While the Sega Dreamcast was inevitably home to a bunch of different genres, everything from action to horror to sports, we can't help but associate it most fondly today with games like Sonic Adventure, Space Channel 5, and Jet Set Radio — titles that can all be described as exhibiting a healthy dose of Y2K-era optimism.
As a result, whenever we see a game today that hearkens back to the millennium and the colourful, retrofuturistic aesthetics that seemed to be dominant in the media at the time, it almost always calls to mind the classic Sega console.
With all of that out of the way, this likely explains why when we first saw the announcement of the new PC game Virtuoso Skins Game yesterday on YouTube, our thoughts immediately turned to the old Sega system.
Described by its developer and publisher, Virtuoso Neomedia, as an "optimistic Y2K-era inspired" golf game, Virtuoso Skins Game is an upcoming title for Steam, which sees up to 4 players online travelling to "a futuristic world of high-rolling hi-jinx and golf courses."
Together, they will be able to create a character and compete in "off-the-wall golf tournaments", using "course gimmicks, bribes, and upgrades" to "swing the game in their favour".
Between games, meanwhile, players will also be able to "unwind" in a shared hub world resort, while also placing bets with a fake currency, which they can gamble with their friends.
This is all presented with an anime-esque aesthetic, featuring cel-shaded graphics, bright blue skies, and some Space Channel 5-coded environments with plenty of blue and orange on display.
No release date has been announced, sadly, but the Steam page is now live, meaning you can wishlist the title ahead of its launch.