Game Developers you love/hate?
- Thread starter JakubK666
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Love(d):
Nintendo
Squaresoft (pre-merger)
Sega (partic. Sega-AM2)
Lionshead Studios
Ion Storm Austin
Rareware (pre-Xbox)
Bethesda Softworks
Looking Glass Studios
MicroProse/Firaxis Games
BioWare
Dislike(d):
(Though I don't dislike ALL these developers' titles)
Blizzard
Capcom
Square/Enix
Midway Games
Acclaim Entertainment
Bungie
Westwood
id Software (post-DOOM II)
Maxis
Nintendo
Squaresoft (pre-merger)
Sega (partic. Sega-AM2)
Lionshead Studios
Ion Storm Austin
Rareware (pre-Xbox)
Bethesda Softworks
Looking Glass Studios
MicroProse/Firaxis Games
BioWare
Dislike(d):
(Though I don't dislike ALL these developers' titles)
Blizzard
Capcom
Square/Enix
Midway Games
Acclaim Entertainment
Bungie
Westwood
id Software (post-DOOM II)
Maxis
Love:
Valve - Due to Half life 1&2, Portal and TF2
Blizzard - Warcraft 2 and 3, Starcraft, Diablo 2
Rockstar North - I simply love all the GTA games.
Westwood - C&C, Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 1 + 2
Rare - Goldeneye, Banjo Kazooie, Perfect Dark
Hate:
EA and 90% of the companies it has now ruined
Blizzard(yes, both lists) - World of Warcraft, they owe me two years of my life back!
Valve - Due to Half life 1&2, Portal and TF2
Blizzard - Warcraft 2 and 3, Starcraft, Diablo 2
Rockstar North - I simply love all the GTA games.
Westwood - C&C, Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 1 + 2
Rare - Goldeneye, Banjo Kazooie, Perfect Dark
Hate:
EA and 90% of the companies it has now ruined
Blizzard(yes, both lists) - World of Warcraft, they owe me two years of my life back!
Developers I love(d).
Black Isle (RIP)
Westwood (RIP)
Looking Glass (RIP)
Valve
Bioware
Relic
Pandemic
Lucas Arts - At least back when they still made adventure games.
I don't hate any developers. I only hate publishers. They are the necessary evil that screw up promising games, and they also buy out good developers, and scatter them to the winds. EA isn't alone in doing this, but they are the archetype.
Okay that isn't entirely true. I kind of hate SOE.
Black Isle (RIP)
Westwood (RIP)
Looking Glass (RIP)
Valve
Bioware
Relic
Pandemic
Lucas Arts - At least back when they still made adventure games.
I don't hate any developers. I only hate publishers. They are the necessary evil that screw up promising games, and they also buy out good developers, and scatter them to the winds. EA isn't alone in doing this, but they are the archetype.
Okay that isn't entirely true. I kind of hate SOE.
What ire do people have with Ubisoft? What'd they do? Also, Yahtzee is right and wrong about them being French: They're French-Canadian. The full company name is Ubisoft Montreal. They're from Quebec.
I loathe Bethesda with a passion. Yes, they made Morrowind, which I loved, but they cannot be forgiven for Oblivion, and I don't trust them one bit with Fallout. Even if Oblivion had been all they promised, I wouldn't trust them with it, I just don't think they can do it right. Also, their marketing guys could sell cookies to diabetics. Not good cookies, either, but as they went into shock, said diabetics would probably be going 10/10, this is a very exciting medical emergency! I feel horrible! Awesome!
Game devs I love? Well, if STALKER: Clear Sky is as good as I expect it to be, maybe I'll have to put GSC Game World on that list. It's cool that they apparently took all the criticisms of it's predecessor to heart, and corrected them for Clear Sky. I don't think many devs would do that.
I'm not sure what to think of Bioware. KOTOR was awesome for one or two playthroughs, but a bore-fest after that. Jade Empire was a blast on occasion, but mostly mediocre. Mass Effect is one of my favorite games of all time, now, and they are going to make episodic content for it, as well as sequels... but it's hard to trust EA not to try and mess things up.
Game devs I love? Well, if STALKER: Clear Sky is as good as I expect it to be, maybe I'll have to put GSC Game World on that list. It's cool that they apparently took all the criticisms of it's predecessor to heart, and corrected them for Clear Sky. I don't think many devs would do that.
