i think i like old (~mid-late 90s) 3D games because of nostalgia, but also because:
- limited polycount made them focus only on whats needed to sell the scene; locations often have a kinda relaxing simplicity to them, there's no extra details to think or worry about
- realism was impossible, so they used other artistic techniques to create immersion, like 'theatrical' area lighting design, vibrant/deep colors to indicate the time of day & unrealistic/drawn textures rather than photographic ones
quick examples of that kinda lighting design from one game series:
1. mountain peaks are lit up with a warm glow, suggesting morning
2. fairly extreme purplish hue, which shouldn't work but somehow does, giving the entire area a memorable individual character
3. vivid sunset in the game's "signature colors" (which echo spyro's design)
4. different areas of a cave lit using contrasting light sources
https://mastodon.social/media/UwjQ8gzXzywh19Uh0ww https://mastodon.social/media/DnE3pfYSMJ5WmPmWaaU https://mastodon.social/media/v-7CWkOpb7MBTwwQhYY https://mastodon.social/media/vJUwadB-KrgM4cEjCXc
i think a lot of it comes down to giving each area a very defined sense of "space" so that it doesn't all look like a confusing mess of texture.
this had to be done using lighting, 'mood', and structure in the early days of 3D games. but now people tend to differentiate areas of a game based on the objects and props in them.
this can work! but in my opinion if done incorrectly it leads to bland and unmemorable places full of useless extraneous "realistic" details
@jk this is why I kind of dislike the recent elder scrolls games tbh
excessive "realism" without good design is an express ticket to the uncanny valley