1985 - Super Mario Bros. popularizes the side-scrolling platformer
1990 - John Carmack develops his adaptive tile refresh technique to enable smooth side-scrolling on PCs, a breakthrough that leads to the founding of id Software with John Romero
1990 - id Software releases the first Commander Keen game (which uses adaptive tile refresh), which becomes an instant shareware hit, propelling the developer out of obscurity
1993 - id releases Doom, popularizing the first-person shooter
For those who think David Cage only makes one kind of game, you should check out Omikron: The Nomad Soul. It was quasi-open world, with shooting and fighting segments and a sci-fi/mystical story. Cage could direct a "normal" game easily, this is just what he wants to do. Some people like it, some don't. If you don't like it, be cool about it. At least appreciate the variety it adds to the mix.
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