Rare, I miss thee.

[DigitalAtlas]

So, I just watched a video [http://www.gametrailers.com/video/video-game-screwattack/714158] on GameTrailers. Don't worry, it's nothing impressive, but it did make me realize something: I miss Rare's games.

This gen, Rare didn't do anything impressive. Kameo was fun, Perfect Dark Zero was an... early current gen game, to put it nicely, Viva Pinata was okay, and Banjo Nuts N Bolts probably murdered the franchise despite its addictive nature.

Before, they were known for fantastic games. Games that were never confined to the genre. Games that weren't afraid to be funny, subtle (though this would be dropped when they wanted to be crass), and fun. Games that focused on multiplayer, not by catering to the CoD audience, but wanting everyone to enjoy the game. Their games were truly fantastic. They consistently delivered.... Then they made Kinect Sports and announced they'd stick to only making Kinect games.

What happened?

It isn't the fault of Microsoft, when Rare arrived they made Ghoulies and Conker. Both great games, then they continued to revive Perfect Dark, Banjo, and finally released Kameo.

Still, I don't want every developer to jump on the bandwagon and make Rare-esque games. Quite the opposite, I like where we are now in this industry. Needs a bit more experimentation and innovation in the AAA market, but we'll get there. However, I wish we lived in a day and age where I could look forward to the release of Mass Effect 3 and a new Banjo or Battletoads.

What are your thoughts on Rare?

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Perhaps they will do things with Kinect that will make you happy, you never know

 

[DigitalAtlas]

Perhaps they will do things with Kinect that will make you happy, you never know

>Kinect making me happy.

That's like saying that I'd find happiness in cancer <_<

Though I am being forced to review Child of Eden's Kinect play to see if it really does overwhelm people with joy, so that's a possibility.

Still, I don't see Rare doing anything near as good as Banjo-Tooie is or how great Banjo could've been running on a modern console.

 

[Tanfastic]

I hope they make more Banjo and Kazooie games... Ones that are like Tooie and less like Nuts and Bolts (Although I loved Nuts and Bolts)

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day and GoldenEye 007 are some of my favorite games of all time... R.I.P. Rare.

 

[Hamish Durie]

ahh conker and banjo how i miss thee

 

[solaris008]

Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Conkers, and Jet Force Gemini. These were the games that really got me off the NES, as the Genesis had burst into flames, and got me following game news.

I think Rare's glory days are gone, along with their founders. And they are not coming back.

Makes me sad, growing up they were my favorite developer.

 

[Vault101]

can some please tell me what the bloody conckers nuts they were thinking in regards to "Banjo kazooie nuts and bolts"

1. piss off fanbase by changeing the formula

2. relase a "kiddy" looking game on a systm thats main target audience likes COD, because the fanbase arnt touching it now

3. ??????

4. Profit? obviously not....

yeah it is very sad

 

[DigitalAtlas]

can some please tell me what the bloody conckers nuts they were thinking in regards to "Banjo kazooie nuts and bolts"

1. piss off fanbase by changeing the formula

2. relase a "kiddy" looking game on a systm thats main target audience likes COD, because the fanbase arnt touching it now

3. ??????

4. Profit? obviously not....

yeah it is very sad

1. The formula didn't change too much. They kept the humor and the style of the game. They just changed the main focus to make it more innovative. Still, it was a collect-a-thon.

2. It looks exactly like Banjo should....

3. They were praying that people would go soley on the name.

4. Obviously not.

 

[Vault101]

can some please tell me what the bloody conckers nuts they were thinking in regards to "Banjo kazooie nuts and bolts"

1. piss off fanbase by changeing the formula

2. relase a "kiddy" looking game on a systm thats main target audience likes COD, because the fanbase arnt touching it now

3. ??????

4. Profit? obviously not....

yeah it is very sad

1. The formula didn't change too much. They kept the humor and the style of the game. They just changed the main focus to make it more innovative. Still, it was a collect-a-thon.

2. It looks exactly like Banjo should....

3. They were praying that people would go soley on the name.

4. Obviously not.

1. did change too much? Banjo Kazooie a legendary Platformer[/B] game, hey remember all those vehechle sections? all.....1 of them? why dont we make it about that?

and while we are at it lets replace the shooting in mass effect with driving the mako

my point is regardless of how "innovative" or good it is that is seriously going to piss off the core fans (I paly Bnajo kazooie for good old platforming action...not vehchles..in fact vehechles are my least favorite part fo ANY game)

2. let me be clear Im NOT criticizing it for looking kiddy, but thats the mentality of somone who sees the game and doesnt know anything about it, unless I heard of it Im not going to glance twice at it on the shelf

so who owns an Xbox and would but it? the original fans of coarse!...oh wait no you pissed them off.... what Im saying is from all possible perspectives its just bad decision making

3. also I dont particually care for the new art direction, you have current gen graphics...yet you made banjo look all blockey? but thats just me nitpicking

 

[Madara XIII]

Banjo Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64 are two of my favorite games of all time.

I miss old Rare.

Thanks now I'm off to cry myself to sleep as I remember some of the greatest games of my childhood......God I loved Conker's Bad Fur Day

 

[Vryyk]

Banjo Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64 are two of my favorite games of all time.

I miss old Rare.

Same here, I have at least five play-throughs on th' both of them. Great games...

 

[CyanideSandwich]

Damn, I love Donkey Kong Country 2. It's my all-time favourite game, I grew up with it, I've probably put more hours into it than any other game. Thank you Rare. Thanks for the fantastic memories.

 

[TheKruzdawg]

I remember playing the crap out of Perfect Dark on N64. There was one day my cousin and I played that game from sun up to sun down during the summer. It was so much fun and you could have so much variety in the levels, bots, guns, scenarios... it made for near endless fun! And yet we could never defeat that stupid DarkSim... someday we'll get you...

 

[KarlMonster]

I remember playing Goldeneye the first time on a friend's N64.

I said: "I really have no ambition to buy the N64, but I MUST own this game!"

Over and over again, I escaped from the subterranean cells and destroyed them all - using only proximity mines. Like a severely insane Demo-man. The walls were dripping with Schadenfreude. It was beautiful.

 

[DigitalAtlas]

This thread makes me wish a member of Rare was on this forum to see all the wondrous memories people have with their games.

I feel horrible for the generation of consumers that don't get to think of all the good times Rare gave them.

I remember my earliest memory of them was Donkey Kong Country. Every Christmas, my family would go to my Gramma's house for Dinner. All of the cousins (well, male cousins any way). no matter what age, would rush up the stairs and play Donkey Kong Country. We'd always try to beat the game in the time from arrival to dinner. One year, we actually did. It was the best present we could've given one another.

I remember begging my mother to buy Banjo and Diddy Kong racing, spending hours on end playing them, perfecting them. Of course, then I got Ocarina of Time and that went away.

Heck, I even have a recent memory from this past college semester where my friend and I hooked my laptop up to his HDTV where we emulated Battletoads (shush, I own a physical copy) til we beat it. We had to put save state and load state on my start and select buttons, respectively, to get passed the motor-bike level. It was maddening, but it was a damn good night.

Rare, your games are timeless. Return to us.

 

[gigastar]

While Rare is still existing inside the toilet of Microsoft, i wouldnt hold out any hope for anything other than shovelware and XBL avatars.