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Dreamcast’s aesthetic and vibe is still wonderful
- Thread starter RetroGamingUK
- Start date
- Opinion Analysis Retro
ReBurn
Gold Member
I agree that JSRF is the better game. It's criminal that it hasn't been ported to newer consoles. I know that the soundtrack is probably the reason but man I wish they would make the effort.
RetroGamingUK
Member
Some Dreamcast music that just fills me with nostalgia…
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RetroGamingUK
Member
Yup, Shenmue is the definition of a vibe game.
It’s not particularly great in terms of gameplay, but the art style and music combine to create something lovely.
Walking around Dobuita in the rain/snow and listening to the music, the feeling is incredibly mellow and nostalgic.
March Climber
Member
OP I always felt that if you put the Dreamcast console design a generation before the one you're comparing it with, the design makes perfect sense.
It being a 99 release instead of a 2000/2001 release goes along with this.
It being a 99 release instead of a 2000/2001 release goes along with this.
RetroGamingUK
Member
What strikes me more about the Dreamcast design is the departure from Sega’s previous style.
Back in the Master System and MegaDrive days SEGA consoles were seen as slightly more mature than Nintendo and appealed to an older audience with their jet black chassis.
Once the PlayStation launched with its laser focus on the 19+ demographic, they kinda took Sega’s place.
Unlike their older consoles, Dreamcast’s bright white and colourful appearance gives it a more playful vibe. The controller itself has a very Fisher Price toy-like aesthetic similar to the N64 and GameCube pads.
It seems more designed for kids bedrooms than the living room. The cutesy toy-like dashboard theme epitomises this…
Back in the Master System and MegaDrive days SEGA consoles were seen as slightly more mature than Nintendo and appealed to an older audience with their jet black chassis.
Once the PlayStation launched with its laser focus on the 19+ demographic, they kinda took Sega’s place.
Unlike their older consoles, Dreamcast’s bright white and colourful appearance gives it a more playful vibe. The controller itself has a very Fisher Price toy-like aesthetic similar to the N64 and GameCube pads.
It seems more designed for kids bedrooms than the living room. The cutesy toy-like dashboard theme epitomises this…
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thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
For the poll I had to pick Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 because, well, it's Sonic. But Jet Set Radio or in fact most of the games listed would suffice.
SEGA were definitely the king of the "Blue Skies", if you've ever heard that as a way to describe their aesthetic. And clear, bright summer days fits right in with that. Their visual style is very clean and crisp, it's about making sure you feel a part of the world and chill. Big, bold, saturated colors and sharp, crisp textures. Exaggerated shapes somewhere in-between the abstractness of PS1/N64 and the more realistic smoothness of PS2/Xbox/Gamecube that'd follow.
No console before or sense has really had an aesthetic like Dreamcast. Gamecube is probably the closest but I feel also had an aesthetic all its own in spite of that.
I think SEGA were also influenced by the iMac computers of the time, like the G3, and the generally more fun/bubble-like UI/UX design language that was getting popular near the turn of the century.
Whereas you look at something like the PS2, and it's very clear Sony were influenced by films like The Matrix, Blade, and I guess you'd call it that pseudo neo-goth dark clubbing aesthetic gaining popularity in the very late '90s. And alongside that, an infusion of what'd become that '00s millennial futurist/post-cyberpunk aesthetic a lot of music videos starting doing in 1999/2000, like this one:
PS2 channeled this aesthetic more than any other console from 6th gen.
Just keep in mind those GIFs are probably from emulated versions of those games running at way higher resolutions (and in some cases, maybe more stable or higher framerates) than a stock Dreamcast from back in the day.
Not that the colors wouldn't pop: they would, especially if you had a VGA monitor. But the IQ wouldn't be as clean as in these GIFs, that's for sure.
SEGA were definitely the king of the "Blue Skies", if you've ever heard that as a way to describe their aesthetic. And clear, bright summer days fits right in with that. Their visual style is very clean and crisp, it's about making sure you feel a part of the world and chill. Big, bold, saturated colors and sharp, crisp textures. Exaggerated shapes somewhere in-between the abstractness of PS1/N64 and the more realistic smoothness of PS2/Xbox/Gamecube that'd follow.
No console before or sense has really had an aesthetic like Dreamcast. Gamecube is probably the closest but I feel also had an aesthetic all its own in spite of that.
