For my interests, it is definitely Bioware.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic -> Jade Empire -> Mass Effect -> Dragon Age Origins -> Mass Effect 2
is a legendary run of some of the finest roleplaying games ever made. Not to mention you could expand the timeline to include additional titles that I adore, (Dragon Age II -> Mass Effect 3 -> Dragon Age Inquisition) or titles that were on PC prior to KotOR (Baldur's Gate -> Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn -> Neverwinter Nights)
It is a shame that they elected to chase the GAAS dollars with Anthem, and wasted so much development time during the creation of Mass Effect Andromeda (although that was Bioware Montreal)
I was just around 8 or so when I first played KotOR so I had no exposure to the CRPG peak at the end of the 1990s (so missed out on BG during those years around release). Not to mention, I didn't have a computer for gaming so I was only able to experience their console titles from then on until I was much older.It's interesting that for some BioWare's prime starts with KOTOR 1 while for me that's the last great game they made. Makes a thread like this interesting!
Going from KOTOR 1 to Mass Effect was a bit of a shock because I still expected BioWare to be in the RPG business but they had already moved towards the action hybrids. I like ME1 though, even if I remain utterly baffled by the creative decisions that have driven their games for the past 15 years or so since then.
Yup, for my personal taste, BioWare reigns supreme. I've always enjoyed the more story driven RPG's they made instead of the immersive ones like BGS makes. I didn't play Baulder's Gate but even I am aware of that games legacy.I was just around 8 or so when I first played KotOR so I had no exposure to the CRPG peak at the end of the 1990s (so missed out on BG during those years around release). Not to mention, I didn't have a computer for gaming so I was only able to experience their console titles from then on until I was much older.
I imagine that influences the determination of the peak for some gamers, at least it does for me.
I don't quite understand how Nintendo is winning considering they fell out of innovative favour from the mid 90's until fairly recently.
I don't know, I'd say there was a period of inconsistency until the Switch. The Nintendo Wii was an incredibly innovative device, and brought console gaming to different types of people (many for the first time ever.)I don't quite understand how Nintendo is winning considering they fell out of innovative favour from the mid 90's until fairly recently.
80-90s Sega and mid 80s to mid 90s Capcom would probably be above quite a few of these.
Innovation isn't the end all be all. using the sports analogy in the OP, it's not always about the most innovative offense or defense, it's who executes the best.
I don't know, I'd say there was a period of inconsistency until the Switch. The Nintendo Wii was an incredibly innovative device, and brought console gaming to different types of people (many for the first time ever.)
I clarified my post in an edit. What I mean is, Nintendo were top dog for a long time, then the PlayStation came along and it really did a number on them. The dip in their market share was quite severe, and the N64 didn't compete well against Sony. Then when MS came onto the scene too, they had a lot of misses while attempting to compete with them and couldn't get themselves alongside them. The 2000's were very much defined by Sony and Microsoft.
Sure but even with N64 Nintendo put out Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Super Mario 64, Majora's Mask, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, etc.
Nintendo, followed by Square. Though square would be my favorite.
Square's star lineup from 1990 to 2001:
- Final Fantasy 3 (1990)
- Final Fantasy 4 (1991)
- Final Fantasy 5 (1992)
- Secret of Mana (1993)
- Final Fantasy 6 (1994)*
- Chrono Trigger (1995)*
- Trial of Mana (1995)
- Secret of Evermore (1995)
- Super Mario RPG (1996)
- Final Fantasy 7 (1997)*
- Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)
- Xenogears (1998)*
- Parasite Eve (1998)
- Final Fantasy 8 (1999)
- Chrono Cross (1999)
- Vagrant Story (2000)
- Final Fantasy 9 (2000)
- Final Fantasy 10 (2001)
Look at this list. They released even more games than that too; that's just the big stuff that I'm familiar with. It doesn't even count the Saga and Front Mission games, Live A Live or a bunch of other stuff.
Goddamn. I'm tempted to switch my vote to Square lol.
I didn't say they were irrelevant, but they weren't keeping up with Sony and Nintendo until around the PS360 era.
I mean...
^ This.
The BIB's alone are mainstays in "greatest games of all time" lists, and I'm being conservative about them. The 4 I put *'s next to are largely considered to be watershed moment games that have defined the industry.
I clarified my post in an edit. What I mean is, Nintendo were top dog for a long time, then the PlayStation came along and it really did a number on them. The dip in their market share was quite severe, and the N64 didn't compete well against Sony. Then when MS came onto the scene too, they had a lot of misses while attempting to compete with them and couldn't get themselves alongside them. The 2000's were very much defined by Sony and Microsoft.
