When you’re a gamer, you know one thing is for sure, video game graphics matter. They have a big impact on your gaming experience. This is especially true for 3D gaming. In this post, I’m taking a quick look at the evolution of 3D gaming and one of 3D gaming’s inevitable side effects: video game crushes, all from the perspective of your fav video game podcasters, Matt and Andy,
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The Evolution of 3D Gaming
From Blocky Angles to “Why Does This Soda Can Look So Real?”
Let’s talk about why the evolution of 3D gaming, and why the artistic-realistic graphics in experimental indie titles like Blue Prince, have an impact on the immersive experience.
And let’s not ignore the fact that as game developers continue to improve those 3D graphics, gamers like Matt and Andy from the Almost Gamers Podcast are going to develop more and more video game crushes. 😍
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s first explore the origins of 3D gaming and what old gamers like us were dealing with.
Early 3D Gaming Graphics
If you grew up during the early 3D era, you probably remember with vivid nostalgia the graphics of those early 3D games. I’m talking the late 80’s, early 90’s -think Wolfenstein 3D (1992), Doom (1993), and the beloved Super Mario 64 (1996).
3D games back in those days touted cutting edge features like:
- Chunky yet lovable blocky polygons
- Questionable camera angles and zooms
- Faces that looked like origami with dots for eyes
- Textures that were… ambitious yet repetitive
And yet? At the time, it felt revolutionary.
Early 3D Gaming Was Magical (and Slightly Unhinged)
The jump from 2D side scrollers to 3D worlds changed everything. Suddenly:
- You could explore full environments
- You had depth and verticality
- Worlds felt bigger and more immersive
Even if characters looked like they were carved from Lego bricks, you didn’t care because you could move that Lego-like being through a world that felt more real than ever before.
Cut to Modern 3D Gaming: Ridiculous in a Good Way
It’s hard to believe where 3D gaming started when you look at how far it’s come. I mean, over the past 30 years, Matt and Andy have barely learned how to “adult”. And in the same span of time, the field of 3D gaming has developed so fast it’s nearly evolved beyond virtual reality.
Now we have:
- Ray tracing
- Real-time reflections
- Physically based rendering
- Motion capture facial animation
- Environments so detailed you stop to inspect background objects
At some point in VR, it’s totally feasible that you’d interrupt your game play to look at a soda can just to say, “Wow. That looks so … real.”
Because immersion isn’t just about gameplay mechanics anymore. It’s about presence. Feeling like you are actually IN the game. The evolution of 3D gaming is responsible for that sense of “being there”, and making games that much more enjoyable.
Why Experimental Indie Games Like Blue Prince Get People Talking
And speaking of immersive & enjoyable, Blue Prince is a great example of the emotional impact 3D games can have.
Indie games like Blue Prince are able to take risks far beyond what AAA studios can do. They can lean harder into:
- Mystery
- Unconventional mechanics
- Minimal hand-holding
- Design that sparks debate
And here’s the thing, experimental games don’t aim to please everyone. They aim to make you feel something.
And here’s the thing, experimental games don’t aim to please everyone. They aim to make you feel something.
Sometimes that feeling is “This is brilliant” and other times it’s “I have no idea what’s happening.”
Both feelings are valid. 😂
But when a game sparks conversation, analysis, and heated debates, the way Blue Prince has done, it’s usually a sign they are doing something interesting.
The Almost Gamers Talk Blue Prince
In the episode below, Matt and Andy share share their experience with Blue Prince. Listen in to find out why they can’t help but talk about this incredible indie game.
Video Game Crushes and Why We Love Them
Now I’d like to shift gears and talk about another impact 3D gaming has had on the overall gaming experience: video game crushes. As character design keeps getting better and better, characters and the roles you play feel more realistic.
Consequently, your suspension of disbelief is easier to achieve and you feel more ‘present’ in the game world. The characters feel more 3D in every sense, so therefore it feels like you know them.
💓 Cue the video game crushes.
Then vs. Now: Character Design Evolution
Let’s do a quick comparison of early 3D characters versus the modern 3D characters of today.
Early 3D characters:
- Limited animation
- Simplified models
- Iconic, exaggerated traits
- Simple story-telling
- Limited access to voice actors
Modern characters:
- Nuanced facial expressions
- Subtle body language
- Cinematic storytelling
- Emotionally complex arcs
- Better actors
When graphics improved, so did emotional realism. And when characters feel more human… well, it’s only natural that attachment follows.
Is it nostalgia?
Maybe the strong writing?
Is it excellent design?
I’d say it’s all three, and then some.
And honestly, debating your favorite video game character crushes and why you love them is just good (maybe not always clean) fun.
The Almost Gamers Take on Video Game Crushes
Matt and Andy, cohosts of the Almost Gamers Podcast, share their thoughts on video game crushes in Episode Four: Opening Cutscene Pt 1.
One of the funniest moments in the episode is when Matt and Andy dive into their own crushes — and what starts as a joke quickly turns into a surprisingly revealing conversation.
They bounce between nostalgic picks and modern characters, debating whether their choices say more about game design or about them as teenagers with too much screen time on their hands.
There’s classic “okay but hear me out” energy as they justify their selections.
What makes the segment work isn’t just the humor — it’s how it highlights the evolution of character design.
From early polygonal icons they fleshed out with their imagination to today’s fully motion-captured, emotionally expressive protagonists, their video game crush debate becomes a lighthearted way of showing how far games have come in creating characters players genuinely connect with.
Hear more about Matt and Andy’s take on video game crushes here in Episode 4 of the Almost Gamers podcast.
Why VR Changed Everything (Including Our Expectations)
When it comes to realistically rendered imagery, we cannot forget to highlight the ways virtual reality didn’t just improve graphics — it shifted perspective.
VR has added:
- Scale awareness
- Physical depth
- Environmental interaction
- A sense of “being there”
That’s why small details suddenly matter so much.
Lighting.
Reflections.
Textures.
Environmental clutter.
You don’t just see them — you experience them. And when you experience something, your brain treats it differently.
That’s a massive leap from early 3D experiments where we were just excited the trees weren’t flat.
What All of This Says About Modern 3D Gaming
Here’s the throughline: Gaming has shifted from mechanics-first to experience-first.
We still care about gameplay, obviously. But now we care about:
- Atmosphere
- Character depth
- Visual immersion
- Emotional connection
- Design philosophy
- Good story-telling
That’s why we debate indie mechanics. And why we appreciate absurdly realistic textures.
That’s why we form attachments to fictional characters.
Gaming continues to mature. And so do the conversations around it. (Too bad Matt and Andy never will. 🤷🏻♀️)
Final Thoughts: We’ve Come a Long Way From Floating Polygons
The evolution of 3D gaming transformed not just how games look — but how they feel.
Experimental indie games push boundaries. Modern character design builds emotional investment. VR makes us admire beverage containers like art critics.
⭐ Because at the end of the day, gaming isn’t just about winning.
It’s about immersion, connection, and the experience.
Because at the end of the day, gaming isn’t just about winning.
It’s about immersion, connection, and the experience.
🎧 Want to Hear More?
If you enjoyed this discussion on the evolution of 3D gaming, indie experimentation, and yes… video game crushes, you’ll love Almost Gamers Podcast – Episode 4.
In this episode, Matt and Andy dive headfirst into their experiences with Blue Prince, debate their most questionable gaming crushes, and spiral (in the best way) into the history of 3D gaming and VR immersion. It’s equal parts thoughtful, chaotic, and unexpectedly educational.
And fair warning: this episode was too much fun to fit on one disc — so the saga continues in Episode 5.
Listen in now!
