@donov25 ya got a point! I definitely ain't out here simping for any tech companies (or any companies at all for that matter) but I just enjoyed the sleek clean vibe of these games
@@donov25 Just gonna say something along the lines that it wasn't actually a good thing, we were naive and susceptible to being taken advantage of by tech companies. Not to mention from what all the experts say the future doesn't look too positive by most measures.
The death of the Dreamcast feels like one of those timeline-splitting events that all but ensured we ended up in the shitty dystopian one. Chin up, lads, we'll all make it back to the Dreamcast-blue skies one day, even if we need to collect all the Chaos Emeralds to do it.
DC aesthetics still bring a up a nice feeling whenever I replay some of those gems. It was exciting and its mood was like "heck yeah, let's play!" regardless of the game genre.
Dreamcast look really bright,sharp and colourful. Not a ps2 hater but most games look dull and fuzzy in comparison even when running in high res ,never knew the reason behind It.
The ps2 bet for a small and fast edram, so they often relied on field rendering to achieve good performance. Sega rendered everything progressive AFAIK.
Dreamcast has an amazing aesthetic, even as a 34 year old coming into it when ReDream really hit its stride. I hope the next indie aesthetic we see Big Revivals of is Dreamcast era.
I’ve been making plans/thoughts for a little while about a Dreamcast aesthetic indie game. I love the aesthetic. Never had the original console, but Sonic Adventure and just my fascination with late 90s/early 2000s video game aesthetic has made me a big fan of it over the years. Wish I could live in that time.
@@eklipsed9254 is was amazing. I was 12 when the Dreamcast came out. I remember playing the Sonic Adventure demo with my cousins for hours. And the demo for House of the Dead. Hours and hours of playing the demos. The release date did not disappoint.
I used to be totally enraptured by the mystical, water-like dreamscape of sounds they used for the Dreamcast. Sonic Adventure 1 definitely comes to mind the most when I think about dreamcast games that carried through with that whole vibe. I know that NiGHTS into dreams was released on the Sega Saturn years earlier, but I consider it a precursor for Sega's design philosophy during the dreamcast era. The music from this era is SO optimistic and dreamy.
The DREAMCAST games had the aesthetics of that part of the 90s, the last part of the 90s had a vibrant "happy" teenage look., the ska-punk or pop punk look., lots of orange and yellow and big pants, the No Doubt and Offspring aesthetic, some of it was in movies like american pie, Jet set radio for sure catches that fashion, sonic adventure 1 and 2 and crazy taxi too, the dreamcast was about that vibe and fashion, the ps2 on the other hand was all about realism and being like a dvd movie, they wanted a realistic and cinematic look.,
@@NTEDOG561 After the weirdo grunge-alternative-britpop era of the mid 90s, came a very chill and colorful era of the end of the 90s, the era of skate, color, was like some sort of carnival vibe around the end of the century., there really was lots of motivation around the new millenium, i too miss that era, the 90s and 00s were very fun, not like the 2010s that were the WORST decade ever
you briefly touched on Jet Set Radio’s liminal spaces, and I think that’s something that I really appreciate in games. The Dreamcast aesthetic isn’t just limited to video games-a lot of the ‘00s revival streetwear fashion these days is incredibly Dreamcast inspired, like my fav clothing company HAPPY99. anyway, I really liked this video, thanks for posting it, hope you get a better mic. subscribed!
I really enjoyed this video! As someone who didn't really play any Dreamcast games, I feel like this gave me an appreciation for them that I didn't have before. Great work!
That's really lovely to hear, thank you - my aim here is just to share my love for this unfairly overlooked console so if I managed to get that across I'm really happy
Dreamcast still is one of my favorite consoles. Hours playing Sonic Adventure, Soul Calibur, Crazy Taxi 1 and 2, Project Justice and the incredible list of fighting games.
Man i thought i was crazy...but it turns out i'm not the only one that thinks Dreamcast games have a very unique aesthetic. I wish SEGA released more games with this kind of fresh and futuristic aesthetic.
I only ever played a Dreamcast at the demo stations in old Electronics Boutiques, Best Buys and Gamestops back in the day. Even then it felt like I was playing some console from the future, the graphics and "smoothness" were just so ahead of their time. The fact that the Dreamcast didn't take off is one of the greatest tragedies in gaming history.
The Sega Dreamcast was notable for being the very first console that could produce 3D graphics didn't look like the warped blocky mess we'd gotten during the 32 bit era, and I remember being super impressed at screenshots and game clips when it was new. I was so disillusioned that the Dreamcast died in only two years, I completely lost interest in gaming for a few years until I finally bought an OG Xbox in 2005.
@@RhythmGrizz I bought an N64 back then too, and I actually didn't consider it to be that big of a leap over 32 bit. I liked that visuals had way less aliasing, but cuz of cartridge storage limitations and how the N64 handled textures, lots of games for that console ended up having a repetitive blurry look to them. I still consider the Dreamcast to be the first console that could do clear, vivid 3D graphics without too many super obvious visual flaws jumping out at you when you looked at it.
You really nailed it. I haven't played all the games you mentioned, but the clips of Jet Set Radio and Phantasy Star Online made me extremely nostalgic. So many comfy late nights playing those games in the early 2000's. And when you said the Dreamcast gave us a sense of hope, I felt that.
i dont know why but i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the aesthetic of the cities on the games of dreamcast here where i live have some parts who looks like sonic adventures cities and i have a little nostalgic feeling, a unique feeling, i love it, this aesthetic is my favorite
Isn't it so beautiful! Sounds like you're lucky to live somewhere so nice! I recently went to the Maldives and it looked just like Emerald Coast from Sonic Adventure, right down to the little straw beach huts and everything
My favorite console of all time. You had to be there. The library, the aesthetic, the feel, the innovation, and like you said the hope. I dropped gaming for 6 years after Dreamcast was discontinued. Dreamcast will always be number one. Even now as a fighting game fan, Dreamcast still has a relevant library. Was the only console to have official ports of games like Marvel vs Capcom, Street Fighter 3 Double Impact, and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Heritage for the Future. As well as having the best ports of Marvel vs Capcom 2, and Capcom vs SNK 1 and 2 that tournaments use even now.
My mom rented me a Dreamcast from the video-rental-store when I was sick, back in the late-90s or early 2000s I guess. I remember playing Sonic Adventure, and it is a VERY special place in my memories. Very unique aesthetic and spirit for sure! I remember bright/sunny glass buildings, tropical environments, rotating doors or toll-things... lol I can't remember enough specifics, but it was a PLACE/FEELING for sure. 💖💙
@@DreamcastEnjoyer oh man, yesssss!!! I'm looking forward to it so much ! Any content you make about will be a joy ☺ I need to figure out a way to play that game again. Emulator maybe? Also JGR... I never played Jet Grind Radio on the Cast, but I played the release on the Xbox years ago that was titled -SetRadioFuture I think. Then recently purchased it through Steam, and used a USB Xbox controller. Also very unique landscape and places in memory, that one. I remember rusty orange skies and/or buildings interplayed with hazy olive greens, industrial plants, etc... and much more, but I am recalling certain levels especially. We definitely form strong subjective memories in the games we played. We have traveled and been ispired in some way no joke, as crazy as that may seem to some people 🤣 Be well, thank you for the great content!