What strikes me more about the Dreamcast design is the departure from Sega’s previous style.
Back in the Master System and MegaDrive days SEGA consoles were seen as slightly more mature than Nintendo and appealed to an older audience with their jet black chassis.
Once the PlayStation launched with its laser focus on the 19+ demographic, they kinda took Sega’s place. The PS1 aesthetic perfectly compliments Sony’s WEGA TV sets from the late 90s.
Unlike their older consoles, Dreamcast’s bright white and colourful appearance gives it a more playful vibe. The controller itself has a very Fisher Price toy-like aesthetic similar to the N64 and GameCube pads.
It seems more designed for kids bedrooms than the living room. The cutesy toy-like dashboard theme epitomises this…
I think SEGA were also influenced by the iMac computers of the time, like the G3, and the generally more fun/bubble-like UI/UX design language that was getting popular near the turn of the century.
Whereas you look at something like the PS2, and it's very clear Sony were influenced by films like The Matrix, Blade, and I guess you'd call it that pseudo neo-goth dark clubbing aesthetic gaining popularity in the very late '90s. And alongside that, an infusion of what'd become that '00s millennial futurist/post-cyberpunk aesthetic a lot of music videos starting doing in 1999/2000, like this one:
PS2 channeled this aesthetic more than any other console from 6th gen.
Something about Dreamcast's color palette is gorgeous to me. Plus seeing them run in HD on redream makes them look even better!
Just keep in mind those GIFs are probably from emulated versions of those games running at way higher resolutions (and in some cases, maybe more stable or higher framerates) than a stock Dreamcast from back in the day.
Not that the colors wouldn't pop: they would, especially if you had a VGA monitor. But the IQ wouldn't be as clean as in these GIFs, that's for sure.
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RetroGamingUK
Member
Completely agree, PS1 really complimented those “Y2K Aesthetic” Sony WEGA TVs…
…as did the silver PS2…
It’s this sense of style that really helped PlayStation garner mainstream success with the over 19s
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digdug2
Member
I could say the same about Michael Jackson.
nkarafo
Member
There is.
Dreamcast games tend to have very good 3D models but also flat lighting with very little of post-processing or none at all. Combined with it's sharp output the games have a very clean but also clinical look.
Sojiro
Member
The first game I always think of with Dreamcast is Jet Grind Radio. Not only because of the visuals are colorful and looked phenomenal for the time, (they still do IMO) but also because of the general aesthetic of the game. It was wacky, had a lot of funk and attitude, and was sporting a lot of electronica music, a music genre that was starting to get more mainstream attention for the time. I felt like some of those aspects (especially the attitude and wackyness) were reflected in the console itself.
Madserb2023
Member
I am not sure about necessarily a distinct Dreamcast style but there was definitely an early 2000s style where everything seemed to have bright blue skies and a beach/summer setting. Kingdom Hearts, Mario Sunshine, Sonic Adventure, Final Fantasy 10 and so on. in the same way there was a mid 2000s style where everything was grey and desaturated.
Saturn Dragon
Member
Well, it's actually NAOMI vibes.
Brigandier
Gold Member
Nostalgia overload!!!
Man I love Shenmue 1 and 2's OST... The music is criminally under rated.
It's also very sad NA never got Shenmue 2 on DC which led to a lot of people missing out on playing it, A superior goat level game.
Saturn Dragon
Member
Guys, to be honest... I love Dreamcast, I have a huge collection of games... and it has what I consider the ULTIMATE "FEELS-VIBES" GAMES which are Shenmue 1 and 2. Especially the first one, being such an intimate replication of japanese little towns day by day life
And no other Ps2-Xbox-GC game has it, so to me, Dreamcast has the most important game of that gen Shenmue 1.
(And also the best version of Virtua Tennis 2 which is the MOST FUN tennis game ever made)
But after playing loads of games on DC, and analyzing thoroughly its catalogue... It's a bit sad to see that probably over half the games, close to two thirds of the catalogue (from a 500 games catalogue or something) are either unplayable cheap japanese visual novels or crap like that or just lazy ports of awful western PC games or worst... Ps1 and N64 games. Some are good, some are great, but they're still cross gen games that just had a rushed upres and if lucky some new textures.
I see this as big problem now, because the catalogue could seem interesting to someone that hasn't had a Ps1 or N64 back then, but actually those games are just filler.
