90s to Early 2000s Namco stuffs were an aesthetic. You could argue that they crafted a hell of a vibe that's memorable to this day. It always reminds me how much I love Ridge Racer's aesthetics from 1-4, and a lot of other racing titles' OSTs
I have to agree! They set a mood that’s hard to find in other racing titles. I had little to no experience with ridge racer before making this video, safe to say I’ll be a life long fan now 😌
AMEN TO THIS. Namco's aesthetic was god-like. I personally own every Ridge Racer OST, Soul Edge OSTs and so so many other pieces of music and art that they were stellar with back in those days. Namco made me a HUGE fanboy of their work for quite awhile. Even down to Klonoa and collecting every Namco Museum PSX disc. I miss who they were.
@@KahL1One FUN FACT: I had difficulty in figuring out what some of my favorite RR tracks are until finding out that some are classic Drum n Bass. This is probably the first introduction towards the genre, and to this day the genre is filled with bangers.
The late 90s/ early 00s aesthetic in video games was so awesome and unique. What an amazing time we experienced back then. And finally someone who gives Tekken 4 some well deserved love. This game is so underrated!
I was playing Tekken 8 the other day at a friends place, and i almost cried tears of joy at the sheer beauty of it. The stages, the character designs, the music - the overall aesthetic. You really have to hand it to the artistry of the Japanese people/culture. They just know how to hit the right notes when it comes to these types of things.
i call it sega blue sky. It's this turbo charged feeling of nostalgia for ambient jungle music and that timeless n64-ps2 low poly aesthetic. If you gamed a lot during those days, you probably think about living in one of those worlds a lot.
I think sega blue sky isa great description. I dunno if you mean what Im gonna say but its where games where just so charming and they where bright, goofy, energetic, blue skies with a summery setting games like outrun coast to coast, sonic adventure, crazy taxi, virtua fighter, the music was video-gamy and powerful, action was fast and arcady, menus where bright, usually had a crazy announcer hyping things up. I cannot explain the feeling but it just makes me very happy.
"It's a place I would love to be in." I think that phrase perfectly sums up the way Namco's vistas make you feel. I've always wanted to visit RR7's Ridge State, especially Rave City. The little lore snippets in that game also make it feel alive.
Absolutely! They never cease to do an amazing job, when it comes to atmosphere and presentation. I personally would love to spend some time at Ocean Bay from Ridge racer type 4 😎🏝️
I remember playing so many Namco games in the arcades from Alpine Racer, Point Blank, and Time Crisis to Tekken, Soul Calibur, and even Mr. Driller. They were a staple of my early childhood. Then later I got a PS2 and realized just how many of their games I could reexperience. They made the transition to consoles without losing any of their arcade sensibilities. In the arcades it's all about style. Your attract modes, music, and cabinet art had to compete against dozens of other machines for the player's attention, so you always had to go all-out. They were a bastion of quality too. You always knew you were in for an insane experience when you played a Namco game. I often long for the days when the four horseman of great video games: Namco, Capcom, Konami, and Square were firing on all cylinders in the late 90s and early oughts.
I agree man! They really made so many timeless games. It’s sad that we don’t get these same types of releases in modern day, but at least we still have the classics to play 🕺🏻
Idk if you listen to Rap/Hip-Hop but there's a rapper named JPEGmagia who made a song called "BALD" (it samples a song from Ridge Racer type 4). Highly recommend.
Namco "suffered" the most the shift from 2000s to 2010s gaming with the merge with Bandai. Now it produces only identical high-profitable tie-ins on big anime franchises...
@@kirillnikolaev346 I can't Say anything about Ace Combat as I never played one of its game, but Tekken has kept struggling after 5 DR, Tekken 7 had a strong but very low-profile start that was wasted after season 2 with a series of questionable to bad decisions, Tekken 8 had a good commercial launch but many think that is losing more and more of its identity
Namco's aesthetic was such a vibe back then, made you feel like you were a part of it whenever you played their games. Such an escape! Rage Racer and R4 had a huge impact on me, on top of Tekken 1-4, Tekken Tag, Time Crisis 1 & 2, and even the first two Ridge Racer games. I still go back and listen to the R4 soundtrack from time to time, even imported the actual CD.
I was raised on Tekken, Soul Blade and Ridge Racer. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, especially as a musician. Thank you for covering this. It’s definitely something I wish I could share with others that weren’t there. Even though it’s something that made me an “outcast” in school, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
GOATed video man, i absolutely love the way that Namco did with their game design and soundtracks. MotoGP 3, 4 and Ace Combat series are my personal favorites.
They really know how to keep you coming back for more, that’s for sure! I’ve still yet to play any MotoGP games, but I have some very fond memories with the earlier ace combat titles. 😁Also, so glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for watching! 🙌😌
I'm 30 so I literally grew up during this time and agree with everything you said. For me 2000-2010 was 7 to 17. So basically from the time my memory started forming I was immersed in this aesthetic and the sounds. I feel like today's gaming era doesn't even have a definitive sound or vibe or anything. This entire style of music(which everyone seems to still love including Gen Z) never gets put in games anymore. Acid jazz(ridge racer), jungle dnb(TEKKEN, Donkey Kong),, electric hip hop(The Bouncer), etc., dance and jazz(MvC2) It worked so well with gaming it felt like the blueprint to follow and then they just dropped it.
Yeah that’s called nostalgia dude. You feel this music defined gaming because that’s the music that you defined gaming with when you were young, because it was in the games you played and that influenced you. Games not having a definitive vibe (they never have btw, except in the very very early days of game music when everything was an 8bit remix of classical songs) just shows that it’culturally relevant and that people with very different artistic backgrounds are game developers now. It’s a good thing. You cannot just do the same thing over and over again. Also this vibe is still popular, especially on the independant market.
@@JesusChrist2000BCthat's a very vague and general statement you're making there. While I have no doubt that there's a community of enjoyers among the younger audience, I doubt that it's more than a niche. With the insane amount of modern entertainement available I doubt most young people have time and curiosity to dedicate to games much older than them. Maybe they're just intro electronic music since the style is still around.
Absolutely. Too bad they changed all back to the playful and sometimes stupid stuff (paul and law just are jokers / comical relief victims from tekken 5 onwards)
Namco during this time was just dripping in style. It just felt different playing their games. Ace Combat 4 & 5, R Racing Evolution, Tales of Legendia. Things just felt different. The worlds immersed you. Love the video man
I have to agree! They built their games with an atmosphere that you could really lose yourself in. A lot of their games are quite therapeutic in my opinion! But I'm super glad you enjoyed, thank you for watching!
Wow what an excellent video. Really threw me back to the early 2000s. I agree with the tekken 4 ambiance and the airport stage; the intro music as well. Super nostalgic.
I’ve been searching for a Xenosaga clone since I played the first two. The sci-fi rpg setting was really unmatched. I’m agonizing over not getting to play the 3rd game, now it’s super expensive and rare.
i love dnb and jungle so much and im sad that it isnt bigger. It has always been big in the uk but it is nice to see the sound succeed internationally with artists like pinkpantheress and newjeans
Great video! Lots of great info and you hit the right spot when you describe the vibe this kind of aesthetic has. It really does feel liminal at times. Also it's very cool that there are more ways to talk about aesthetics. Back in the day of Tekken 4 there were no such terms as "liminal", or at least it was not used in a way it's used now. But now you can say it and I can understand almost exactly what you mean. It's like there was always a sort of emotion but people just didn't have a name for it.
I still play the R4 soundtrack when I'm speeding on the interstate at night. It's one of the few soundtracks with variety but it's cohesive and complete all the way through. I highly recommend buying or downloading it.
I actually was looking into getting a physical copy, as I've been collecting Cd's as of recent 😁 But it's definitely getting it's fair share of play on my spotify haha. Drive safe!
You know, I used to associate Namco with new hardware. They were there at the console launches. Ridge Racer showed off the PS1. Ridge Racer 5 was launched on the PS2. RR6 was on the 360 and 7 the PS3. Even some handhelds got in. Remember the "Riiiiidge Racer!" meme? The game was there, lookin great on the PSP's launch. But we haven't gotten any new Ridge Racers in a while. I think the last one to release was on the Vita and the game wasn't all that great. A shame because I really liked the Vita, it deserved better than what it got.
Man, the art style of Xenosaga Episode I is one of my favorites if not my favorite. I mean as far as background art goes, Final Fantasies IX and VII are probably peak for me. Character art styles though, probably Xenosaga Episode I.
I was actually looking into including Xenosaga for this video! Unfortunately I didn't have enough experience to be able to thoroughly talk about it for the video . But I definitely have it on my list of games to play!
