The popularity is because they are easy to pick up and put down. If I want to go back to an RPG that I haven’t touched on months I need to try to remember where I was going, what my build was doing, and how to deal with the things I was fighting. If I want to go back to FTL that I haven’t played on years I just start a new run anyways, and all my ship unlocks are there if I want them.
What you aren’t arguing for anywhere in this comment is that every artist be required to do these things. Somehow game developers are exempt from this grace?
Would it be better if every piece of art was accessible like this? Yes.
Same goes for games. That’s what this thread is: it would be better if every game had X
I prefer the 4 circles glyphs that shows the appropriate face button highlighted. It’s device agnostic and helpful when I’m switching between playing on my Switch and playing on my PC with an Xbox controller.
During EA for Hades 2 if you paused while fighting the god of time he would say “I control time here!” And unpause the game. It was funny, but if I need to answer my door I don’t want to lose my run. Thankfully that has been changed.
There are also areas you can’t access until you have beaten a specific boss which gives you exploration abilities for future runs (ground pound, grow vines)
I loved the scarecrow sequences in that. I would love to play more games the effectively fuck with player but it’s very difficult to look for without spoiling yourself and then you’re expecting it.