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Itís suddenly struck me how many top game developers are actually based in UK. I know that most of the PlayStation 2ís big name developers are from the UK, but although I canít really comment Iíd guess most of Nintendoís developers are Japanese. Hereís a quick run-down of the best of the British:
Sony Studios Liverpool:
Once the acclaimed developer Psygnosis, creators of the WipEout series and largely responsible for the success of the PlayStation. Their first game on the PlayStation was the quite simply excellent WipEout. With its cutting-edge graphics, blistering speed and thumping dance soundtrack, it wooed gamers and clubbers alike with its slick gameplay. Its successor, WipEout 2097 is generally accepted to be the best of the 4, had a whole new revamp of the visuals, craft, tracks, weapons and gameplay, to produce one of the best videogames ever. After WipEout 2097 followed Wip3out, still an excellent game but not as good as the other 2. Sadly, it failed to shift the units from the shelves and never made platinum. A WipEout compilation was also released under the title of WipEout XL. Despite receiving good review scores this also failed on the shop floor. Psygnosis also had many other successful titles and franchises, including Rollcage, Rollcage Stage 2, The Colony Wars Series, the Destruction Derby Series (in conjunction with Reflections), Formula 1, í98 and í99 and Lemmings 3d just to name a few. Psygnosis was one of the best developers on the PlayStation, but after some disastrous failures (Psybadek) the company was going bust and was bought by Sony in March 1999 to become Sony Studios Liverpool. They are currently working on the eagerly anticipated WipEout Fusion and have produced Formula One 2001 on the PS2.
Sony Studios Camden and SoHo:
Two brand new Sony Studios in Britain. Sony Studios Camden are currently working on their genre-defining RTS/flight sim Dropship, featuring breathtaking visuals, and intense combat action with a strategic element thrown in also. Sony Studios SoHo are working on The Getaway, a mix of Burnout and GTA3, set in a photo-realistic London. You play the role of a getaway driver for Londonís seedy underworld. The game features realistic crash models and the ability to total your car and kill yourself, which adds a much-needed element of tension to the game (yes, Iím looking at you Strafex). They have also just finished the latest instalment of the This is Football series
Criterion Studios:
Criterion made their name in video gaming circle producing middleware, but have recently broken out into full game production. Because of their technical history, they already have the expertise needed to create some excellent games, now all they need is the flair. Having previously worked on Deep Fighter, Redline Racer, Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing and Trickstyle for the Dreamcast and PC, they have turned their attentions to the PS2. Criterion have just finished work on their Out Run homage Burnout, probably the first videogame ever to feature crash simulations equal to that used by NCAP crash test simulations. Now itís full steam ahead with their much-anticipated Tony Hawkís rival Airblade, where bust big air on a futuristic hover board, Marty McFly style.
Blade Interactive:
A small developer with big ambitions, namely to map the whole world into a game: And theyíve done it. G-Surfers, released in November, is the first computer game ever to contain an accurate representation of the world. The gameplay is a little too similar to WipEout but what really sets this title apart from the rest is the Trackman option. Trackman is a fully featured track editor with all the trimmings. In fact, Trackman was used to actually create the tracks in the game. You too can build your own stomach churning, gut wrenching, death inducing roller coaster tracks with ease.
(and now for the obligatory dig at Nintendo)
PlayStation 2: British beef
Nintendo GameCube: Japanese imported pap
:-D
Sony Studios Liverpool:
Once the acclaimed developer Psygnosis, creators of the WipEout series and largely responsible for the success of the PlayStation. Their first game on the PlayStation was the quite simply excellent WipEout. With its cutting-edge graphics, blistering speed and thumping dance soundtrack, it wooed gamers and clubbers alike with its slick gameplay. Its successor, WipEout 2097 is generally accepted to be the best of the 4, had a whole new revamp of the visuals, craft, tracks, weapons and gameplay, to produce one of the best videogames ever. After WipEout 2097 followed Wip3out, still an excellent game but not as good as the other 2. Sadly, it failed to shift the units from the shelves and never made platinum. A WipEout compilation was also released under the title of WipEout XL. Despite receiving good review scores this also failed on the shop floor. Psygnosis also had many other successful titles and franchises, including Rollcage, Rollcage Stage 2, The Colony Wars Series, the Destruction Derby Series (in conjunction with Reflections), Formula 1, í98 and í99 and Lemmings 3d just to name a few. Psygnosis was one of the best developers on the PlayStation, but after some disastrous failures (Psybadek) the company was going bust and was bought by Sony in March 1999 to become Sony Studios Liverpool. They are currently working on the eagerly anticipated WipEout Fusion and have produced Formula One 2001 on the PS2.