You then are left with around near 70 to 80 games that were actually developed with the intention to actually show off SOME of Dreamcast hardware capabilities. (Which devs couldn't do much in just about less than 2 years of actual commercial life).
I understand Dreamcast fans and their appreciation of Sega "blue-skies" style and love for the Sega dev teams that were behind the DC classics we all cherish...
But all the glorification and raving comments about Dreamcast feel to me a bit shallow and maybe out of place, if we bear in mind that just MONTHS after Sega decided to leave the console hardware market, there were already many of these Sega games released for PS2. And some more time after also in the cube and the box.
So yes, the original SEGA BLUE-SKIES vibes must have been, redundantly, originally from the Sega Dreamcast, but other consoles of that gen have them too and... more.
Ps2 probably has a bigger Sega catalogue than Dreamcast.
It is what it is.
And no other Ps2-Xbox-GC game has it, so to me, Dreamcast has the most important game of that gen Shenmue 1.
(And also the best version of Virtua Tennis 2 which is the MOST FUN tennis game ever made)
But after playing loads of games on DC, and analyzing thoroughly its catalogue... It's a bit sad to see that probably over half the games, close to two thirds of the catalogue (from a 500 games catalogue or something) are either unplayable cheap japanese visual novels or crap like that or just lazy ports of awful western PC games or worst... Ps1 and N64 games. Some are good, some are great, but they're still cross gen games that just had a rushed upres and if lucky some new textures.
I see this as big problem now, because the catalogue could seem interesting to someone that hasn't had a Ps1 or N64 back then, but actually those games are just filler.
You then are left with around near 70 to 80 games that were actually developed with the intention to actually show off SOME of Dreamcast hardware capabilities. (Which devs couldn't do much in just about less than 2 years of actual commercial life).
I understand Dreamcast fans and their appreciation of Sega "blue-skies" style and love for the Sega dev teams that were behind the DC classics we all cherish...
But all the glorification and raving comments about Dreamcast feel to me a bit shallow and maybe out of place, if we bear in mind that just MONTHS after Sega decided to leave the console hardware market, there were already many of these Sega games released for PS2. And some more time after also in the cube and the box.
So yes, the original SEGA BLUE-SKIES vibes must have been, redundantly, originally from the Sega Dreamcast, but other consoles of that gen have them too and... more.
Ps2 probably has a bigger Sega catalogue than Dreamcast.
It is what it is.
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RetroGamingUK
Member
This is a nostalgia thread more than anything
Switch your brain off and enjoy the ride
StueyDuck
Member
The dreamcast vibe is hard to describe just through the games. It was the starting OS, the sega arcade sound effects and OST for menus and interaction. The VMU having all sorts of fun uses during gameplay.
The only way really to describe it is "we have the arcade at home" console.
The only way really to describe it is "we have the arcade at home" console.
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Deerock71
Member
An often overlooked gem.
Sw0pDiller
Banned
My dreamcast nostalgia is from a game i dont know the name of. I know i was flying around in a kitchen or something.
RetroGamingUK
Member
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Ian Henry
Member
Absolutely heat. Video game music in this era was on point and immaculate hands down.
GigaBowser
The bear of bad news
dreamcast armazing saturns fault
Saturn Dragon
Member
How about some COSMIC SMASH by Sega Rosso?
That game had Virtua Tennis mixed with Arkanoid gameplay and Rez-like graphics and whacky music.
That game had Virtua Tennis mixed with Arkanoid gameplay and Rez-like graphics and whacky music.
RetroGamingUK
Member
Virtua Striker 2 is another example of Dreamcast’s style and oozes blue blue skies along with cheesy music and little quirks…
FoxMcChief
Gold Member
Dreamcast will always be my favorite console ever. I know there are better systems with better libraries, but there was something about the Dreamcast, in its time, is something that will likely never be topped in my head.
-Minsc-
Member
As someone who played PSO in 2001 on the official servers I can assure you that there were no shortage of trolls and dickheads. It was a wild west.
The wrong person would steal your weapon when you died since your equipped weapon would drop to the floor. Hacking and duping was rampant. People could do things like NOL your character.
It was pretty bad, I'd never play outside a locked game and only with trusted people.
Honesty the game is safer now since the community is smaller and tighter.
Despite all the bad, the game was still very fun back then.
