What the problem with the PS3 is, is that it's released FAR too early. The system shouldn't have even come out, but it was practically forced and also rushed to release, simply because of the competition. If all game companies made games to "have a wonderful and exciting story line", then there would be like 10 games a year and the companies wouldn't make any money. But, by making games to appeal to people, that are half-assed and MAY trigger some sort of recognition, and making tons of those? You're talking big money there, and that's what the video game industry has become.
I sort of feel like you do, tkoold, only I'm not as old. I remember being 4-6 years old, playing SNES, Atari and N64, all at once, really. My cousin was a big gamer, and he's... 19, now? Yeah. 19. He had all these amazing games I remember playing, Chrono Trigger/Cross being my favourites. I was also VERY good at them. I became good because my cousin was good, and in order to keep up with him, I had to play harder and better just to beat him, or get even. We both had the OLD gameboys, the big fat grey ones, and eventually upgraded to the Gameboy Pockets and further into the Gameboy Colours. Eventually, because I had no new gaming systems besides a gameboy (I had an SNES), when I was about 6 or 7, I got an N64 from my Aunt for Christmas. I felt the same way you did, tkoold. Everyone was like, "Oh you got the N64! I want to come over and play it!", and when they did, I'd school 'em. I was the best Super Smash Brother's guy around, and my cousin and I were one of the first people to discover how to beat Mario 64 in under an hour. Needed tips on Harvest Moon 64? I was your man. The thing I noticed though, when I played the older games, on my SNES, it didn't seem as amazing to everyone. They were all interested in who was best at the newer games, not the older ones. I was amazing at the old school mario games, especially on the gameboy. Tetris? Loved it. Got massive highscores on that one. But for some reason, even as I got better as a gamer, it just seemed less and less amazing to people. When I still had my SNES, at around 12-13, my mom had a brilliant idea that I wasn't using it anymore, so she sold it at a yardsale for 30 bucks. Can you believe it? All my games, plus the extra controller. Gone. 30 bucks. She almost did that to my N64, but I stopped her as she was trying to unhook it.
Hell, I even remember going to the arcades with my dad, and my cousin/uncle when I was up there. We'd go there for hours playing tons of games, like Frogger, Pac-Man, Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Galaga, Solomon's Key, Centipede, Street Fighter... Tons of old titles. I miss the old days, man. The 90's were great. It just feels like it's getting worse.
Here's my theory on why I'm slowly seeming to get worse at games: Games are slowly being more open to everyone. As the game systems get more complicated and high-tech, the game itself must be made easier, and the window of success must be made wider. With this being said, a typical gamer could easily beat the storyline of a new game coming out today, however it actually took lots of skill to beat a game like Castlevania or Super Mario. If you didn't know what you were doing, you couldn't do it. There were no strategy guides, no "Gamefaqs", just skill. I find that today, this easy base for information (The Internet) as well as games gradually becoming easier and easier, (Dumbing down so that everyone can play games) is triggering gamers like me and you, to start losing their luster.
It's depressing. Very depressing.
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