@rebtr thank you - you're very kind! ReDream emulator is an excellent user-friendly Dreamcast emulator if you're on the lookout for one. Even has the option to go wide-screen and HD with the games!
Dreamcast for a lot of us in our 30s grew up owning Genesis, probably skipped Saturn and if we were lucky we had a 64 or PS1 but not both…we also maybe got 1-3 games a year to own aside from renting..The Dreamcast was every Sega fans comeback. For 2 years nothing looked or played games like it. If you got a Dreamcast you knew you got a glimpse into the next generation of gaming. 3D gaming that was vibrant, heavy Japanese development, high res ports, classic Sega franchises and weird new unique games. The looming PS2 and the shift that took was comimg but for a lot of us we marveled at Sonic Adbenture, fought multiplayer in power stone, lived a world in Shenmue, ran from police in JetSet, talked to a live fish in Seaman, soared skies in Arcadia and played online for the first time in 2K and Phantasy Star. It was figuring out 3D and maturing it, it was Sega does what everyone else don’t for a bit. It’s a shame things went the way they did but I’m happy we still have Sega around
That was beautifully said, my friend, and I absolutely agree. People tend to think of Nintendo as the imaginative company with the innovative approach, but for me it's always Sega
I never thought about this, but I felt everything you were saying. It's probably why I have such fond memories of Sonic Adventure on my Dreamcast, it felt so cozy and nice to be in the world even though quite a bit of it was empty.
When I uploaded this video I felt like nobody was going to know what I was talking about so I'm really grateful to see so many nice comments from people who feel the same. Thank you and I really hope you enjoyed it
I love this same thing, never had a Dreamcast but I did fall in love with SA1 on a demo kiosk because of that same aesthetic and "feel", very positive Y2K style, some game outside the DC had this same feel around the time like Final Fantasy X and maybe up to things like Mario Sunshine to a degree.
The sixth generation of video games was a time where every game console had an ethereal nature to it. Like the console was transporting you to another world where video game logic was real. Firmware developers put in the effort to give personality to the console itself with designs and sounds that can only be found their. The ps2 boot screen was genuinely frightening for some, and the Xbox and Wii were experiences in and of themselves. Things changed after this, and now everything is a practical, yet bland and sterile Netflix imitation.
That's a great summation actually, "practical, bland and sterile" is a great way to sum up a lot of "mainstream" modern media. That said, we are still seeing beautiful games coming out from smaller studios (and Sega themselves)
Beautiful work my man. Covered a pocket of old school gaming I'm just now learning about. You did a great job conveying the coziness of these games. The 'vibe' of game worlds is one of my favorite parts of the medium for sure, and you make me wanna dive into some of these worlds big time. I wish you much success. I love seeing new fellow youtubers talk about things they're passionate about. Hit me up sometime if you wanna chat retro stuff! :D
Thank you very kindly - I just dived onto your channel and saw the first video is Dread Delusion which I love so much! Instant subscribe for me :) I really appreciate the feedback and I am glad you enjoyed the video. Good to know there are other folks out there who enjoy the vibe of these worlds!
I didn't think about it at the time, but you're right. There really was a common theme around futuristic cities, neon look...Not only for dreamcast, but it was a recurring theme between 1999-2002 i believe, in videogames and animation media... It was probably due to the "hype" for the new milenium. It was the era where phones got smaller but more powerful, where we went from VCR to DVDs, where we started using 3D cgi and digital colors in animation, and where 128 bit consoles launched... In some ways, it felt like everything was evolving faster than before, so i guess they wanted to look like they were closer to the future, hence the aesthetic they went with
I Love the bus stop and how it looks and the park in shenmue. I love that one nighttime level in Jet Grind Radio, and the maken x style is just so good. need to get my dreamcast hooked up to my current monitor somehwo
Good work. I never had a dreamcast but its aesthetic always stood out. that sega feel still stays to this day but its a shame there is no one sega console for modern game
I'm very unsatisfied with how they changed the aesthetic of Eggman's tech over the years. SA1 Eggman seemed to have the perfect blend of the eccentric classic badniks and something new, it felt like you could take his machines seriously, but they weren't out of place. SA2 continued that, but the focus was more on Gerald Robotnik's creations and GUN tech. Sonic Advance trilogy did a nice job of finding middleground between Adventure and Classic aesthetic. Heroes just plain made his tech look like toddler toys, like Playskool and Duplos, even all 3 forms of the final boss looked like a bootleg action figure. Sonic Rush managed to have some really good looking bosses, I think the angular low-poly graphics helped with that, but they definitely impressed me. Shadow just haphazardly painted a little dirt and grime over the Eggpawns in the prerendered cutscenes and called it a day. 06 had an empty uncanny aesthetic to it, like they were assets from a different game hastily repurposed for a Sonic game. It's almost a welcome change from Eggpawns, but on their own, I can't say I like them. Unleashed tried some middleground between Heroes' Eggpawns and the 06 Bayformers aesthetic, which worked for the Egg Dragoon and not much else. Probably didn't help that I played the PS2 version, where the nuEggpawns have minimal AI, because "why aren't you boosting?" Colors was the only one to make the Eggpawns look like they belonged, and that's only because it all takes place in an amusement park. There's certainly an argument to be made for the Eggpawns suiting Eggman's desire for an amusement park empire that spans the word and usurps the world government, but I can't help but miss the Eggcarrier, the mechanized looking Badniks, and the E-Series.
This video represents everything I love about the SEGA Dreamcast. I always love how blue played an important part in most games. Nintendo games give me a forest feel due to a lot of games having green forests such as Super Mario and Legend Of Zelda. SEGA on the other hand gives me more of an ocean feel with blue that is similar to ocean blue in most games such as Headhunter, Blue Stinger and of course Sonic Adventure 1 and 2.
When I made this video I thought I was the only person who felt like that about the Dreamcast but I'm bowled over by all the views and lovely comments. Thank you - I'm glad you liked it!
I feel lucky for acidentaly tricking yt algorithm into showing me all of these small obscure 15 subs chanels, because lots of them are gems waiting to be discovered, including you! Great vid
The Dreamcast is the promise of the future ( the 21st century at the time of the consoles launch in 98-99 ) was to become. However like all things in life it never came to be. But that doesn't mean we can make that future possible. That fun bright future under the Sega blue skies. That's what the dreamcast is a dream that we can hold onto.