Not a huge fighting game fan but tekken 3 and 4 had unrivaled aesthetics and each one for very different reasons. Especially 4 had a vibe that many didnt really like but to me just the Ost alone is a 10/10. The Ps1 and Ps2 gave so much to gaming that even to this day, many trying to emulate/take ideas from. Imo those were the golden years in creativity in gaming. Nowadays there are still great games but not even close to the numbers that we had back then. If your childhood was around that time i'm sure it still resonates when you hear an old Ost or see a clip.
I played through japanese version of Ace Combat 3 gaining multiple endings not understanding a single word just for its aesthetics alone. Combination of design, music and gameplay created such synergy I could not find in any Ace Combat game since then.
I’ve had quite a few people tell me about the Japanese version, I really had no idea what I was missing out on until now 😅 Definitely gonna give it a play!
As a Namco lifer this video was heartwarming! You explained my love for this company perfectly. Don't sleep on Ace Combat particularly The Japanese version of AC3.
I’m honored to have been able to do justice for this incredible company! So glad you enjoyed, and thank you for watching 😁 A lot of people in the comments have been recommending AC3, I’m definitely gonna give it a play!
One case of Namco style leading me to a rabbit hole would be their Golgo 13 arcade game, a Silent Scope/Point Blank mix based off a very old yet internationally unknown manga. The cool way the game looked led me to not only try it out but also check out the manga and anime. There's also the Technic Drive and Gynotai games, fully original and obscure but absolutely made to be as Y2K as possible in the 90s
Had to look that up, it sounded so interesting. I was a huge fan of Silent Scope in the arcades, so I appreciate you bringing that info my way! It looks like their catalogue of style goes much deeper than I could've ever imagined. Thanks for watching by the way!
I find myself really captivated by the look of Namco's more cutesy styled games like their many arcade classics, Mr. Driller, their lead series Pac-Man, and even Klonoa.
@@Vynsent, the Sonic comparison isn't too out of left field since the character's creation also was because of a company-wide competition to design the main protagonist of the game that would become Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.
this review made me feel old as all hell...man we had some good games when i was a kid...used to see all these games on shelf in blockbuster on friday. Thought gaming would be this good forever .
In 2020 I finally decided to play through at least one campaign of R4 after having played it back in '99 and preferring Gran Turismo over it at the time because GT was different from the rest. I'm glad I did. I adore the OST so much, and the style it has stood out from GT's own sense of style, as well as R4's more arcade-y feel being something I realized that I do enjoy just as much as I like the Simulation/Simcade-types. Or rather, I rediscovered my appreciation for arcade racers through that once again. Also, the Tekken 4 Section is especially neat for me as I actually have a weird soft spot for it, weird and borked changes to the game mechanics and all that. Indeed, the Rooftop and Airport BGMs are amazing.
I have to agree! GT is absolutely the best in terms of simulation, but if you're just looking to drift around to some good music; Ridge Racer has got you covered 😁 Also thank you for watching, very glad you enjoyed!
I adore those tekken stages with the interesting shapes and mid arena obstacles and uneven flooring. the new ones are so sterile by comparison. I say that as a sweaty player, I'd rather they figure out how to make the cool stages balanced than to remove all the fun bits.
A few years ago, I went down a long and euphoric rabbit hole of Namco arcade games from the 80s up to the early 2000s. I became obsessed with Namco games and still am to this day.
Thank you so much for this amazing video that perfectly captures how I feel about Namco's gorgeous aesthetic. It was thanks to the audio-visual excellence that influenced me so strongly that I started to create my own music and art, inspired by Namco's arcade era of the 90s-2000s. And as a huge fan of the RR series from beginning to end, I literally live for it and play anything from this series + other Namco titles very often. Thank you to the talented people from the Namco, for a wonderful childhood and titles that have not left me until now.❤✨
That means the world to me! I was hoping I could do such a wonderful subject justice, so I’m very glad to hear that you enjoyed 😁 Hopefully we see some more Ridge Racer in the future!
First time on this channel. You should definitely cover the Namco Museums. Vol 1 is my favorite with that absolute mood of a Museum music. And all the little fun facts, and things you can look at. So cool
I would love to see you do an Ape Escape Retrospective. Seeing how you dissect the nostalgia from early y2k titles in such a great way, Ape Escape is a must.
namco represented the dream and vision of the new milleniel at in the form of videogames in facts videogames themselves were part of that new era and what made those games special is becuase they had cheesy yet charming japanese imagination that mixed that fanaticism about the west with tehir own culture combined with western and eastern ''class '' of the 90s plus the rebellious and adventurous cultural shift of the late 90s early 2000s.. its was the sweet spot the perfect balance between these elements what created the unique and entracing vibes seen in aesthetics and music on top the huge jump in videogames technology and graphics
I absolutely love going to the arcade in the early 2000s. It was at that time when oversized arcade machines of Tekken or Soul Calibur were like the centerpiece of every arcade. I used to get nervous playing those games. Once you drop your coin into a Soul Calibur game, you hear that loud sword clashing sound and then people would crowd over you 😂
Lmao! I had forgotten all about that feeling! I remember my local Tekken Cabinet was in a Pizza Shop. Me and a whole crowd of kids would have our greasy pizza fingers all over that joystick every Friday xD Arcade gaming was incredible at that time!
Something that really helps the namco look is the tech. Some ps1 games feel like the wheels are about to fall off. But even on ridge racer one the game feels solid. It only gets better when it meets the namco house style.
@@Vynsent @Vynsent No problem. I get the feeling that alot of us are digging deep into that past of wanting to feel that tone of what Namco games provided as well as Jungle Beat music that originated in 1992 as well as BGM music. That stuff is a reminder that a formula exists that can make modern bland gaming cool again a saturate the land scape with mostly good games instead of just having the rare releases of good games as we've been have to suffer through in our current woke culture that wouldn't know cool if it slapped them in the face
I loved this video and gave me that good type of Nostalgia. I loved Ridge Racer Type 4 and Tekken 4 had atmosphere that is no longer present in the latest entries, I can still visualize a Tekken where this type of atmosphere still exist. Namco had a way of making games. One game franchise I was hoping to get listed on here was Ace Combat. You should try or watch 4(Optional), 5, and Zero. Those games have a lot of atmosphere, aesthetic and good presentation. All these games made by Namco's Internal Team Project Aces and it carries that Namco Aesthetic. If you were to make a part two of Namco Games, check this game out if you can!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I actually ended up grabbing myself a copy of Ace Combat 4 after making this video. I’ve yet to play it, but I’m really excited to finally give it a chance soon 😁
It is because of Namco that my father and I decided on getting a PlayStation for Christmas in 1995!!! You have to understand that nobody else that I knew, and nobody else that they knew, had a PlayStation, nor did any anybody know what it even was in my neck of the woods at the time of its release?! My father and I went to the beach earlier that summer, and in the arcade where my father spent like $1500 on playing games that weekend, two games took up most of our time: Ridge Racer & Tekken!!! Around that November, just around the time stores started sending everybody sales catalogs, a Toys “R” Us sales catalog came in the mail and within that sales catalog featured the Sega Saturn as well as the Sony PlayStation and with the Sega Saturn at a retail MSRP of $399.99 for just the console itself, and the PlayStation for $349.99 with your choice of either Tekken or Ridge racer, it was an obvious no-brainer, which one we decided on!!! The rest is history- (however, my 11-year-old imagination always wanted that Sega Saturn also… unfortunately never had one..)
Those were the days man! It’s incredible how much excitement the PlayStation was capable of bringing us back then. It really was such a special time for gaming 😁
@@Vynsent absolutely 100%!! if I’m being honest, the PlayStation one era was my absolute favorite!? The PlayStation, one, the Nintendo, 64 and the Sega Saturn!! Even though I did not have a Sega Saturn, God I wanted one.. but I had a PlayStation and every single GOOD, BLK LABEL-game that was ever released on it and I would still have all of them today, but I left them at my buddy Sean’s girlfriend’s house back in the year that the PlayStation 2 slim first came out and somebody stole them… my whole official PlayStation CD wallet.. absolutely filled front to back with all black label copies to the best games! I’m still heartbroken about it to this day, but I get to play a lot of them on my vita now and I still have mint copies of GT and GT2.. and I just got a really good condition PSone slim, so things could be worse- Fantastic video by the way!! I’m gonna have to go back and play ridge racer type four on one of my three Vitas or my PS3 lol ?!?
ace combat 3 was my first game ever. i still remember to this day listening to the menus, the voice, the effects, the level start sounds… i just love it
@@Vynsent well in that case lemme drop this here emulation guide for both the PSX and PS2 trilogies of that series. docs.google.com/document/d/1PKzXTElL_UoSS-nZk7G0eyNhSOOSNDuiqdSb1aMNx0Q/edit
Thank you for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed 😌 & it’s definitely looking like I’ll be doing more videos in this style for the future. Plenty of other incredible game studios I’d like to cover, so be on the lookout! 😄
Man, I’m so blessed to have been born in 92’ … Living through the 90s into the early 2000s as the world evolved was such an amazing experience, so sad nothing will be that special ever again.
