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Posted on: Dec 08, 2008
Inside Rare
WORDS BY: Kieron Gillen
There are precisely three things of note about the sleepy English town called Twycross. In no particular order: Twycross Zoo, which attracts approximately 500,000 visitors a year to see one of the finest assemblies of primates in the country. Second, it’s near the Bosworth Battlefield, where 13,000 men were attracted to fight in the last real battle of the War of the Roses. Third, Rare Ltd., which Microsoft so loved that it cut a $375-million check to possess it utterly.
The offices of Rare -- rarely seen by the public.
When it comes to discussing Rare, that row of zeroes is both unavoidable and unfortunate. On the one hand, why should a gamer even be thinking about this stuff? Yes, Microsoft got more kick-per-dollar from buying Bungie at a 10th of the price, but should that matter to anyone other than suited men in the accounts division? The games are what matters.
But here, Rare has seemingly faltered, too. Xbox 360 launch titles Kameo: Elements of Power and Perfect Dark Zero sold well, but were generally considered average by critics. Conker: Live and Reloaded and Grabbed by the Ghoulies weren’t even considered that. The clever Viva Piñata again showed the studio’s deft touch, but it never escaped the shadow of the epic blockbusters, and too many gamers never stuck around for its deep play experiences due to its hyper-colored kids’ clothing.
Viva Piñata showed that Rare still had something — but was it something the 360 owner wants? And why does the forthcoming Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts risk turning away new fans with its cute stylings, and risk alienating old fans who won’t endure a seemingly radical reinvention of their old love?
But the biggest question is this: What is Rare thinking, and why are they thinking it?
Sun, 01/11/2009 - 00:53
Posted by MeLikeGames
I think what Rare needs to do is make another Conker game. The xbox audience is full of a lot more mature gamers and a Conker game would be perfect. Viva Pinata was enthralling when I played the demo, but I had other games I had just bought. I own Banjo 3 now and love it. I play it as much as I play Gears 2 or Halo 3. Rare created some of my favorite games for the N64 and They're still making good games. They just need something like Conkers BFD to throw them back in the mix.
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 12:15
Posted by cart00nstrip
I do agree, however, that someone dropped the ball on the Avatars. The options are pretty miserable - I mean, why can't I have that tee in a different color? Like, one I actually wear? Why is it the girls get one set of clothes, and the guys the other? Why can't both sexes have access to ALL the clothes? Think of all the craziness and zaniness that could ensue! And why give us elfin ears if we can't have green skin? Why tease us with all these different options, but then restrict our choices? That can be said about the entire NXE, however...
gt: cart00nstrip
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 12:04
Posted by cart00nstrip
First of all: ReignN - VP: TIP is remarkable because it manages to fix most of the negative issues people had with VP. Sure it's "more of the same", but that's pretty befitting of the "god-sim" genre. It's still just as fun, just as addicting as the original. I say you can't have too much of a good thing. And when it comes to hard-core gaming - have you tried Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts yet? There is a truly fascinating amount of depth and innovation in there. I've logged a good 20 hours on the thing, and STILL feel like I've only scratched the surface. I mean, c'mon, who would've thought a smash-up between cute for kids platforming and gearhead racing could be a good idea? Throw in a smattering of Zelda and GTA, all sprinkled with Rare's trademark humor, and you've got a lot of entertainment for your 40 bucks. The game has some issues, but nothing that kills the experience. Especially since this is the first game I've ever played that actually makes piloting a helicopter FUN! Something GTA couldn't even do! Not to mention the outright beauty of the jaw-droppingly imaginative surroundings. And the customizability of the vehicles is astounding. In short, if you pass up these games, you simply deny yourself a crap-load of fun! Seriously, do yourself a favor and pick-up B-K:N&B, you'll be glad you did.
gt: cart00nstrip
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 03:20
Posted by ReignINblooD420
Okay I have 1000/1000 on Viva Pinata but i would never spend that much time on the sequel, Viva Pinata: T.I.P. mainly for its lack of innovation. Why would i want to play the same game basically with a few new pinatas? I played the britches off Kameo but probably wouldn't bother picking up a sequel to that either unless its was vastly innovated.
The handling of the avatars by rare... not so good in my opinion. they all look metrosexual and preppy. Rare needs to learn to include the gamers in their plan. Lord knows weve tried to include them in ours.
If they want to make family oriented games, fine. But how bought making family oriented games that even a hardcore gamer couldnt resist. And how bout some ninjas and cyborgs and barbarians in the avatar selection?? innovate. How about allowing us to unlock clothing for our avatars from our favorite games by reaching a thousand points. you know like master chiefs helmet or the claws from ninja gaiden 2... something. c'mon.
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 17:19
Posted by volcane2004
Did you guys see any Killer Instinct while you were there? =)