As I sit on my couch with my PlayStation controller in one hand and my very needy cat in the other, I had a thought. Some game companies just seem to get me. The company that made me arrive at this realization was Atlus with their game Unicorn Overlord. That was the best Fire Emblem title that was not actually a Fire Emblem title.
Anyway, we all probably know game developers or publishers that always seem to make exactly the kind of titles that we enjoy. And although everyone’s list will be different, I decided to make this column all about the top five game companies that always seem to make the kinds of things I like. For the most part, these will be smaller firms as opposed to something like EA or Activision that publish a ton of games, some of which are great and others that don’t interest me at all. No, these five will be the ones that always seem to get it right despite not having huge catalogs. Maybe you all can think about the developers or publishers that you most enjoy while I go through my list.
5. Hooded Horse
Hooded Horse is a newer publisher, but they have come out swinging for me nearly every time. The first game of theirs I played was Against the Storm, a roguelite city builder. I said in the draft of my review (before it got cut by my boss who likely thought I was tripping on peyote when I wrote it) that I expected those two gameplay mechanics to go together like peanut butter and tuna. Yet, the title defied my expectations. I thought that within five years they would easily be a publisher who I would mention to my friends.
As if hearing my doubt, they swung for the fences and released Manor Lords. It was so unique in terms of mechanics and gameplay. I wrote a review of this amazing title, and a few subsequent columns as well that covered updates from the hard working development teams that partner with them. I am excited to see how they continue to develop and build their catalog. All my boss has to do is say “Hey Neal, I have a new game from Hooded Horse…,” and you won’t be seeing me for a while.
4. Intelligent Systems
Keeping on the strategy game train comes a developer that has a special place in my heart. Back in the Game Boy Advance era I was fortunate to play one of my favorite all time games in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones and also Advance Wars, which were both developed by Intelligent Systems. Both of these titles got me hooked on the turn-based strategy genre. While Intelligent Systems may not be well known outside of that genre, they have created some great games. This is especially true with the Fire Emblem series as they have continued to have hits like Awakening and Engage.
3. Capcom
Capcom usually means Resident Evil and Devil May Cry to me. These two series always brought me a lot of joy growing up, and I still play Resident Evil to this day. Factor in Street Fighter, Mega Man, Dead Rising, Monster Hunter, and Dragon’s Dogma, and you have quite the catalog. While some of these titles may not be as polished as those created by the next two companies on this list, Capcom is at least never afraid to take chances. For example, Dragon’s Dogma may have been a bit off-putting, but it was a fresh look at the stale fantasy genre. Overall, Capcom titles make me just want to keep playing.
2. Sega
This is a weird one because they have been both a developer and a publisher. Sega has so many games that have crossed onto my list from all different genres. Like many kids, I started out playing the original Sonic and have the first couple levels burned into my memory. Later on, I got my first Xbox and with it came Jet Set Radio Future. I had never played the original Jet Set Radio and was not really a fan of cell shaded art at the time I played it. But the title was just plain fun, and I could not put it down. Sega also helped with the innovative ESPN NFL 2K series, which I felt was better than Madden when it was still being published.
Sega also played a part in building my love of the JRPG and strategy genres with titles like Resonance of Fate, Phantasy Star Online, Valkyria Chronicles, and more. Plus, there was Condemned and so many others. If I see the name Sega before playing a game, I know I am in for a great time.
1. Square Enix
At first, I was going to say that Square Enix was too large of an organization to be on this list. But the more I dug in, the more I realized this list would be incomplete without Square Enix. Final Fantasy alone would at least put Square in contention for a top five spot. Add in The Last Remnant, Infinite Undiscovery, Tactics Ogre: Reborn, Bravely Default, Project Sylpheed, Triangle Strategy, Octopath Traveler, and so many more, and they are nearly impossible to beat. Square Enix has published and developed so many titles that really make me happy. Square Enix is the one company where you can tell me that they have a new release, and I will start reaching for my wallet before you even give me the details.
I know for Square Enix, their Final Fantasy series gets most of the attention, but this company has put out so many games over the years that they had to be at the top of my list.
Honorable Mentions
I limited my list to just five companies, but if there were any honorable mentions, then they would easily include: Rare, Konami, Atlus, Larian, and Bioware. Any of those could have snagged a spot if the list was just a bit bigger. They make some great games too.
No matter what your favorite genre entails, chances are there’s a developer or publisher that always seems to make titles just for you. For me, these five companies stand out, but the real fun is getting out there, playing lots of games, and discovering your own list of greats.