You've perfectly captured a thought I was never able to say. Even though I didn't play Dreamcast games until my late teens, there's a feeling of homeliness in the games on that platform that is so beautiful. The smoothness really shines. Fortunately, a lot of people have appreciation for it even today and even play Dreamcast online using fan-made tools and whatnot - for games like Worms, Phantasy etc
What's the song at 0:29? Sounds dope. I love videogame music from the dreamcast era because most of it was based on deep house and electronic funk, The music added to the atmosphere and visual aesthetic of Dreamcast, The music was specifically designed to due to so, And electronic music was a good medium for this because it's extremely difficult to capture the complex atmosphere in these games with tradition non-electric instruments. What also made a lot of the 90's games seem so optimistic and make you look forward to the future is that they weren't really pushing any political agenda in your face or formulaic cash grabs. It was simply about introducing unique ideas, experimenting, passionate sincere story-telling and immersion and just having fun, even with y2k around the corner, Something about the games still seemed pure and they made you anticipate a future where anything could happen.. Now in these times, It constantly seems like the world is about to end due to all the global/political events happening, and Developers and the Media treat video games as tools for propaganda and profit and the future has had hoped sapped out of it.
I'm glad you like the tunes - they really are something special and I agree with you it's that electronica vibe that makes it all feel so upbeat. The one at 0:29 is called "A song that keeps us on the move" from Sonic Adventure. It is the theme for the Egg Carrier adventure field. I definitely think you're onto something too with all modern games trying to cash in on that doom and gloom stuff. Sure there's plenty to feel worried about in the world, but I like videogames for a bit of escapism so that's why I love these older and simpler ones :)
this aesthetic started before the dreamcast with sega's arcade games, also the sega saturn was the first one to do the online stuff, in fact dreamcast inherited the saturns online infrastructure
One specific Dreamcast game that has such a specific and niche aesthetic is Space Channel 5, both 1 and 2 take place hundreds of years in the future but they have this retro futurism aesthetic mixed in with the popular trends of the 90s and 2000s It has the same feel as the jetsons where it’s futuristic but still traditional, with a lot of the 60s spandex space costumes, yet they still have the bright hair colors that started to get trendy in the 2000s, along with the low rise pants and stripes and other more edgy styles, and the locations of this game are so unique you can’t forget, the space station itself is such a unique shape you’d recognize the silhouette no matter what
EmceeProphit sent me here. Good video. You nailed explaining the excellent presentation of the dreamcast classics. The microphone was a little rough, but other than that, awesome video. Excited to see more from you. Subbed and Bell rang
Thank you kindly - I'm still pretty new to this so working out the kinks with getting a good mic sound and decent mix on the music. Future videos will have better production I promise, and I really appreciate that subscribe! :)
@@DreamcastEnjoyer Yeah out side of the very minor, and I mean minor mic quality issue. This was a wonderful video right up my alley of content I'll love. Excited for the next one.
@@DreamcastEnjoyer Don't mention it! I've only played parts of a couple of Dreamcast games, but I've been meaning to play more... and the reason is because every time I paly one or see a video of one, they just have this certain "feel" that's totally different... and then boom, I stumbled across your video, and you defined that "feel" perfectly!!! So, bravo!!!! I instantly subscribed after this video!
Clean, colorful, low polygon graphics make me happy. Im also glad that we got the blue swirl in europe for the dreamcast. it fits the design of the console way better, especialy with the box art of the console and the gamecases....so....MORE BLUE! ❤
wonderful video! never thought someone would have this much to say about the vibe of the dreamcast but it honestly makes sense. the dreamcast is kinda unmatched with its graphical style. soulcalibur and the sonic adventure games are some of my favorite looking games of all time. i will say that i hope you could improve on the microphone quality. but that's really all. great effort dude
Thank you very much - sound quality should be better in future vids, I am just getting the hang of it all. But I really appreciate the kind words and glad you enjoyed it :)
dreamcast had a very arcade aesthetic at the time personally, they did have a lot of arcade cabs at the time that the games were direct ports of after all.
Great video!! I feel like if you enjoy the Dreamcast aesthetics, there are a few games on other consoles that remind me of Dreamcast games: Megaman Legends, Ape Escape, and Tail Concerto all give me the same kind of Dreamcast vibes as some of the games from this video.
Megaman Legends for sure! Tails Concerto and Ape Escape have been sat on my shelf for years and I ain't got round to them yet... maybe now is a good time!
Since the DC was the first 6th gen console developers were more familiar with 5th gen tech. Naturally they looked like higher quality low poly games. The system's life was so short that look became the system's identity.
One of the very few consoles I haven’t played :/ aside from most consoles from the 80’s lol. My childhood friend had one, but I never got to play it because he was always missing one of the wires. Great video!!
@@bootleggerlegit not just my opinion but everyone who understands and knows about the history of gaming, why is there no saga consoles anymore? Because they destroyed their reputation for ever with this monstrosity called Dreamcast.
I was always trying to find this aesthetic, I forgot where it originated from. I saw “vapor wave” and I thought. “This is not it.” I sat in an old friends Saturn and it brought back that nostalgia of the dreamcast aesthetic. This video hits it right on the button. But don’t forget super-magnetic neo. It puts the dreamcast aesthetic in over-drive
The optimistic futurism that pervaded the 50s and then saw a very short-lived revival in the very late 90s and 2000, and the first half of 2001, was so beautiful. Blue skies and translucent colored plastic and punk ska pop music. It really sucks that pop culture as a whole decided to collectively fold to fear and become edgy and grungy and dark after 9/11, I completely understand why, that and Columbine were the first massive tragedies the western world had seen since like... the Titanic? But seeing the whole of western pop culture go that dark, tortured direction for years up until the early 2010s, to the point most console games for a while became samey looking brown military shooters, was just depressing. In terms of tone, things are a bit better now, but it feels so fake and homogenized. Like you used Fortnite as an example, and it is a fun game you can enjoy without paying a cent- but the crossover promotions and the cosmetic items and the endless missions and quests all distracting from the core gameplay, make it a far cry from something like Sonic Adventure 2 or Jet Set Radio, even though all three have a similar style and tone. There's a very clear shift in the modern industry towards cold corporate pessimism disguised behind bright colors. The Dreamcast era did see a bit of this, but there are so many more truly passionate projects from the time, my favorite example being how SonicTeam literally went on an adventure to make Sonic Adventure where Yuji Naka provoked a massive tarantula and one of the other devs nearly passed out from the altitude while exploring mountain ruins. That's a level of passion and dedication that just doesn't happen anymore, and if it is, it's either completely overlooked, or part of a canceled project that investors were too piss-scared to take a risk with. It's heartbreaking.
