BioWare: Masters of the RPG

Here it is, folks. The last of the posts you voted on. And this one is on one of my favorite developers on the planet: BioWare. These guys are undoubtedly the masters of making RPGs. They know how to make a good RPG in any form. Every game I have played from BioWare (and I've played quite a bit of them, namely KOTOR, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect) is perfect in execution. Why is this? Why is it that in any form or setting, BioWare knows how to make a good role playing game?


The answer comes in a couple of ways, the first of which is sheer talent. BioWare is talented. Some of the brightest and most creative minds come from this company. Only through having several highly intelligent developers can games be put out on the market and still sell well everytime. The devs at BioWare just know how to make a game great. The best way to put it is that they come off as more of an artistic arm than a developer arm. They are creative in thinking, and this comes out in development. The best example of this creativity is the vast amount of new things they have done in their games. The conversational system, first shown in KOTOR, was a brilliant technique to impliment in an RPG and was the first of it's kind. They would develop this further in Mass Effect, where the true cleverness and versatility of multiple conversation answers is shown. BioWare has just the right creativity to come up with these workable ideas. Beyond this is the scope they always seem to put themselves in. They have yet to create a game that was less expansive and ambitious than the project before it. Every game presents a new look, and new story, a new area, and a bigger scope. Only people with massive creativity could pull this off. Think of J.R.R. Tolkien: it took him years and thousands of notes, records, and research to create the land of Middle Earth. In less than 15 years, the team at BioWare has created at least 3 different stories and legends comparable to LOTR. They have created an entire space drama in Mass Effect, and a complete pre-Star Wars mythos within this span of years. Impressive, to say the least.


Another answer is that of their dedication to story. BioWare is much different than most developers in this sense. They first think of a good story, then build a game around it. BioWare prioritizes having a good story before they even pick up a controller. Plainly stated, they know the importance of having a story to tell. BioWare WILL NOT make a game if the story isn't there. This is why their RPGs are always masterpieces. The story and intricacies are known before the game is even developed. This means clarity in development around a common idea. This means an importance on fitting to the story and staying within those important boundaries. Overall, this means that BioWare can make a great RPG and have all of the devs create their ideas with something to focus on. BioWare takes it a step further, though. In all of their games, it is more than just making an amazing story; it is placing you in that story. The player must experience the story, make the choices, and face the consequences. BioWare is and will always be the creator of real character choice. BioWare has always made it a priority to serve the choice of the player. If the player wants to punch that stupid reporter in Mass Effect for asking a stupid question, they can. This is the player's story. That is why their RPGs are so immersive. Not only is this story amazingly diverse and intrinsical, it is the player's.


The final answer is the most abstract. BioWare succeeds in something it doesn't do. BioWare has never made a game for the casual gamer. They haven't made any game to please newcomers. They haven't created a story that is aimed for younger audiences. They haven't even made an effort to grab this type of crowd. And because of this, they do grab that type of crowd. BioWare creates games for a great and immersive story set in gigantic worlds. They know what gamers like. They know what makes a good tale. And they know who they need to pay attention to. BioWare, unlike a majority of developers these days, doesn't really care much about appealing to a bigger crowd. They just want to make the gamer's RPG. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. They know the crowd is out there, and they want to make the best RPG that people know and love and want to buy. And because of this, their games sell like hotcakes. They don't make sacrifices for the sake of motion control. They don't take out a part of the game because it may be too mature. They just do the best they can possible, and they leave it at that. Think if it like a movie theatre. At any given time, you'll have chick flicks, animated movies, horror movies, and big-budget movies in the theatre. All appeal to different crowds. But if one of them is known to be a good movie, is getting amazing reviews, and making crap-loads of money, a majority of people in those other crowds will go see this movie. This is why BioWare games work. People just know the game will be good and high quality, and therefore buy the game. And newcomers are always welcome. BioWare doesn't lessen it standards for new ways to control or ESRB crankiness. BioWare doesn't adjust to these things; they adjust to BioWare.


Simply put, BioWare is one in a million. This company is simply amazing. Their attention to a great story and a great game is unparalleled. If you have never played a BioWare game, shame on you. You are missing out on some of the best storytelling of the last couple decades. BioWare is the pinnacle of creativity and care for gaming. Only a company of this calibur can excite gamers at just an announcement of a new game. Here's hoping that all of BioWare's future endeavors remain the high quality endeavors they are known for. I for one am extremely excited for Mass Effect 2. And you should be too.