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Syphon Filter
Member
Does anyone know why the dreamcast logo was blue for uk?
U n i o n 0015
Member
Great explanation for why I love this look so much.
Moridianae
Member
Agreed. It, at the time, absolutely floored me with how much freedom it had. Visually, nothing much compared to it at the time.
You had actual weather(literally coded as the year's weather), day and night cycles, and just the music was an entire vibe.
I loved 1 and 2; I supported 3 and though it didn't strike the same chords, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Shenmues fanbase is nothing if not persistent, and whether it ends up being a fizzled end, I'd really be happy to see the series conclude(Yu said it would take 5 games but he could do 4) in some way.
chokotoureiki
Member
Ah I remember that game. I must've played the demo alone like a bazillion times.
Saturn Dragon
Member
As much as I like the 98 to 2002 iterations of Winning Eleven on Ps1 and also the early WE-Pes (2001-2003) on PS2... I don't think there's anything as fun as Virtua Striker 2.
Crisp, brilliant graphics and both simple and crazy gameplay. Amazing. I fucking love it. Too bad nor VS3 or 4 are as fun.
Only could be topped by the Model 3 versions or maybe the first Super Sidekicks on the Neo Geo (which is 2d football but still similar simple fun but crazy gameplay)
RickMasters
Member
I agree. Especially with your fourth paragraph. And sums up why for me as a die hard sega fan, the Saturn was always that bit more special. Also because the Saturn was where I really honed my skills on fighting games.
It’s the one console from my last that I wished I still owned with all the games I had for it. I actually had 3 sega saturns at one point. One Japanese white console, the OG grey and the U.K. spec black console which I had chipped to play import games…… what a console! I owned the PS1 amd N64 but the Saturn was the one I spent the most time on, mostly because of all those sega games and the capcom, SNK games along with other rare arcade ports….. I was a fool for selling my saturns. Truly a console of its time and era. When the arcades where in there last golden days and sega was…. Sega. Gaming will never be like that again.
RetroGamingUK
Member
Dreamcast was for 14 year olds? Damn I missed the memo. I was 19 when I got mine in ‘99
And I think Nintendo is aimed at 9yr olds, doesn’t stop be buying and enjoying all their great games
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Team Andromeda
Member
While the DC doesn't come close to the Saturn. One of my happiest gaming days of all time was when I got JSR on import,
that game was so SEGA from the music to the art and to borrowing the best parts of other games and giving the SEGA spin on it.
I'm still sad enough to have my receipt for the likes of my import DC and JSR
And to this day I'll never forget going online with PSO on its launch day and getting a wonderful message pop up saying "hello from New York" from a player.
Playing PSO was one of the most magical and amazing experiences ever, that's never been matched.
that game was so SEGA from the music to the art and to borrowing the best parts of other games and giving the SEGA spin on it.
I'm still sad enough to have my receipt for the likes of my import DC and JSR
And to this day I'll never forget going online with PSO on its launch day and getting a wonderful message pop up saying "hello from New York" from a player.
Playing PSO was one of the most magical and amazing experiences ever, that's never been matched.
FoxMcChief
Gold Member
I’m flabbergasted that there hasn’t been a Dreamcast mini.
Papa_Wisdom
Member
It was a trademark/ copywrite issue as far as I can remember someone had an orange “swirl” already so they changed it to blue.
I hated as a U.K. gamer and very ocd about it hence why I imported my system and games just so I had the orange logo lol
RetroGamingUK
Member
How would your OCD have coped with the big Dreamcast logo banner they added to the covers half way through the console’s life?
I quite like the European light blue blue skies theme myself.
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nial
Member
Agreed here, especially since Fusion is particularly the worst Wipeout of them all.
Redeeming Casualty
Neo Member
The Dreamcast is awesome. It real stands out to me as not just the last console Sega put out but was a reflection of their attitude and push towards a more bright vivid future. I always felt regardless of the games played on it the look and feel of the games was consistent. I played countless hours of Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure, Marvel Vs Capcom 2, Crazy Taxi, and Resident Evil Code Veronica on my neighbors dreamcast. Loved everything about that console when I was little. It was this weird machine no one had except for her. She would always show me new stuff the fighters could do in Soul Calibur, and we laughed at all the weird animations that Sonic and his friends would do. Ah good times.
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
The NSO Playtest gives me Dreamcast vibes.