I'm not sure what to think of Bioware. KOTOR was awesome for one or two playthroughs, but a bore-fest after that. Jade Empire was a blast on occasion, but mostly mediocre. Mass Effect is one of my favorite games of all time, now, and they are going to make episodic content for it, as well as sequels... but it's hard to trust EA not to try and mess things up.
For Like:
Valve- I just played my first Valve game late last year with TOB, but once I played Portal, I realized they were amazing. I appreciate HL2, but it's not my favorite FPS. I like that Valve is willing to take a long time on their games to insure their quality.
Nintendo- Sure they have an annoying tendency to release the same game over and over, but the problem is overcome by the fact that EVERY SINGLE ONE of those games would make a top 200 game list if I made one. Touching back on the Valve, I appreciate that they'll delay a game for quality, illustrated by Shiggy's famous quote, "a delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever." (not verbatum)
Rare- I'll admit, their quality has gone down at least a little, but the classics like Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, and most recently, (my favorite strategy game on a console ever) Viva Pinata. I never did play Goldeneye or Pefect Dark, but WoM is that they are the original console FPSs that didn't suck.
Hate:
EA- I've made my point that I don't mind rehashes with my Nintendo critique. The big difference between them and EA, however, is that you do not know that you're getting a quality game if you pick up an EA game from the shelf on a whim with no prior knowledge. The whole 07 (game #, not actual year #) lineup is proof of this.
Square Enix- I can't deny that they are the pioneers of JRPGs as we know them, but it just so happens hat I HATE that genre. I don't hate them for their quality, I just hate them for their lak of genre differetiation
Honorable Mentions:
Sega- If they were still in their heyday, this would easily be in the Like category, but that passed them by a while ago. Even so, there are two of their games I'm planning to get this year anyway. If I made this list 7 years ago, this would be way up higher.
Harmonix- Well, they score major points for having made the top 3 rhythm games (IMO) ever, but even so, those three are all I've played of them. This is like the SE situation, except I like their games. If I could add one more to the Like, this would probably be it, but I felt like I flooded it enough.
Intelligent Systems- You could probably C&P Harmonix's, but replace rhythm with strategy, and no last part about putting this in the Like if given another chance.
Capcom- On second thought, I would give this the last Like spot, based ONLY on the PW series. This is my favorite new (to non-Japan places at least) IP in at least 10 years. My favorite game this generation is PW3 so far. However, I can't speak for a whole lot of their other series's. DMC looks interesting, and I like their Zeldas, but that alone can't steal the spot from one of my Likes.
EDIT!
Double Fine- I can't believe I had forgotten the infamous Double Fine. They created my favorite game of last gen, and is easily my second favorite new IPs for a while. However, they only have one game, and as great as it is, I can't give a Like to them for that.
Valve- I just played my first Valve game late last year with TOB, but once I played Portal, I realized they were amazing. I appreciate HL2, but it's not my favorite FPS. I like that Valve is willing to take a long time on their games to insure their quality.
Nintendo- Sure they have an annoying tendency to release the same game over and over, but the problem is overcome by the fact that EVERY SINGLE ONE of those games would make a top 200 game list if I made one. Touching back on the Valve, I appreciate that they'll delay a game for quality, illustrated by Shiggy's famous quote, "a delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever." (not verbatum)
Rare- I'll admit, their quality has gone down at least a little, but the classics like Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, and most recently, (my favorite strategy game on a console ever) Viva Pinata. I never did play Goldeneye or Pefect Dark, but WoM is that they are the original console FPSs that didn't suck.
Hate:
EA- I've made my point that I don't mind rehashes with my Nintendo critique. The big difference between them and EA, however, is that you do not know that you're getting a quality game if you pick up an EA game from the shelf on a whim with no prior knowledge. The whole 07 (game #, not actual year #) lineup is proof of this.
Square Enix- I can't deny that they are the pioneers of JRPGs as we know them, but it just so happens hat I HATE that genre. I don't hate them for their quality, I just hate them for their lak of genre differetiation
Honorable Mentions:
Sega- If they were still in their heyday, this would easily be in the Like category, but that passed them by a while ago. Even so, there are two of their games I'm planning to get this year anyway. If I made this list 7 years ago, this would be way up higher.
Harmonix- Well, they score major points for having made the top 3 rhythm games (IMO) ever, but even so, those three are all I've played of them. This is like the SE situation, except I like their games. If I could add one more to the Like, this would probably be it, but I felt like I flooded it enough.
