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"Ironic Justice"

As you already know, Rareware have been bought out (still makes me think of that Simsons episode...) by Microsoft and games are supposedly already in development for that monster of a console, the X-box. The debate has already begun about whether hoards of Nintendo fans will be buying the X-box now that franchises such as Perfect Dark, Conker, Kameo (seems funny considering it was used to show off the GameCube many years ago) and possibly the Banjo Kazooie series will be appearing on the radioactive X. I accepted that Rare weren't the gaming-gods they once were as soon as I played Banjo Tooie. Alright, it was a well made game in it's own rights, but it didn't feel like a classic when I played it. Isn't it ironic though, that the console that is supposed to be the more 'mature' or asult orientated out of the three, is having a whole bunch of cartoony games?

Don't get me wrong, some of the best games are those that look like they're designed for the younger audience. I mean, Super Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Mario Kart 64, they were brilliant games! I'm looking forward to the new Legend of Zelda game in all it's cel-shaded brilliance and I wish I had an X-box for the game Jet Set Radio Future! What makes me laugh, however, is the fact that so many people, mainly X-box fans (or should that be fanboys?) and a few Playstation 2 fans (those that can get off their superior high horse to make a comment) claim that the GameCube is just for kids as it has too many cartoony games, whereas the Playstation and Playstation 2 already has games like The Tweenies, and the X-box is about to recieve a whole load of cartoony looking games from the company known as Rareware. Not only are Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero, and any other franchises we already know of from Rare, all cartoony at the moment, but Microsoft are making out that that's good for their image!

It's not just that though. It also makes me laugh that many a Nintendo fan used to use the argument that we (meaning Nintendo) have got Rareware and that they'd never venture to another console! It makes me laugh that now, most of those people are taking on a similar viewpoint to me that Rare haven't exactly done much, if anything, when it comes to developing for Nintendo in the last couple of years, and that only a few games they developed in the Nintendo 64 era were any good (in my opinion anyway). Goldeneye - Brilliant. Banjo Kazooie - Brilliant. Perfect Dark - Brilliant. Banjo Tooie - okay. Conker's Pocket Tales (GBC) - not good at all. Sure, every developer has their ups and downs, and Microsoft's new version of the Rareware website have been quick to name Donkey Kong 64 as a classic by Rareware (no other mention of Nintendo on the whole of Rareware's site).

So this all good for gaming. Well, in a word...yes! But are Rareware really pushing the limits of the X-box with their first game Kameo? If they are, then I'll be laughing my anus off for a long time whilst playing more 'rounded' classics like Super Mario Sunshine and Resident Evil on my GameCube. I gave the link to X-box screenshots of Kameo: Elements of Power to my good friend (and bringer of evil) Dark Mark to view ( http://www.rareware.com/html/kameo/shots.html ) and he responded with "Rare's quality is just going to go downhill. Microsoft will be paying Nintendo to take Rare back!" Ok, that may be a bit of an exaggeration based on first impressions, but isn't it first impressions that count? My first impressions of those screenshots are that they look blocky, strange, and still reek of Nintendo goodness with all it's bright and wierd colours. The game, scarily, from this screenshot (http://www.rareware.com/html /kameo/k_ss/shot3.html) reminds me of Nintendo 64 graphics, and it that's supposed to be fur, then I certainly hope that's not the same team of special effects guys that have made Starfox on the Gamecube - the fur is absolutely pathetic!

So now, on upwire, we have seen Joanna Dark's new look. Well 'shoot' (the word I wanted wasn't accepted by the filter) me if that's meant to be more 'adult'. The cel-shaded look does leave it open to better special effects, graphics, and might even increase the flexibility in Joanna's body allowing her to become more of a sex symbol than she was on the Nintendo 64 game . Anyway, I'd be very suprised if Perfect Dark Zero is a rubbish game, after all Rareware can't be that bad just because they've switched consoles, and the X-box's controller, despite being bigger than an old G-reg Ford Escort steering wheel, is suprisingly good for FPSs, despite being uncomfortable at every other type of game.

Even if Perfect Dark Zero is on the drawing board, are Rareware doing the same to Microsoft as they did Nintendo in their final years with them? They've got one game in development (Kameo) and no other games are mentioned on their very small website as of yet. Maybe Rareware are playing it quiet so as to stop any more of these stupid rumours coming about.

For Rareware, well they've definately come out the best. Who would have thought that a small company that developed ZX Spectrum games, founded in 1985, would soon be bought out for multi-hundred-millions of pounds by a software giant only 17 years later?

Well that's my piece on it all at the moment, what do the rest of you think?

Edgy wrote:
> Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I take it you're talking about that clip
> that was shown at a press conference which shows Conker carving the
> X-box logo with a chainsaw, as well as featuring Joanna Dark, Banjo
> and Kameo.

I forgive you as you're wrong. :-)

I was talking about Conkers Bad Fur Day and Starfox Adventures and the new Kameo footage. Yes, the promo video didn't really say much whatsoever. It was just a mess-around.

If you go to www.gamesradar.com you can find the footage of Xbox Kameo, which is actually looking pretty cool!

It would've been just as good on the Gamecube you know...

Who's saying Rare are crap developers?

My opinion on Rare would be just the same if Rare stayed with Nintendo. All I said was that clip they made for the X-box - Rare press conference was crap - well animated, but crap.

