6 replies to this topic

[Fire Blazer]

Simple topic: what are your top 5 favorite game companies and why?

If by some chance you don't have 5 favorites, just go for whatever favorites you do have. Preferably developers and not solely publishers/localizers, but if you need to feel free to use whatever that's highly involved in the game industry (e.g. XSEED doesn't make games but localizes them).

Mine:

Nintendo - Obvious reasons. They make awesome game hardware and software of all sorts. Tons of my favorite games and series are on Nintendo consoles (though plenty aren't).

Falcom - They make awesome RPGs with awesome gameplay and music. Ys and The Legend of Heroes are the stand-outs for me. Their legendary music aside they've been around for a long-time and they're a small company which means they've got a nice sense of honor and tradition and do neat things like include awesome bonuses with orders and don't do stuff that well, EA or Ubisoft do, lol.

PlatinumGames - the quality of games they make is outstanding and they are more about making great, fun games than anything else. What's not to like?

Intelligent Systems - again, the quality of games... and they make Fire Emblem. Is this really a surprise?

Monolith Soft - Again, awesome RPGs usually with awesome cutscenes too, lol.

I might change this later on, but that's it for now. ATLUS (was originally on the list, in fact), Namco Bandai Tales of Studio, XSEED Games, Spike Chunsoft, and Retro Studios get honorable mentions. There are plenty of others I dig but I can't go listing every company so yeah.

[Cero]

monolith soft and intelligent systems are part of nintendo you skrub

[kirant]

Technically IS is a developer which Nintendo publishes for. Company is a really poor description as developers and publishers are different things and confusing the two can make lists really strange.

Here's my attempt though.

5) Enterbrain. They make RPG Maker games. Those are games that make other games. Gameception is my favourite time waster.
4) Simtex. They developed Master of Orion II, which IS my childhood. It also shows you what gold they struck when Master of Orion and Master of Orion II are considered some of the most pivotal 4X games out there, typically being considered tied with Civilization as the most important in existence.
3) Intelligent Systems Ltd. Advance Wars is by far and away my favourite handheld game and managing to breathe life back into Fire Emblem after almost screwing it over never hurts.
2) Firaxis Games. I can't state enough how much I love most of their games. Civilization III and V are massively addicting games (I managed to even hook my father, an old-school turn based tactics fan, on Civilization III when I was a kid) and they resurrected the X-COM franchise to its former glory. Doing either of the two franchises earns my respect. Doing both is terrific. If Civilization Beyond Earth is good, it certainly puts it a full tier above IS.
1) Spike Chunsoft. When you contain 2 of my top 3 franchises on your resume...yeah. This isn't even a contest. You make Zero Escape games and you're my #1 company.

[Elwood]

1. Bethesda- love the Elder Scrolls and Fallout games
2. Bioware- love Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Knights of the Old Republic
3. Bungie- love Halo and Destiny
4. Nintendo- Zelda franchise primarily but they have a lot of other great games.
5.Rockstar- I couldn't think of a fifth but I like GTAV so there.

[^Leo^]

Atlus-dem RPGs(specifically the SMT games)
Sting-ever played any Dpt. Heaven games? if not i highly suggest Yggdra Union or Riviera the Promised Land
IS-so obvious
Koei Tecmo-the quality of the games they put out is actually pretty decent for how little recognition they get.
Riot Games-say what you will, they are a good company. customer support is great, and league is incredibly well polished for a free game.

[kirant]

QUOTE (Elwood @ Oct 8 2014, 02:33 PM)

1. Bethesda- love the Elder Scrolls and Fallout games

Elder Scrolls are their baby. Fallout works better as an isometric in my opinion. 3 was the best atmosphere game of all of them (which is why it's often called Oblivion with guns) but they've never really "done" a Fallout game since Obsidian developed New Vegas.

[Bobryk]

1. Nintendo - obviously for Fire Emblem, but also Smash Bros, Mario Kart...etc
2. Bethesda - ELDER SCROLLSSSSS
3. Bioware - Dragon Ageeeeee
4. Ubisoft - I don't play much AC, but Rayman is the shit
5. Monolith soft? Did they make the Xeno- whatnot stuff? Whoever that is gets my 5th.