Somewhat related to grim reality in MMORPGs:
The original Tomb Raider games were very geometrically precise. If you go back and look at them now it’s all perfect angles and unconvincing rock “formations.” It was ridiculous, of course, how there was always a bolder to roll, a ledge to scramble along, a lever to pull.
I always thought it would be wonderful to design a game that lead players through hours and hours of tunnels and mazes, story-line building, and eventually have her come to a wall that was simply too high to get over. Have her stand at the base and do that little “hup, hup” jumping thing with her arms stretched over her head. And the lip be just inches out of her reach. No boulders, no levers, just a slightly-too-high ledge. And then you’d have to turn around walk all the way back. That would be the game.
This is how all games are to me. This is why I gave up after one week of Playstation 1.