You made a great point there about how this aesthetic has come back but feels a little forced/fake. I definitely think there are modern games that truly do an authentic job of this (e.g. Donut County) but I agree with what you said about cynical corporations hijacking it to an extent
I notice alot of PS4 games have a lot of similar colors shading on the unreal engine kinda gets stale after awhile but reminds me what you say about the color patterns and details
Oh yea I absolutely think this more colourful aesthetic has made a comeback in recent years. Maybe not in any Triple A games but definitely in the Indies and some notable Double A stuff (like Hi-Fi Rush)
I did not get a Dreamcast in the 90s. I regreted it for more than 10 years til buying a used one. I think this was one of the most artistic consoles of the time. The PS1 was the RPG Juggernaut, but the Dreamcast was fascinating. Ironically, for my own game Karporam, my publisher told me although I did not realize it I made a title which feels strongly like something from the dreamcast. One thing I might add to your fideo. The Dreamcast and the GameCube were the last systems with the "3D = lots of water" aesthetic, which now got resurrected on terms like snyth- or vaporwave. (Ironically, even with the music, the most memorable songs were the water themed like dire dire docks of aquatic ambience.)
Oooo I want to check out your game now - can I find it on Steam/Itch etc? I never thought too much about the importance of water but you're right, many of my fave games with this aesthetic have a very watery vibe. Blue Submarine No 6 is a Japanese Dreamcast Submarine RPG which does a beautiful job of that
The most impressive thing about the Dreamcast is how massive its visual leap is over the Nintendo 64, which was just TWO years older. That may be the fastest leap in gaming history. Nowadays especially, a two-year difference between consoles results in imperceptible improvements.
I get it what you've been talking about, I got the same feeling from Ridge Racer Type 4 and 5. It's that time between the dissolution of the Soviet Union and 9/11 when you can feel like the whole world lived through some kind of happy ending of a long story and there will be nothing but joy and happiness. But then reality kicked in the butt and everything became "realistic" dull and grey.
I need to check out Ridge Racer! I know what you mean there. I will say that I've stopped watching the news these days and don't really engage with any modern media unless I really want to. Maybe that's escapism but I'm happier for it, just vibing and playing Dreamcast like it's 1999
The Gamecube actually received quite some DC gold. Here you find the only post-DC physical versions of both Sonic Adventure 1+2, but also the best version of SoulCalibur 2 and even exclusives like Beach Spikers, Virtua Soccer 3 and Billy Hatcher and of course Super Monkey Ball 1+2. Good times.
I really liked Soulcalibur 2 on GC actually and Monkey Ball. I've only recently played Billy Hatcher but I like that too. That console really was good times, actually, I only had like 5 games for it but I loved them all
I really love those optimistic future vibes. It honestly would have been amazing to have grown up with a Dreamcast, I really like the feeling I get with most games. I had a GameCube which had similar vibes. Maybe I should emulate some Dreamcast games.
Gamecube had some similar and equally amazing vibes for sure. I'd definitely recommend checking out some Dreamcast games: Sonic Adventure, Blue Stinger, Toy Commander, Jet Set Radio, Phantasy Star Online... all gold!
That optimistic futurism vibe definitely went out of fashion.. We kind of need it right now, lol.
Absolutely agreed - hoping to talk about "90s futuristic games" more in future vids :)
I mean that futurism contributed to trust in tech companies that are currently ruining our lives so we are probably better off without it.
@donov25 ya got a point! I definitely ain't out here simping for any tech companies (or any companies at all for that matter) but I just enjoyed the sleek clean vibe of these games
9/11 snuffed out the optimism.
@@donov25 Just gonna say something along the lines that it wasn't actually a good thing, we were naive and susceptible to being taken advantage of by tech companies.
Not to mention from what all the experts say the future doesn't look too positive by most measures.
The death of the Dreamcast feels like one of those timeline-splitting events that all but ensured we ended up in the shitty dystopian one. Chin up, lads, we'll all make it back to the Dreamcast-blue skies one day, even if we need to collect all the Chaos Emeralds to do it.
Dreamcast was so cool and ahead of its time. Nothing will match the first time I went online in Phantasy Star Online or playing space channel 5
DC aesthetics still bring a up a nice feeling whenever I replay some of those gems. It was exciting and its mood was like "heck yeah, let's play!" regardless of the game genre.
Couldn't agree more - they always put me in a good mood 😊
I always loved the hi-res look of Dreamcast games. Everything always looked very sharp and clean especially when compared to the PS2.
It was the perfect combination of n64 sharpness and ps2 realism
Dreamcast look really bright,sharp and colourful.
Not a ps2 hater but most games look dull and fuzzy in comparison even when running in high res ,never knew the reason behind It.
The ps2 bet for a small and fast edram, so they often relied on field rendering to achieve good performance. Sega rendered everything progressive AFAIK.
that ps2 fuzziness was really hard to get over after playing on a dreamcast for 4 years.
@@MiSambra Try an sdtv, S-video and no added sharpness by tv.
Dreamcast has an amazing aesthetic, even as a 34 year old coming into it when ReDream really hit its stride. I hope the next indie aesthetic we see Big Revivals of is Dreamcast era.
ReDream is a phenomenal emulator. This is a great time to jump in.
Funny how many of us are the same age :D
I’ve been making plans/thoughts for a little while about a Dreamcast aesthetic indie game. I love the aesthetic. Never had the original console, but Sonic Adventure and just my fascination with late 90s/early 2000s video game aesthetic has made me a big fan of it over the years. Wish I could live in that time.
@@eklipsed9254 is was amazing. I was 12 when the Dreamcast came out. I remember playing the Sonic Adventure demo with my cousins for hours. And the demo for House of the Dead. Hours and hours of playing the demos. The release date did not disappoint.
I’ve been chasing the feeling of the Dreamcast for YEARS. My dream is to make a video game in that style
Its been one year, any news?
I used to be totally enraptured by the mystical, water-like dreamscape of sounds they used for the Dreamcast. Sonic Adventure 1 definitely comes to mind the most when I think about dreamcast games that carried through with that whole vibe. I know that NiGHTS into dreams was released on the Sega Saturn years earlier, but I consider it a precursor for Sega's design philosophy during the dreamcast era. The music from this era is SO optimistic and dreamy.
The DREAMCAST games had the aesthetics of that part of the 90s, the last part of the 90s had a vibrant "happy" teenage look., the ska-punk or pop punk look., lots of orange and yellow and big pants, the No Doubt and Offspring aesthetic, some of it was in movies like american pie, Jet set radio for sure catches that fashion, sonic adventure 1 and 2 and crazy taxi too, the dreamcast was about that vibe and fashion, the ps2 on the other hand was all about realism and being like a dvd movie, they wanted a realistic and cinematic look.,
Yea that baggy pants skater era that transcended both games and movies I miss those carefree days
@@NTEDOG561 After the weirdo grunge-alternative-britpop era of the mid 90s, came a very chill and colorful era of the end of the 90s, the era of skate, color, was like some sort of carnival vibe around the end of the century., there really was lots of motivation around the new millenium, i too miss that era, the 90s and 00s were very fun, not like the 2010s that were the WORST decade ever
@@johnnada6855 ugh we were plagued by Taylor swift 🤢
you briefly touched on Jet Set Radio’s liminal spaces, and I think that’s something that I really appreciate in games. The Dreamcast aesthetic isn’t just limited to video games-a lot of the ‘00s revival streetwear fashion these days is incredibly Dreamcast inspired, like my fav clothing company HAPPY99. anyway, I really liked this video, thanks for posting it, hope you get a better mic. subscribed!
