Bioware vs. Square Enix

I have long been a fan of the Final Fantasy series and after playing Final Fantasy 7 for the first time, I thought Square Enix had no equal as an RPG developer. Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy 8 were truly masterpieces as well. However, despite many remarkable achievements, I believe the Final Fantasy series is falling under the shadow of Bioware. In my opinion, Bioware has demonstrated the next evolution of the RPG genre. Every RPG Bioware has made has been state of the art and absolutely magnificent. Bioware has introduced a new breed of RPGs such as KOTOR, Dragon Age Origins, and who could forget: the Mass Effect series. Square Enix needs to revamp the Final Fantasy series if they want to keep up, so far Final Fantasy 13 has been a decent step, but not a solution. Who do you side with, Bioware or Square Enix? Thankfully there is room for both.

I like both. Comparing the two is like comparing Apples and Tomatoes. The surface looks the same but they are not the same once you look pass the surface.

Both have a weakness and strength.

For example Bioware follow the same story set up from the KotoR for all their games including Dragon Age Origin and the Mass Effect games. Their main characters are just hollow shells. Most of their enemies are not that rich and you can fight all the same away. They do a good job at make characters that have good background but it would be nice if they did a little bit more during the missions

Square Enix is trying to appease those that has and will always hate JRPG. Their character are not always well like. Their enemies are rich and eve now they are some of the best and unique enemies out there. They still have a style and a look that is great.

i like both but im gonna give this one to square enix. thought they have been lacking a bit.

umm bethesda? TES are the best rpg's ever.

Bioware's games are more accesible to non-RPG'ers, while SE sticks to what makes RPGs great, the story, the characters and development,ME2 was a great game, but i felt that the characters fell a little short, and i HATED that they dumbed down the character progression and eliminated the inventory system.

Bioware they know how to pump out a story.

I like both but prefer Square Enix.

I believe that they cannot be compared in terms of who is the best. And they both have their own faults to deal with, from my experience with their games. In my honest opinion, after playing Mass Effect and Dragon age 'till the end, those two games are much below Bioware's pinnacle, good games, but nothing compared to previous titles that cemented Bioware's legacy as a Top Tier company. And Square Enix's recent games are even more below their pinnacle.

So, in the end, they both have faults. With that out of the way.. ->

Square has some of the greatest JRPG's ever made, such as Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, and the FF series; Wile Bioware has some of the greatest WRPG's ever made, such as KotOR, NWN and the Baldur's Gate series.

I would say its a perfect tie, and fundamentaly only comes down to preference. Their both the Top Tier companies at doing what their good at. Making kick-a** entertaining timeless RPG's that could be enjoyed even after 20 generations.

Bethesda comes close, i loved every Elder Scrolls they made, starting from the second(wasn't fond of the first). But does not enter top tier, in my opinion, for the simple reason that they only have 2 series of RPG's, and one of them wasn't even their own. Morrowind was their pinnacle.

but i felt that the characters fell a little short, and i HATED that they dumbed down the character progression and eliminated the inventory system.

nottu

Bioware in my opinion. closely followed by Bethesda.krazy-blazer

I like both. But after playing ME1 and ME2, it just doesn't feel like I was playing an rpg. It felt like more of a 3rd person shooter. At least SE creates full fledged rpgs.

image if Bioware and Bethesda made a game o_0.

well i used to like bioware but ever since the new gen they let it get to their heads bigtime.

if you dont know what i mean im not talking about fame going to their heads but more of one crappy gimic going to their heads and making it the bases for everyone of their games. im so sick of this choose your own path crap and take that over awful gameplay("cough cough mass effect") im mot going to replay a game so i can get some slightly altered dioulouge and a different ending.

as for square. it depends on which side of the spectrum your talking about. if its enix then screw them. i never liked them in the first place with the exception of star ocean 1 and 2. but they have been on a constant crap game formula. yah SO3 and 4 were good but not good anough as the first 2 and i dont care what they call themselves wether its enix or tre star. they still produce the same crappy formula for their games but its not as bad as bioware is

and for squar themselves. they may not be as good as they used to. not quality wise but productivity wise. they barley do anything. yah i still love the final fantasys but they literly only make those games(with the exception of kingdom hearts but that was a joint operation with enix....or tre star or WHATEVER.) I still love em but the realy need to give up on the 360 in japan. which leads me to the one real flaw i have with them. i hate their president

[QUOTE="nottu"]

but i felt that the characters fell a little short, and i HATED that they dumbed down the character progression and eliminated the inventory system.

Wings_008

For example Bioware follow the same story set up from the KotoR for all their games including Dragon Age Origin and the Mass Effect games.

wiouds

Yes and no. Yes that DA and KotOR and the first ME are similar in plot structure. They changed this up for ME2, but then you had a bunch of kids complaining how the story was weaker than the first. And that's the same with Obsidian's KotOR 2... less conventional "regular nobody turned hero" story, more character driven, but Obsidian had the misfortune of being rushed by Lucas Arts.

Can't blame Bioware for sticking to what works. Everyone loves a good story of "becoming" or having greatness thrust upon you.

That's a shame :(

But I really like KoTOR 2 :P. Even more than the first game. It's gets a lot of crap from people everywhere, but aside from its *unfinished* ending (I think I read there were supposed to be more, and can be found via mods) I liked the whole game.

Square for me.

I pick Bioware. Lately I have been very disappointed with Square Enix.

Bioware easily...although kingdom hearts was awsome...but 3 hasnt come out and SE has been sucking this whole last gen.

BioWare by far. The only game from SE I found worth playing was Kingdom Hearts.

I believe that they cannot be compared in terms of who is the best. And they both have their own faults to deal with, from my experience with their games. In my honest opinion, after playing Mass Effect and Dragon age 'till the end, those two games are much below Bioware's pinnacle, good games, but nothing compared to previous titles that cemented Bioware's legacy as a Top Tier company. And Square Enix's recent games are even more below their pinnacle.

So, in the end, they both have faults. With that out of the way.. ->

Square has some of the greatest JRPG's ever made, such as Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, and the FF series; Wile Bioware has some of the greatest WRPG's ever made, such as KotOR, NWN and the Baldur's Gate series.

I would say its a perfect tie, and fundamentaly only comes down to preference. Their both the Top Tier companies at doing what their good at. Making kick-a** entertaining timeless RPG's that could be enjoyed even after 20 generations.

Bethesda comes close, i loved every Elder Scrolls they made, starting from the second(wasn't fond of the first). But does not enter top tier, in my opinion, for the simple reason that they only have 2 series of RPG's, and one of them wasn't even their own. Morrowind was their pinnacle.

Lucianu

I'm with this guy. I think you can generally look to both of these developers to crank out some awesome games =D.Though I am partial to the Japanese style of fantasy. Western fantasy always seems to "stick to the rules" so to speak, very Arthurian/Tolkein-ish. As far as Bethesda, I think they're kinda mediocre, Oblivion was just ok for me, same with Fallout 3.

I liked FF 8 and FF X, but BioWare trumps them every time.