Games

[icycalm]

The idea for this thread is to demonstrate why Treasure is a jack of many trades but -- for this very reason -- a master of none. When this thread is done, we should be able to have a nice little article to post on the frontpage, and rub it in the face of all Treasure fangirls who enjoy being fangirls more than they enjoy finding and playing great games.

So here is Treasure's entire catalog, according to Wikipedia:

Gunstar Heroes
McDonald's Treasureland Adventure
Dynamite Headdy
YuYu Hakusho Makyoutoissen (幽☆遊☆白書 魔強統一戦)
Alien Soldier
Light Crusader
Guardian Heroes
Mischief Makers (ゆけゆけ！トラブルメーカーズ yuke-yuke! Trouble Makers)
Silhouette Mirage
Radiant Silvergun
Rakugaki Showtime
Bangai-O/Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaioh (爆裂無敵バンガイオー)
Silpheed: The Lost Planet
Sin and Punishment: Successor to the Earth (罪と罰～地球（ほし）の継承者～)
Stretch Panic (ひっぱリンダ hippa linda) (Freak Out)
Ikaruga (斑鳩)
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Bad Dream AKA: Scary Dreams
Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting (Game Boy Advance)
Tiny Toon Adventures: Defenders of the Looniverse (cancelled, Swing! Games (EU)/Conspiracy Games (US), PlayStation 2, GameCube)
Wario World (2003, Nintendo, GameCube)
Dragon Drive D-Masters Shot (2003, Bandai, GameCube*)
Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Gradius V
Advance Guardian Heroes
Gunstar Super Heroes
Bleach: The Blade of Fate
Bleach: Dark Souls
Bangai-O Spirits
Bleach: Versus Crusade (2008, Sega, Wii)

I'll edit the list later, adding the correct Japanese titles, etc., but for now it should do.

So, the idea is to propose, for each game that Treasure has made, and for each genre they have tackled, that there are several other companies that specialize in the genre, and whose work in that genre -- taken as a whole, but also on an individual title basis -- is much more accomplished than Treasure's.

This is not to undermine the company's achievements. They've made some great games and there's no doubt about that. Their versatility and adaptability is admirable. But the mistake the fangirls make is to trumpet each Treasure game as the highest point achieved in each genre, thus obscuring the efforts of companies that are DEDICATED to these genres, and which ultimately always produce work of higher -- and thus more difficult to appreciate -- quality.

[dai jou bu]

Rob's review of Ikaruga on Youtube shows a lot of game's problems in a somewhat entertaining fashion.

He also has one for Bangai-O Spirits too.