It was definitely an amazing time, but I still have faith that things can once again feel that special at some point. I think a lot of the world is realizing the direction that things are going in, and are reverting back to more simplistic lifestyles. I think that’s why retro gaming is becoming so popular again! Everyone is seeing how good we had it before 😅
I'm 20 minutes in and I yet have to hear the name of one of the artists that created what you descrive 10 thousands times as the charming aesthetic of Namco. I opened this video expecting to learn something about the artists, their inspirations, the workaround they compromised with on limited hardware, instead this is just a compilation of gameplay footage
Wow... everyone agrees and feels the SAME WAY I have been feeling about this particular aesthetic and era! I'm so glad. And this also confirms that this era really is substantial
Really was a special time in gaming! It's always incredible when a style alone can influence so much emotion. That's what's special about a lot of older games!
such a perfect video, thankyou so much, im in love with this aesthetic, in my channel i'm doing videos about albums ai covers and others stuffs, but the entire interface of the videos and everything i do on these new videos, is all in this aesthetic and atmospheric, i love a lot this type of aesthetic, gives me a lot of notalgia...
Late 90s to mid 2000s was the pinnacle of the Namco style. Tekken, Ridge Racer, Soul Calibur, and, personal favorite, the first Dead to Rights, though to a lesser extent. Lots of shine, lots of style, lots of over the topness. There's also a sense of camp to it, but in a good way. Not "so bad, it's good", though that can be a factor, but so over the top, it's delightful. I mean, how many other video games can you play as a boxing kangaroo or giant panda?
I've been praying for a compilation with the original (PS2/Gamecube version with the cheat codes), kill.switch, and Urban Reign. But I don't think that'll never happen.@@Vynsent
Great showcase You missed out on Ridge Racer V. It's the earliest PS2 games that really harnessed the power of PS2 AS WELL AS had an unparalleled style of its own. Sex is good, but have you seen the Menus in RRV?!
I know! Ridge Racer V is actually my favorite game in the series too. I was going to use it in the video instead of R4, I just felt I had to go with the overall favorite for most ridge fans. Either way, I ended buying a physical copy of r5 almost immediately after playing it on emulator during my research 😅 incredible game!
Nostalgic Vibes all over and over again... 2000 Era of games has a very special place in my heart and soul during my childhood days... Tekken 4 and 5 are my favourite Tekken games of the Franchise. ☯️ By the way Tekken 4 had the best story and atmosphere no doubt. Also my favourite Tekken Intros of the series are 4 and 5. Especially Tekken 4, developers did a lot of things incredibly right, most storylines were incredibly cool and the atmosphere and seriousness was just on a another level. I don't think most would disagree that Tekken 4 had a great"everything-except-the-fighting" to it. Great and Epic soundtracks, unique character designs, good individual stories, and an interesting main Mishima arc revival. The thing is that it's still a fighting game and no matter how great everything else is, if the fighting bit is flawed it'll overshadow the positives. Tekken 4 is sourly the most unique and underrated (mostly because of the choices that hindered the competitive scene) but it is my favorite Tekken to date, because of the very seriousness Vibes of the Story aspects perspective. The seriousness atmosphere of Tekken 4 it's on another level in my opinion.The soundtrack is what gets me the most next to the game's atmosphere. With soundtracks like: Fetus(Prologue), Authentic Sky, Unihabited(Mall Area) Didgerhythm(Jungle Area) Touch and Go(Airport Area) and Kitsch(Beach Area) and The Inner Shrine(Hon-Maru Temple) and others soundtracks, For me Tekken 4 remains even in these days the most Unique Tekken game of the series. 🤷🏻♂️☯️
I fully agree! No other tekken game could deliver the atmosphere and feel that 4 had. The fighting definitely wasn’t on par with its predecessors but it was still an amazing game to experience!
Bad ass! Namco has to be one rival of Sega, Nintendo, Capcom and Konami that pushed forward and always surprised me. Soul Edge in the arcade (Soul Blade on PS) was so incredible at that time and just showed how much love Namco could spread into a console port. Nostalgic as fuck. Thanks, man. We all love something Namco, for sure. I love that it began with 300k and two mechanical ride horses. Made my Friday.
I remember buying R4 near launch when I went to the US. I was about 14 and when I got it home I couldn’t stop playing it. To this day it sticks in my mind, the style, the flow of the drifting, the cool cars I’ll never be able to drive in real life and most of all the soundtrack. I slap on the soundtrack in my 300zx and it makes me feel like I’m there :p
@@Vynsentyeah man :) it was when I was at the perfect age to play games and not feel guilty so I remember a lot of them. Some modern games are incredible but I enjoy them in a different way…
@@adamfrancombe4577 I definitely feel you on that my friend! I think a lot of these older games allowed more room for imagination back then, which made the experience more unique! Games are great now, they can just be a little too detailed for my liking at this point 😅
@@Vynsent100%. The thing for me is that each game was usually built on it’s own engine so had more of a distinctive look and feel from other games. Some games had pre rendered backgrounds, others were fully 3D etc. and like you say games have gotten to the point where they are trying to look too much like reality, there’s little in the way of artistic variation and the technical limitations that probably spurred creativity in developers is becoming less of a problem. I remember playing FF7 and really connected with the characters just reading the dialog, when FFX came out and I heard Tidus’ voice I really didn’t like it 🤣 keep up the vids btw man they are great!
@@adamfrancombe4577 I feel you 🤣Sometimes less really is more! But your kind words mean the world to me, I'm gald to have you on the channel! Editing the next video as we speak 😎
Absolutely enjoying playing Rage Racer & Ridge Racer Type 4 but more because of the soundtracks in each game: "Silver Stream" in Rage Racer & "Move Me" on Type 4. Would just pick a circuit - I remember this one circuit at Rage where there's a long straight & at the end of it, a sharp turn with the background of the sea to the left - play Silver Stream over & over. Didn't get a chance to play the Alpine Racer, but indeed Melina is hot...although Reiko Nagase is my top choice. Thank you for making this video. It was nice trip down on memory lane.
Ahhh, you know how to do it right my friend! And thank you very much, I did my best with what little experience I had with some of these titles, but it was a great experience to really take a look into Namco’s stylish universe 😁
You hooked me with the year 2004 video but you truly got me with this one. Thanks for helping to identify so many of these aesthetics i love and truly truly miss.
Here are some hidden gems with this aesthetic - B.L.U.E legend of the water and Diver's Dream, Racing Lagoon, GunGage, Psychic Force 2, Kaze no Notami (Weather Balloon sim), Airblade on PS2, Finally - Wave Race Blue Storm, Custom Robo and PN03, maybe Gotcha Force on Gamecube.
Namco games was my introduction to the medium. I was just a little toddler when I played Ridge Racer, then Tekken and Ace Combat. Proud to say I’ve enjoyed the ride growing up on those games. Ace Combat 7 was my favorite game of 2019, and eagerly awaiting the next entry, having so much fun with Tekken 8 right now, still wishing hoping for the return of Ridge Racer. I could also say I wish Namco would localize the Idolmaster series but that’ll probably never happen sadly despite it’s cult fandom here in the west.
Yeah Makoto, Shijou, and Hibiki are my favorites of the 765 bunch, coincidentally share birthdays with Haruka-chan too. Guess the distribution of music albums on digital platforms is a step in the right direction, so maybe they could expand. I’m fairly skilled at Taiko no Tatsujin, so I’d like to try with Idolmaster someday.
I’ve never played any of the Ridge Racer games, but about 2-3 years ago I randomly happened to find the ending credits song to RR6 and I still listen to it til this day. 😭💘🎶
@@professoremil Ahh, I would definitely recommend a couple of tutorials you can find online for either pcsx2 or the PS3 emulator. They can be fairly easy to set up! But if you have a PS5, you can find both Ridge Racer Type-4 and ridge racer 2 available on there!
Most ps2 games have this vibe but Namco Games def hold a special place in my heart. The worlds these guys have created are filled with such relaxing atmosphere that's so difficult to describe what is. It's fun, energetic and oozes with personality. Even JPEGMAFIA sampled Ridge Racer 4 on BALD and somehow managed to recreate that same feeling in a song.
