your creativity more when observing the world around you and ground yourself in the environment, where as modern levels are so realistic and so detailed they look like real places we see every day and we are almost desensitized to the environment so there's no need to use our imagination to fill in the gaps, therefor the modern game becomes less memorable in terms of art and 'Aesthetics'. it also might have something to do with overwhelming the gamer with too much stimulus in the environment, but there is some magic with low poly art i still can describe, you put it best, it sits perfectly in between anime and realistic. its beautiful.

[@superlink235]

I can't believe you completely overlooked Gwimbly and Gwimbly 64. Those 2 games were huge for the low poly era

[@SeanStrife]

It'll never not be weird seeing the tiny little wiki me and a handful of others oversee and help build popping up in video essays, big and small. But to add to your Nostalgia Canyon bit; that's just the 20 year Nostalgia Cycle. That's something that even predates the internet: the 1980s drew heavy on nostalgia from the 1960s, the 1990s drew heavy on nostalgia from the 1970s, the 2000s drew heavy on nostalgia from the 1980s, and the 2010s were soaked in nostalgia from the 1990s... arguably a little bit too much, if I'm gonna be completely honest, and I feel like the 2020s will follow that trend with the 2000s, largely because the internet has become a better vector for aesthetic preservation compared to what he had pre-internet.

[@dericlima]

Nice video. Keep up the good work!!

[@DreamcastEnjoyer]

Excellent video, king - subbed 😊

[@Number1laing]

Nice video. Graphics changed so much in that period that I never thought of them as the same aesthetic or grouping in this way. Virtua Fighter 1 came out in 1993 and ran on super expensive arcade hardware and Shenmue came out in 1999 and ran on a $200 console. Shenmue is so much more advanced in every way. And the games looked so different depending on the hardware, you can just tell what system it is on by looking at a picture. So I always thought they had their own look to them which can be appealing individually.

[@carloRX78K2]

Daytona USA is just so godly back then... And still is!

[@zodiactrac]

Great breakdown. I actually sampled "Never Forget," track from the Halo 3 score on my song "Harden." I find that I am applying the same school of thought to slightly more contemporary consoles like the 360.

[@jeremysart]

Why does Sega refuse to bring back the Chao Garden 🥲

[@Dansplaining]

a chap garden switch game would go hard af

[@ghostdisco7455]

Noticeable sense of relief when I switched Tomb Raider Remastered from the new graphics to the old. I can see puzzle items more clearly. And the mood lighting is way better.

[@mrlightwriter]

Great video and analysis. The algorithm is working well for once.

[@Brahim0801]

Im glad the younger generation actually likes the low poly even though they haven't experienced it back then, it's a very good thing because we can see how there are indie Games that take inspiration from low poly and the younger generation is all for it, they seem to like low poly Indie games and im glad to see this, i feel like with the release of unreal engine 5 we're actually at a risk of developers losing their artistic touch and making games that looks and feel very similar to one another, so this growing interest in low poly gives me hope.

[@grandnoise1984]

Awesome video. Seriously, deserves 1 million views.

[@Dansplaining]

I wish!

[@jupiterliketheplanet]

Fun video! Came across it after playing lots of low poly beats.

[@enidcurevac136]

Great content and video!

[@ShotgunDiplomacy]

Very solid video. I enjoyed the aesthetic 😉. Can I give you one piece of feedback about audio?

[@uhmatthew7173]

This was such a good deep dive

[@maddoxreddish4352]

I was stuck with a wii, my dad's n64, nes, and ps2 until i got a wiiu in 2015, for a good chunk of my childhood i was stuck with low-poly graphics, games like skylanders give me a vibe that are unmatchable by any other game

[@xtradany5398]

I remember the hype for the initial release of Skyrim in early 2010. And Smash dominated the multiplayer scene. I thought the game was retro back then...

[@patg108]

but those aren't "bad grahics", those are just "outdated relative to modern times. Games don't age, standards do. Its not fair to hold a old game to modern standards. And its more of the relation with the time, era, console and its competition. They're low by todays standards of course but all that does is show you how far we've advanced. But "low end graphics" don't make a bad game. After all the modern generation is more likely to pick up a old game than a new game. There are old games that mimic older "low poly" games and THOSE are fair to call "bad graphics" But the point still stands.

[@xcreenplay7264]

Man the dream cast graphics remind of my high school years fun times 😊

[@gaza2230]

Great video. I like the switch to turn them on and how you down have to download something every time u turn on.

[@eoghanryder]

Really enjoyed the video dude but that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth spoiler shouldn't be in a video about 90s/00s games, especially without a warning...

