I feel like you kinda answered your own question lol, if guns did more damage then there would be less of a reason to use melee options. It's just one of those gaming affordances I guess.

I drank this really cool drink recently called water. Did anyone else know about this stuff?

So glad I broke my years-long Fortnite embargo at the time I did with the Simpsons season, so the HP update can offer me a peaceful and dignified return to staying the fuck away for another seven years.

Counter argument: Games that use generative A.I. for “artwork” should owe me money for pirating them.

The ""modern"" Sonic model is believed to be 20 years old at this point, its first appearance was in Shadow the Hedgehog promo material to my knowledge.

It should've been replaced a decade ago but I doubt they'll do anything given hardcore Sonic fans are afraid of change.

I think it mainly boils down to 3D models being cheaper. You can just reuse models instead of creating new art and replicating a style. It was also super easy to justify in the 2000s and 2010s since it had an illusion of technological progress to it so nobody minded at the time.

Indie games are doing so well BECAUSE the rest of the industry is collapsing imo. When so many AAA games are overpriced and over budget with diminishing payoff, the smaller, more rationally designed games for way cheaper will just look more appealing by comparison