Which of these companies make the best quality RPGs in your opinion?
Note: This includes all games made under the Black Isle banner for Obsidian.
Bethesda made skyrim, oblivion, and Fallout 3.......yep Bethesda for me.
Why did Obsidian make Fallout New Vegas, does anyone know?
@lateralus: Slightly off-topic, but since you seem to be into CRPGs, are you looking more forward to Pillars Of Eternity or Wasteland 2? (Or even Torment, although that's still a while away).
I like Fallout 3 more than New Vegas sooo... Bethesda > Obsidian >/= Bioware (I just DON'T like EA :/)
@retconcrisis: You never play the original Fallouts?
@maccyd: I have, but I played them a bit after I took a break from the third installment, and I sorta had the overall most enjoyment out of the third.
@eisenfauste: They made the original Fallouts.
Skyrim, Morrowind, Oblivion, and Fallout 3 >>> Mass Effect Series >>> New Vegas.
And I LOVE New Vegas.
But Bethesda has this.
Jmarshmallow
@maccyd: Ah. So Bethesda got the rights to make Fallout 3 and then backed out? Well at least its pretty consistent with the previous games.
@eisenfauste: Backed out of what? The original design for Fallout 3 (Van Buren)? I'm confused by what you mean in that sentence.
Yeah, it's a good continuation of the first two and used a lot of aspects that were originally meant to be in the original Fallout 3 (pre-Bethesda), such as Caesar's Legion, Burned Man, NCR-Brotherhood war etc. I think the plan is that Bethesda concentrate on the East Coast, while Obsidian concentrate on the West.
@maccyd: Never mind it doesn't make a lot of sense when I think about it. Is Obsidian making the next fallout as well?
@maccyd: I'm so pumped for Torment, wish they'd release some in-development vids or pics though. The story sounds absolutely amazing, I get chills just listening to the guy in the Kickstarter video talk about it. Plus they hit their stretch goal to Add Pat Rothfuss (writer of The Name of the Wind, one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read) to the team. I cannot freaking wait for this game.
Of those 3 though I like Bethesda best.
@eisenfauste: No, Bethesda make the numbered titles (the next is 4) and I think Obsidian is interested in making another engine spin-off afterwards. Obsidian is currently making Pillars of Eternity at the moment, one of the biggest crowdfunded game ever, you should check it out, it's a modernisation of classic RPGs and includes elements that are typically streamlined by big publishers for mass appeal.
@lateralus: Slightly off-topic, but since you seem to be into CRPGs, are you looking more forward to Pillars Of Eternity or Wasteland 2? (Or even Torment, although that's still a while away).
To tell you the truth, I haven't really looked much into either game.....or really any game lately.
@maccyd: I tried, but I got frustrated with it and abandoned it within a couple hours. I've also heard that story is amazing which is why I picked it up, but it's so old that the mechanics and graphics are shoddy and just frustrating to deal with, which is a real shame. I really should give it another shot but I've spoiled myself with too many modern games. That's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to this one, how you interface with the game plays a huge part in something that immersive, so updated game engines and mechanics should help the game's feel a lot.
Bethesda=Obsidian>Bioware
I like FO3 and NV near equally, and I like 3 maybe just a teensy tiny better.
The ME3 ending. That's all I have to say.
Bioware by far before EA, after EA ill go with Bethesda.
Obsidian, easily. I like Bethesda, but their storytelling is terrible and their games lack any real depth. They also tend to have weak characters. Obsidian one-upped them with New Vegas, so hopefully Fallout 4 sets a new precedent.
BioWare isn't anything special right now, and Obsidian arguably did better with KOTOR 2, and with less time.
Bethesda > Bioware <> Obsidian. I've only played Fallout NV, so I can't really judge Obsidian. Bioware's been kinda spotty in quality since ME3 and DA II, but hoping they ramp it up with Inquisition and ME4. Bethesda's on top 'cause I got a life-long bias towards them. Some of my earliest open world games were Bethesda made.
I can't say which is better since I've only played Bethesda games from this list. But from what I've seen I think Bestheda or either Bioware is the best.
@eisenfauste: They made the original Fallouts.
No, Interplay made the original Fallouts.
@force_echo: Interplay only published Fallout 2, Black Isle developed it, read the OP. Black Isle was formed from the majority of the original Fallout dev team and Obsidian was formed from Black Isle studios (when it split into InXile and Obsidian).
The role-playing and writing are usually brilliant in Obsidian games, and you could say they blend the expansiveness of Bethesda games with the depth of BioWare games. FNV is the greatest Western RPG in my humble opinion. Perhaps Obsidian games give you the most freedom to shape the path of your character in the main quest. Obsidian games are also quite varied, they adapt to the style of the series they are covering. KotOR 2 has many of the strengths of a BioWare game (small choices matter/telltale style of gaming) and FNV has many of the strengths of a Bethesda game (large-scale open world with many engaging side quests). Obsidian games tend to have a solid faction standing system AND a morality system, and these add to game immersion and role-playing capabilities. When Obsidian try to develop original titles like The Outer Worlds, their ability to actually create and fully design a world is questionable. While that game is enjoyable to play through and had solid role-playing, almost everything about that franchise is forgettable. The characters are forgettable, the locations are forgettable, the factions are forgettable. The lore is uninteresting and shallow. Compare it with the worldbuilding of a similar game like Mass Effect and it's not even close.
Bethesda games have worlds that are the most expansive but also the most shallow. They tend to have great side quests, but their main quests aren't always very engaging or exciting and they tend to force you down the generic hero path. What I mean by shallow is player actions don't tend to impact on the world or narrative like they do in BioWare or Obsidian titles, which can be frustrating. But Bethesda games are arguably the most replayable if only because of the amount of content they have (locations, side quests, faction quests) and because their class system is good enough that you want to try out different builds. You can have a decent playthrough of Bethesda games while avoiding the main quest altogether, which is something you can't really do in BioWare games. Bethesda games tend to have many memorable characters and locations, and their game worlds are fully imagined with history and lore. Their games encourage you to explore the world you are in.
BioWare games have worlds where your actions have a strong and lasting impact. But I would say the narrative freedom they offer is more strategic than role-playing. For instance, in Mass Effect they challenge you to make smart choices but do not give you much creative freedom over the character you are playing. Their worlds are also probably the least open of the three developers in question. These two factors limit the replayability of BioWare games IMHO. BioWare games usually include a morality system which adds to role-playing capabilities.
To sum it up, in Bethesda games your actions don't have consequences. The main story isn't that important, your role-playing comes in the side quests you choose to play. The worlds are lovingly crafted but you don't have much impact on them. BioWare games are the opposite. Their games are very cinematic and the main story is everything. Every small choice, every dialogue option has an impact on the world, which is also lovingly crafted. Obsidian walk the line between the two. They are great at making games in already existing franchises/universes, but suck at creating their own.
Obsidian > Bethesda > (Current) BioWare.
(Prime) BioWare >/= Obsidian > Bethesda.
@deathblow615 awesome post.
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