Perfect Dark XBLA just the beginning, says Rare

Live offers 'no shortage of possibilities for our old franchises', studio tells CVG

[nogolis]

Cos let's face it... Their past glory is all they really have today.

[Blaze929]

I think there's still great possibility that GoldenEye 007 will make it to Xbox LIVE Arcade:

http://xboxevolved.e-mpire....

Seems the only problem was that "Microsoft and Nintendo couldn't agree on the financial side of things."

http://www.1up.com/do/newsS...

If Perfect Dark takes off and is successful for XBLA I'm sure Microsoft will just pony up the cash for Nintendo to let them do it.

[Montrealien]

You are aware that in the last 8 years Rare has done more games then Bungie, Naughty Dog, Insomniac and Infinity Ward combined.

Don`t get me wrong, they have not made anything near what they accomplished on the N64, but they have been hard at work releasing solid titles.

This, (Rare aint what it used to be) cliché is getting old, get over it.

[Cheeseknight28]

Perfect Dark Zero was definitely underwhelming but it was the hit that Microsoft needed to sell the 360 at launch, at least until Gears of War released. Kameo also helped, and it was a satisfying game.

There was nothing wrong with Viva Pinata either, most people just think that it's something for kids and immediately write it off (Though the same people get excited for Modnation Racers...). After all, a game about raising creatures in order to receive more diverse and exotic species has always turned out bad, right?

Rare also created Avatars, and if you think they turned out poorly you need a reality check.

[Godmars290]

But how do any of your statement contradict nogolis's original declaration that Rare hasn't done anything of popular significance recently? That they now aren't just relying on past success to make up for it?

And Cheeseknight28, who even talks about XBL avatars? How were they not created in direct response to Miis from Nintendo?

Heck, even Sony beat them to the punch with their expressionless manikins in Home.

Edit@below:
But isn't the argument that Rare *isn't* a solid dev? Just like Square's ability is being questioned over FFXIII, like it has been since they made the change from being Squaresoft, how does Rare earn a free pass since coming under the arm of MS?

If the did good in the past but making crap now they should be called on it.

[Montrealien]

Well godmars, only sith deal in absolutes, and I hate sith. I simply said that the, Rare is not what it used to be, statements are getting old and oh so cliché. The idea was not to contradict what was said, just educate a little. People have to let go of the past and simply embrace Rare as a solid dev, and by looking at their portfolio for the past 10 years, it shows that they are exactly that, a solid Dev. Including the Avatars, which where in development by rare, for nintendo, quite a while ago.

Hope that clears it up a little.

You have nothing to be sorry about btw. This is just videogame talk.

[Shane Kim]

Sorry but Rare sucks. They haven't done anything good since Donkey Kong on SNES. And MS acquiring Rare probably didn't make things better.

[kwicksandz]

The jedi saying "only sith deal in absolutes" is also and absolute. All hail the sith!

PD xbla is a day 1 buy for me

[Montrealien]

Thanks for your Input Shane, I am sure it was well thought out. One word for you..

subjective.

have a nice day.

@kwicksandz

I see what you did there....cheers!

[Montrealien]

Godmars, who said they got a free pass? All I am saying is that they make solid titles and people need to get over it. Maybe Banjo 3, Viva Piniata and Kameo where not your cup of tea, but they where not crap. imho, there is no need for rare to be called on it, but that`s just my opinion, and we clearly do not share it.

As for Square soft its same thing, the harshest critics are the vocal minority online, many people have enjoyed there latest games. Just because a few anonymous know it alls claim square or Rare make nothing but crap now, it does not make it fact.

Also, people seems to forget what a poorly made video game is. Why arent people ripping at conspiracy entertainment for Winter Sports 2: the Next Challenge or Mejesco for Circus star and Lumberjacks or even Zoo and Order Up. These are true crappy shovel ware and people never attack that, they just QQ about Square and Rare old glory days, which might I add, are mostly remebered as such because the people who love Rare and Squares games back then where kids.

[Cheeseknight28]

"But isn't the argument that Rare *isn't* a solid dev? Just like Square's ability is being questioned over FFXIII, like it has been since they made the change from being Squaresoft, how does Rare earn a free pass since coming under the arm of MS?"

Does it look like they are getting a free pass? People bash them constantly for Viva Pinata, GBTG, and Banjo Kazooie NB, just as people bash Square-Enix for FFXII, FFXIII, Crystal Bearers, and what they charged for FFIV After Years. Neither company deserves a free pass and neither one deserves all the hate. Just because people on THIS page are supporting Rare doesn't mean everyone is. I'm not sure how you actually thought otherwise, to be honest. Every cause has it's champions.