I’ve gotta check that track out! But you ain’t lying. It’s a lot of the reason why I enjoy older games so much. The visuals were just so much more appealing than the hyper-realistic graphics we have now. I like to leave some room for the imagination!
The Ridge Racer spinoff "R: Racing Evolution" might deserve full highlight. Yeah it is similar to it's parent franchise but the atmosphere is impeccable which makes it stand out even more in my eyes.
Fun Fact about Alpine Racer 3: You can unlock Klonoa as a secret playable character by getting a 100% score on any slalom run. Oh yeah, and Klonoa 2 rocks any day of the week.
I’m gonna have to check that out! I love how many obscure but great titles Namco has under their belt. You can really go down a rabbit hole with them 😁
When It comes to Namco Tekken, Pac-Man and Ridge Racer are my favorite games they make. Tekken 8 shows that Namco is still going strong. I hope Namco makes a new Ridge Racer game for the PlayStation 5. Cool video. ^_^
I started playing the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series Early 2024, man it's been a fun run compared to modern racing games imo. Hits a niche target for atmosphere, and the music is a banger too for most games, Especially TXR: Zero.
Namco still has a great aesthetic with their Tekken games, and From Software definitely has an aesthetic all of their own under the brand. One of the best publishers out today. We're lucky to have them.
R Racing Evolution is my favorite Namco game. I still play it often. It needs an updated visuals re-release. I'm sure it'll be a new obsession for Gen Alpha.
This video has fascinating timing. I was just thinking about the unique charm and asthetics after I bought and played Tekken 4 and Rige Racer Type 4 During the hype and waiting for Tekken 8. There are other games from other companies with effects like it in the late 90s early 2000s that almost literally suck you back into the past. Ridge Racer Type 4, R Racing Evolution, Soul Calibur 2, Tekken 4, and to some extent Tekken 5 have this special feel that I don't know if it even could be replicated today. Also I like this topic, I like stuff like this. Liked and subbed.
@Vynsent Shared interests makes subbing easy 😎. Reina is SO MUCH FUN to play. I knew she would be hard to learn, but I ended up taking to her pretty quick. Tekken 8 is beyond fantastic. I want to start playing Lili and King, my Tekken 7 mains too, but I've been glued hard to Reina.
@@sousukesagara-im3td I really do appreciate you for that! And she is amazing, was a much needed addition to the roster. King has been beastly in this new tekken as well!
you got a new subscriber just from the title card alone, small recommendation, look into having an animated y2k graphic border around your videos, similar to what Rebel Taxi does. Y2K is a very visual medium so it could give a really good flare to this style of video
![Crime Games Of The Early 2000's [Vol. 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VfzWZcYf3lc/mqdefault.jpg)
90s to Early 2000s Namco stuffs were an aesthetic. You could argue that they crafted a hell of a vibe that's memorable to this day. It always reminds me how much I love Ridge Racer's aesthetics from 1-4, and a lot of other racing titles' OSTs
I have to agree! They set a mood that’s hard to find in other racing titles. I had little to no experience with ridge racer before making this video, safe to say I’ll be a life long fan now 😌
Lookup “frutiger aero” if you like that type of aesthetic
AMEN TO THIS.
Namco's aesthetic was god-like. I personally own every Ridge Racer OST, Soul Edge OSTs and so so many other pieces of music and art that they were stellar with back in those days. Namco made me a HUGE fanboy of their work for quite awhile. Even down to Klonoa and collecting every Namco Museum PSX disc.
I miss who they were.
@@KahL1One FUN FACT: I had difficulty in figuring out what some of my favorite RR tracks are until finding out that some are classic Drum n Bass. This is probably the first introduction towards the genre, and to this day the genre is filled with bangers.
The opening from soul edge omg
The late 90s/ early 00s aesthetic in video games was so awesome and unique. What an amazing time we experienced back then.
And finally someone who gives Tekken 4 some well deserved love. This game is so underrated!
Couldn't agree more! I hope we can get a little taste of these aesthetics for future games. It was so great!
I was playing Tekken 8 the other day at a friends place, and i almost cried tears of joy at the sheer beauty of it. The stages, the character designs, the music - the overall aesthetic. You really have to hand it to the artistry of the Japanese people/culture. They just know how to hit the right notes when it comes to these types of things.
I have to agree! They really know how to give you an experience 😁
Then your friend kicked you out because it got awkward
Jin's Tekken 8 ending is a throwback to classic Namco aesthetic.
I was thinking the same thing !!
I can even argue that Reina Mishima bares a striking resemblance to Ridge Racer's eternal mayor and race queen idol: Reiko Nagase.
@@DR3ADER1 and Kei Nagase from Ace Combat
i call it sega blue sky. It's this turbo charged feeling of nostalgia for ambient jungle music and that timeless n64-ps2 low poly aesthetic. If you gamed a lot during those days, you probably think about living in one of those worlds a lot.
It’s definitely an atmosphere I’ve found myself craving more than usual lately, so blessed to have games like these to indulge in at least 🙌
I think sega blue sky isa great description. I dunno if you mean what Im gonna say but its where games where just so charming and they where bright, goofy, energetic, blue skies with a summery setting games like outrun coast to coast, sonic adventure, crazy taxi, virtua fighter, the music was video-gamy and powerful, action was fast and arcady, menus where bright, usually had a crazy announcer hyping things up. I cannot explain the feeling but it just makes me very happy.
So this feeling isn't something only unique to me? This is exactly the sentiment I've been feeling to a T.
Crank shaft berries in full moon, remember.
I felt Namco was more sunset aesthetics while Sega was more sky blue
"It's a place I would love to be in."
I think that phrase perfectly sums up the way Namco's vistas make you feel. I've always wanted to visit RR7's Ridge State, especially Rave City. The little lore snippets in that game also make it feel alive.
Absolutely! They never cease to do an amazing job, when it comes to atmosphere and presentation. I personally would love to spend some time at Ocean Bay from Ridge racer type 4 😎🏝️
I remember playing so many Namco games in the arcades from Alpine Racer, Point Blank, and Time Crisis to Tekken, Soul Calibur, and even Mr. Driller. They were a staple of my early childhood. Then later I got a PS2 and realized just how many of their games I could reexperience. They made the transition to consoles without losing any of their arcade sensibilities. In the arcades it's all about style. Your attract modes, music, and cabinet art had to compete against dozens of other machines for the player's attention, so you always had to go all-out. They were a bastion of quality too. You always knew you were in for an insane experience when you played a Namco game. I often long for the days when the four horseman of great video games: Namco, Capcom, Konami, and Square were firing on all cylinders in the late 90s and early oughts.
I agree man! They really made so many timeless games. It’s sad that we don’t get these same types of releases in modern day, but at least we still have the classics to play 🕺🏻
Point Blank/Point Blank 2 is the best lightgun game ever made and remains to this day, one of the best party games in the world
after all these years I still think Ridge racer type 4 have one of the coolest UI and menus
I have to agree! I absolutely love the Grand Prix welcome screen. Such a chill game!
Idk if you listen to Rap/Hip-Hop but there's a rapper named JPEGmagia who made a song called "BALD" (it samples a song from Ridge Racer type 4). Highly recommend.
@@Abel-Alvarez I just recently listened to it actually! It's a banger 😁
Namco "suffered" the most the shift from 2000s to 2010s gaming with the merge with Bandai. Now it produces only identical high-profitable tie-ins on big anime franchises...
The definition of selling out unfortunately 😭 luckily they’re still doi by great things with the Tekken series tho!
Tekken and Ace Combat are still great
@@kirillnikolaev346 I can't Say anything about Ace Combat as I never played one of its game, but Tekken has kept struggling after 5 DR, Tekken 7 had a strong but very low-profile start that was wasted after season 2 with a series of questionable to bad decisions, Tekken 8 had a good commercial launch but many think that is losing more and more of its identity
I was wondering why it felt like Namco were shitting out generic anime jrpgs left and right. Bandai.
@@gianniloscapolonot doing the same thing over and over again is not losing identity. If T8 is not Tekken I don’t know what is.
I had a crush on Nagase Reiko from Ridge Racer Type 4 26 years ago 😅
She's still quite a looker in my book! xD
@@Vynsent So basically, she's the one for me?
I think I had a crush on Julie from Tekken lol… but it felt like I betrayed Sailor Moon 🫣😅
I'm 44 years old now and still got a crush with her.
Namco's aesthetic was such a vibe back then, made you feel like you were a part of it whenever you played their games. Such an escape! Rage Racer and R4 had a huge impact on me, on top of Tekken 1-4, Tekken Tag, Time Crisis 1 & 2, and even the first two Ridge Racer games. I still go back and listen to the R4 soundtrack from time to time, even imported the actual CD.
