These days I have been playing the catalog of the PlayStation 1 and 2 games that marked me when I was young or at the time I couldn’t play: the trilogy of Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Rayman, Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, Ratchet and Clank, etc… And I realized that nowadays you practically don’t see characters like that in video games anymore.

Just as there was a time when all games were made for children, nowadays it seems that all games are made for teenagers and adults. Even those that don’t seem to be, such as Astrobot, appeal to the nostalgia of the more adult public.

What kind of heroes does my nephew have, for example? There’s Sonic, and it’s something in which we have a connection, but Sonic and other heroes that still remain current, like Mario or Link, are from an era that long predates him and perhaps for him they feel more like a thing of the past, similar to how I feel about Sailor Moon or Mazinger Z, which were heroes of my older siblings and parents respectively.

I don’t know of any heroes that are specifically intended to appeal to young people like my nephew, at least not in a “wholesome” way. Much of what he likes was not made with the child audience in mind, such as Five Nights At Freddy’s or Among Us; and what does, was made for more predatory motives, such as Poppy Playtime or Garten of Banban. The only thing I can think of is Minecraft and… I don’t know, it just doesn’t add up for me.

My nephew doesn’t have a Crash, a Spyro, a Sly to be nostalgic about when he gets to my age.

It’s a little… Bleak…

  • Keilik@lemmy.world
    9·
    2 days ago

    But it does have such amazing characters as thirst trap (age appropriate), thirst trap (age inappropriate), fat kid, your friendly neighborhood drug dealer, Actual Racismtm and you play as the jock theater kid.

    Absolutely amazing game and I’ve been playing and replaying it since it came out, would recommend.

    • Albbi@lemmy.ca
      2·
      2 days ago

      Dark Cloud was my PS2 launch game I bought. I have fond memories, but hated the weapon durability mechanic. I gotta replay it to find these characters you’re talking about.

      I remember loving Dark Cloud 2 and taking pictures of absolutely anything and everything trying to find recipes for powerful items.

      • Zagorath@aussie.zoneEnglish
        5·
        2 days ago

        Weapon durability is frustrating, but it ties into what I think is so awesome about Dark Cloud. That being that its RPG mechanics are based not around your character but around your weapons. With upgrading the weapons’ different stats, doing a status break, and building them up into completely new weapons. It’s really unique and I think it’s a shame that I’ve never seen it done elsewhere.