Yea, what Tunic did was something that was not quite standard in the "days of yore" IMHO, but at least it was being done here and there. Now you open a case and you have one crappy list of plastic paper with either the basic controls or some "coupon" for extra credits valid only in some crap store. And we don't even have to start about the part how you don't even have the game on the disc most of the time.
But yes, I recommend Tunic to anyone who wants to catch this (and generally that "good ol' times" vibe of gaming) feeling. It's a lovely game and it has that positively tougher difficulty and the need to think about some stuff if you wanna solve all the secrets. Something which not many games do these days (obviously you have FromSoft games and indies but yea).
But this also has a "downside" IMHO. I will be frank, I feel stupid as heck when I think about, say, some of the endings for Sekiro or even stuff in Tunic. I am quite sure I'd be unable to solve most of the stuff by myself. Maybe my brain also got mushed, I dunno. I wonder if I am stupid or if these puzzles are now being made with internet/meta gaming in mind? But I'd rather prefer to not meta game but sometimes I feel almost "forced" (not really as usually this stuff only concerns optional content). I dunno. Anyway, rant over. If anyone wants this kinda vibe gaming used to provide, definitely try Tunic!
Speaking about the back of the case. Remember Metal Gear Solid? Yea, I 'memba.
Yup, thinking back on it I think you nailed it. Especially that part about being more "free to just enjoy things". I mean it usually almost goes without saying but I wish I could at least somehow do it - enjoy things I want to enjoy (not just games) without having any thoughts in the back of the back of my mind which are bogging me down. I am quite sure you are correct on this part. And the first part is quite true as well, I have x amount of games on my two PlayStations, y amount of games on GOG and z amount of games on Steam. Similar to your experience, back when I was playing FF9 I remember I only had 3-4 games in total, too. FF9, Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo and Crash 2. So you are also quite right on this point. Right now even when I am playing a game, I am not fully concentrated on it because of that "mental tax of life" + I am always thinking about my catalogue of games I wanna play and even of games I should get and try, etc. So yes, perhaps I need to learn to relax :) Three games are coming this year which I am extra excited about - Baldur's Gate 3, Hollow Knight 2 (hopefully!) and Hades 2. I will do my best to tackle just one at the time without any of these pressures and we'll see how it goes. And even if I cannot really devote as much time to playing as I could back then, I will just take longer. Who says I need to finish a game in any amount of time? Thanks for "tiny therapy", Crotaro! :) Maybe I'll update you here later this year about this. Hopefully, my mind won't be as weak as it was when I played Sekiro and Hollow Knight - after first trouble of getting something, I've tried once or twice to get it and then - immediately ran to internet. I will try to avoid this with these 3 games (and hopefully others).
P.S. I am now replaying FF9 on emulator and I remembered so many things even after 20 years :) so "technically" it's not this "gameplay challenge" it was back then but still having an amazing time with it because now I am picking up things in story and dialogue that went over my 12 year old head.