And on the subject of Avatars, why does it matter that they were created in response to Miis? No one is denying that, but a copy does not automatically negate the possibility of success, if that was the case Bayonetta would be trash and 3D Dot Game Heroes wouldn't be getting the attention is rightfully deserves. Lastly, yes people talk about Avatars still, there was an article that got a lot of hits on here just recently remarking on how people buy premium items for their Avatars.

[Godmars290]

By free pass I mean the exact subject of this thread: people pronouncing Perfect Dark on XBLA an automatic success even though everything Rare's done on the Xbox brand hasn't been as genera defining or recognized as their SNES and N64 days.

The same applies to Square and FFXIIIvs. PS3 fanboys turned against XIII the day it went multiplatform criticizing everything else post Squaresoft, and yet praise vs as the 2nd Coming.

This is no different, only this is a non-original title we're talking about which somehow will erase all past errors Rare has made and mark their return to full creativity. By making remakes.

[Wizziokid]

+Conker's Bad Fur Day (re-port, yes it was on the original xbox)
+Diddy Kong Racing
+GoldenEye 007 (will never happen due to nintendo but nice to dream)

[Cheeseknight28]

Diddy Kong Racing has already been ported to the DS. It won't ever see light outside there or maybe Virtual Console, as Nintendo obviously owns the rights to the "Kong" franchise.

If Conker sees a release on Xbox Originals I wouldn't be unhappy, the game gets a lot of hate that it doesn't deserve. Sure the swearing was toned down, but the graphics were excellent for the original Xbox, and rivaled 360 launch games. It was all around superior to the original, IMO.

Other games I'd like to see reborn from Rare:
Jet Force Gemini
Blast Corps
Battletoads
Donkey Kong Country 4 (As a Wiiware title)

[lowcarb]

Man I how use to love Blast Corps. I swear no matter how many times I beat it a new mission would pop up.

[Rockox]

Was the original Perfect Dark really that good? People always talk about how great it was. Should I believe the hype?

[nogolis]

DL a N64 emulator and check it out. It'll look better than the xbox 360 DL version for sure, what with all the buffers and such. Was it good? I don't like FPS really.

What I find funny is that people believe RARE has all these viable IP's laying around. What games do they have under their belts? They don't own half of them.

Jet Force Gemini
Killer Instinct
Perfect Dark
Conkers
Banjo Kazooie

That's about all they have and none of them are mind blowingly good.

[Solidus187-SCMilk]

challenge modes for up to 4 players, co-op, counter-oprerative(one player spawns as enimies and kills the other playing the SP), crazy multiplayer options with up to 8 bots and insane guns which all had secondary fire modes.

It was an amazing game but unfortunately the n64 struggled to keep up. You had to have the expansion pack to play most of the game and sometimes the FR got really choppy. It was almost impossible to play counter-op because of the bad FR.

With a smooth FR and LIVE support this game could be amazing.

[Anon1974]

It was maybe a step up for console FPS's and it was certainly great compared to what we'd seen on the N64 before that, but remember, this came out in 2000. At the time, PC owners were enjoying Half Life, Counter Strike, Deus Ex, etc. Perfect Dark may have been a step up for console shooters, but PC gamers, myself included, could not understand what the hype was about. It paled in comparison to what PC owners had already been playing for years.

There was a much larger gap back then compared to now between console and PC games. Perfect Dark was almost like consoles trying to catch up. Halo's launch a year and a half later was much more significant for console gaming. I played through this game and still, to this day, can't understand the accolades the reviewers were throwing at its feet.

[koehler83]

At this point, you might as well play Halo.

[Cheeseknight28]

The only reason we have Halo today is because of Perfect Dark. Bungie has admitted that they were heavily inspired by Perfect Dark.

It won't be the same playing it now. The controls are archaic and the frame rate is horrible. But it was the game to own at it's time.

@3.1

An emulated Perfect Dark won't look nearly as good. They are redoing all the textures for the XBLA release. It would have taken all of 5 seconds to google that. Rare may not have that many franchises under their belt, but they, to my knowledge, did not develop a bad game during the SNES/N64 era. Without Rare, only Nintendo would have been left to make the good games on the N64, with some minor exceptions like Factor 5.

[Solidus187-SCMilk]

I had ALL of the games you mention on PC and perfect dark. While the Single player in PD was OK it was the multiplayer that was great. Sure it didnt have online but it had alot of great splitscreen modes, which pc games DONT do.

