I just don't get how they seem to be unplayable or completely impenetrable to so many people. I'd say it's a generational thing but even many people who grew up playing PS1 games act like trying to figure them out in 2024 completely short circuits their brains
Now, would I want to play some hypothetical fast paced 3D action game from the 90s where they used tank controls because they didn't know any better? No, but they work perfectly fine in slower-paced games like Resident Evil-style survival horror or the first five Tomb Raider games (though the camera kind of sucks in those, but it took a long time for 3D games to figure out how to handle that in general)
Maybe I'm just weird for enjoying tank controls. Some survival horror games that came out in the PS2 era like Silent Hill 2 and 3 gave you the option between 2D and 3D (tank controls) movement and I always pick the latter if I get the chance
A static fixed top-down angle is really constricting though and doesn't give the devs much room to play with.
Someone else pointed out Eternal Darkness which had cinematic camera angles and no tank controls and it's considered a classic
Fixed + tank controls is for 2D mech games
I actually conflate static fixed camera angles from games with 2D backgrounds and semi-fixed, cinematic camera angles from fully 3D games. How would you classify the camera in something like Silent Hill 3?
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy: