> Pixar movies are creative, but they can still be bland (most of them are anyway).
By a matter of definition, I would expect any creative media to not be bland. Even if every other part of it is boring the exploration of the creative ideas in it should be stimulating.
> I don't remember any Nintendo or Sony game that pushed in the direction Braid or The Witness did
I'm not sure what direction you are referring to. I don't think that either has really influenced gaming as a medium. The closest game I can think of as a comparison for Braid would be Portal and I think it also didn't really push any boundaries for games.
The Witness is still a little young, but I don't think its likely to lead the way for other games either.
On the other hand, I think the original Metroid and Legend of Zelda radically pushed forward what games can do. I think both of them would make you think deeply about the experience of playing them if you played them in their time.
By a matter of definition, I would expect any creative media to not be bland. Even if every other part of it is boring the exploration of the creative ideas in it should be stimulating.
> I don't remember any Nintendo or Sony game that pushed in the direction Braid or The Witness did
I'm not sure what direction you are referring to. I don't think that either has really influenced gaming as a medium. The closest game I can think of as a comparison for Braid would be Portal and I think it also didn't really push any boundaries for games.
The Witness is still a little young, but I don't think its likely to lead the way for other games either.
On the other hand, I think the original Metroid and Legend of Zelda radically pushed forward what games can do. I think both of them would make you think deeply about the experience of playing them if you played them in their time.