SEGA's best third party year?

[Barry the Nomad]

Would it not be too much to assume that 2010 has been SEGA's best year as a third party publisher?

I'm not going by company profits or anything like that, I'm more like simply the steady stream of quality games and high review scores (7-10). As far as major console releases, the year kicked off with Bayonetta, followed by the surprisingly fun Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. Aliens vs. Predator came in March and sold amazingly well, and featured a highly unique multiplayer mode. Yakuza 3 in early March, nuff said. Resonance of Fate appeared later in March, and while not a must have game, it garnered good scores and has been enjoyed by those who like that sort of RPG.

March ALSO saw the first Sakura Taisen title to hit US shores, Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. It was a quiet release, published by NIS America, but for SEGA fans it was a big deal. Plus, the game received high scores.

I'll stop here to allow others to add to the list (and because I have to go get lunch), but just look at this! I've only gotten up to March and already we've got a great variety of titles across multiple platforms.

Agree? Disagree and have a better year for third party SEGA games? Please share!

[fernandeath]

I think SEGA was found competent this year and therefore should be recognized as the best third party of the year.

[SOUP]

Don't forget about Valkyria Chronicles II, and Sonic 4

[George]

Vanquish
Bayonetta
SEGA All-Star Racing
Valkyria Chronicles 2
Phantasy Star Portable 2
Sonic 4
Sonic Colors
Yakuza 3

We are a bit spoiled this year.

[Barry the Nomad]

To add a few more:

Gunblade NY and L.A. Machineguns Arcade Hits Pack
Football Manager 2010
Napoleon: Total War
Chu Chu Rocket (iPhone)
Sonic Adventure (heavily downloaded and high rated on XBLA and PSN, despite so-so reviews)

Coming soon in 2010:
Sonic Free Riders (not OMFG amazing, but looks far better than the previous two titles and seems to be a fun game)
Crazy Taxi

The so-so games were Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll, Jambo! Safari: Animal Rescue and Alpha Protocol.

The only real stinkers of 2010 have been Tournament of Legends and Iron Man 2.

[STORM!]

For me, it was not...

 Im still looking for it though ;p

 Bayonetta is an one year old game now, holy shit! Time passes fast!

 Sonic 4 is not good. K-On is not Sega. They have not released SASAR here. No VF5 for consoles. No more Sakura Taisen...


 And I dislike Valkyria series.


 Last year I got 7th Dragon and Bayonetta and Miku 1 and Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 and End of Eternity! Shining Force Feather and Sonic World Adventure (lol).

[Barry the Nomad]

STORM!, then what do you then consider to be the best third party year for SEGA if you thought 2010 was weak?

And no saying "it hasn't happened yet"!  :mrgreen:

[STORM!]

Hum... it has not happened yet XDDD


 Sega always makes me angry, and then, happy again, and then angry... its the Sega cicle! LOL!

[fernandeath]

Unfortunatelly Ubisoft; Activision or Rockstar will probably get the critics' award of 'Best 3rd Party Developer'.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood; Red Dead Redemption and Call of Duty Black Ops will influence them...

[Sharky]

I think it is a toss up between 2010 and 2002.

2002 was a hot year. Lots of great games on the heals of the Dreamcast including Shenmue 2 (Xbox)

I found 2003-2007 pretty bleak for SEGA. A lot of poor games I never cared for and the really good ones where more so small budget games and nothing mind blowing.

2008, 2009 were a come back imo they made some good games in that time frame.

2010 was, for me... As good as 2002 I think.

Phantasy Star Portable 2 is one of the best games in the PSO series since the DC original
Yakuza 3 was awesome
Napoleon Total War was a perfection of last years Empires
Bayonetta was a god send
Vanquish was, imo just as good as Bayonetta
Resonance of Fate was pretty good
After Burner Climax FINALLY released on console for a good price too
Valkyria Chronicles 2 while I would have liked it on PS3 was a great game
Sega All-Stars Racing was actually a VERY enjoyable kart racer.
I enjoyed Sonic 4 even if many didn't was a good game
I'm really sure I'll enjoy Sonic Colours and 2 good Sonic games in a year is something I haven't seen in a long time.

The Japanese got,
Yakuza 4, said to be the best in the series
7th Dragon re-release
k-ON
and Project Diva 2

The Arcades scene got,
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
Border Break Air-Burst
Project Diva Arcade
Shining Force Cross
Star Horse 2
etc.

I think it will be very hard to top this next year.
That said,
Phantasy Star Online 2, Yakuza: The End, Yakuza 4 (west), Shogun 2: Total War and the next console game by CA, the chance of VF5:Final Showdown on console and the Sonic 20th game is already enough to give this year a run for its money in terms of big AAA titles.

