Games and game developers had a lot more freedom of expression back then. Games weren't more innocent. Leisure Suit Larry taught me about condoms, Police quest had plenty 'political' stuff and the original Civilization included global warming, next to being about politics through and through.
You had plenty soft porn games, some hardcore as well. Vinyl Goddess from Mars, Leather Goddess from Phobos
Astrotit was a hit back then
Wolfenstein 3D was not innocent either. And there were tons of political sims
Today's games have to be innocent as there's always a vocal minority crying wolf whenever a game isn't PC through and through.