I really enjoyed this video! As someone who didn't really play any Dreamcast games, I feel like this gave me an appreciation for them that I didn't have before. Great work!
That's really lovely to hear, thank you - my aim here is just to share my love for this unfairly overlooked console so if I managed to get that across I'm really happy
I remember looking at the Am2 palm tree back in the day and thinking " I really love that Sega summer beach look."
Yea that AM2 logo is tight
I'm with ya
Sega-AM2 is still one of Sega's most legendary internal in-house Sega studios, along with Sonic Team (formally Sega-AM8).
Dreamcast still is one of my favorite consoles. Hours playing Sonic Adventure, Soul Calibur, Crazy Taxi 1 and 2, Project Justice and the incredible list of fighting games.
Project Justice was so underrated! And yeah the amount of good fighting games on the Cast is insane
man i've been looking for this damn aesthetic for so long
Man i thought i was crazy...but it turns out i'm not the only one that thinks Dreamcast games have a very unique aesthetic.
I wish SEGA released more games with this kind of fresh and futuristic aesthetic.
I only ever played a Dreamcast at the demo stations in old Electronics Boutiques, Best Buys and Gamestops back in the day. Even then it felt like I was playing some console from the future, the graphics and "smoothness" were just so ahead of their time. The fact that the Dreamcast didn't take off is one of the greatest tragedies in gaming history.
I’ve been so nostalgic for the late 90’s/early 00’s era lately. I didn’t even appreciate that time during but now I miss it.
The Sega Dreamcast was notable for being the very first console that could produce 3D graphics didn't look like the warped blocky mess we'd gotten during the 32 bit era, and I remember being super impressed at screenshots and game clips when it was new. I was so disillusioned that the Dreamcast died in only two years, I completely lost interest in gaming for a few years until I finally bought an OG Xbox in 2005.
I was disappointed it didn't last long but very happy to see so many people are still enjoying the games!
I mean
N64 came out in 96 and did noticeably better, smoother 3D than the 32 bit gen
@@RhythmGrizz I bought an N64 back then too, and I actually didn't consider it to be that big of a leap over 32 bit. I liked that visuals had way less aliasing, but cuz of cartridge storage limitations and how the N64 handled textures, lots of games for that console ended up having a repetitive blurry look to them.
I still consider the Dreamcast to be the first console that could do clear, vivid 3D graphics without too many super obvious visual flaws jumping out at you when you looked at it.
Dreamcast games always had a comfy feeling to them, nostalgic of course but still looked nice even if not high definition.
You really nailed it. I haven't played all the games you mentioned, but the clips of Jet Set Radio and Phantasy Star Online made me extremely nostalgic. So many comfy late nights playing those games in the early 2000's. And when you said the Dreamcast gave us a sense of hope, I felt that.
Thank you - honestly I thought I was out on my own stanning the Dreamcast so I am really glad to get positive comments like this :)
Some DS games did this too
i dont know why but i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the aesthetic of the cities on the games of dreamcast
here where i live have some parts who looks like sonic adventures cities and i have a little nostalgic feeling, a unique feeling, i love it, this aesthetic is my favorite
Isn't it so beautiful! Sounds like you're lucky to live somewhere so nice! I recently went to the Maldives and it looked just like Emerald Coast from Sonic Adventure, right down to the little straw beach huts and everything
@@DreamcastEnjoyer its strange how it feels so nostalgic and good
My favorite console of all time. You had to be there. The library, the aesthetic, the feel, the innovation, and like you said the hope. I dropped gaming for 6 years after Dreamcast was discontinued. Dreamcast will always be number one. Even now as a fighting game fan, Dreamcast still has a relevant library. Was the only console to have official ports of games like Marvel vs Capcom, Street Fighter 3 Double Impact, and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Heritage for the Future. As well as having the best ports of Marvel vs Capcom 2, and Capcom vs SNK 1 and 2 that tournaments use even now.
Wow I didn't realise it was still the gold standard for tourney fighters! It really is impressive :)
The DreamCast was so great and so unique. I think it's one of the best consoles ever made and I wasn't even alive when it was discontinued.
100% agree with you and well done presenting this in your video. I always thought this but hard to put into works let alone a video. Great job m8.
Thank you kindly
Great video. The hopeful futurist dystopia is an interesting lens to view sega's style through
Thank you! Glad you liked it
My mom rented me a Dreamcast from the video-rental-store when I was sick, back in the late-90s or early 2000s I guess. I remember playing Sonic Adventure, and it is a VERY special place in my memories. Very unique aesthetic and spirit for sure! I remember bright/sunny glass buildings, tropical environments, rotating doors or toll-things... lol I can't remember enough specifics, but it was a PLACE/FEELING for sure. 💖💙
Literally the vid I'm currently working on is all about the cozy locations in Sonic Adventure! So I get that feeling for sure :)
@@DreamcastEnjoyer oh man, yesssss!!! I'm looking forward to it so much ! Any content you make about will be a joy ☺ I need to figure out a way to play that game again. Emulator maybe? Also JGR... I never played Jet Grind Radio on the Cast, but I played the release on the Xbox years ago that was titled -SetRadioFuture I think. Then recently purchased it through Steam, and used a USB Xbox controller. Also very unique landscape and places in memory, that one. I remember rusty orange skies and/or buildings interplayed with hazy olive greens, industrial plants, etc... and much more, but I am recalling certain levels especially. We definitely form strong subjective memories in the games we played. We have traveled and been ispired in some way no joke, as crazy as that may seem to some people 🤣 Be well, thank you for the great content!
@rebtr thank you - you're very kind! ReDream emulator is an excellent user-friendly Dreamcast emulator if you're on the lookout for one. Even has the option to go wide-screen and HD with the games!
@@DreamcastEnjoyer Thank you for the recommendation !!! 🤗 I am going to try it.
Dreamcast for a lot of us in our 30s grew up owning Genesis, probably skipped Saturn and if we were lucky we had a 64 or PS1 but not both…we also maybe got 1-3 games a year to own aside from renting..The Dreamcast was every Sega fans comeback. For 2 years nothing looked or played games like it. If you got a Dreamcast you knew you got a glimpse into the next generation of gaming. 3D gaming that was vibrant, heavy Japanese development, high res ports, classic Sega franchises and weird new unique games. The looming PS2 and the shift that took was comimg but for a lot of us we marveled at Sonic Adbenture, fought multiplayer in power stone, lived a world in Shenmue, ran from police in JetSet, talked to a live fish in Seaman, soared skies in Arcadia and played online for the first time in 2K and Phantasy Star. It was figuring out 3D and maturing it, it was Sega does what everyone else don’t for a bit. It’s a shame things went the way they did but I’m happy we still have Sega around
That was beautifully said, my friend, and I absolutely agree. People tend to think of Nintendo as the imaginative company with the innovative approach, but for me it's always Sega
Liked and subscribed. Fellow Dreamcast enjoyer.
