Gameranx: 10 Things Gamers Hated in the 2000s

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In the realm of gaming during the 2000s, a decade filled with both cherished memories and exasperating experiences, there existed a list of 10 things that irked gamers to no end. The tenth spot was claimed by the overuse of post-processing effects in games, drenching visuals in a murky palette of browns and grays, reminiscent of a Michael Bay film stripped of color. This trend, characterized by excessive bloom, motion blur, and desaturation, plagued the era but mercifully faded away by 2009, sparing our eyes from further distress.
Moving on to number nine, the era was rife with an abundance of bald, military-style protagonists in games, each as generic and uninspired as the last. However, amidst this sea of indistinguishable characters, a few like Cole from Infamous managed to break the mold with depth and charisma, proving that there was more than meets the eye beneath their shaved heads. The eighth entry delves into the contentious topic of regenerating health in games, particularly first-person shooters, which sparked debates on realism and accessibility, reaching a crescendo around the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
The seventh spot shines a light on the rise and fall of the Wii, a console that revolutionized gaming with its motion controls, attracting a wide audience but also burdening many games with unnecessary and often clunky motion control mechanics. Steam takes center stage at number six, evolving from a cumbersome DRM platform in 2004 to a ubiquitous force in PC gaming, reshaping the landscape of digital distribution and becoming an indispensable tool for gamers worldwide. Lastly, the fifth entry uncovers a surprising wave of anti-boss fight sentiment in the late 2000s, as gamers and developers alike grew weary of poorly executed boss battles, a trend that would eventually see a reversal with the critical success of games like Demon Souls.

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Viewer Reactions for 10 Things 2000s Gamers Absolutely HATED
Nostalgia for old gaming days
Criticism of DLC and microtransactions
Memories of specific games like Battlefield 2, Black, GTA SA, and Halo
Complaints about mobile phone app tie-ins and mini-games
Dislike for motion controls and forced stylus controls
Hating on Steam and its changes over the years
Frustration with waiting for Half-Life 3
Negative opinions on microtransactions
Appreciation for older game aesthetics like the colors in Uncharted 2 and the 360 era
Concerns about the future of owning virtual copies of games
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