Thought of the Day

[zero]

Haven't had one of these in awhile, mainly because there hasn't been much to talk about. But I recently read about Warner Bros. Studios fed up with bad games being made with their licenses. Going so far in fact to suggest that if a game receives an average of under 70% from sites like gamerankings.com, they will cut royalty payments to the publisher/developer.

So what makes licensed games suck? Is it because they know they can make a quick buck off the popularity of various movies/tv shows? Is it because they're on a tight deadline to coincide the games release with the movie/tv show? Is it both? Something else entirely?

And on that note, what's your personal favorite licensed game? And with fantastic licensed titles like Chronicles of Riddick, are licensed games reaching the light at the end of the tunnel?

[MDK]

Die Hard Trilogy was awesome on the PS1, that is the only one I can think of off the top of my head.

[Mick]

So what makes licensed games suck? Is it because they know they can make a quick buck off the popularity of various movies/tv shows? Is it because they're on a tight deadline to coincide the games release with the movie/tv show? Is it both? Something else entirely?

All of the above. The blue suits know that they'll make money off of something with a movie label on it, because Joe E. Consumer is really a dumbass, and will buy it. I can't recall any ads for licensed games, save for maybe the LOTR series, but I can't remember one single Enter The Matrix commercial...

However:

Enter The Matrix was my favorite licensed game, since I was a Matrix junkie at the time it was released. The FMVs were great...

Niobe: Who are you?

Smith: You could say that I am the alpha...

Smith 2: Of your omega.

Smith 3: I am the begining....

Smith 4: Of your end.

[lanky316]

I'd agree with your analysis, definately the fact it's too easy. Ironically though Enter The Matrix I thought was one of the worse recent licence screw ups.

I'll also be honest and say the last time I found a game that was licensed and didn't horribly underperform would be back on my C64 and Amiga. The Batman game based on the movie had everything the movie did, you had all the major sequences in the film, you had car levels you had a batwing level and a problem solving level when you found out the secret of the Jokers make up products. The gameplay was great and because you didn't have the recent graphics and voice technology you did now they didn't try to advertise it as "Featureing the voice of Jack Nicholson!" you see so much these days.

At least the gams industry don't screw up films licences only the movies do the same back!

[Toe]

Some developers, when they get the time to work on it, can create a good game using a license. Recent example being Spider Man 2 for the PS2, were you could just web-sling throughout the city for hours, and it had a really fun story.

Most however, don't have the time to create a good game so they just say "Take template A, stick in graphic of Bugs Bunny and voila! New game!". Some companies delibrately do this just to make a quick buck, usually these loads of steaming crap are on the Game Boy.

My favorite licensed game would have to be WWF No Mercy. That game rocked my socks.

[LL!]

Licensed games are a double-edged sword. There never seems to be a grey area where the game is just ok... the game is either good or bad. Take into account two examples...

Spider-Man 2 (as stated above) was a great game. I, myself, never got it, but I did play it extensively and enjoyed the experience.

Now, we move to the other side of the blade.

That one horrible Batman game for the Genesis... GOOD GOD IN HEAVEN WAS IT BAD! It's one of those games that makes you want to puke out your intestines at the mere box-art.

When those two examples are shown you can easily detect the publishes/developers that really want to try and work hard to make a game and the ones who are just in it to make a quick buck out of the flavor of the month. You got games like Constantine coming out right before the movie comes out, and that has become a trend in the gaming industry the past few years. When it turns out to be bad, you just know that it was rushed out to try and catch all the fans of the movie right away. Sleazeballs are they...

In conclusion, sometimes it's very obvious to see that yes, in fact, many licensed games are released just make that quick dollar and commit the hit-and-run.

[zero]

Sports licenses are different from movie licenses though. Even though you can see that a sports licensed can get abused into something ridiculous like that silly ass side scrolling WWF beat em up from a while back. And any XBox sports title...

Anyway, I was speaking more specifically of movies, TV shows, or books. And Spider-Man 2 could have been an amazing game, unfortunately, it sucked cock.

[Toe]

Then I will change my example of a good licensed game to....

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: TURTLES IN TIME!

It was fun, had a good learning curve, you could play with your buddies. Great game, and it uses the license well.

[stokeriño]

I remember licensed games *used* to be good, Disney games in particular. Aladdin and The Lion King for the Genesis were ridiculously awesome.

I don't think I've owned a licensed game (...barring WWE...) since the Genesis in fact. Certainly none I can think of offhand.

Hmm...

[Stevie B]

One game that springs to mind would be 'The Lion King' for the SNES. Boy that game ruled. I still have my mates copy, which ive borrowed for nearly 10 years now, and hes still asks for it back occasionally.

[ROC]

Goldeneye 007 counts as a licensed game, right?

If so, it whips every other licensed game's ass. Period.

[Dan]

Sports licenses are different from movie licenses though.  Even though you can see that a sports licensed can get abused into something ridiculous like that silly ass side scrolling WWF beat em up from a while back.  And any XBox sports title...

Anyway, I was speaking more specifically of movies, TV shows, or books.  And Spider-Man 2 could have been an amazing game, unfortunately, it sucked cock.

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I enjoyed Spiderman 2 .

[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

Moonwalker on The Master System was great.

[Cactus Drags]

Sports licenses are different from movie licenses though.  Even though you can see that a sports licensed can get abused into something ridiculous like that silly ass side scrolling WWF beat em up from a while back.  And any XBox sports title...

Anyway, I was speaking more specifically of movies, TV shows, or books.  And Spider-Man 2 could have been an amazing game, unfortunately, it sucked cock.

←

I enjoyed Spiderman 2 .

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Edited March 4, 2005 by dragon27

[Johnny Latino Heat]

Sports licenses are different from movie licenses though.  Even though you can see that a sports licensed can get abused into something ridiculous like that silly ass side scrolling WWF beat em up from a while back.  And any XBox sports title...

Anyway, I was speaking more specifically of movies, TV shows, or books.  And Spider-Man 2 could have been an amazing game, unfortunately, it sucked cock.

←

I enjoyed Spiderman 2 .

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[Heel Turn]

With rare exception, licensed games suck because they're developed quickly, and designed to cash in on the success of a movie. Vastly less money is put into them, and as such, the quality suffers. Also, most licensed titles rely on their name appeal and association with other products (movies, most often) to sell copies. Games that spring wholecloth from the industry (Half-Life 2, GTA series, etc.) don't have that luxury, and are forced to either be an excellent game, or die unnoticed in the marketplace.

And the best licensed game ever is easily Goldeneye for the N64. Excellent title.

[zero]

Quickly to clarify my displeasure of Spider-Man 2... it could have been one of the greatest titles ever made, the potential was certainly there. But with a two year development time, the best they could come up with was a quickly completed main quest and about five different types of side missions you could do? Seriously, how many times do I have to save the guy dangling from the rooftop? The main quest was really cool, but way too short, if they would have made that longer or changed up the side missions a bit, it really could have been as good as a GTA game.