Also, Barry... I vote for an article on this subject by the end of the year!

[Barry the Nomad]

Also, Barry... I vote for an article on this subject by the end of the year!

You read my mind! Or maybe even a... Swingin' Report Show Special?

I forgot to include the arcade, totally true on those!

Also, the final SEGA game of 2010 will be released on December 22 in Japan: Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Force. An excellent way to end the year!

2002 WAS a great year, however I felt that so many games that I loved were ports of 2000/2001 Dreamcast games that either did or didn't make it outside Japan. Such as: Space Channel 5: Part 2, Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II and Shenmue 2.

Virtua Fighter 4 and Jet Set Radio Future were probably the best non-Dreamcast games of 2002. GunValkyrie was pretty cool. Panzer Dragoon Orta released the last week of 2002, so technically that's in there too.

2002 really was SmileBit's year.

[Team Andromeda]

2002 was by far SEGA best, not just as a 3rd party, but at any time in SEGA history. This year been solid, but there's been very little to get excited on the 360 or PS3 that's coming from the In-House teams, and that's been my major problem and worry for a few years.

Sonic Team have/will step up to the task, but the other teams need to start impressing the public like they once used too

[fluffymoochicken]

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing sucked. I grew bored of it within a week or two of purchase and haven't touched it since. Also, re-releases don't count as new titles to me.

Yakuza 3 was pretty good, I suppose. It wasn't a 10/10 experience, but it wasn't bad either. Sonic 4 is also good, even if it is wildly overpriced. Everyone who says that Sonic 4 sucks is wrong.

I'd like to try PSP2, but I don't ever buy handhelds. Sonic Colors isn't out yet, so I couldn't tell you if it turned out to be a great game or not.

Everything else either I'm not interested in or the response has been so overwhelmingly negative that I wouldn't put it high on my purchase list. Soooo.... overall, what we have here is a decent year of releases. I'm not sure how that objectively compares to previous SEGA years (since I don't obsess over crap like that), but the fact that I've bought multiple SEGA games in a single year has to say something.

[Sharky]

2002 was by far SEGA best, not just as a 3rd party, but at any time in SEGA history. This year been solid, but there's been very little to get excited on the 360 or PS3 that's coming from the In-House teams, and that's been my major problem and worry for a few years.

Sonic Team have/will step up to the task, but the other teams need to start impressing the public like they once used too

Do you think that that next year will be more up your street with the posibility of games like PSO2, Yakuza 4, Yakuza the End, Shogun 2, Sonic 20th, Creative Assmeblys next console game, Valkyria Chronicles 3 and Virtua Fighter 5:FS.

(If all those games came out in 2011)

[Team Andromeda]

2002 was by far SEGA best, not just as a 3rd party, but at any time in SEGA history. This year been solid, but there's been very little to get excited on the 360 or PS3 that's coming from the In-House teams, and that's been my major problem and worry for a few years.

Sonic Team have/will step up to the task, but the other teams need to start impressing the public like they once used too

Do you think that that next year will be more up your street with the posibility of games like PSO2, Yakuza 4, Yakuza the End, Shogun 2, Sonic 20th, Creative Assmeblys next console game, Valkyria Chronicles 3 and Virtua Fighter 5:FS.

(If all those games came out in 2011)

I'm done with my PSP, not just for SEGA but for every game . I don't hardly play it or have any interests in games coming out for it.
I'm quite looking forward to CA next console game tbf, but my Interest in the Yakuza series died with Kenzan and Part III.

Don't get me wrong they're not bad games, just they're to me sequels by the numbers (like FIFA) and its hard to get excited about them. What I want is some of the old creative vision, some of the old world leading/impressive tech engines, that SEGA used to be able to perform from the Mega Drive Gen right through to the X-Box and Cube generation. SEGA line is solid and great, but I want some of the old SOJ magic; Some RPG or any new game using the Canvas tech on the PS3 or 360 would be lovely, as would a Next Gen PS and Sonic game using an improved Sonic Hedgehog engine.  

SEGA to me has got to start exciting people on the 360 and PS3 with games that get all the broads buzzing and the press hungry for interviews.
Just look at how much Buzz and interest Eden is getting .

I'm not saying it will sell or anything like that. But because Eden looks so artistic, because its full of  such imagination and simply beautiful imagery,  its got people taking and the press buzzing.
I remember the days that SEGA Japan used to be able to do that, almost every year, I want some of that buzz back.