I couldn’t agree more my guy! Namco has truly blessed us with some classics!
I'll always love the sleekness of Ridge Racer and its smooth DnB/Jungle music. It's like... mind-freeing.
I have to agree! It’s very therapeutic 😁
I was raised on Tekken, Soul Blade and Ridge Racer. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, especially as a musician. Thank you for covering this. It’s definitely something I wish I could share with others that weren’t there. Even though it’s something that made me an “outcast” in school, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
Aye you’re definitely family here my friend! Glad you enjoyed 😁🌹
Just replayed R4 again on PSN and bruh i felt 7 again!!!! I love that soundtrack so much
I swear man, got me whippin around town in a Hyundai, just jamming the soundtrack lately 😂
@Vynsent hell yea I have it saved on YT music so I'm always bumpin it especially on late night drives
GOATed video man, i absolutely love the way that Namco did with their game design and soundtracks. MotoGP 3, 4 and Ace Combat series are my personal favorites.
They really know how to keep you coming back for more, that’s for sure! I’ve still yet to play any MotoGP games, but I have some very fond memories with the earlier ace combat titles. 😁Also, so glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for watching! 🙌😌
I'm 30 so I literally grew up during this time and agree with everything you said. For me 2000-2010 was 7 to 17. So basically from the time my memory started forming I was immersed in this aesthetic and the sounds. I feel like today's gaming era doesn't even have a definitive sound or vibe or anything. This entire style of music(which everyone seems to still love including Gen Z) never gets put in games anymore. Acid jazz(ridge racer), jungle dnb(TEKKEN, Donkey Kong),, electric hip hop(The Bouncer), etc., dance and jazz(MvC2) It worked so well with gaming it felt like the blueprint to follow and then they just dropped it.
I have to agree! It made the games so much more interesting and immersive. 😄
Yeah that’s called nostalgia dude. You feel this music defined gaming because that’s the music that you defined gaming with when you were young, because it was in the games you played and that influenced you.
Games not having a definitive vibe (they never have btw, except in the very very early days of game music when everything was an 8bit remix of classical songs) just shows that it’culturally relevant and that people with very different artistic backgrounds are game developers now. It’s a good thing. You cannot just do the same thing over and over again.
Also this vibe is still popular, especially on the independant market.
@JM-vl3cy Nah it's not nostalgia when even younger people think this gaming music era was peak.
@@JesusChrist2000BCthat's a very vague and general statement you're making there. While I have no doubt that there's a community of enjoyers among the younger audience, I doubt that it's more than a niche.
With the insane amount of modern entertainement available I doubt most young people have time and curiosity to dedicate to games much older than them.
Maybe they're just intro electronic music since the style is still around.
It was always a rather soothing experience to play a Namco game. They had amazing aesthetics, and the soundtracks will go deep into your soul.
I have to agree! They really knew how to give their player base a unique experience no matter what game it was 😁
@@Vynsent I literally boot up Time Crisis 3 sometimes and leave it playing on the main menu for the music lol
Not sure why the algo put this in my feed but I enjoyed it. Subbed.
Looks like it was meant to be, my friend 😁 So glad you enjoyed tho, thank you!
also subbed for the chill Namco vibes... take me back to Y2K!
The peak aesthetic theme was Tekken 4. It nailed a specific tone down
Tekken 4 is one game that I would love to live in xD
Absolutely. Too bad they changed all back to the playful and sometimes stupid stuff (paul and law just are jokers / comical relief victims from tekken 5 onwards)
@@agipandi4482 I agree 😅 I don’t totally hate it, but the tone of Tekken 4 was just so great!
Namco during this time was just dripping in style. It just felt different playing their games. Ace Combat 4 & 5, R Racing Evolution, Tales of Legendia.
Things just felt different. The worlds immersed you.
Love the video man
I have to agree! They built their games with an atmosphere that you could really lose yourself in. A lot of their games are quite therapeutic in my opinion! But I'm super glad you enjoyed, thank you for watching!
Wow what an excellent video. Really threw me back to the early 2000s. I agree with the tekken 4 ambiance and the airport stage; the intro music as well. Super nostalgic.
Glad you enjoyed it! That airport track is such a jam :)
So without further ado but before we get started 😂
tah-tah-today junior xD
Great video! I recommend Namco's Xenosaga games too, they very much fit this aesthetic!
I plan on giving them a go! I’ve yet to play any of them, but I think it’s time I dive in 😁 Thanks for watching!!
I’ve been searching for a Xenosaga clone since I played the first two. The sci-fi rpg setting was really unmatched. I’m agonizing over not getting to play the 3rd game, now it’s super expensive and rare.
I love how DrumnBass and Acid Fusion became "vaporwave" for modern gamers 😅
It’s really made a comeback with the new generation forsure!
i love dnb and jungle so much and im sad that it isnt bigger. It has always been big in the uk but it is nice to see the sound succeed internationally with artists like pinkpantheress and newjeans
Namco is one of my favorite developers. Thanks for this video. This video really takes me back to happier times.
I'm glad that I could achieve that for you! Truly, thank you for watching :)
Great video! Lots of great info and you hit the right spot when you describe the vibe this kind of aesthetic has. It really does feel liminal at times. Also it's very cool that there are more ways to talk about aesthetics. Back in the day of Tekken 4 there were no such terms as "liminal", or at least it was not used in a way it's used now. But now you can say it and I can understand almost exactly what you mean. It's like there was always a sort of emotion but people just didn't have a name for it.
It's incredible what emotion these kind of landscapes can invoke! Really something of beauty. Thanks for watching by the way!
I still play the R4 soundtrack when I'm speeding on the interstate at night. It's one of the few soundtracks with variety but it's cohesive and complete all the way through. I highly recommend buying or downloading it.
I actually was looking into getting a physical copy, as I've been collecting Cd's as of recent 😁 But it's definitely getting it's fair share of play on my spotify haha. Drive safe!
You know, I used to associate Namco with new hardware. They were there at the console launches. Ridge Racer showed off the PS1. Ridge Racer 5 was launched on the PS2. RR6 was on the 360 and 7 the PS3. Even some handhelds got in. Remember the "Riiiiidge Racer!" meme? The game was there, lookin great on the PSP's launch. But we haven't gotten any new Ridge Racers in a while. I think the last one to release was on the Vita and the game wasn't all that great. A shame because I really liked the Vita, it deserved better than what it got.
I have to agree! It was such an underrated piece of tech. I’m hoping Sony will give us another great handheld in the future
Namco focuses more with simple arcade type games, but made with lots of love and charm of its style.
Same can be said for Capcom back then.
Both have some amazing throwbacks!
Namco of that time meant: DnB, pretty people, and sleek designs. R4, AceCom 2, all that good good.
The beauty of gaming, at it's best!
Namco were the techno kings.
They know their way around a good soundtrack, that’s forsure!
So happy for you that this video is blowing up! loved your early y2k video
Thanks a bunch! I couldn’t be more amazed with how well things are going. Thank you for watching!
Man, the art style of Xenosaga Episode I is one of my favorites if not my favorite. I mean as far as background art goes, Final Fantasies IX and VII are probably peak for me. Character art styles though, probably Xenosaga Episode I.
I was actually looking into including Xenosaga for this video! Unfortunately I didn't have enough experience to be able to thoroughly talk about it for the video . But I definitely have it on my list of games to play!
Open ether circuit! Spell Ray!
@Heavynsent Oh nice! Lookin forward to your review or whatever you may do on the game and trilogy.
@OhHowAbsurd that just brought me back lol ahhh man the turned based combat is so good. My favorite characters are Jr and chaos.
Not a huge fighting game fan but tekken 3 and 4 had unrivaled aesthetics and each one for very different reasons.
Especially 4 had a vibe that many didnt really like but to me just the Ost alone is a 10/10. The Ps1 and Ps2 gave so much to gaming
that even to this day, many trying to emulate/take ideas from. Imo those were the golden years in creativity in gaming.
Nowadays there are still great games but not even close to the numbers that we had back then.
If your childhood was around that time i'm sure it still resonates when you hear an old Ost or see a clip.
Absolutely! Those years were so inspiring to me, I had to make this TH-cam channel just so I could talk about them 😂
I played through japanese version of Ace Combat 3 gaining multiple endings not understanding a single word just for its aesthetics alone. Combination of design, music and gameplay created such synergy I could not find in any Ace Combat game since then.
I’ve had quite a few people tell me about the Japanese version, I really had no idea what I was missing out on until now 😅 Definitely gonna give it a play!
