The Return Of Irrational Games

[Evil Avatar]

http://evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/irrational_logo.jpg

Sherman, set the WayBack machine! gameinformer has the good word (http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/01/08/the-return-of-irrational-games.aspx) that 2K Boston has returned to their roots and become Irrational Games.

After being acquired by Take-Two and before the release of BioShock, Irrational Games' name was changed to 2K Boston. However, after repeatedly being referred to as "2K Boston (formerly Irrational Games)," the team members recognized a value in the previous identity and the legacy that was tied to it. So, the name was changed again; 2K Boston is no more, and Irrational Games is back.

This return to its roots is more than just a new name and logo for Irrational Games. It represents a renewed commitment to the studio's fans, which you can see for yourself at the new irrationalgames.com. The site is currently just a countdown timer, but soon you'll experience an array of cool community features, insight into the game creation process, and never-before-seen tidbits about games like System Shock 2, Freedom Force, and BioShock.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

It represents a renewed commitment to the studio's fans

Hahahahahahaha sure.

More like a renewed commitment to try and make more money with a known name while pretending to give a shit about "fans".

[HALO 32]

Wow, I didn’t see that one coming.

[Anenome]

Hahahahahahaha sure.

More like a renewed commitment to try and make more money with a known name while pretending to give a shit about "fans".

You do realize that the company is composed of people? People who realize that they can only make money by pleasing their fans with great games.

The two ambitions are tied together. They want to make a great game they can be proud of, and they'd like to be well paid for a job well done. Do you seriously begrudge them the one goal? Because the two are inseparable.

Secondly, you cynically suggest they simply want the old name for profit's sake. But, I think the truth is closer to a question of identity and company culture. The new name is far cooler in any case.

[CSargeP]

Hopefully this "renewed commitment to the studio's fans " will result in some good sequels for SS2 and their other great IPs.

[lockwoodx]

Sweet so i can start naming my poops after westwood studios.

[lockwoodx]

Secondly, you cynically suggest they simply want the old name for profit's sake. But, I think the truth is closer to a question of identity and company culture. The new name is far cooler in any case.

If you saw a new game developed by "Looking Glass Studios" you would jizz all over it too. Until then save it for your Akame printed kleenex.

[Gedd]

I don't think they have the rights to do a System Shock anymore. Who owns em? Eidos? EA? Pretty sure 2k doesn't have them.

[alienchild]

I only played SS1 on my Mac, and never tried SS2. If someone were to make a SS game sometime I would personally prefer a reboot of the series.

[Chimpbot]

I only played SS1 on my Mac, and never tried SS2. If someone were to make a SS game sometime I would personally prefer a reboot of the series.

They already did. It's called Bioshock.
Same damn game, only not on a space ship.

[murpes]

They already did. It's called Bioshock.
Same damn game, only not on a space ship.

Agreed. And this is comping from someone who loves the System Shock games, the first one moreso than the second. A true System Shock sequel would be cool, but how different would it have been from BioShock? Ryan's nuts would be in a clamp and outside the facility it would be a lot colder, but you'd still have that claustrophobic creepy isolation in a fairly open world.

[StANTo]

Let System Shock lie. Though SS2 in the Bioshock engine.. Mmmm..

[Your Good Twin]

Irrational is a funny name for a game company. I mean, if you were to take them literally, you'd probably be worried about all the decisions they made on their games.

Much like I always thought Rent-a-Wreck was a really dumb name for a car rental company. Why would I want to rent a wrecked car?

[Anenome]

If you saw a new game developed by "Looking Glass Studios" you would jizz all over it too. Until then save it for your Akame printed kleenex.
I actually have no idea who Looking Glass Studios is or what they've made. And I had no idea that Irrational had made Bioshock, I own it but haven't installed it yet. Honestly, I rarely keep track of a company unless I am blown away by a game as in ME1 or Borderlands. And who the hell is "Akame"?

A quick google search raises some (http://hohiho.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/akame.jpg) disturbing (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FLuHtnypMOc/Rp4flpQYQsI/AAAAAAAAAGo/v93he2wddjU/s400/AKame+Timeline+Thailand+2002.jpg) images (http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/04152008/7/a/6/0/7a606c358aaea0_full.jpg). Now I'm wondering why YOU know who Akame is >_>

Irrational is a funny name for a game company. I mean, if you were to take them literally, you'd probably be worried about all the decisions they made on their games.

- Mmm, perhaps, but I think it has to do with the connotation with creativity itself, which is a nonrational pursuit, an irrational pursuit. One does not reason in order to create art, one pursues a near purely irrational path of feeling, intuition, and desire. It's actually rather poetic.

[Zeal]

If you saw a new game developed by "Looking Glass Studios" you would jizz all over it too. Until then save it for your Akame printed kleenex.

rotfl

the message you entered is too *nobody cares*

[sixtyfps]

A quick google search raises some (http://hohiho.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/akame.jpg) disturbing (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FLuHtnypMOc/Rp4flpQYQsI/AAAAAAAAAGo/v93he2wddjU/s400/AKame+Timeline+Thailand+2002.jpg) images (http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/04152008/7/a/6/0/7a606c358aaea0_full.jpg).

I guess they would be disturbing if implicit homosexuality is a problem.

[brandonjclark]

I guess they would be disturbing if implicit homosexuality is a problem.


Well, I don't think that's what makes those images disturbing(although homosexuality is disturbing in general IMO), but the fact that they look like asexual Final Fantasy characters.

[Capt_Thad]

I actually have no idea who Looking Glass Studios is or what they've made.

Rest of this discussion aside, I think that statement hurt me physically. If you missed out on Thief, I'm sorry to say there's a hole in your life you'll never be able to fill.

