My vote goes to BioWare. KOTOR, Mass Effect and Dragon Age are probably some of my favourite games of all time.
Poll: The greatest RPG developer ever?
- Thread starter Ieyland
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Ever? As in, in the ages that have past, ever? Or Ever, the widely over used emphasis of the extreme? 
In the past, the best was Squaresoft. With creations like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, FF6 and 7 (hell, Final Fantasy, period), they really were the go-to guys for a good RPG. If you wanted to play a "Classic RPG" today, you'd look for SquareSOFT on the game, and already be confident that what you were getting was a quality experience. That changed when graphics started to improve, at the advent of 3D in games. Square-Enix isn't bad, but they've lost what made them great.
These days, the trophy goes to Bioware. They consistantly raise the bar on a good story, and the scale by which your characters are given CHOICE to alter the story. It's more than playing a role (and given numeric stats). Bioware I feel has taken the next step in the evolution behind Role Playing Games.
In the past, the best was Squaresoft. With creations like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, FF6 and 7 (hell, Final Fantasy, period), they really were the go-to guys for a good RPG. If you wanted to play a "Classic RPG" today, you'd look for SquareSOFT on the game, and already be confident that what you were getting was a quality experience. That changed when graphics started to improve, at the advent of 3D in games. Square-Enix isn't bad, but they've lost what made them great.
These days, the trophy goes to Bioware. They consistantly raise the bar on a good story, and the scale by which your characters are given CHOICE to alter the story. It's more than playing a role (and given numeric stats). Bioware I feel has taken the next step in the evolution behind Role Playing Games.
I have to say Square. Bioware and Bethesda have made some of the best WRPGs ever, but not a single one of them can beat Final Fantasy IX.
As a side note, having played Alpha Protocol pretty extensively, I would say Obsidian have real potential to be an amazing RPG developer. They have the story elements pretty down, and they just need to polish combat, and I'd put them up there with Bioware and Bethesda. I'll definitely be on the lookout for Fallout: New Vegas.
As a side note, having played Alpha Protocol pretty extensively, I would say Obsidian have real potential to be an amazing RPG developer. They have the story elements pretty down, and they just need to polish combat, and I'd put them up there with Bioware and Bethesda. I'll definitely be on the lookout for Fallout: New Vegas.
That's too general, especially considering no two games are alike and have different strengths and weakness's. I wouldn't say that Silent Hill 2 sucks just because, as you say, gameplay is the defining factor in all games.s69-5 said:
Whether that is what the rest of the industry thinks, the true defining factor would actually be the experience.
I'm surprised Bioware got so many votes. I don't really find their games to be all that impressive. When I play an rpg, I'm looking for immersion and Bioware games seem to have all the immersion of a choose your path book. Their games are okay but I thought the voting would be closer.
I went with black isle as they went out of business before they could go downhill.
I would've chose Bethesda if their QC was a bit tighter. I love their games (Fallout 3 is my favorite of this gen so far) but they are as buggy as a beta.
I went with black isle as they went out of business before they could go downhill.
I would've chose Bethesda if their QC was a bit tighter. I love their games (Fallout 3 is my favorite of this gen so far) but they are as buggy as a beta.
Considering the state of recent RPG's, the devs from the olden days are higher in my list of excellence, some of the newer ones do however have shown much talent.
Origin was a blast until the late 90's.
Black Isle was always great.
Looking Glass made only a few RPG's, but they were awesome.
Ion Storm was responsible for some amazing games, and Daikatana.
Bethesda made an awesome Dagerfall.
Bioware was great until Neverwinter Nights, after that they started to forget how to make the entire game.
Troika, a splinter of Black Isle, made fantastic things, but somewhat buggy. (Obsidian has never finished a game)
Piranha Bytes created possibly the RPG games with the best level design in history, and probably the only one with real 3D levels.
Lastly, CD Projekt made an amazing Witcher.
Origin was a blast until the late 90's.
Black Isle was always great.
Looking Glass made only a few RPG's, but they were awesome.
Ion Storm was responsible for some amazing games, and Daikatana.
Bethesda made an awesome Dagerfall.
Bioware was great until Neverwinter Nights, after that they started to forget how to make the entire game.
Troika, a splinter of Black Isle, made fantastic things, but somewhat buggy. (Obsidian has never finished a game)
Piranha Bytes created possibly the RPG games with the best level design in history, and probably the only one with real 3D levels.
Lastly, CD Projekt made an amazing Witcher.
After just finishing Jade Empire for the 10th time, I will have to go BioWare. All other RPG's just don't seem as fun after I started playing BioWare games.