Things that wernt on consoles like Co-op, counter-op, 4 player co-op challenges, and up to 8 bots.

It also had things that ARE NOT done on PC like all of those modes in split screen. So it was fun if you had friends over and they wouldnt have to watch like a PC game.

Hl 1, and deus ex on pc ARE my 2 favorite games but PD was a great game especially when you consider the split screen modes that it had.
But like I mentioned above, the game was simply too ambitious for the N64 and sometimes the splitscreen modes like counter op would be to choppy.

I may not have this gen grafix, but with a smooth frame rate and online support, this game will offer more modes(especially split screen) than almost every game out there.

[Anon1974]

I never played Perfect Dark multiplayer. I only played the single player and, at the time, I had my multiplayer fix satisfied by CounterStrike and Day of Defeat Online.

It's true, split screen co-op and what not was certainly something PC games lacked at the time, but I never missed it. When we wanted to play together, my buddies would usually come over and play Golden Eye. I never bought Perfect Dark, just gave it a rent one time so I never got the chance to play with others in the room other than a quick multiplayer match against my brother.

Still, it never really grabbed me. Even Perfect Dark Zero, which was my first game on my 360, turned out to be a bust for me. Call of Duty 2 multiplayer was much more entertaining at the time.

[bym051d]

Can we please get an XBLA port or a remake of Blast Corps, IMHO, Rare's best title?

[lowcarb]

Blast corps and Golden eye I agree.

[Troll_Police]

Why exactly did M$ pay $375 million for Rare?

[Cheeseknight28]

Who knows? Why did they pay $50 million for the GTA4 expansions?

Avatars have been profitable, and as I said before, you could argue that PDZ made the 360 launch as good as it was. It was a horrible game, but all we cared about at the time was playing the "next-gen shooter." So it hasn't all been as bad as Grabbed by the Ghoulies.

[lowcarb]

There was only one level in perfect Dark 360 that blew me away. To bad the rest of the game wasn't like it.

[Montrealien]

Troll police, you are so 2006, get over it.

[Solidus187-SCMilk]

because you are a troll.

[divideby0]

RaRe was my fav. developer and I lived through all their N64 delays.. They still some of the best franchises, unfortunately they have not delivered at all on my 360...
We still play the N64 and I dont care about the old stuff coming to my 360

[Kalowest]

Every game that they have released for the 360 has been good, great reviews, just low sells. Theirs not a RARE game that i don't like.

[The Maxx]

Expect to see KI Gold on XBLA. Also a new KI3 to be announced this year.

Capcom did it with Street fighter, releasing it on XBLA just before SF4 came out to create the HYPE, expect MS to have RARE do the same thing.

I am also interested in seeing a new Kong game.

[Montrealien]

You are interested in a New Kong game made by Rare? Sadly, that will never happen.

[The Maxx]

Ya I know...I was just reminiscing in the past of some great Rare games on my SNES.

[xaviertooth]

heavy rain is super awesome!
god of war 3 is super uber awesome!
gran turismo 5 kills all 360 games both gameplay and sales!

[BlackIceJoe]

I would love a remake of Jet Force Gemini, Blast Corps and may be even Battle Toads. The first two I would like to see the most. It would be awesome if they sell really well. Because I can then see Rare finally making a sequel and that to me would be great news.

[GigaGaia]

Doesn't matter, Xbox isn't getting Donkey Kong 64 ever.

[dalibor]

RIP Rareware. You made some games that many will always remember. Imo a remake of Goldeneye should be released on all of the consoles. Do you know why? Every console gamer needs to play that game because it was one of the best. Heck even the people who had a part in making Goldeneye are not even with Rare anymore. Regardless an enhanced Goldeneye game would be awesome. The only prob is the N64 controller was well suited for that game.

[Kalowest]

RAREs not dead, they have been supporting the 360 since day one, and they are still behind the NXE. The only bad game people bring up is PDZ on the 360, all the other 360 games they make are great.

[dalibor]

I meant the people behind the studio. Rare has many new people now & I did not mean the name of the studio but as in the people who had left Rare. And why in the world has a Killer Instinct game not released yet? Could you imagine playing Battletoads online with up to three people? That would not only rock but bring back memories.

[Kalowest]

I agree KI should have been released, and RARE doesn't have the rep like they was to, but you can't say their not hard at work, Natal games, NXE, and Remakes.

[SuperSaiyan4]

Sorry who are they again?

[tyrok3k]

Goldeneye XBLA should have been the beginning with Perfect Dark XBLA being the future but what are you going to do? The game does look awesome though.