[@bepisman3161]

great video essays from small channels hell yeah yt is finally working like it should

[@imlskr]

seeing less than 100k subs is crazy this video is so high poly

[@OmegaGlops]

13:15 “This meant updating the old character designs to a newer, edgier, more *_Western_* look.” 😑 Ohshima's Classic Sonic design is heavily inspired by Felix the Cat and Mickey Mouse and was quite literally tailored to American sensibilities. In contrast, Uekawa's Sonic designs from the Sonic Adventure series have strong late 90s/early 2000s anime influences and fit the look of Japanese game illustrations from that era. Sonic's Adventure redesign was way _less_ western at the time.

[@ericopalite]

smash bros metal mario scared the shit out of me as a kid

[@Yipper64]

11:50 what game is that? It gives me so much nostalgia but I played it in the arcade at chuck e cheese.

[@Faizan1631]

Calling 6th gen games low poly makes me feel so old. I've never considered them low poly since its what i grew up with and have exclusively used the term for 5th gen and earlier.

[@HollowRick]

Same 🤣

[@HollowRick]

I grew up with both so imagine how old I feel

[@HeadPats4Peter]

Klonoa looking at the PSX section, eagerly hoping for a mention... (no mentions) Klonoa: Manyaa....

[@terrylandess6072]

It's definitely an age thing. I'm now 65. I don't have those warm fuzzy memories from childhood. I was always looking at the tech advancement through the 70's, 80's, 90's. I was 40 when WIN98 released. So no - blocky pixel stuff is too much regression for no personal benefit. I'm fine pushing the envelope and enjoying the tip of the spear before I die. :)

[@mattshoewalter2779]

Jet Set Radioooooooooooo

[@pixelsncreatures]

I loved the Dreamcast. I was first in line at target on its launch... I was also the only one in line but that's not as exciting to mention 😂

[@lisapierzyna2073]

I played GTA Vice City and I love the graphics 🙌🏼 it just matches the game and the storyline so well and really gives you that 80s retro vibe

[@cortexcarvalho9423]

One thing that many forget is that in some ways games are like puppet shows. If it's an incredible story, it doesn't matter if the puppets are crude. If the story is incredible, it doesn't matter. If the way of telling is captivating, the dolls don't matter. And if you have all the elements I said and don't have a doll, ok you still have all the elements that matter. Old games with bad graphics, but with a good story, still a good story in general

[@kofiassan1176]

0:56 Hell nah Bulbasur bought weed from the gas station💀💀

[@Serpsss]

Back then they didn't really look like the modern immitations or emulated versions because we were all playing on crts meaning sharp edges were far less sharp & a lot of textures used this to their advantage. It's also why some textures such as cloud's world model in ff7 can look a bit weird because his large, slightly distorted eye textures are designed with the phosphor spacing in mind.

[@deepad8089]

Regardless of what people think, early 3D low-poly games just have this layer of charm that modern games could hardly replicate. It’s why I’m more into retro gaming these days, everything used to be purely fun and simple.

[@analog_ape]

Gotta love Sega blue skies, one of my favorite aesthetics of any game era

[@sem_aki]

Lots of good feedback in the comments keep it up man

[@thejetparadox]

As someone who's gotten into game dev for a while, it's type of aesthetic I want to aim for and has to be 1 to 1.

[@CINKOtube]

What is the source of the Sonic team exploring the world?? Would love to watch

[@adelacelle]

I can't tell if you're joking or if you are being serious about the word aesthetics. It is part of the English vocabulary since the 1800s ...

[@dinsfire8489]

It's an old word but it really did take on a life of it's own....not sure how you missed the near unavoidable cultural event

[@deanmoriarty6015]

I mean, the proper way to say it would be like, “it’s so aesthetically appealing” not just “that’s so aesthetic” lmfao

[@CyberBullyOfficial]

Well people are getting lazier and lazier and acronym the fuck out of everything​@@deanmoriarty6015

[@ogungaming]

anyone know the name of the intro song that's playing?

[@MrDavidCollins]

I started making a 2d game, worried that it would be ugly. 5 years later I'm constantly getting positive feedback about the pixelart. Only getting started.

[@maalikserebryakov]

Well it shouldn’t take 5 years to make a simple 2D game. Even gta 5 was done by that Point

[@terminallyonline5296]

When making 3D models on 90s tech, it wasn't low-poly, it was just poly. In fact cutting edge high poly for the era.

[@geordangullock9223]

This is why I love watching Speedruns!

[@NeoKokoro20]

Its amazing how far graphics have come. In the late 90's, we thought the PS1, N64 and Saturn had amazing graphics that couldn't be topped. Fast forward almost 30 years later, and the graphics have since gotten astronomically better.

[@ArneChristianRosenfeldt]

N64 was crippled by the lack of CD and this broken edge antialiasing. But ultimately it offered quality a level above PSX wobble and Saturn grain. Also came out two years later. Has three times the clock. Is not really the same generation.