The audio quality of your voice over is even Shenmue like aesthetic. Probably not intentional, but it’s what came to my mind. lol
Definitely not intentional but I'll take it!
Now do you know any place sailors hang out?
@@DreamcastEnjoyer Hmm…I’ve heard Heartbeat’s Bar is a common hotspot.
I was the only kid in my area with a dream cast and it felt so futuristic compared to the competition
I never thought about this, but I felt everything you were saying. It's probably why I have such fond memories of Sonic Adventure on my Dreamcast, it felt so cozy and nice to be in the world even though quite a bit of it was empty.
When I uploaded this video I felt like nobody was going to know what I was talking about so I'm really grateful to see so many nice comments from people who feel the same. Thank you and I really hope you enjoyed it
I love this same thing, never had a Dreamcast but I did fall in love with SA1 on a demo kiosk because of that same aesthetic and "feel", very positive Y2K style, some game outside the DC had this same feel around the time like Final Fantasy X and maybe up to things like Mario Sunshine to a degree.
The vaporwave aesthetic of the dreamcast really was incredible and made you feel hopeful. I hope more modern games embrace that style
That DC logo sound still gives me chills. Best console ever made..
Dreamcast has that cartoony feel to its games.
The sixth generation of video games was a time where every game console had an ethereal nature to it. Like the console was transporting you to another world where video game logic was real. Firmware developers put in the effort to give personality to the console itself with designs and sounds that can only be found their. The ps2 boot screen was genuinely frightening for some, and the Xbox and Wii were experiences in and of themselves. Things changed after this, and now everything is a practical, yet bland and sterile Netflix imitation.
That's a great summation actually, "practical, bland and sterile" is a great way to sum up a lot of "mainstream" modern media. That said, we are still seeing beautiful games coming out from smaller studios (and Sega themselves)
That cyber y2k webcore low poly aesthetic had something magical about it and that’s why it was the best era
Beautiful work my man. Covered a pocket of old school gaming I'm just now learning about. You did a great job conveying the coziness of these games. The 'vibe' of game worlds is one of my favorite parts of the medium for sure, and you make me wanna dive into some of these worlds big time.
I wish you much success. I love seeing new fellow youtubers talk about things they're passionate about. Hit me up sometime if you wanna chat retro stuff! :D
Thank you very kindly - I just dived onto your channel and saw the first video is Dread Delusion which I love so much! Instant subscribe for me :)
I really appreciate the feedback and I am glad you enjoyed the video. Good to know there are other folks out there who enjoy the vibe of these worlds!
I didn't think about it at the time, but you're right. There really was a common theme around futuristic cities, neon look...Not only for dreamcast, but it was a recurring theme between 1999-2002 i believe, in videogames and animation media...
It was probably due to the "hype" for the new milenium. It was the era where phones got smaller but more powerful, where we went from VCR to DVDs, where we started using 3D cgi and digital colors in animation, and where 128 bit consoles launched...
In some ways, it felt like everything was evolving faster than before, so i guess they wanted to look like they were closer to the future, hence the aesthetic they went with
Enjoyed that, good stuff
Thank you kindly
@@DreamcastEnjoyer Great channel, will be watching more of your videos today, keep up the good work. Dreamcast was and is a great system.
Thank you - I'm so happy people are liking the videos! I'm hard at work on more content at the moment :)
I Love the bus stop and how it looks and the park in shenmue. I love that one nighttime level in Jet Grind Radio, and the maken x style is just so good. need to get my dreamcast hooked up to my current monitor somehwo
"That smooth monkey" made me burst out laughing (affectionate)
“It was a lot easier to feel hopeful in 1999 than it is in 2022.” Oh man, does that really, truly resonate with me! Great video.
Good work. I never had a dreamcast but its aesthetic always stood out. that sega feel still stays to this day but its a shame there is no one sega console for modern game
You're right that they still keep that feeling. I'm currently playing through the Valkyria Chronicles games and they are peak Sega
I'm very unsatisfied with how they changed the aesthetic of Eggman's tech over the years.
SA1 Eggman seemed to have the perfect blend of the eccentric classic badniks and something new, it felt like you could take his machines seriously, but they weren't out of place. SA2 continued that, but the focus was more on Gerald Robotnik's creations and GUN tech.
Sonic Advance trilogy did a nice job of finding middleground between Adventure and Classic aesthetic.
Heroes just plain made his tech look like toddler toys, like Playskool and Duplos, even all 3 forms of the final boss looked like a bootleg action figure.
Sonic Rush managed to have some really good looking bosses, I think the angular low-poly graphics helped with that, but they definitely impressed me.
Shadow just haphazardly painted a little dirt and grime over the Eggpawns in the prerendered cutscenes and called it a day.
06 had an empty uncanny aesthetic to it, like they were assets from a different game hastily repurposed for a Sonic game. It's almost a welcome change from Eggpawns, but on their own, I can't say I like them.
Unleashed tried some middleground between Heroes' Eggpawns and the 06 Bayformers aesthetic, which worked for the Egg Dragoon and not much else. Probably didn't help that I played the PS2 version, where the nuEggpawns have minimal AI, because "why aren't you boosting?"
Colors was the only one to make the Eggpawns look like they belonged, and that's only because it all takes place in an amusement park. There's certainly an argument to be made for the Eggpawns suiting Eggman's desire for an amusement park empire that spans the word and usurps the world government, but I can't help but miss the Eggcarrier, the mechanized looking Badniks, and the E-Series.
I absolutely agree that SA1 was peak Eggman. But yeah I did like what they did with Sonic Advance too
As someone who didnt grow up on the Dreamcast i still absolutely loved the aesthetic. Sonic Adventure 2 and project justice come to mind
This video represents everything I love about the SEGA Dreamcast. I always love how blue played an important part in most games. Nintendo games give me a forest feel due to a lot of games having green forests such as Super Mario and Legend Of Zelda. SEGA on the other hand gives me more of an ocean feel with blue that is similar to ocean blue in most games such as Headhunter, Blue Stinger and of course Sonic Adventure 1 and 2.
When I made this video I thought I was the only person who felt like that about the Dreamcast but I'm bowled over by all the views and lovely comments. Thank you - I'm glad you liked it!
@@DreamcastEnjoyer You’re very welcome man. I’m hoping SEGA will make a Dreamcast mini.
@@blueaero3284 sign me up for one if they do! It would be a thing of beauty
I feel lucky for acidentaly tricking yt algorithm into showing me all of these small obscure 15 subs chanels, because lots of them are gems waiting to be discovered, including you! Great vid
Thank you so much! I've jumped from 200 subs to nearly 1k in a month so those algorithms are being good to me. Appreciate the support :)
One of my Fave consoles of all time as well
It's a thing of absolute beauty
Dream cast games have the best liminal space
100%. Sega is pretty good at that sort of thing in general
After watching: that was one of the best videos I've seen on TH-cam, and I've been watching stuff here since around '07. Mad ups, mate.