As a Namco lifer this video was heartwarming! You explained my love for this company perfectly. Don't sleep on Ace Combat particularly The Japanese version of AC3.
I’m honored to have been able to do justice for this incredible company! So glad you enjoyed, and thank you for watching 😁 A lot of people in the comments have been recommending AC3, I’m definitely gonna give it a play!
One case of Namco style leading me to a rabbit hole would be their Golgo 13 arcade game, a Silent Scope/Point Blank mix based off a very old yet internationally unknown manga. The cool way the game looked led me to not only try it out but also check out the manga and anime.
There's also the Technic Drive and Gynotai games, fully original and obscure but absolutely made to be as Y2K as possible in the 90s
Had to look that up, it sounded so interesting. I was a huge fan of Silent Scope in the arcades, so I appreciate you bringing that info my way! It looks like their catalogue of style goes much deeper than I could've ever imagined. Thanks for watching by the way!
I find myself really captivated by the look of Namco's more cutesy styled games like their many arcade classics, Mr. Driller, their lead series Pac-Man, and even Klonoa.
Ooo they definitely have some good ones! Especially Klonoa. Gives me Sonic vibes in a way 😅
@@Vynsent, the Sonic comparison isn't too out of left field since the character's creation also was because of a company-wide competition to design the main protagonist of the game that would become Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.
this review made me feel old as all hell...man we had some good games when i was a kid...used to see all these games on shelf in blockbuster on friday. Thought gaming would be this good forever .
I know the feeling brother! Luckily, we still have the means to play some of these classics, as well as the memories!
In 2020 I finally decided to play through at least one campaign of R4 after having played it back in '99 and preferring Gran Turismo over it at the time because GT was different from the rest.
I'm glad I did. I adore the OST so much, and the style it has stood out from GT's own sense of style, as well as R4's more arcade-y feel being something I realized that I do enjoy just as much as I like the Simulation/Simcade-types. Or rather, I rediscovered my appreciation for arcade racers through that once again.
Also, the Tekken 4 Section is especially neat for me as I actually have a weird soft spot for it, weird and borked changes to the game mechanics and all that. Indeed, the Rooftop and Airport BGMs are amazing.
I have to agree! GT is absolutely the best in terms of simulation, but if you're just looking to drift around to some good music; Ridge Racer has got you covered 😁 Also thank you for watching, very glad you enjoyed!
I really love the still illustrations of characters in story mode in tekken 4 to 6
They’re so expressive and well styled
I agree! A Tekken Manga or Comic series done in that style would be so incredible 🤤
I adore those tekken stages with the interesting shapes and mid arena obstacles and uneven flooring. the new ones are so sterile by comparison. I say that as a sweaty player, I'd rather they figure out how to make the cool stages balanced than to remove all the fun bits.
I agree! Loved the atmosphere of Tekken 4’s stages especially!
A few years ago, I went down a long and euphoric rabbit hole of Namco arcade games from the 80s up to the early 2000s. I became obsessed with Namco games and still am to this day.
They’re phenomenal! There were so many more games I could’ve talked about 😅
would love to see a follow up video @@Vynsent! Xenosaga is defintely something to check out. I'm off to play some Alpine Racer!
Namco has some of the best soundtracks ever
Thank you so much for this amazing video that perfectly captures how I feel about Namco's gorgeous aesthetic.
It was thanks to the audio-visual excellence that influenced me so strongly that I started to create my own music and art, inspired by Namco's arcade era of the 90s-2000s.
And as a huge fan of the RR series from beginning to end, I literally live for it and play anything from this series + other Namco titles very often.
Thank you to the talented people from the Namco, for a wonderful childhood and titles that have not left me until now.❤✨
That means the world to me! I was hoping I could do such a wonderful subject justice, so I’m very glad to hear that you enjoyed 😁 Hopefully we see some more Ridge Racer in the future!
This video brilliantly captures the evolution, innovation and nostalgia of a gaming pioneer!!! Well done!!
That means the world to me 🥹❤️ Thank you for watching!!
Ridge racer on the ps1 was my first game on the system. I played it for months before we got a memory card
The good ole days, where we’d leave the console running while we slept 😂 I feel you!
First time on this channel.
You should definitely cover the Namco Museums. Vol 1 is my favorite with that absolute mood of a Museum music. And all the little fun facts, and things you can look at. So cool
I just had this recommendation from a friend recently, I definitely will be checking it out! Thanks for watching by the way 😁❤️
I loved ridge racer 4. Wow this really brought me back to a great time
I was hoping to do just that with this video, so I’m very glad to hear! Thank you for watching 😁❤️
I would love to see you do an Ape Escape Retrospective. Seeing how you dissect the nostalgia from early y2k titles in such a great way, Ape Escape is a must.
I really appreciate that 😁❤️ I actually covered Ape Escape in my Beautiful World of Japan Studio video, if you ever find the time to check it out! 🌞
namco represented the dream and vision of the new milleniel at in the form of videogames in facts videogames themselves were part of that new era and what made those games special is becuase they had cheesy yet charming japanese imagination that mixed that fanaticism about the west with tehir own culture combined with western and eastern ''class '' of the 90s plus the rebellious and adventurous cultural shift of the late 90s early 2000s.. its was the sweet spot the perfect balance between these elements what created the unique and entracing vibes seen in aesthetics and music on top the huge jump in videogames technology and graphics
I have to agree! Loved that whole style, and hope to see more of it in the future 😁
I absolutely love going to the arcade in the early 2000s. It was at that time when oversized arcade machines of Tekken or Soul Calibur were like the centerpiece of every arcade. I used to get nervous playing those games. Once you drop your coin into a Soul Calibur game, you hear that loud sword clashing sound and then people would crowd over you 😂
Lmao! I had forgotten all about that feeling! I remember my local Tekken Cabinet was in a Pizza Shop. Me and a whole crowd of kids would have our greasy pizza fingers all over that joystick every Friday xD Arcade gaming was incredible at that time!
Something that really helps the namco look is the tech. Some ps1 games feel like the wheels are about to fall off. But even on ridge racer one the game feels solid. It only gets better when it meets the namco house style.
You're not lying! It was truly incredible what they were able to achieve, even with limited hardware!
Reiko Nagase was a beauty. They really need to bring her back.
I agree! She brought so much of that charm in the Ridge Racer series 😁
I hit the notification bell as your content is actually that good :D
Means the world to me! Thank you for your support 😌❤️
@@Vynsent @Vynsent No problem. I get the feeling that alot of us are digging deep into that past of wanting to feel that tone of what Namco games provided as well as Jungle Beat music that originated in 1992 as well as BGM music. That stuff is a reminder that a formula exists that can make modern bland gaming cool again a saturate the land scape with mostly good games instead of just having the rare releases of good games as we've been have to suffer through in our current woke culture that wouldn't know cool if it slapped them in the face
I loved this video and gave me that good type of Nostalgia. I loved Ridge Racer Type 4 and Tekken 4 had atmosphere that is no longer present in the latest entries, I can still visualize a Tekken where this type of atmosphere still exist. Namco had a way of making games.
One game franchise I was hoping to get listed on here was Ace Combat. You should try or watch 4(Optional), 5, and Zero. Those games have a lot of atmosphere, aesthetic and good presentation.
All these games made by Namco's Internal Team Project Aces and it carries that Namco Aesthetic. If you were to make a part two of Namco Games, check this game out if you can!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I actually ended up grabbing myself a copy of Ace Combat 4 after making this video. I’ve yet to play it, but I’m really excited to finally give it a chance soon 😁
It is because of Namco that my father and I decided on getting a PlayStation for Christmas in 1995!!! You have to understand that nobody else that I knew, and nobody else that they knew, had a PlayStation, nor did any anybody know what it even was in my neck of the woods at the time of its release?!
My father and I went to the beach earlier that summer, and in the arcade where my father spent like $1500 on playing games that weekend, two games took up most of our time: Ridge Racer & Tekken!!!
Around that November, just around the time stores started sending everybody sales catalogs, a Toys “R” Us sales catalog came in the mail and within that sales catalog featured the Sega Saturn as well as the Sony PlayStation and with the Sega Saturn at a retail MSRP of $399.99 for just the console itself, and the PlayStation for $349.99 with your choice of either Tekken or Ridge racer, it was an obvious no-brainer, which one we decided on!!!
The rest is history-
(however, my 11-year-old imagination always wanted that Sega Saturn also… unfortunately never had one..)
