There’s One Major Thing We’re Missing From The PS2 Era, And I Wish It Could Return

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Video games have changed dramatically, even just in the last ten years, making older games feel quite dated. It’s often frustrating to go back and play them, struggling with clunky controls, underdeveloped ideas, or repetitive tasks. Instead of dwelling on the past, we should celebrate how far game design has come, especially with amazing new games like Baldur’s Gate 3 offering incredible experiences.

Despite all the advancements in gaming, many modern games feel like something is missing. Looking back at older consoles, like the PlayStation 2, it’s clear that games once had a unique charm that seems to have been lost. The focus on incredibly realistic graphics has led to a move away from the imaginative and stylized visuals common in that era, which is disappointing. This shift has not only made games look more similar to each other, but it’s also made it harder for video games to develop their own recognizable artistic style.

The Pursuit For Photorealistic Visuals Is Hurting Games

Man, things have really changed in game graphics over the last twenty years. When the Xbox 360 and PS3 came out, everyone got super into that really gritty, realistic look – tons of grey and metal. It felt like developers were obsessed with making everything as photorealistic as possible, and it became the main goal, not just something nice to have. Honestly, with how popular Unreal Engine became, a lot of games started looking… the same. You could almost guess what engine a game was using before you even saw the title screen, it was that common of a style.

As a gamer, I’ve definitely noticed a trend – especially with Unreal Engine 5 – where everything seems to be chasing photorealism. It’s like developers think that’s all we want, and they’re afraid to go for a more unique art style. Don’t get me wrong, there are still some cool indie and smaller-budget games that take risks, and a few big AAA titles do too. But honestly, it feels like that willingness to experiment with cool visuals started fading away around the Xbox 360 days, and now it’s getting really rare.

The PS2 Era Had Some Of The Best-Looking Video Games

Looking back at the many games released for the PlayStation 2 clearly shows how priorities changed in game development. A great example of the unique art style of the early 2000s is the often-overlooked RPG, Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color. With art from the famous Studio Ghibli, Magic Pengel stands out dramatically from other games of its time and looks very different from most modern games. But it wasn’t just about looking good; the game’s bright, colorful, and cartoonish style was actually part of how you played. Players had to create their own creatures – similar to Pokémon – by drawing them themselves.

This idea is perfectly showcased in classic PlayStation 2 games like Okami. Its beautiful visuals were inspired by traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e art, and the gameplay uniquely involved players drawing symbols to attack and solve puzzles. Even when games didn’t directly integrate a specific art style into gameplay, it enhanced the experience in a way that only video games could. For example, the over-the-top animations in platformers like Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and Jak made action and exploration more exciting. The distinctive look of Gitaroo Man and other rhythm games perfectly matched the fast-paced music, while the cute, doll-like characters in Boku No Natsuyasumi 2 reinforced the game’s heartwarming story about childhood.

The PlayStation 2 wasn’t alone in offering a wide range of visual styles. Nintendo has always favored unique and varied graphics over realistic ones, especially on the Nintendo DS, which featured many visually different games. Great GameCube titles like Animal Crossing and Wind Waker, and many Dreamcast games, also embraced this approach. It’s important to remember that these older consoles had technological limitations; the technology simply wasn’t advanced enough to create the highly realistic graphics we see today.

As a gamer, I think it’s pretty obvious that some of the best games came from developers having to be creative with limited resources. Now, we’re seeing budgets explode, and honestly, the graphics are incredible – like, we’re past the point where in-game visuals used to be reserved for cutscenes. It’s awesome, don’t get me wrong, but it feels like something’s been lost. It reminds me of Disney’s live-action remakes – they look great, but they miss what made the originals special. That unique spark, you know?

There’s Still Hope For The PS2 Aesthetic To Return

I think we’ll likely see game developers eventually revisit the diverse visual styles of the PlayStation 2. We’re already seeing many indie games successfully draw inspiration from the PlayStation 1’s look – titles like Crow Country and Easy Delivery Co. demonstrate that there’s an audience for this retro style. As the generation that grew up playing PS2 games starts making their own, it’s reasonable to expect a return to the bright colors and lively visuals that defined that era.

We’re starting to see a trend in smaller, independent games where developers are drawing inspiration from classic titles. For example, the open-world platformer The Knightling features bright, imaginative visuals reminiscent of Spyro and Jak and Daxter. Chibig, known for their games inspired by Studio Ghibli – like Mika and the Witch’s Mountain – is currently working on Bel’s Fanfare, which takes inspiration from Nintendo 64-era games. And excitingly, a sequel to the visually stunning Okami is in development, hopefully maintaining the original’s beautiful style.

I certainly didn’t mean to suggest that games with a PlayStation 2-style look are gone. What’s concerning is the decreasing variety in visual styles, particularly in big-budget games. This is a shame because it makes games less unique and pushes everything towards realism, which the movie industry already does well. While realistic graphics are great for certain games, especially those focused on story and visuals, not everything needs to be hyper-detailed and lack a distinct style. It’s refreshing when games embrace more abstract visuals and offer something different.

Would you like to see games with graphics similar to those on the PlayStation 2? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-28 23:15