This is the nail on the head. IDK if you realised what I will say in the first line with the "Better textures are about the easiest way to make a game look better" but in this case? that is absolutely spot on. This game is years old. They have not changed the game mechanics AT ALL, all they have done is exactly what you describe.
And it is one of those games? where that is all it needs. Every one needs to play this, even if they never had a Playstation. Because its story and execution are about as good as it ever gets. The fact I rate this game in the same category as Half Life, Mario 64 and literally a couple of others? says it all. Game changing definitive games is a superlative I could use. And sure, some of it hasn't aged terribly well, but then neither has HL or Mario 64. That doesn't stop them from being genre defining legends of code.
As for the last line? again that sums it up perfectly. All of the time you create a reason for doubt people will doubt it. Until you can categorically prove it like the stutter in Crossfire? there will be 10 8gb GPU owners there to argue with the one. And they know that too.
Jen is nothing but a glorified salesman now. A genius one at that, but that is his role now. More now than ever. And salesmen are not the nicest people you will ever meet, especially American ones. Capitalism means cutting proverbial throats. Be it the competition? or yours? they don't care.
To say that this isn't all 100% deliberate is just mad. You can't leave a genius in doubt. Ever. He knows exactly what he is doing.