Let's face it, if positions were reversed and Rare were on GameCube, the argument would be reversed. Rare don't lose talent by switching consoles, because they have talented developers. It's like saying cheese on toast tastes aweful on brown bread when you usually have it on white. It's a stupid thing to say Rare have suddenly become crap developers, and is just fuelled by contempt for a company which bottomed-out.

Here's an idea - Get an Xbox, a Controller S and Rareware's new Xbox games when they're out, and you'll see that Rare can make quality, responsive games on the Xbox too.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I take it you're talking about that clip that was shown at a press conference which shows Conker carving the X-box logo with a chainsaw, as well as featuring Joanna Dark, Banjo and Kameo.

Sure, the animation was brilliant, but about as much thought went into that as Ainsley Harriott puts into making his spaghetti on toast whilst watching himself weekday afternoons on Ready Steady Cook.

I know you were. :-)

I pointed out how Rare games in general look better in motion.
Even the original Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct looked best in motion...

Rare's most recent animated offerings from Conkers Bad Fur Day, Starfox and Kameo look fantastic!

Strafex wrote:
> I will be getting Rare's final GameCube game (their first as well)
> but
> that game has interested me for a while - not originally, but when I
> saw it in motion I liked the look of it.
>
> Yeah, Rare have always been VERY strong on the animation front.
> Kameo, despite having well over 6 months of devellopment to go,
> already has some nicely animated monsters, as well as Kameo herself
> looking fantastic.

I was talking about Starfox :)

Edgy wrote:
> I have to say that ever since seeing the NGC video with Kameo on it
> (the first time I knew anything about the game) I wasn't too
> impressed.
>
> Sure, it looked ok, but not anything that would excite me greatly.

Well it was in VERY early stages of devellopment.
Remember how crap Starfox looked on the same video?
Look at it now!


All we got from that Kameo demo was the basic gameplay mechanics which looked like they had potential, only they wouldn't be much without a good setting. Kameo DID look empty, sparse and characterless, but that was in VERY early devellopment, and looks pretty much brought to life now.




> I will be getting Rare's final GameCube game (their first as well) but
> that game has interested me for a while - not originally, but when I
> saw it in motion I liked the look of it.

Yeah, Rare have always been VERY strong on the animation front.
Kameo, despite having well over 6 months of devellopment to go, already has some nicely animated monsters, as well as Kameo herself looking fantastic.

> No matter how long console wars go, people will always find pathetic
> arguments to try and make themselves feel good in choosing their
> console above any others. The cartoony games is just one of these
> pathetic arguments and as soon as X-box and Sony fans accept the
> amount of these so-called 'kiddie' games on Nintendo's systems are
> roughly equal to the amount on Sony and Microsoft systems, then a new
> argument, probably even more pathetic will be created. It's just funny
> that so far, all of Rare's X-box bound games are cartoony, despite the
> X-box having a more adult reputation.

I know. We'll be sure to run it in! :-)

I have to say that ever since seeing the NGC video with Kameo on it (the first time I knew anything about the game) I wasn't too impressed.

Sure, it looked ok, but not anything that would excite me greatly.

As for Joanna Dark - Ok, she's not Cel-shaded, but she looked it to me when I first saw the screenshots on Upwire. After seeing the 16MB crappy clip that Microsoft and Rare threw together (looks like they did it in less than five minutes anyway) I definately know it's CGI and not Cel-shading.

I will be getting Rare's final GameCube game (their first as well) but that game has interested me for a while - not originally, but when I saw it in motion I liked the look of it.

No matter how long console wars go, people will always find pathetic arguments to try and make themselves feel good in choosing their console above any others. The cartoony games is just one of these pathetic arguments and as soon as X-box and Sony fans accept the amount of these so-called 'kiddie' games on Nintendo's systems are roughly equal to the amount on Sony and Microsoft systems, then a new argument, probably even more pathetic will be created. It's just funny that so far, all of Rare's X-box bound games are cartoony, despite the X-box having a more adult reputation.

It's a bit unfair to judge Kameo by a few screenshots, especially as it might well be the screenshot quality that's wrong, rather than the game itself.

I've seen the Kameo trailer and it's looking fantastic.

The graphics are lush, the animation is slick (a few cheesy bits but there's over 6 months to iron that out...), the game is very original, is full of character and takes some of the best elements of Pokemon, putting them in a game that those cartoon-phobic Xbox owners will be happy to play.

Admit it Edgy, you'd LOVE this game if it was Gamecube bound! ;-)

As for Joe Dark, are you sure she's gone Cel Shaded?
From what I saw, although he wasn't realistic anymore, she wasn't cel shaded either, just CGI. And that was just for one promo trailer...



As for this Nintendo = kiddies business, PS2 owners did it until they played Jak and Daxter. Now they had a game they could say was better than Mario (even if they WERE wrong! ;-D) so they didn't have to resort to desperation stereotypes.

Yes, some MS fans are saying it now, but after the likes of Blinx and Banjo come out, it'll change to:
"Blinx is better than Mario Sunshine so there!"
No more mention of "kiddie"!

They're just biased fanboys, that's all...

Wise words, but usually those said to someone who talks about this console being better than that console because they says so.

We can still pre-judge providing we keep an open mind.