Sony Studios Camden and SoHo:
Two brand new Sony Studios in Britain. Sony Studios Camden are currently working on their genre-defining RTS/flight sim Dropship, featuring breathtaking visuals, and intense combat action with a strategic element thrown in also. Sony Studios SoHo are working on The Getaway, a mix of Burnout and GTA3, set in a photo-realistic London. You play the role of a getaway driver for Londonís seedy underworld. The game features realistic crash models and the ability to total your car and kill yourself, which adds a much-needed element of tension to the game (yes, Iím looking at you Strafex). They have also just finished the latest instalment of the This is Football series
Criterion Studios:
Criterion made their name in video gaming circle producing middleware, but have recently broken out into full game production. Because of their technical history, they already have the expertise needed to create some excellent games, now all they need is the flair. Having previously worked on Deep Fighter, Redline Racer, Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing and Trickstyle for the Dreamcast and PC, they have turned their attentions to the PS2. Criterion have just finished work on their Out Run homage Burnout, probably the first videogame ever to feature crash simulations equal to that used by NCAP crash test simulations. Now itís full steam ahead with their much-anticipated Tony Hawkís rival Airblade, where bust big air on a futuristic hover board, Marty McFly style.
Blade Interactive:
A small developer with big ambitions, namely to map the whole world into a game: And theyíve done it. G-Surfers, released in November, is the first computer game ever to contain an accurate representation of the world. The gameplay is a little too similar to WipEout but what really sets this title apart from the rest is the Trackman option. Trackman is a fully featured track editor with all the trimmings. In fact, Trackman was used to actually create the tracks in the game. You too can build your own stomach churning, gut wrenching, death inducing roller coaster tracks with ease.
(and now for the obligatory dig at Nintendo)
PlayStation 2: British beef
Nintendo GameCube: Japanese imported pap
:-D
Page:
Yeah yeah yeah...
Lol at the last line :o)
British beef and all :o)
Shame that the BEST things come from abroad :D Barthez, Veron ... Nintendo!
British beef and all :o)
Shame that the BEST things come from abroad :D Barthez, Veron ... Nintendo!
I think you'll find that Electronic Arts are American, Turbonutter.
And it's spelt Konami, Dringo, me lad.
:D
SHOCKY
And it's spelt Konami, Dringo, me lad.
:D
SHOCKY
Dringo wrote:
> Big names = SEGA, Squaresoft, Electronic arts, Kanomi erm etc...
All Japanese.
> Big names = SEGA, Squaresoft, Electronic arts, Kanomi erm etc...
All Japanese.
Big names = SEGA, Squaresoft, Electronic arts, Kanomi erm etc...
Yeah well, as I said. I don't know much about Nintendo* developers.
Yeah well, as I said. I don't know much about Japanese developers.
The Game wrote:
> If Rare aren't a big name in the UK and the US, then I don't know
> who is...
Rare aren't 'big' in the usual term because they only develop for Nintendo's machines - just like Sony Studio Liverpool aren't as 'big' as when they were Psygnosis.
At least, that's how I see it...
> If Rare aren't a big name in the UK and the US, then I don't know
> who is...
Rare aren't 'big' in the usual term because they only develop for Nintendo's machines - just like Sony Studio Liverpool aren't as 'big' as when they were Psygnosis.
At least, that's how I see it...
Left field = American
Retro Studios = American
HAL = Japanese
NST = American
Camelot = Japanese
Silicon Knights = American
Rare = British
Nintendo = Japanese
Thats 1 British, 4 American and 3 Japanese.
Aha not all japanese me thinks.
Retro Studios = American
HAL = Japanese
NST = American
Camelot = Japanese
Silicon Knights = American
Rare = British
Nintendo = Japanese
Thats 1 British, 4 American and 3 Japanese.
Aha not all japanese me thinks.
Well, as I said, I don't know much about Ninty devvies.
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