GoldenEye is one of the most influential video games ever made, and gamers will be delighted to hear that a remake will be coming to Xbox Game . Fans of the game have been waiting for a remake for well over a decade, and they'll now get to play online with other gamers in the classic maps. However, while it was undoubtedly groundbreaking, there's a case to be made that it hasn't aged well.
The 1997 release isn't the only game that has aged badly, as Redditors have been quick to mention a ton of others, whether they're brand new or 30 years old. Between ghastly graphics, clunky controls, and shocking storytelling, these games were products of their time.
GoldenEye 007 (1997)
Video games that are tie-ins to blockbuster movies don't have a great reputation, as they're generally made quickly and for cheap, as they're just another way to market and cash in on the film. However, GoldenEye 007 was different from the rest, and the GameCube game completely reinvented the first-person shooter genre.
Unfortunately, this deleted thinks the game doesn't hold up as well as it should, noting, "Hosted a tournament in a cinema a few months ago and GoldenEye was the main game. Incredibly boring to watch, terrible controls, gameplay wasn't what I . Disappointing." The game is to thank for first-person shooters making the jump from PC to consoles, but the 23-year-old game doesn't have the best controls compared to newer releases in the genre.
The Sims (2000)
The Sims was so much fun and felt completely new when it was first released, as players could build houses for their characters and choose career paths for them too. However, that also came with having to do household chores, go to work, and socialize with other Sims, which was exhausting and even more difficult than real life.
Madeupgrownup explains, "I a lot more freedom, ease of play, and storytelling. Then I also I was a kid who cheated and made up stories in my head a lot as I played, kinda like a kid with dolls in imaginary play." Without that imagination, the game isn't all that fun, and it usually ends with the playable character sobbing in the fetal position or throwing up into a plant pot.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
best GTA games for its period setting. The video game takes place in the sun-soaked Miami-influenced Vice City in the 80s, and between the flashy sports cars, the roads lined with palm trees, and the radio hits, it's one of the most immersive open worlds. But while they it the tone of the game is still great, Perfis looks back on the 2002 release differently.
The Redditor comments, "Replayed Vice City recently and I thought it aged pretty badly. The atmosphere is timeless and nostalgia still makes it a great experience. But gameplay-wise it aged badly in my opinion." In fairness, while the franchise has perfect driving mechanics, vehicles didn't use to handle all that well, and the shooting mechanics in the GTA series have never been good.
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Resident Evil 4, doesn't hold up because of its controls. The Redditor argues, "It really didn’t age as well as I expected. The controls are a bit clunky and tankish, especially after playing the RE2 remake, but some of the maps just make no sense and the dialogue is laughably bad."
However, some might think that the game has aged well for the same reasons the Redditor thinks it has aged badly. Those "clunky" controls, such as players not being able to move when shooting, added intensity to the already anxiety-inducing survival horror. The slow-moving pace meant that players absorbed every little detail of the game. But it is extremely slow-paced, and it isn't for everyone.
Bully (2006)
with some of the best minigames.
However, Filmy_Ninaad once again refers to the mechanics as what keeps the game from holding up, simply stating, "Amazing concept, clunky gameplay." The 2006 release features a couple of gameplay problems that have long haunted Rockstar-developed games, such as repeatedly tapping X to run or cycle, which will get painful after a while. Rockstar games somehow still have that mechanic in even their newer games.
Myst (1993)
Myst is one of the biggest puzzle games ever made, and it's essentially as if players have been dropped into Lost. The game allows players to explore an uncharted island that's full of strange setpieces, and they are left to piece everything together by themselves. The 1993 release is an achievement in gaming, but this thinks it has aged terribly despite how envelope-pushing it once was.
The Redditor posits, "It's very dated. You wanna know how dated it is? It's so dated, even its remake is dated." A string of small-scale levels released episodically would have worked much better than a remake, as it's clear that Myst is almost 30 years old as soon as players sit down to point and click.
Far Cry 3 (2012)
Far Cry 3 has aged badly, but not by any fault of its own and that it's a victim of circumstance. The Redditor posits, "It was the game that birthed the infamous Ubisoft cliche mechanics that has plagued almost every game since, but in the most simplistic and hand-holding, generic state."
The Redditor is referring to climbing towers to unlock more locations, objective markers, and the ability that allows players to see through walls, among many others. However, those had been Ubisoft staples long before Far Cry 3, as the iconic and terrifying villain, Vaas.
Silent Hill 2 (2001)
Along with Resident Evil 4, Silent Hill 2 is one of the most celebrated horror games of all time, but they're completely different. The game allows players to explore a small town covered in mist, and each step forward is heart-sinking when gamers don't know what's in front of them. But a deleted notes, "Loved Silent Hill 2, but I feel the controls and graphics just don’t compare to what’s out there today."
The Redditor is not wrong, as the gameplay isn't the game's strong suit, and it's simply walking through the misty town that makes the game so terrifying and thrilling to play. However, there isn't much that could be added to the game to make it better, as improved mechanics would take away from the morbid psychological drama. And as gamers play Silent Hill 2 for the storytelling and frights, improved graphics could take away from that too.
Max Payne (2001)
Max Payne doesn't hold up, arguing, "The gunplay is horrible. Goons can one-shot you with a shotgun from a 100-meter distance while you are at 100% health. Boss fights are unfair and there are a lot of bad chapter designs." However, the difficulty level of a game doesn't necessarily mean it has aged badly, whether it's too easy or too hard.
And, like Silent Hill 2, Max Payne is all about tone, and everything was designed in a way to elicit a real reaction from players. Max Payne isn't just a game, but the psychological drama is an experience. And that's why Max Payne 3 isn't held in as high regard as its predecessors, as it focused more on action gameplay than storytelling.
Sonic The Hedgehog (1991)
Each console has its own iconic platforming series, whether it was Nintendo's Sonic the Hedgehog, which was about a superfast blue hedgehog who fought with a mad scientist that experimented on animals. It has just a ridiculous concept as every other platformer, but the gameplay was just as unique and groundbreaking too.
Unfortunately, B0xP0und thinks the game has aged badly, not for its outrageous premise, but for how bland it is. The Redditor argues that the game "used to be so fun as a kid now, it's like... run fast in a straight line... maybe jump sometimes." But between the creative and colorful level designs and the music, the game is a classic, save for a few crushingly difficult and frustrating water levels.
