Overall I don't think that either Modern or Classic games are better, there are those golden gems and nuggets of games that I hold closely to my heart for both genres. I don’t think the issue with modern or classic games is which one is necessarily better but which one has had a more lasting impression on us as gamers.
Not sure if it is just me but I have actually been thinking about this for a little while now, I am not quiet sure what triggered it. Part of it maybe that games are cheaper to get these days, compared when I was younger and in school, where I would be saving up for months on end waiting to get that one game that I had my sights on and there was all that anticipation and excitement. Also now that I actually have a source of actual income I can always pick up a game every now and then.
As Alex said games are in a state of evolution and are being constantly changed and modified. As evolution goes, sometimes a game evolves and changes so much it’s completely different from its origins, other games evolve while still remaining true to its beginnings and in some cases you get the odd mutation that goes into an evolutionary dead end.
Some game series have managed to adapt to this ongoing sequence of evolving the same game over and over quiet well. While other games have tried to do the same and have in my opinion crashed quiet horrendously and horribly. (Sometimes the issue is sequel to the game is expected to be better than the last; or expectations were too high)
^
I have examples of both but I feel that the list would lean towards a whole lot of xbox/ps bashing and glorification and worship of nintendo @_@
In terms of this evolution I feel that games have evolved steadily from classic to modern to have a great emphasis on multiplayer/online/team competition. This is probably one of the best selling points of modern games; however it could also be an Achilles heel. Although multiplayer has been there for a while now I think it has become increasingly important especially since the internet is just so prevalent these days. Almost everyone no matter what country can get access to high speed internet.
On one hand it’s awesome, since its always more fun to play a game with other people, but when your friends aren’t around where can we find this? ADLS and high speed internet makes this quiet easy.
However, there have been countless times where I know people have been cursing and getting frustrated where people just completely go off their heads. Enter the Game Rage, most notably for MOBA/FPS/Mario games (I mean who doesn't get annoyed when their team member throws them off a cliff for fun? Or when you’re teamed with the most retarded people possible*)
* I know my brother suffers this problem almost everyday.
I think the appeal for classic games is the opposite for modern games being not so focused on the solo play (although there is multiplayer capability). It’s more of honing your skills on the game and you are measured by your score or how far you get into the game. I think classic games although simpler and easier to grasp were also inherently more punishing in that once you were dead you had to start over. Or on the rare occasion you were given that nice golden ticket with the code that lets you start off at the latest level you completed.
On the whole if there is anything for me to complain about I guess it would be I miss the times when game developers creating new games that people can just sandbox in for hours on end. I know there have been a few of these nice types of games, but personally I would like to see a bit more. It all comes down to development costs of doing something and it just isnt profitable enough mostly.
For that one I would probably give three cheers to Skyrim, especially with all the new content that they released for the ps3 recently that was available for the xbox for a while.
Now if those pesky Ancient dragons could stop eating my Shadowmere