Intelligent Systems- You could probably C&P Harmonix's, but replace rhythm with strategy, and no last part about putting this in the Like if given another chance.
Capcom- On second thought, I would give this the last Like spot, based ONLY on the PW series. This is my favorite new (to non-Japan places at least) IP in at least 10 years. My favorite game this generation is PW3 so far. However, I can't speak for a whole lot of their other series's. DMC looks interesting, and I like their Zeldas, but that alone can't steal the spot from one of my Likes.
EDIT!
Double Fine- I can't believe I had forgotten the infamous Double Fine. They created my favorite game of last gen, and is easily my second favorite new IPs for a while. However, they only have one game, and as great as it is, I can't give a Like to them for that.
It's really unfair to hate Blizz for WoW because of the amount of life wasted, that's a pretty good measure of success in my books.
But no doubt, EA and all of it's satan-spawn stepchildren have hit the doldrums. Madden and Tiger Woods 08 so buggy they're unplayable. Sims and it's weekly expansion whoring. Simcity Societies? That's a step backwards for them.
On the positive side:
Rockstar, hit or miss. But when they hit, they hit HARD. Manhunt is atrocious, granted, But Bully was great, and nothing in the gaming world has had as much impact in the last 20 years as GTA3.
Valve, Much like Rockstar, they work like renegade scientists in a mountain laboratory, dedicated to give the masses what they want, regardless what the bigwigs in the rest of the industry are willing to put on the shelves for your cash.
Sid Meier, No one but him even comes close to the single-player crack market reminiscent of the Tetris days of old.
But no doubt, EA and all of it's satan-spawn stepchildren have hit the doldrums. Madden and Tiger Woods 08 so buggy they're unplayable. Sims and it's weekly expansion whoring. Simcity Societies? That's a step backwards for them.
On the positive side:
Rockstar, hit or miss. But when they hit, they hit HARD. Manhunt is atrocious, granted, But Bully was great, and nothing in the gaming world has had as much impact in the last 20 years as GTA3.
Valve, Much like Rockstar, they work like renegade scientists in a mountain laboratory, dedicated to give the masses what they want, regardless what the bigwigs in the rest of the industry are willing to put on the shelves for your cash.
Sid Meier, No one but him even comes close to the single-player crack market reminiscent of the Tetris days of old.
I hate EA, not for anything game related, but because I've known people who worked for EA (and were part of the class action lawsuit) and after what they told me, EA are the most bastarding bastards who ever bastarded. They fucked over and then fucked themselves out of some excellent people. No wonder they don't actually create anything any more.
I used to love Squaresoft (sorry, square-enix) until I came to the conclusion that turn based combat can eat a dick.
I love Konami, SNK, and Nintendo off the top of my head.
My favorite though?
THE BEHEMOTH! FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT DUDES! YOU GIVE PEOPLE LIKE ME HOPE!
I love Konami, SNK, and Nintendo off the top of my head.
My favorite though?
THE BEHEMOTH! FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT DUDES! YOU GIVE PEOPLE LIKE ME HOPE!
Valve, for Half-Life 2. They are the masters of game design.
Second place goes to CCP, makers of EVE Online. Another well-designed game, not to mention they absolutely love their players.
In general, I like Microsoft games. The Halo series is one of the best shooters of all time (not going to debate which is the best after HL2), but I know them best for their strategy games. Ensemble, you rock.
EA, well, I only buy games that I think I will like, and EA can make good games (C&C series, Battlefield). So I'm neutral. EA have the skill to make good games when they try, but they often don't.
Second place goes to CCP, makers of EVE Online. Another well-designed game, not to mention they absolutely love their players.
In general, I like Microsoft games. The Halo series is one of the best shooters of all time (not going to debate which is the best after HL2), but I know them best for their strategy games. Ensemble, you rock.
EA, well, I only buy games that I think I will like, and EA can make good games (C&C series, Battlefield). So I'm neutral. EA have the skill to make good games when they try, but they often don't.
Valve. (Half-life, thank you Valve!)
Konami. (Castlevania. Metal Gear. Thank you, Konami!)
Capcom. (Resident Evil. Devil May Cry. Thank you, Capcom!)
Hate: EA. (Yet another goddamned sports title. **** you, EA!)