That is such a huge compliment! Thank you so much and I'm really glad you enjoyed it :)
The Dreamcast is the promise of the future ( the 21st century at the time of the consoles launch in 98-99 ) was to become. However like all things in life it never came to be. But that doesn't mean we can make that future possible. That fun bright future under the Sega blue skies. That's what the dreamcast is a dream that we can hold onto.
That's a beautiful sentiment and I respect it! Thank you for the upbeat comment :)
You've perfectly captured a thought I was never able to say. Even though I didn't play Dreamcast games until my late teens, there's a feeling of homeliness in the games on that platform that is so beautiful. The smoothness really shines.
Fortunately, a lot of people have appreciation for it even today and even play Dreamcast online using fan-made tools and whatnot - for games like Worms, Phantasy etc
That's very kind of you to say - so glad I was able to describe the vibe! :)
there's something hypnotic about the breathing cycles of characters in dreamcast games...
I gotta agree
What's the song at 0:29? Sounds dope. I love videogame music from the dreamcast era because most of it was based on deep house and electronic funk, The music added to the atmosphere and visual aesthetic of Dreamcast, The music was specifically designed to due to so, And electronic music was a good medium for this because it's extremely difficult to capture the complex atmosphere in these games with tradition non-electric instruments. What also made a lot of the 90's games seem so optimistic and make you look forward to the future is that they weren't really pushing any political agenda in your face or formulaic cash grabs.
It was simply about introducing unique ideas, experimenting, passionate sincere story-telling and immersion and just having fun, even with y2k around the corner, Something about the games still seemed pure and they made you anticipate a future where anything could happen.. Now in these times, It constantly seems like the world is about to end due to all the global/political events happening, and Developers and the Media treat video games as tools for propaganda and profit and the future has had hoped sapped out of it.
I'm glad you like the tunes - they really are something special and I agree with you it's that electronica vibe that makes it all feel so upbeat. The one at 0:29 is called "A song that keeps us on the move" from Sonic Adventure. It is the theme for the Egg Carrier adventure field.
I definitely think you're onto something too with all modern games trying to cash in on that doom and gloom stuff. Sure there's plenty to feel worried about in the world, but I like videogames for a bit of escapism so that's why I love these older and simpler ones :)
Blickeroni .... I totally agree with you!! :)
What a cool video. Love your vibes! Glad you showed Toy Commander, that had some seriously cosy live in areas especially with the lights out
Thank you so much! Toy Commander is an all-time fave for me - I have a full video all about it on the channel :)
DUDE THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS! Saw this in my recommended and went "Yeah he needs a sub just for the name and GIMME THIS CONTENT!"
I'm so glad you like it! Plenty more to come from me :)
this aesthetic started before the dreamcast with sega's arcade games, also the sega saturn was the first one to do the online stuff, in fact dreamcast inherited the saturns online infrastructure
Oooo I didn't know about the Saturn's online capabilities. I did enjoy my Saturn but I felt like the set-up in presentation on Dreamcast was huge
Long live the Dreamcast!
Amen to that
I was expecting this video to end at the half way point much like the Dreamcast itself.
That would have been pretty meta, to be fair
I like what you said about every kid in your street having a console each so you got to play them all, I had it similar
The Dreamcast gave us a slice of Japan
It absolutely did and for that I'm very grateful
One specific Dreamcast game that has such a specific and niche aesthetic is Space Channel 5, both 1 and 2 take place hundreds of years in the future but they have this retro futurism aesthetic mixed in with the popular trends of the 90s and 2000s
It has the same feel as the jetsons where it’s futuristic but still traditional, with a lot of the 60s spandex space costumes, yet they still have the bright hair colors that started to get trendy in the 2000s, along with the low rise pants and stripes and other more edgy styles, and the locations of this game are so unique you can’t forget, the space station itself is such a unique shape you’d recognize the silhouette no matter what
EmceeProphit sent me here. Good video. You nailed explaining the excellent presentation of the dreamcast classics. The microphone was a little rough, but other than that, awesome video. Excited to see more from you. Subbed and Bell rang
Thank you kindly - I'm still pretty new to this so working out the kinks with getting a good mic sound and decent mix on the music. Future videos will have better production I promise, and I really appreciate that subscribe! :)
@@DreamcastEnjoyer
Yeah out side of the very minor, and I mean minor mic quality issue. This was a wonderful video right up my alley of content I'll love. Excited for the next one.
Brilliant!!!! Thank you for this!
Thank you for the kind comment :)
@@DreamcastEnjoyer Don't mention it! I've only played parts of a couple of Dreamcast games, but I've been meaning to play more... and the reason is because every time I paly one or see a video of one, they just have this certain "feel" that's totally different... and then boom, I stumbled across your video, and you defined that "feel" perfectly!!! So, bravo!!!! I instantly subscribed after this video!
It’s beautiful one of my favorite vibes/feelings for a game console and just overall feelings my 3DS has the dreamcast theme also
I love my 3DS to bits. Spent countless hours of Link Between Worlds as I think that's very special too
Clean, colorful, low polygon graphics make me happy. Im also glad that we got the blue swirl in europe for the dreamcast. it fits the design of the console way better, especialy with the box art of the console and the gamecases....so....MORE BLUE! ❤
wonderful video! never thought someone would have this much to say about the vibe of the dreamcast but it honestly makes sense. the dreamcast is kinda unmatched with its graphical style. soulcalibur and the sonic adventure games are some of my favorite looking games of all time. i will say that i hope you could improve on the microphone quality. but that's really all. great effort dude
Thank you very much - sound quality should be better in future vids, I am just getting the hang of it all. But I really appreciate the kind words and glad you enjoyed it :)
@@DreamcastEnjoyer no problem ^^
The Dreamcast was great to grow up playing
Sega blue swirl 🌀 if you lived in Europe :D
AUGH THAT PHANTASY STAR ONLINE LOADING SCREEN
dreamcast had a very arcade aesthetic at the time personally, they did have a lot of arcade cabs at the time that the games were direct ports of after all.
Great video! ❤️ *liked and subbed*
Great video!!
I feel like if you enjoy the Dreamcast aesthetics, there are a few games on other consoles that remind me of Dreamcast games: Megaman Legends, Ape Escape, and Tail Concerto all give me the same kind of Dreamcast vibes as some of the games from this video.
Megaman Legends for sure! Tails Concerto and Ape Escape have been sat on my shelf for years and I ain't got round to them yet... maybe now is a good time!
Since the DC was the first 6th gen console developers were more familiar with 5th gen tech. Naturally they looked like higher quality low poly games. The system's life was so short that look became the system's identity.
I guess that's true. I'm just glad it led to such a distinct vibe
The water in sonic adventure blew me away as a kid.