Sony and their first party output was never really their strongsuit. Microsoft, too. Though I'm also not arguing Nintendo is the choice, I'd probably choose Sega, AM2 and Yu Suzuki.
PlayStation as a platform dominated in the late 90s/early 2000s, but that was largely driven by 3rd party. I can't imagine anyone thinking Sony's 1st party output matched or exceeded Nintendo's during those eras. The success of their respective platforms isn't really relevant to this thread.
But certain IP's were Sony aligned at that time, like Squaresoft IP's. Even so, I don't think Nintendo were keeping up with the likes of Squaresoft, it really was their era through the PS1 and PS2 generations.
Yeah, this thread is mostly just about who developed the games rather than who published and such. Like I wouldn't count Pokemon for Nintendo, nor F-Zero GX.
Nintendo, followed by Square. Though square would be my favorite.
Square's star lineup from 1990 to 2001:
- Final Fantasy 3 (1990)
- Final Fantasy 4 (1991)
- Final Fantasy 5 (1992)
- Secret of Mana (1993)
- Final Fantasy 6 (1994)
- Chrono Trigger (1995)
- Trial of Mana (1995)
- Secret of Evermore (1995)
- Super Mario RPG (1996)
- Final Fantasy 7 (1997)
- Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)
- Xenogears (1998)
- Parasite Eve (1998)
- Final Fantasy 8 (1999)
- Chrono Cross (1999)
- Vagrant Story (2000)
- Final Fantasy 9 (2000)
- Final Fantasy 10 (2001)
Look at this list. They released even more games than that too; that's just the big stuff that I'm familiar with. It doesn't even count the Saga and Front Mission games, Live A Live or a bunch of other stuff.
Goddamn. I'm tempted to switch my vote to Square lol.
I was going to say this, Rare are a massive omission form this list. They outdid Nintendo on their own console in many's eyes.You can't have this thread and not have Rare. Their 1994 to 2000 run (give or take a year) is probably unrivalled for a single development studio.
This is a legitimate pick. The light shone only for a moment, but it was a damn supernova.For a developer with a clear period of peak existence I'm leaning towards Looking Glass. A string of incredibly influential and well received GOAT contenders.
No, of course not. But, Nintendo as a company was in decline during that era not at its peak. The point about Sony wasn't that they released better content in house or to say its Sony who had the greatest prime, but that the platforms almost wiped Nintendo and Sega off the map and Nintendos content broadly became more erratic until recently.
Literally came here to make this comment lol.Intelligent Systems 2002-2007 was out of this world, especially the 03-05 period.
Nintendo, followed by Square. Though square would be my favorite.
Square's star lineup from 1990 to 2001:
- Final Fantasy 3 (1990)
- Final Fantasy 4 (1991)
- Final Fantasy 5 (1992)
- Secret of Mana (1993)
- Final Fantasy 6 (1994)
- Chrono Trigger (1995)
- Trial of Mana (1995)
- Secret of Evermore (1995)
- Super Mario RPG (1996)
- Final Fantasy 7 (1997)
- Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)
- Xenogears (1998)
- Parasite Eve (1998)
- Final Fantasy 8 (1999)
- Chrono Cross (1999)
- Vagrant Story (2000)
- Final Fantasy 9 (2000)
- Final Fantasy 10 (2001)
Look at this list. They released even more games than that too; that's just the big stuff that I'm familiar with. It doesn't even count the Saga and Front Mission games, Live A Live or a bunch of other stuff.
Goddamn. I'm tempted to switch my vote to Square lol.
As I said, my taste have traditionally guided me towards western developers. Combined with only being born in the mid 90's, I missed a lot of these classic games from Square/Konami/CapCom. However this thread has been very enlightening and I'm learning a lot about video game history
This is a legitimate pick. The light shone only for a moment, but it was a damn supernova.
All of LG's best games are no worse than Top 5 all time in their respective genres.
I'm sure it's overwhelming being late to most of the pre-2000s party but it's always nice to see someone wanting to learn more about stuff before their time. You might be surprised at the shear amount and variety of good games Sega made, not to mention all those other developers people listed.As I said, my taste have traditionally guided me towards western developers. Combined with only being born in the mid 90's, I missed a lot of these classic games from Square/Konami/CapCom. However this thread has been very enlightening and I'm learning a lot about video game history
I am quoting this for no other reason than to keep it in the conversation. Looking at the games Looking Glass made is insane to me. These were before my time, yet I've heard of every single one of these games and know the weight they carry. To know they all came from the same studio is kind of wrecking me