Part of what made the first game so genius was how they turned a technical shortcoming into a triumph with the use of fogging (and/or darkness). The town is empty, opaque, and locked down. And when the town does let you in, it's only to punish you. Walking through the elementary school, there are lots of empty rooms,…

Great topic. Reminds me of the Japanese word "ma," which describes the effect created in the imagination by gaps, pauses, and empty spaces.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…
Shenmue and its sequel are primetime for this effect. In 1999 Shenmue was at the forefront of sandbox gameplay, and while the tech limitations at the…