Oh absolutely- Dreamcast water effects are the best 😎
if only big blue was on the Dreamcast
That would be tight
One of the very few consoles I haven’t played :/ aside from most consoles from the 80’s lol. My childhood friend had one, but I never got to play it because he was always missing one of the wires. Great video!!
Really enjoyed this video, you sir got yourself a new subscriber. Keep up the good work! 👍
Thank you kindly!
Dreamcast was legitimately my favorite gaming system. I don't care about Nintendo 64, PS1-5, even pc gaming. Dreamcast was special.
What about GameCube
Dreamcast was genuinely the worst console ever made.
@@spazzymacgee5648 that's fine, your opinion and my opinion was that it was my favorite.
@@veryrare432hz GameCube was alright but preferred N64 when it came to gameplay and innovative ideas
@@bootleggerlegit not just my opinion but everyone who understands and knows about the history of gaming, why is there no saga consoles anymore? Because they destroyed their reputation for ever with this monstrosity called Dreamcast.
I was always trying to find this aesthetic, I forgot where it originated from. I saw “vapor wave” and I thought. “This is not it.” I sat in an old friends Saturn and it brought back that nostalgia of the dreamcast aesthetic. This video hits it right on the button. But don’t forget super-magnetic neo. It puts the dreamcast aesthetic in over-drive
Super Magnetic Neo is on my list to cover, don't worry :)
I still wish for people to make another 3D jRPG on the Dreamcast inspired by Grandia II and Skies of Arcadia.
Same here! Skies of Arcadia is amazing
The optimistic futurism that pervaded the 50s and then saw a very short-lived revival in the very late 90s and 2000, and the first half of 2001, was so beautiful. Blue skies and translucent colored plastic and punk ska pop music. It really sucks that pop culture as a whole decided to collectively fold to fear and become edgy and grungy and dark after 9/11, I completely understand why, that and Columbine were the first massive tragedies the western world had seen since like... the Titanic? But seeing the whole of western pop culture go that dark, tortured direction for years up until the early 2010s, to the point most console games for a while became samey looking brown military shooters, was just depressing. In terms of tone, things are a bit better now, but it feels so fake and homogenized.
Like you used Fortnite as an example, and it is a fun game you can enjoy without paying a cent- but the crossover promotions and the cosmetic items and the endless missions and quests all distracting from the core gameplay, make it a far cry from something like Sonic Adventure 2 or Jet Set Radio, even though all three have a similar style and tone. There's a very clear shift in the modern industry towards cold corporate pessimism disguised behind bright colors. The Dreamcast era did see a bit of this, but there are so many more truly passionate projects from the time, my favorite example being how SonicTeam literally went on an adventure to make Sonic Adventure where Yuji Naka provoked a massive tarantula and one of the other devs nearly passed out from the altitude while exploring mountain ruins. That's a level of passion and dedication that just doesn't happen anymore, and if it is, it's either completely overlooked, or part of a canceled project that investors were too piss-scared to take a risk with. It's heartbreaking.
You made a great point there about how this aesthetic has come back but feels a little forced/fake. I definitely think there are modern games that truly do an authentic job of this (e.g. Donut County) but I agree with what you said about cynical corporations hijacking it to an extent
I also played Shenmue with my dad, good memories :)
I notice alot of PS4 games have a lot of similar colors shading on the unreal engine kinda gets stale after awhile but reminds me what you say about the color patterns and details
Oh yea I absolutely think this more colourful aesthetic has made a comeback in recent years. Maybe not in any Triple A games but definitely in the Indies and some notable Double A stuff (like Hi-Fi Rush)
This sounds like it was recorded on a Dreamcast
You got that right! First vid and I basically recorded on a potato. Better sound quality now thankfully
Dreamcast rules!
Excellent background music choice
Cheers!
I did not get a Dreamcast in the 90s. I regreted it for more than 10 years til buying a used one. I think this was one of the most artistic consoles of the time. The PS1 was the RPG Juggernaut, but the Dreamcast was fascinating.
Ironically, for my own game Karporam, my publisher told me although I did not realize it I made a title which feels strongly like something from the dreamcast.
One thing I might add to your fideo. The Dreamcast and the GameCube were the last systems with the "3D = lots of water" aesthetic, which now got resurrected on terms like snyth- or vaporwave. (Ironically, even with the music, the most memorable songs were the water themed like dire dire docks of aquatic ambience.)
Oooo I want to check out your game now - can I find it on Steam/Itch etc?
I never thought too much about the importance of water but you're right, many of my fave games with this aesthetic have a very watery vibe. Blue Submarine No 6 is a Japanese Dreamcast Submarine RPG which does a beautiful job of that
The most impressive thing about the Dreamcast is how massive its visual leap is over the Nintendo 64, which was just TWO years older. That may be the fastest leap in gaming history. Nowadays especially, a two-year difference between consoles results in imperceptible improvements.
Totally agree there - the 90s and early 2000s generally saw so much progress. But it feels like things really slowed down from about 2007/2008
that intro was wonderful, it turned me into a blue
great one...many thanks!
Ive always loved the DC. Felt like the first console to do arcade games justice
I get it what you've been talking about, I got the same feeling from Ridge Racer Type 4 and 5. It's that time between the dissolution of the Soviet Union and 9/11 when you can feel like the whole world lived through some kind of happy ending of a long story and there will be nothing but joy and happiness.
But then reality kicked in the butt and everything became "realistic" dull and grey.
I need to check out Ridge Racer!
I know what you mean there. I will say that I've stopped watching the news these days and don't really engage with any modern media unless I really want to. Maybe that's escapism but I'm happier for it, just vibing and playing Dreamcast like it's 1999
Dude is just the style of a generation. Period.
Dreamcast was made by aliens- that is why it was so crazy good/unique.
The Gamecube actually received quite some DC gold. Here you find the only post-DC physical versions of both Sonic Adventure 1+2, but also the best version of SoulCalibur 2 and even exclusives like Beach Spikers, Virtua Soccer 3 and Billy Hatcher and of course Super Monkey Ball 1+2. Good times.
I really liked Soulcalibur 2 on GC actually and Monkey Ball. I've only recently played Billy Hatcher but I like that too.
That console really was good times, actually, I only had like 5 games for it but I loved them all
The Egg Carrier music at 0:29. I'm in heaven
It's such a beautiful track
You should play Hifi Rush if you haven't yet. It feels like something that would've been right at home on the Dreamcast.
It's on my list! Hoping to check it out soon
I really love those optimistic future vibes. It honestly would have been amazing to have grown up with a Dreamcast, I really like the feeling I get with most games. I had a GameCube which had similar vibes. Maybe I should emulate some Dreamcast games.
Gamecube had some similar and equally amazing vibes for sure. I'd definitely recommend checking out some Dreamcast games: Sonic Adventure, Blue Stinger, Toy Commander, Jet Set Radio, Phantasy Star Online... all gold!
Instant sub homie ❤😊
You are too kind! :)