GetDotted Domains

Viewing Thread:
"Ironic Justice"

The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.

Thu 26/09/02 at 12:14
Regular
Posts: 787
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?
Thu 26/09/02 at 14:50
Posts: 0
I think that, in all fairness, we need to give Rareware a chance to show us exactly what they can do with the X-Box before we make any hasty decisions. The pictures on the Rareware site are all surely only early indications of what Rare are developing on the X-Box and we should wait to see what else they come up with or wait until we actually play the finished games before passing judgement.
Thu 26/09/02 at 12:14
Regular
Posts: 15,681
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?

Freeola & GetDotted are rated 5 Stars

Check out some of our customer reviews below:

Great services and friendly support
I have been a subscriber to your service for more than 9 yrs. I have got at least 12 other people to sign up to Freeola. This is due to the great services offered and the responsive friendly support.
The coolest ISP ever!
In my opinion, the ISP is the best I have ever used. They guarantee 'first time connection - everytime', which they have never let me down on.

View More Reviews

Need some help? Give us a call on 01376 55 60 60

Go to Support Centre

It appears you are using an old browser, as such, some parts of the Freeola and Getdotted site will not work as intended. Using the latest version of your browser, or another browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera will provide a better, safer browsing experience for you.