Does RAREware suck?

[Smug Dark Loser]

* this is not a bashing threads. I want to keep these forums good like they are. I just needed a spiffy title for this issue.

So here I go:

If you venture outside of these nice and friendly forums, say into the worst fields (say youtube, gamespot, or some other sites), if you mention RARE, they'll respond saying " RARE's nothing like they use to be" and " The whole company went to Free Radical" (which isnt true, I believe it was only the lead designer) or better yet, just "RARE is teh suxors!".

So, Im asking, why do people say this? My point being, RARE hasn't made a really bad game on the 360.

Starting from launch of the 360:

And then they put out Kameo which I thought was great. The downside: a sucky intro level and it was short.

Then PDZ came. Imo, its single player was good, it had many things you just don't see in shooters anymore as well as some gameplay elements that are just not here anymore. Its multiplayer was awesome. However, at times it felt dated. What needs to be changed: some of the level design (although some of it is absolutely great) and give you more freedom- let me jump of a cliff and die if I desire, give me some open level design (more open that is). Personally, Im hoping for a sequel. THeres a lot to be explored with the way this shooter was made. Story sucked (or rather wasn't there)

Then Viva Pinata, awesome game. No more needs to be said

So why exactly dont people have faith in RARE?


* by the way, I think that RARE's PDZ and Viva Pinata are the best graphics on the console right now (and colorful!). Seriously, VP is such a good looking game. Very different art style from most games though.

[Deltonax]

I still think Rare is a great company. I think that if Viva Pinata would of sold better Rares image would look better.

But I don't think that Rares image looks that bad. I have seen web sights where someone says something bad about them, and then five people stick up for Rare.

* by the way, I don't think that PDZ has the best graphics on the console, but you are entitled to your opinion.

[watkinzez]

If they haven't played a Rare game since Starfox Adventures, it's a hive mind. If they have then they're wearing rose-coloured glasses.

People seem to forget that their N64 output wasn't unanimously gold. For every Banjo, Conker or Goldeneye, you have the bloated DK64 and the utterly forgettable Mickey's Speedway USA. Nothing's changed- PDZ has been slammed for its single player and presentation, but Ghoulies, Kameo and Viva can easily stand among their best work.

Personally, it's the personality and charm that runs through all of Rare's games that makes me a fan, and you don't have to like like all of them to be one.

[Tanjo]

You have to remember that most of the people on gamespot and youtube are 1337 online badasses who can ttly pwn ur ass in Halo. Their opinions do not matter for they are not gamers.

[Grey Jinjo]

Originally Posted by watkinzez

Nothing's changed- PDZ has been slammed for its single player and presentation, but Ghoulies, Kameo and Viva can easily stand among their best work.

Ghoulies is often cited as their worst new game. I just wanted to mention that because you pointed out that PDZ is slammed when the insults it receives pale in comparison to that of Ghoulies' .

I don't think Rare sucks. I do think that they suffer because of their position, though. I honestly believe that Viva Pinata Wii would have been a substantially larger hit and garnered a lot more praise than it did on the 360. The genre they often develop for is so largely in the minority compared to the rest of the Xbox's software lineup that they probably get shafted out of a lot of spotlight as a result.

[watkinzez]

Originally Posted by Grey Jinjo

Ghoulies is often cited as their worst new game. I just wanted to mention that because you pointed out that PDZ is slammed when the insults it receives pale in comparison to that of Ghoulies' .

The difference is that they probably have a point regarding PDZ. Ghoulies hate, however, is completely and utterly wrong. Diddly doo!

[ConkerTribe]

Just imagine if these two factors were present for Rare:

-Rare was never sold to Microsoft
-Nintendo released a more hardcore-gamer oriented console after the Gamecube

PDZ might not have sucked, Kameo would have been released on the Cube, possibly, and we might have gotten BK3 a year sooner, considering the orientation to the new system would have been easier because they'd be on familiar ground with Nintendo consoles.

All in all, Rare are a victim of circumstance, and you really can't fault them for how their games turned out. They were rushed to push out PDZ for a system they weren't prepared for, they were ill-prepared to deal with this new console, Kameo had gone through many demographic changes, and Viva Pinata probably would have been pushed for the Cube if they had stayed on with Nintendo, therefore there'd be more time to work on other projects, like BK3.

Originally Posted by watkinzez

People seem to forget that their N64 output wasn't unanimously gold. For every Banjo, Conker or Goldeneye, you have the bloated DK64 and the utterly forgettable Mickey's Speedway USA. Nothing's changed- PDZ has been slammed for its single player and presentation, but Ghoulies, Kameo and Viva can easily stand among their best work.

So you're saying DK64 was crap? And they did Mickey's Speedway USA because they still were 2nd party to Nintendo, so if Nintendo wanted them to make Mickey's Speedway USA, they'd MAKE Mickey's Speedway USA! Also, you only have two "bad" games there, and three good ones. To add to your list of good ones, you had Blast Corps, Perfect Dark, Jet Force Gemini... Where all these bad games? Why are you even here if you can't recognize how great Rare is?

[watkinzez]

Yes, I am. DK64 has so many bad design decisions it makes my head spin.
Funnily enough, your reply does the same thing. Please continue to miss my point as I have a good laugh at your expense.

[Dylan Yoshi]

Two words: Nintendo fanboys.

[Gruntling]

I don't know if I can really speak about the subject too much. I haven't really purchased many Rare games since their move to Microsoft aside from a few remakes here and there. From what limited play I have experienced though, I feel Rare's quality has gone down for the most part. BK:GR, Banjo-Pilot, and even SabreWulf to some extent were a little blasé especially compared to the game of Rare's heyday. And from what I've heard most of Rare's Xbox titles haven't been big hits. I don't know, I've always believed that because of the majority of games Rare creates, that Rare would still be better suited under Nintendo.

[Avarice]

The last Rare game I bought was SF:A, and I ended up selling that.

[Hakey Wake]

I liked SFA, that was the last Rare title I bought. I did screw around with DKRS for a little while but didn't like it too much.

Haven't really played much of their more recent stuff!

[repobanjo]

What's wrong with Speedway USA? I liked Mickey's Speedway USA!

[MrShyGuy72]

I liked that game too!

[Silent Warrior]

It's my belief that Rareware should never have been sold to Microsoft. I think that it really belongs to Nintendo. The titles that Rareware has been releasing for the Xbpx 360 should be on the Nintendo Wii.

Also, Banjo-Threeie should have been released in 2002 or 2003 for the Nintendo Gamecube. It would've made more sense.