Those were the days man! It’s incredible how much excitement the PlayStation was capable of bringing us back then. It really was such a special time for gaming 😁
@@Vynsent absolutely 100%!! if I’m being honest, the PlayStation one era was my absolute favorite!? The PlayStation, one, the Nintendo, 64 and the Sega Saturn!! Even though I did not have a Sega Saturn, God I wanted one.. but I had a PlayStation and every single GOOD, BLK LABEL-game that was ever released on it and I would still have all of them today, but I left them at my buddy Sean’s girlfriend’s house back in the year that the PlayStation 2 slim first came out and somebody stole them… my whole official PlayStation CD wallet.. absolutely filled front to back with all black label copies to the best games! I’m still heartbroken about it to this day, but I get to play a lot of them on my vita now and I still have mint copies of GT and GT2.. and I just got a really good condition PSone slim, so things could be worse-
Fantastic video by the way!!
I’m gonna have to go back and play ridge racer type four on one of my three Vitas or my PS3 lol ?!?
The music in soul edge, ace combat series, and Klonoa earned a chef’s kiss. Namco’s composers were untouchable.
The soundtracks were incredible! It really is amazing how well composed their tracks were 😁
"It's Ridge Racer! Riiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racer! Remember that one?"
- Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai
What a legend!
That was especially funny to me because I was a Nintendo kid and I had no idea what he was talking about or why he was saying it that way.
i remember ace combat 3 having this relaxing feeling too. if you can try to play the japanese version
I'm looking to delve into some Ace Combat games very soon, so I will definitely give it a play!
ace combat 3 was my first game ever. i still remember to this day listening to the menus, the voice, the effects, the level start sounds… i just love it
@@Vynsent well in that case lemme drop this here emulation guide for both the PSX and PS2 trilogies of that series.
docs.google.com/document/d/1PKzXTElL_UoSS-nZk7G0eyNhSOOSNDuiqdSb1aMNx0Q/edit
Ace combat 2 had great music and atmosphere @@Vynsent
@@zoolander6362 I’ve been sleeping in the series for too long, it’s time I wake up 😅
What a great video. Absolutely adore the vibe and would love to see more in this direction
Thank you for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed 😌 & it’s definitely looking like I’ll be doing more videos in this style for the future. Plenty of other incredible game studios I’d like to cover, so be on the lookout! 😄
Great video lad definitely subscribing after this and I look forward to your future projects!
Thanks a million, it means the world to me so thank you for watching! 😁
I grew up with Tekken 5 back on the PS2. Needless to say, Moonlight Wilderness stage is engraved into my very soul.
Ahhh, now that’s a classic!
LMFAO she put her thumb out and the car kept going XD
Man, I’m so blessed to have been born in 92’ … Living through the 90s into the early 2000s as the world evolved was such an amazing experience, so sad nothing will be that special ever again.
It was definitely an amazing time, but I still have faith that things can once again feel that special at some point. I think a lot of the world is realizing the direction that things are going in, and are reverting back to more simplistic lifestyles. I think that’s why retro gaming is becoming so popular again! Everyone is seeing how good we had it before 😅
Ridge Racer Type 4 is _peak_ Namco
I love *everything* about it - _such_ a fkn vibe
Absolutely fantastic game 😙🤌🏼
@@Vynsent Greatest era in gaming - so happy I was young when I was lol 🙏🏻❤🍻
I feel t4 and t6 was the peak of these styles. Another aesthetic i love is the lets go jungle island of spice look and feel.
Tekken really knows it’s way around some atmosphere, I gotta agree! 😁
I'm 20 minutes in and I yet have to hear the name of one of the artists that created what you descrive 10 thousands times as the charming aesthetic of Namco. I opened this video expecting to learn something about the artists, their inspirations, the workaround they compromised with on limited hardware, instead this is just a compilation of gameplay footage
Honestly, I really wish I would’ve thought to include those details, I’ll be sure to do so in future videos. Thank you for watching though!
Wow... everyone agrees and feels the SAME WAY I have been feeling about this particular aesthetic and era! I'm so glad. And this also confirms that this era really is substantial
Really was a special time in gaming! It's always incredible when a style alone can influence so much emotion. That's what's special about a lot of older games!
such a perfect video, thankyou so much, im in love with this aesthetic, in my channel i'm doing videos about albums ai covers and others stuffs, but the entire interface of the videos and everything i do on these new videos, is all in this aesthetic and atmospheric, i love a lot this type of aesthetic, gives me a lot of notalgia...
Love the aesthetics of those early 2000’s! Very glad you enjoyed 😁🌹
Late 90s to mid 2000s was the pinnacle of the Namco style. Tekken, Ridge Racer, Soul Calibur, and, personal favorite, the first Dead to Rights, though to a lesser extent. Lots of shine, lots of style, lots of over the topness. There's also a sense of camp to it, but in a good way. Not "so bad, it's good", though that can be a factor, but so over the top, it's delightful. I mean, how many other video games can you play as a boxing kangaroo or giant panda?
Absolutely love dead to rights! Would love to see them revisit the series in modern day, we need more Jack Slate!!
I've been praying for a compilation with the original (PS2/Gamecube version with the cheat codes), kill.switch, and Urban Reign. But I don't think that'll never happen.@@Vynsent
@@BriGuyIL1980 sadly I’m with you there 🥲 At least we have the blessing of emulation!
Great showcase
You missed out on Ridge Racer V. It's the earliest PS2 games that really harnessed the power of PS2 AS WELL AS had an unparalleled style of its own.
Sex is good, but have you seen the Menus in RRV?!
I know! Ridge Racer V is actually my favorite game in the series too. I was going to use it in the video instead of R4, I just felt I had to go with the overall favorite for most ridge fans. Either way, I ended buying a physical copy of r5 almost immediately after playing it on emulator during my research 😅 incredible game!
@@Vynsent If it weren't for RRV, I would have never learned about Boom Boom Satellites, AKA possibly one of the greatest bands ever formed.
Great video, great channel. Reminds me a bit of Thorhighheels when he was just starting out.
Thanks a bunch! It means a lot to me :) I've gotten that comparison before, it's an honor!
Nostalgic Vibes all over and over again... 2000 Era of games has a very special place in my heart and soul during my childhood days... Tekken 4 and 5 are my favourite Tekken games of the Franchise. ☯️ By the way Tekken 4 had the best story and atmosphere no doubt. Also my favourite Tekken Intros of the series are 4 and 5. Especially Tekken 4, developers did a lot of things incredibly right, most storylines were incredibly cool and the atmosphere and seriousness was just on a another level. I don't think most would disagree that Tekken 4 had a great"everything-except-the-fighting" to it. Great and Epic soundtracks, unique character designs, good individual stories, and an interesting main Mishima arc revival. The thing is that it's still a fighting game and no matter how great everything else is, if the fighting bit is flawed it'll overshadow the positives. Tekken 4 is sourly the most unique and underrated (mostly because of the choices that hindered the competitive scene) but it is my favorite Tekken to date, because of the very seriousness Vibes of the Story aspects perspective. The seriousness atmosphere of Tekken 4 it's on another level in my opinion.The soundtrack is what gets me the most next to the game's atmosphere. With soundtracks like: Fetus(Prologue), Authentic Sky, Unihabited(Mall Area) Didgerhythm(Jungle Area) Touch and Go(Airport Area) and Kitsch(Beach Area) and The Inner Shrine(Hon-Maru Temple) and others soundtracks, For me Tekken 4 remains even in these days the most Unique Tekken game of the series. 🤷🏻♂️☯️
I fully agree! No other tekken game could deliver the atmosphere and feel that 4 had. The fighting definitely wasn’t on par with its predecessors but it was still an amazing game to experience!
Bad ass! Namco has to be one rival of Sega, Nintendo, Capcom and Konami that pushed forward and always surprised me. Soul Edge in the arcade (Soul Blade on PS) was so incredible at that time and just showed how much love Namco could spread into a console port. Nostalgic as fuck. Thanks, man. We all love something Namco, for sure. I love that it began with 300k and two mechanical ride horses. Made my Friday.
Haha it’s crazy how it all started from that, ain’t it?! So glad you enjoyed though man, have a great weekend!
I remember buying R4 near launch when I went to the US. I was about 14 and when I got it home I couldn’t stop playing it. To this day it sticks in my mind, the style, the flow of the drifting, the cool cars I’ll never be able to drive in real life and most of all the soundtrack. I slap on the soundtrack in my 300zx and it makes me feel like I’m there :p
That’s beautiful! It incredible how much of an impression these old games are able to leave 😁
@@Vynsentyeah man :) it was when I was at the perfect age to play games and not feel guilty so I remember a lot of them. Some modern games are incredible but I enjoy them in a different way…
@@adamfrancombe4577 I definitely feel you on that my friend! I think a lot of these older games allowed more room for imagination back then, which made the experience more unique! Games are great now, they can just be a little too detailed for my liking at this point 😅
@@Vynsent100%. The thing for me is that each game was usually built on it’s own engine so had more of a distinctive look and feel from other games. Some games had pre rendered backgrounds, others were fully 3D etc. and like you say games have gotten to the point where they are trying to look too much like reality, there’s little in the way of artistic variation and the technical limitations that probably spurred creativity in developers is becoming less of a problem. I remember playing FF7 and really connected with the characters just reading the dialog, when FFX came out and I heard Tidus’ voice I really didn’t like it 🤣 keep up the vids btw man they are great!