[Anenome]

I guess they would be disturbing if implicit homosexuality is a problem.
Certainly disturbing to a heterosexual :P

[Anenome]

Rest of this discussion aside, I think that statement hurt me physically. If you missed out on Thief, I'm sorry to say there's a hole in your life you'll never be able to fill.
Mmm, I played Thief, but wasn't in love with it. My little brother played it a lot more than I. I can't remember if I beat it or not. I actually do enjoy that sort of stealth gaming. Just, at the time it was around I did not have much time to put into games, otherwise I may have put more effort into it.

In a larger sense, I don't think it's really possible not to miss an awesome game here and there :) There are some that simply should not be missed, and we can refer to them as being part of the gaming canon.

Would you say Thief belongs in the canon?

[lockwoodx]

Now I'm wondering why YOU know who Akame is >_>

To be perfectly honestly I made it up. I thought back to the 2 classes of japanese i took in highschool and remembered akame seemed to be a pretty common name. It's nice to know there was somthing disturbing in relation to the name. That made it all the more worth while.

[Anenome]

To be perfectly honestly I made it up. I thought back to the 2 classes of japanese i took in highschool and remembered akame seemed to be a pretty common name. It's nice to know there was somthing disturbing in relation to the name. That made it all the more worth while.

Ah, if only you'd said "Akane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akane_Tendo)" ^_^ Then I would've lol'd, she is quite cute ;)

[lockwoodx]

I just googled it myself because I could have sworn it was a female's name. I type it in and it's a bunch of girls on the screen. Then I realize my search is for what I was thinking and not what I typed here.

Talk about the king of typos. I ment to say "Akane" kleenex, not "Akame". The name Akane stick out in my head because she was a main character in the Ranma series which was very popular back in the day.

Seeing the googled results for Akame made me lol out loud. I can only imagine you or who else has looked it up. That was one of those golden typos that turned out 10 times better than the original.

[lockwoodx]

Today, 03:18 PM
Today, 03:18 PM
Jinx

[Capt_Thad]

Would you say Thief belongs in the canon?

It was the first 3D Stealth game on PC. What Thief did with lighting and sound alone was revolutionary, and most games nowadays still don't come close to what they pulled off. You have to look at the time it came out too, when most FPS games were Doom/Quake clones.

It was the first stealth game to use light and sound as gameplay mechanics, and the first to feature a first-person perspective; its use of this perspective for non-confrontational gameplay challenged the first-person shooter market. The game's design combines complex artificial intelligence with simulation systems to allow for emergent gameplay. Thief's influence has been traced to later stealth titles, including Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Hitman.

Thief received critical acclaim, and has been placed on numerous "hall of fame" lists. With sales at half a million by 2000, it was Looking Glass Studios' largest commercial success.

[Anenome]

True, Thief did create some nice gameplay elements. But I think they were perfected, and given a lot more style, by Splinter Cell.

I do have some very, very vivid memories of a particular section in Thief, and watching my detection level, and sneaking, etc., hiding in shadows. It was very well done.

I can't quite recall, but didn't Thief have "true black" shadows the same way that Splinter Cell did? Where it was literally impossible to see anything in them without shining light there? I love that effect.

[lockwoodx]

I can't quite recall, but didn't Thief have "true black" shadows the same way that Splinter Cell did? Where it was literally impossible to see anything in them without shining light there? I love that effect.

Splinter cell came out way after thief or even theif 2.

Thief perfected Thief.

[lockwoodx]

Anyone who has not played thief 3 owes it to themself to experience one of the best levels ever created in a video game.

Spoiler Warning: Read this review if interested

http://gillen.cream.org/thecradle.pdf

[lockwoodx]

grrr... need edit button >.<

This should be the spoiler warning:

WARNING
READ ME FIRST
The following pages
form a journey into
one of the most brilliant
and disturbing levels
ever committed to PC.
If you’ve played The
Cradle – Thief: Deadly
Shadows’ – centrepiece
level, then don’t hang
back. The secrets and
hidden stories of this
house of hell are
explored, analysed and
constructed into
something that will
hopefully enhance
and illuminate the
experience you’ve had.
If you’ve never played
The Cradle, and have no
plans to ever do so, then
rush right in, and more
fool you. If you’ve never
played The Cradle, but
plan to… be careful.
This opening spread
contain spoilers. The
middle pages should be
viewed in the same way
as a walkthrough for a
game you haven’t
played. The last two
pages, an interview with
Jordan ‘Null’ Thomas,
The Cradle’s designer,
should be safe. You have
been warned.
JOURNEY
INTO
THE CRADLE
BY KIERON GILLEN
THIEF: DEADLY SHADOWS
■ Publisher Eidos
■ Developer Ion Storm
■ Review PCG 137
■ Released 2004
PCG146.

[Anenome]

Cool, on a recommendation like that, I am considering purchasing Thief III on Steam, only $20. Don't think I played anything after the first one, but I do remember the hype and gnaw for III.

[lockwoodx]

Cool, on a recommendation like that, I am considering purchasing Thief III on Steam, only $20. Don't think I played anything after the first one, but I do remember the hype and gnaw for III.

Well worth the purchase at any price.

[lockwoodx]

Also if you do decide to purchase... create a thread in the PC forum describing what you thought. I would like to know if you liked it or not.

[Anenome]

Will, do, but I am taking 15 units this semester and have a nice backlog from the holiday sale... and ME2 is coming out soon--so look for it sometime around Christmas at the earliest :P

[lockwoodx]

Will, do, but I am taking 15 units this semester and have a nice backlog from the holiday sale... and ME2 is coming out soon--so look for it sometime around Christmas at the earliest :P

add lockwoodx to your steam friends. I bet I can entice you to get it done in just a few months.