tbf loads of games looked "like that" back then. It's like when people complain there's no manly anime protags anymore, it was a fad/fashion and they made a million of them and then they stopped. You can just find anything from that era if you want some.

Still, I like it a lot more and I wish it happened during the era of full 3D games. So many PC98 tactics games with amazing art lol

Fantasy armor is at its best when it looks a bit like power armor, great era for it.