Konami. (Castlevania. Metal Gear. Thank you, Konami!)
Capcom. (Resident Evil. Devil May Cry. Thank you, Capcom!)
Hate: EA. (Yet another goddamned sports title. **** you, EA!)
LOVE
<3
Namco (Soulcalibur)
Bandai (Ultimate Muscle)
Midway (Mortal Kombat)
Silicon Knights (Eternal Darkness)
Level 5 (Rogue Squadron)
Neversoft (GUN)
Capcom (Steel Battalion)
Ubisoft (Splinter Cell)
Oddworld Inhabitants (Munch's Oddysee)
Sony (Shadow of the Colossus)
Rockstar (Red Dead Revolver)
Tecmo (Rygar,Ninja)
Surreal (Drakan)
Sammy (Berserk-jap)
Sierra (Scarface,Predator)
Double Fine (Psychonauts)
Smilebit (Panzer,JSRF,Gunvalkyrie)
Bethesda (The Elder Scrolls)
Stormfront (Blood Wake)
Bunkasha (Wreckless)
Retro (Metroid Prime)
Reality Pump (Two Worlds)
HATE
Electronic Arts (Harry Potter and everyother fucking thing)
<3
Namco (Soulcalibur)
Bandai (Ultimate Muscle)
Midway (Mortal Kombat)
Silicon Knights (Eternal Darkness)
Level 5 (Rogue Squadron)
Neversoft (GUN)
Capcom (Steel Battalion)
Ubisoft (Splinter Cell)
Oddworld Inhabitants (Munch's Oddysee)
Sony (Shadow of the Colossus)
Rockstar (Red Dead Revolver)
Tecmo (Rygar,Ninja)
Surreal (Drakan)
Sammy (Berserk-jap)
Sierra (Scarface,Predator)
Double Fine (Psychonauts)
Smilebit (Panzer,JSRF,Gunvalkyrie)
Bethesda (The Elder Scrolls)
Stormfront (Blood Wake)
Bunkasha (Wreckless)
Retro (Metroid Prime)
Reality Pump (Two Worlds)
HATE
Electronic Arts (Harry Potter and everyother fucking thing)
Surprised by all the love for Epic in this thread. I swear we must be thinking of different companies. Sure, they've made some wonderful games (/me looks at his five years logged as a UT player) but the way they treat their community is reprehensible. Complaints about issues in their games, ESPECIALLY cheating and security flaws, are almost invariably deleted and the poster banned. Contrast this with the way Valve treats their fans and factor in UT3's rushed/unfinished release, and you'll see why Epic's core community has become so disillusioned with them.
In fact, they're the only developer I'd bother mentioning that I'm notably UNhappy with right now. Normally I wouldn't waste my emotional energy hating game developers when I'm under no obligation to buy or play their shitty games, but when Epic dropped the ball on UT3 my favorite gaming community mostly fell apart and that sucked big-time.
Well, anyways. Favorite developers:
Looking Glass Studios (R.I.P. <3)
Westwood (R.I.P.)
Monolith (R.I.P.)
MicroProse (were they technically a publisher too?)
Rareware (from the N64 and previous)
Bioware
Favorite publishers:
Activision (pre-merger... not enough data to make an opinion about the new Activision/Blizzard behemoth)
Ubisoft
Hating on/praising publishers is kind of a waste of time though, since they don't even make the games, and even EA has published some gems (when I saw their name on my System Shock 2 jewel case a couple minutes ago I had to resist the urge to take a match to it)
In fact, they're the only developer I'd bother mentioning that I'm notably UNhappy with right now. Normally I wouldn't waste my emotional energy hating game developers when I'm under no obligation to buy or play their shitty games, but when Epic dropped the ball on UT3 my favorite gaming community mostly fell apart and that sucked big-time.
Well, anyways. Favorite developers:
Looking Glass Studios (R.I.P. <3)
Westwood (R.I.P.)
Monolith (R.I.P.)
MicroProse (were they technically a publisher too?)
Rareware (from the N64 and previous)
Bioware
Favorite publishers:
Activision (pre-merger... not enough data to make an opinion about the new Activision/Blizzard behemoth)
Ubisoft
Hating on/praising publishers is kind of a waste of time though, since they don't even make the games, and even EA has published some gems (when I saw their name on my System Shock 2 jewel case a couple minutes ago I had to resist the urge to take a match to it)