@@adamfrancombe4577 I feel you 🤣Sometimes less really is more! But your kind words mean the world to me, I'm gald to have you on the channel! Editing the next video as we speak 😎
I just want Ridge Racer back.
I really hope we get a new one soon 🥲
Absolutely enjoying playing Rage Racer & Ridge Racer Type 4 but more because of the soundtracks in each game: "Silver Stream" in Rage Racer & "Move Me" on Type 4. Would just pick a circuit - I remember this one circuit at Rage where there's a long straight & at the end of it, a sharp turn with the background of the sea to the left - play Silver Stream over & over.
Didn't get a chance to play the Alpine Racer, but indeed Melina is hot...although Reiko Nagase is my top choice.
Thank you for making this video. It was nice trip down on memory lane.
Ahhh, you know how to do it right my friend! And thank you very much, I did my best with what little experience I had with some of these titles, but it was a great experience to really take a look into Namco’s stylish universe 😁
when u talk abou tekken i screemed omg, tekken 4 is so nostalgic and perfect and will be forever on my heart
i listen to the soundtracks even nowadays
I can’t explain the way Tekken 4 makes me feel. Every time I play/watch it makes me want to live in that universe. Peak y2k that’s honestly timeless
I have to agree! I’ve even been using the Tekken 4 soundtrack while I play the newest Tekken. Such nostalgia 🥹
You hooked me with the year 2004 video but you truly got me with this one. Thanks for helping to identify so many of these aesthetics i love and truly truly miss.
That means the world to hear 🥹 Thank you for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed!
Here are some hidden gems with this aesthetic - B.L.U.E legend of the water and Diver's Dream, Racing Lagoon, GunGage, Psychic Force 2, Kaze no Notami (Weather Balloon sim), Airblade on PS2, Finally - Wave Race Blue Storm, Custom Robo and PN03, maybe Gotcha Force on Gamecube.
Oooo I love a good recommendation, thank you!
good shit and grats bro, great video.
love to see it
Thanks a ton brother, hope all is well with you. I’ve missed ya!
Namco games was my introduction to the medium. I was just a little toddler when I played Ridge Racer, then Tekken and Ace Combat. Proud to say I’ve enjoyed the ride growing up on those games. Ace Combat 7 was my favorite game of 2019, and eagerly awaiting the next entry, having so much fun with Tekken 8 right now, still wishing hoping for the return of Ridge Racer. I could also say I wish Namco would localize the Idolmaster series but that’ll probably never happen sadly despite it’s cult fandom here in the west.
They raised you into a wonderful person of culture, I can tell you that much 😁 Here's to hoping they do more for Idolmaster in the future!
Yeah Makoto, Shijou, and Hibiki are my favorites of the 765 bunch, coincidentally share birthdays with Haruka-chan too. Guess the distribution of music albums on digital platforms is a step in the right direction, so maybe they could expand. I’m fairly skilled at Taiko no Tatsujin, so I’d like to try with Idolmaster someday.
I’ve never played any of the Ridge Racer games, but about 2-3 years ago I randomly happened to find the ending credits song to RR6 and I still listen to it til this day. 😭💘🎶
Emulation is your ticket to greatness my friend!
Except I play console and don’t know anything about computers sadly, but I sure wish I did! It sucks all the classics are becoming lost to time.
@@professoremil Ahh, I would definitely recommend a couple of tutorials you can find online for either pcsx2 or the PS3 emulator. They can be fairly easy to set up! But if you have a PS5, you can find both Ridge Racer Type-4 and ridge racer 2 available on there!
Getting them views up! Keep the hard work up. Thanks for blessing us with content.
Always!
Ace Combat 5 just gives me this relaxing nostalgic feeling. Ironic for a war game about the history and the past.
I’ve gotta get my hands on a copy! I’ve been hearing great things 😁
Most ps2 games have this vibe but Namco Games def hold a special place in my heart. The worlds these guys have created are filled with such relaxing atmosphere that's so difficult to describe what is. It's fun, energetic and oozes with personality. Even JPEGMAFIA sampled Ridge Racer 4 on BALD and somehow managed to recreate that same feeling in a song.
I’ve gotta check that track out! But you ain’t lying. It’s a lot of the reason why I enjoy older games so much. The visuals were just so much more appealing than the hyper-realistic graphics we have now. I like to leave some room for the imagination!
The Ridge Racer spinoff "R: Racing Evolution" might deserve full highlight. Yeah it is similar to it's parent franchise but the atmosphere is impeccable which makes it stand out even more in my eyes.
I was actually planning on including it originally! Even got a couple of hours of gameplay footage 🥲
Fun Fact about Alpine Racer 3: You can unlock Klonoa as a secret playable character by getting a 100% score on any slalom run.
Oh yeah, and Klonoa 2 rocks any day of the week.
That’s awesome, I had no idea 😁 Also I have to agree! I just recently started playing the PS4 release of Klonoa 2, it’s super fun.
I remember an arcade game called Winning Run by Namco. That was awesome way back when.
I’m gonna have to check that out! I love how many obscure but great titles Namco has under their belt. You can really go down a rabbit hole with them 😁
When It comes to Namco Tekken, Pac-Man and Ridge Racer are my favorite games they make. Tekken 8 shows that Namco is still going strong. I hope Namco makes a new Ridge Racer game for the PlayStation 5. Cool video. ^_^
I’m hoping they do so as well! Would love to see it on the current hardware 😁 thank you for watching!
I started playing the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series Early 2024, man it's been a fun run compared to modern racing games imo. Hits a niche target for atmosphere, and the music is a banger too for most games, Especially TXR: Zero.
Oooo I gotta check those out! I’ve never heard of that series personally 😅
Namco still has a great aesthetic with their Tekken games, and From Software definitely has an aesthetic all of their own under the brand. One of the best publishers out today. We're lucky to have them.
No doubt! From has been holding it down for present day gaming :)
R Racing Evolution is my favorite Namco game. I still play it often. It needs an updated visuals re-release. I'm sure it'll be a new obsession for Gen Alpha.
They really should. I loved the story cinematics, especially the intro!
Ridge Racer 1 and 2, and Battle Arena Toshindin, and Tekken 2, and Resident Evil, Wipeout, Jumping Flash. LFG.
All great games!
I live and breathe the 90s& 00s aesthetic. It's been my happy place in these dark times. Heck, I got Hoodie Jin as my pfp need I say more 😅
I feel you my friend! It's been a sweet relief from present day forsure 🤣
artistic direction were nuts on these
They really did their thing!
This video has fascinating timing. I was just thinking about the unique charm and asthetics after I bought and played Tekken 4 and Rige Racer Type 4 During the hype and waiting for Tekken 8. There are other games from other companies with effects like it in the late 90s early 2000s that almost literally suck you back into the past. Ridge Racer Type 4, R Racing Evolution, Soul Calibur 2, Tekken 4, and to some extent Tekken 5 have this special feel that I don't know if it even could be replicated today.
Also I like this topic, I like stuff like this. Liked and subbed.
Thanks a bunch, I’m so glad that you enjoyed. I really appreciate the sub as well 😁 Also, love your Reina pic! She’s been my main on Tekken 8 so far 😎
@Vynsent Shared interests makes subbing easy 😎.
Reina is SO MUCH FUN to play. I knew she would be hard to learn, but I ended up taking to her pretty quick. Tekken 8 is beyond fantastic. I want to start playing Lili and King, my Tekken 7 mains too, but I've been glued hard to Reina.
@@sousukesagara-im3td I really do appreciate you for that! And she is amazing, was a much needed addition to the roster. King has been beastly in this new tekken as well!
Great video. Timely too as I've been watching both Tekken 8 videos and frutiger aero videos lately.
Glad you enjoyed! Thank you for watching 😁
you got a new subscriber just from the title card alone, small recommendation, look into having an animated y2k graphic border around your videos, similar to what Rebel Taxi does. Y2K is a very visual medium so it could give a really good flare to this style of video
I will absolutely take that into account for my future thumbnails, I appreciate that tip my friend 😁 Also thank you for the sub, I’m glad you enjoyed!