I've noticed a disturbing trend in video game forums, and I wanted to get your opinions on the subject.

It's about nostalgia. Specifically, the argument that video game enthusiasts who value older games are not being objective; they are being nostalgic.

Judging from posts left on sites like IGN and GameSpot (and also this site), its seems like many people believe that players who value older, "classic" video games over modern games are simply looking at the past through nostalgic lenses, and that a game released in 1996, for example, will never be as good as a game released 15 years later.

What do you think?

I think I'm playing Silent Hill 3 every night on the PS2 and fuck that game. Video games have improved so much that it's not even funny. I've downloaded quite a few classic games on all of my consoles and the same holds true. We were amazed back then because the tech was always evolving, improving, and showing us something new. Now, those factors that made Half Life or Star Fox have become so common place that they can be found, even in mediocre games, these days.

Even the mighty Chrono Trigger isn't as good as I remember because graphics, music, voice acting, depth, etc. have evolved ever so subtly right before our eyes. I'm 36 years old. I have some fond memories of high school but, if I were to go back, I'd quickly realize how broke I was, how little sex I was getting, and how much of an asshole everybody was. Nostalgia is a bitch.

It is true that some games cannot stand the test of time, but I still find most of my old games playable, or even more enjoyable than recently released titles. Heck, I can hardly mention any game that is better than the N64 title Conker's Bad Fur Day, and it was only like one year ago or so that I played it for the first time.

Nostalgia is based on memories, and has nothing to do with the gameplay value and/or content of video games. Some people let their memories affect their views on some old titles' content, but that's completely irrelevant: Some games are timeless, even for those who never experienced them 20 years ago when they were released.

And remember that nostalgia works both ways. It can also downgrade some of our oldest games if we sucked at them back then, for instance. And that doesn't mean that games released about 15 years ago automatically are worse than recent titles. Thus ridiculing the last sentences in the OP.

It's like with movies. New movies are more "advanced" (sound, colour, HD, CGI...). But you may still love movies from the 30s or the silent era or whatever over Transformers 3 and superhero movie no.347.

More advanced =/= objectively better. Don't confuse technological advancement with "better", because that's when total subjectivity comes in, so you can't judge that way.

I agree with THE1 above me. Some (but not all) games that were amazing during the 16-Bit era would still get rave reviews if they released in the same form without any improvement. Platformers, puzzle games, and games of that nature tend to age gracefully. In some cases, you begin to appreciate what you had even more. The most played game on my Playstation Vita is Final Fantasy Tactics--a game I bought back in 1998! But there are games that I would have tossed FFT in the garbage for back when (Tekken 3, Syphon Filter, Gran Turismo) and they are painful to look at, now.

Games that are based on tried and true gameplay are much more timeless than games that make their names on graphics, AI, or technological breakthroughs. The time will always come when those graphics become outdated (Sprites are immune), AI will improve, and the tech will become commonplace or even old. I used to think the enemies in Syphon Filter 1 were so smart. What a difference a decade or two makes.

The problem with all the arguments about nostalgia is that a lot of the time, it's just assumed that the person who is talking about whatever particular older game in question hasn't played it in 5/10/15/etc years, and if they did play it now then they wouldn't like it as much.

That isn't always the case. A popular one I often get told is that I would not hold Ocarina of Time to be the best game ever made if I went to play it again today. In reality, I played the original N64 version last year, in the build up to the release of Skyward Sword, and my opinion has not changed.

Good games are still good games decades after release.
Gimmick-based games will be unplayable within a few years.

I have systems from the 1970s to the present (I have a WiiU per-ordered). There are games on almost every system* which can still be played. But there are far more that are held for collection purposes only.

Mike from Morgantown

*I have an RCA Studio II and an APF-MP 1000 -- Finding games on them worth playing is near about impossible.

I've been sorely tempted to get the Silent Hill HD Collection, but after replaying the original Silent Hill (or trying to) and finding it totally unplayable, I am afraid of what will happen to my glorious memories of Silent Hill 2.

Also, I've heard the HD Collection is an utter shambles. So there is that, too.

OT: Nostalgia makes many gamers think FF7 is anywhere near the best game in the series.

OoT is a peculiar beast.  I didn't actually play it until I got my free copy for pre-ordering Wind Waker.  It was 2003 (I think) and I said "This IS the best game, ever!".  I didn't play it again until I downloaded it to the Wii via the VC.  I thought it was unplayable on that console.  Then, I got it for the 3DS and, once again, I declared it was the best game, ever.  Maybe I have multiple personalities or something.

I haven't given SH2 another go but my kid wanted me to play Silent Hill: Homecoming.  After about an hour I was like "Hey, how about I play a Silent Hill game that actually......good?"  So many great memories with SH3 but goddam.  So many locked doors, stupid enemies, bad voice acting (Heather is okay--and even the graphics are good), backtracking, horrible camera controls, and nonsensical character behavior--it's hard to believe there was a time when we put up with some of this bullshit.  Part of me is debating selling every non-rpg PS2 game I own.