http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=21973
Looks like stuff going down at Rare.
Rare co-founders Chris and Tim Stamper have left the company after more than 20 years with the acclaimed development studio.
I can think of Blastcorps being the last game I really dug from Rare, (excluding Goldeneye).
I've not played any of their 360 output enough to form an opinion.
Still you've gotta ask, how much influence the guys at the top have in a blob of a company like Rare.
I'm holding off disparaging comments about Microsoft's business acumen on this one.

None of their output has ever interested me - apart from Killer Instinct which myself and everyone else I played games with obsessed over for FAR too long! Without any doubt at all Killer Instinct is my favourite arcade game ever - and ALL because it was SO broken and didnt function even at it's most basic level as a beat em up.
Finding out how far you could take the combos and how many new glitches I could find each day (I played it daily, spending most of my weekly wages on it! XD) - was horribly addictive.
The only one of Rare's games I love - I would NEVER want to see an update of. The whole reason this game is such a blast is because it's a broken, lying accident of a game which we didnt even play as a beat em up.....sandbox style puzzle game would describe it better!
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"I laughed in her face and stole some pick&mix!" -
Have you still got a KI board Saur. I'd love to see some live KI demo stuff from you. Perhaps a KI board in my cab would be the only way to tempt you back to Reading for a sesh
I had one with a working hard drive but I had to give it back to the geezer I had it on loan from. Proper gutted
All I have now is this to bring back the magic -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgs-EBzWAFQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqi1JXdi938
There were 2 machines in Reading - one in Harris Arcade's Computer Cavern and the other up in Laserquest. We had manz who used to come down from London to try and take our scoreboards - I used to trek all over the place aswell to try and fill boards with my tag. It was SICK in Troc aswell - 17 cabs and you still had to wait ages to get a go as vs challenges didnt work!
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"I laughed in her face and stole some pick&mix!" -
Jet Force Gemini was a wicked Rare game, but sadly got overlooked by many. It was a great shooter, and was pretty tough as well. Might have to dig out the N64 to give it another blast actually!
They should have liquidated the company after the release of PD64 as even back then it was blatantly obvious nothing from them or anyone else would ever come close to it.
I'm trying to hustle back my KI cab actually considering it's fucking mint0r. Christ knows where I'll fit it if I do. Perhaps my landlord will let me host it in the lobby of our building next to the suave sofa and tall exotic plant, permanently switched on as well.
I still need to look into having an illuminated dataDyne street sign for my wall outside my window rivalling HSBC, Barclays, Blockbuster + Gamestation.
Probably a thing of dreams considering cost, planning permission, and the fact that no other fucker in Burnley would know what it's from.
Most of their N64 catalogue, for me, suffered from some nauseating framerate issues, JFG being one, PD being the two that spring to mind.
Never got on with the SNES stuff... did also really like Diddy Kong Racing... purely for the multiple vehicle concept, anything with hovercrafts and planes is something I'd look at.
DS version about aparently, but I think that boat has sailed for me.
Never got on with Timesplitter either, the wishy washy multiple timezones concept never sat with me too well. Grumble, grumble. The fact it played near identical to GoldenEye also freaked me out. It was like a parrallel universe game.
I own up to playing everything Rare did on N64 and enjoying it! I like Banjo and even like sequel. Diddy Kong is really good (2 played quest mode) and also best console FPS for a long time. Perfect Dark especially that while it like Goldeneye was different enough to better it unlike the slightly odd Timesplitters which is still good but just feels a little strange, perhaps aimless?
Jet Force Gemini had me and wife playing for a long time as the co-op worked well and then you had to find those fluffy Ewok things. I remember last boss always got people and they said it was hard but it was not really once I had figured out what to do. Conker is also good game and I like KI64 even though I prefer original game.
Blast Dozer kept me going for long time! Oh actually I do not like Rare Donkey Kong 64 game. That is really bad collecting game. There are too many things to collect with little incentive. It was not like the platforming was that good either relying too much on mini game. Silly! Even Mickey Mouse racing game is good! OK OK may be it is not really
I have not played many of Rare new games though. I try Grabbed by the Ghoolies demo but I did not like that. I do not really follow what they do and it was more for N64 love thing than being Rare fan boy
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"And I'm Barry Hercules, Doc"
Timesplitters was total shite for many reasons similar to why PDZ was shite also. Goldeneye and Perfect Dark are the only console FPSs I bother with, unless I'm feeling like a right drunken bastard and playing Halo 2 online with lots of swearing.
I think I might kill myself knowing a 98-00 era Rare aren't working on a FPS for the Wii. Nintendo should crack out some new IP and rip-off the engine big style. Dr. Doak certainly isn't up to the job after three failed attempts.
Nintendo should crack out some new IP and rip-off the engine big style. Dr. Doak certainly isn't up to the job after three failed attempts.
Considering how awesome the Prime games are, all Nintendo have to do is give Retro Studios a call and I'm sure they could create a very special fps that is worthy of all the hype and attention that whole fps genre seems to receive.
Timesplitters wasn’t actually a Rare game though was it; Free Radical just included a few ex-Rare peeps? Anyhow, I loved Timepslitters 2, thought it was brilliant. The time-hopping antics were a bit crazy, but at least that led to some great environments and some kick-ass weapons. Controls via the GC pad were spot on too, and it actually felt like the spiritual successor to Goldeneye.
Perfect Dark Zero was a letdown; apart from a couple of levels near the end it was just so dull. It’s a shame because you can tell that there are a lot of good ideas hidden in there, just not executed properly. Perhaps a bit of a rush job to meet the 360 launch?
Yeah I too thought Timesplitters2 was fun, especially in co-op. The game really came alive with two players zipping around the environments outflanking the enemey and supporting each other
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Personally I think their best period was the early Ultimate days. Pretty much everything they released back then was at least good if not great. Jetpac and Pssst were probably my most played games of that era.
Perfect Dark Zero was a letdown; apart from a couple of levels near the end it was just so dull. It’s a shame because you can tell that there are a lot of good ideas hidden in there, just not executed properly. Perhaps a bit of a rush job to meet the 360 launch?
Yeah. There are a few quality levels on PDZ, the Subway one being the best. Running through the tube wreck with THAT music puts my hairs on end everytime. It's the only level I play whenever the disc goes in.
It's too bad so many elements were obviously rushed.