Are there games that you tried but just couldn't get into because they feel outdated? Games that, in theory, you would enjoy, but don't because the controls, graphics, writing, or mechanics just don't feel good anymore. Games that, compared to today, just don't hold up to your standards.
I recently tried playing Heroes of Might and Magic III, and I realized that a lot of the invisible language used through game design from that era, I do not understand. There are many things that the game didn't explain, and I assume they were just understood by players. Not only that, but I imagine there was a lot of crossover between video games and board games back then, so maybe that language was used as well. I ended up downloading a manual and putting it on my second screen and I get it and played it, but it just wasn't for me.
I also dropped Mirror's Edge, but this time it was because of the graphics. It looks and feels great, but the graphics give me a headache. There is way too much bloom, and for some reason, there are some parts that look like the imaginary lens has been covered in Vaseline. This didn't bother me before, but my eyes are not used to it anymore.
There are also games like the first two Tony Hawk Pro Skater games that I can't fully get into because they're missing mechanics from the later games. The levels and controls feel great, but they don't feel complete without those mechanics. It keeps me from enjoying the games as much as the others.
Please share yours!
We're you playing Black Mesa, the fan remake, or the original? Black Mesa is the way to go now, although the original did get a patch recently.
Black Mesa is a fan remake of HL1. It's basically a ground-up complete remake. And as such, it revamps a ton of outdated mechanics, improves a lot of weird maps, and of course, improves the graphics and sound design. Actually, what I'm really impressed by is how they're able to change so many things but still keep the core "vibe" of the game.
I was in the same boat as you, I really bounced off HL1 when I tried it. But Black Mesa is great. If you liked HL2, you'll definitely like Black Mesa
The vibes is exactly why HL1 was successful, but I agree it doesn't really hold up compared to modern games. I think Black Mesa brings it close to the same level of modern games, while still being HL1. It's still a lot of hallways (especially early on), as that's the setting of the game. BM just makes them look better and adds more detail the original couldn't have. It also adds physics, so it feels more alive.
HL2 was one of the first games with physics, and as such used physics as a gimmick too frequently in my opinion. It doesn't hold up as well as Black Mesa makes HL1 hold up. HL1 is just a shooter with an interesting story, and importantly never takes control away for cutscenes or anything, which was new for the genre. There's no gimmicks, just a good game.
The best way to describe Black Mesa is Half-Life 1 with HL2 graphics.
Personally I'd wait for the inevitable RTX Remix mod of BM before giving the game another chance. I don't know if you've seen the HL2 RTX mod, but it looks as good as a modern game to my eyes.
I don't think that I'd go back and play Half Life 1, but it introduced a lot of things that were, for the time, unusual for the genre, like an actual story (if you don't like HL1, earlier FPSes were absymal), aircraft and vehicles, interesting weapons.
Someone above -- talking about Half Life 2 -- mentioned that there are games that are significant not so much because they stand up well today, but because they introduced improvements to a genre that became widespread.