Quantic Dream – Narrative
Though Heavy Rain’s plot is no different to a legion of action thriller movies out there, its use of the gaming medium to further and alter its narrative was captivating. With the whole game furthered via QTEs and with so many different consequences based on your success and failure, Heavy Rain is a true example of how gaming can be used to provide an interactive story-driven experience that is on par with anything in cinema.
Bioware/Bethesda – Popularising the RPG
Back when I was first getting into gaming, the RPG label was exclusively applied to a select group of turn based fantasy games. RPGs nowadays though can range from anything between Final Fantasy and Fallout. Part of this popularisation of the genre was to do with Bioware and Bethesda’s games, a selection of titles that peppered in action, open world elements and a gripping story into the traditional RPG mix. It has brought the genre further into the mainstream of gaming but, whilst this is certainly an impressive feat, let’s just hope that these new elements don’t completely overshadow the classic aspects of the genre that make it what it is.
Rocksteady – Licensed games
For as long as I can remember, licensed games have been a plague upon the gaming industry. Aside from a few notable exceptions, we’ve just seen absolute dirge from infamous developers like Titus software and LJN. Rocksteady have managed to restore my hope though in recent years, all because of their mammoth achievement that is Batman: Arkham Asylum. It seems odd that one game could wash away years of dissapointment, but it really did come as such a pleasant surprise.
Valve – Real co-op gaming
There are a lot of games out their that sport co-op game modes, but they often feel like a bunch of solo players just doing their own thing in the same space at the same time. Valve’s recent forays into co-op gaming have been different though, with the Left 4 Dead games and Portal 2 all containing multiplayer modes where you really need to work together in order to get anywhere. The fact that this co-operative spin has also translated successfully to console gaming experiences is a testament to Valve’s ingenuity when it comes to multiplayer gaming.
