Studio of the Decade

[<3sRichardSimmons]

I think most of us on here on the Codex are able to remember the glory days of PC Gaming in the 80s and 90s. They were times before the EAs, Activisions, and Ubisofts devoured studios whole, and they were times when certain studios dominated the market. Company names like Origin, New World Computing, Sir-tech, Westwood, Ensemble Studios, Black Isle, Blizzard Entertainment were themselves an assurance of quality; a gamer could buy any product from them sight unseen and know it was going to be a great purchase. Then the 2000s and the Xbox happened and we all know how that turned out. Dark days indeed. But in the last ten years, largely thanks to the advent of digital distribution, we've seen a resurgence in proper honest good studios largely free from publisher meddling.

So with that in mind, what studio from the last decade (2011-2020) would you posit has most firmly established their brand as an indicator of quality? For the purpose of this thread I think any nominees need to have put out at least 2 games in that time (sorry Owlcat) and can't have had any catastrophic failures (sorry CDPR).

Some ideas I had to get it started:

Klei Entertainment:
Shank 2 (2012)
Mark of the Ninja (2012)
Don't Starve (2013)
Eets Munchies (2014)
Invisible Inc. (2015)
Don't Starve Together (2016)
Oxygen Not Included (2019)
Hot Lava (2019)
Griftlands (2020)


Supergiant Games:
Bastion (2011)
Transistor (2014)
Pyre (2017)
Hades (2020)

Arkane Studios:
Dishonored (2012)
Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall (2013)
Dishonored: The Witches of Brigmore (2013)
Dishonored 2 (2016)
Prey (2017)
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (2017)
Prey: Mooncrash (2018)

So who also is worthy? Why am I a moron for including Arkane Studios on this list? Discuss!

 

[Shackleton]

Although they're a bit of a one-trick pony I must admit, but that trick is very, very good. About the only studio I'd D1P.

If you like open-world bore-a-thons, maybe R*

 

[Darth Roxor]

My first and immediate thought upon seeing the thread title was Klei, so I guess I'd go with that. They remind me the most of Looking Glass in that their catalogue is very varied and at the same time very solid.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

I've only played DS1, but it is indeed a masterpiece. I thought DS3 was considered a major disappointment by the fans though?

 

[Thac0]

Supergiant is not a bad pick really. Their type of game is gay indie stuff but the games are varied and usually well executed.

Only Klei games I have played were Don't Starve and Griftlands (and I refunded Invisible Inc), they are very hit or miss.

I want to say ATLUS, with Persona selling gangbusters and smaller series like Etrian Odyssey being bastions of pure Wizardry style blobber incline, but that is too weeby for this subforum.

Piranha Bytes solely for making ELEX and achieving a game in Gothic 2 quality?

 

[Reinhardt]

and can't have had any catastrophic failures (sorry CDPR).

What do you mean? They just released another codex goty.

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Moon Studios for Ori games. Not much variety there though...

 

[Butter]

OBSIDIAN ENTERTAINMENT

DUNGEON SIEGE 3
SOUTH PARK: THE STICK OF TRUTH
PILLARS OF ETERNITY
PATHFINDER ADVENTURES
TYRANNY
PILLARS OF ETERNITY 2: DEADFIRE
THE OUTER WORLDS
GROUNDED

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Supergiant is overrated as fuck.

I'll stick with Arkane, Valve, Frictional, and whatever Ken Levine is jewing on.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Supergiant is overrated as fuck.

I generally agree with this, but Hades is probably my GOTY.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Klei, Trese Brothers and Larian.

Klei and Trese Brothers made the most fun and varied games and Trese Bros tops that off with incredible support and fan engagement.

And say what you want but Larian put large scale turn based RPGs back on the menu single-handedly.

 

[Ivan]

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Yakuza 5, 6, 0 , Kiwami 1, Kiwami 2 , 7

Fist of the North Star

Judgment


Platinum Games:

Bayonetta 2, Wonderful 101, Astral Chain, Revengeance

 

[Shackleton]

I've only played DS1, but it is indeed a masterpiece. I thought DS3 was considered a major disappointment by the fans though?

It wasn't as good as DS1 (or DS2, fuck the haters), but it's still a good game by most studio's standards and better than 90% of the clones that try to ape their style. Sekiro is different, but also very good if you have the patience. I've not got a Playstation so can't personally vouch for Bloodborne, but it's got a devoted and passionate following in the JRPG forum that swear it's From's best work.

Out of your list I'd also go with Supergiant as Hades is my GOTY as well. Wasn't crazy about Bastion though.

 

[Ol' Willy]

Graviteam. They haven't released a single bad game

 

[Darth Roxor]

Another studio I'd nominate is Logic Artists. All the games they've made are very cool as well - Conquistador, Viking and Clandestine. Too bad they got screwed on that Divinity offshoot, because it might have given them the spotlight they deserve. The dudes are on the whole pretty overlooked.

 

[CryptRat]

Edmund McMillen made both Super Meat Boy and The Binding Of Isaac, two very different games among my very favourite.

 

[CryptRat]

Also Daedalic made Blackguards besides all the best adventure games of the decade.

 

[Thac0]

Also Daedalic made Blackguards besides all the best adventure games of the decade.

And fucked it up again with Blackguards 2.
But they bought two interesting games in Iratus and Iron Danger so sure.

They really seem to be on an upswing again after their weird A Year of Rain thing fumbled.

 

[Gregz]

Physical studios are becoming a thing of the past.

The future will be a bunch of freelance professionals from all over the world collaborating together online on a per-project basis. The days of Westwood, Troika, Looking Glass, Bioware, Blizzard et al. are ending.

No, we should be carefully judging one game at a time, and not clouding our reviews with loyalties to "studios" who are an ever-shifting composite of disparate forces.

Having said all that, Artefacts Studio gets my vote for #1, with Supergiant or Shiny Shoe at 2nd and 3rd.

 

[samuraigaiden]

Iron Tower Studio:
The Age of Decadence (2015)
Dungeon Rats (2016)

Unfortunately Colony Ship didn't get released this year, could have made them a stronger candidate. Still worth nominating. Only two games, but two very good games.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Falcom.

Every game they make in a series is better than the last.

 

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

NRS for bringing back Midway's legacy and reviving its former glory.

MK9 -> Injustice -> MKX -> Injustice 2 -> MK9

 

[JDR13]

CD Projekt
Arkane
Obsidian
Larian

 

[Bester]

I've only played DS1, but it is indeed a masterpiece. I thought DS3 was considered a major disappointment by the fans though?

I'm sometimes amazed by the shit I read here. Where did you even get this.

 

[SumDrunkGuy]

Although they're a bit of a one-trick pony I must admit, but that trick is very, very good. About the only studio I'd D1P.

If you like open-world bore-a-thons, maybe R*

Agreed. If you vote anyone other than From Software you're a mouth breathing retard and your opinion can't be taken seriously. It's not even close