There's no more room left for imagination in most modern RPGs. In the 8-bit era, the memory limitations of the cartridge format and the means of expression were very limited for developers, but that left more room for players to deduce and imagine. It's important to provide a tried and tested experience, but it's equally important to betray these expectations in a way that feels good to players.
Notes
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Nintendo Power vol. 257, pg. 10-11 ↩