Who are the best?

[brad]

All,
I am interested in hearing your Top 5 (or however many) Web-based game developers out there and possibly why. I am talking actual game developers, not sites that aggregates games.

What makes them the best? Graphics? Innovation? Tight gameplay?

These are truly web-based games, not downloadables. Let's exclude the big dogs like PopCap.

I will start:
1) Pop and Company - excellent game designers, great art
2) Orisinal - we all know this guy is great
3) Sarbakan - great point and click games, outstanding art
4) Yamago - great art, best multiplayer
5) Extrajetz - VERY innovative programming, nice art

Anyway, I just feel there are not many really good Flash game development companies out there. Myabe you all can enlighten me.

brad

[TeroLebe]

1) Pop and Company - neverheard
2) Orisinal - nice, smooth graphics, but games are very simple
3) Sarbakan - neverheard
4) Yamago - neverheard
5) Extrajetz - neverheard


Here are my oppinions...
Orisinal's games are nice. But I don't see any future of games that are played couple of times and then realize that game doesn't give anything more. Web games are suppose to be small and easy to learn, but I don't think anybody would play them more than a week (I usually play only couple of times and then I move along). I don't rely on small web games, they may be addictive at first. But to be honest, I don't even remember the company that made the Penguin-game- series.

[token 3]

Strille would feature in my list, he has produced some of the most innovative engines around, mode7, SuperTiles scrolling engine. Not many finished games but a fantastic guy for inspiration and innovation

~yarr

[metanet]

hey,
the extrajetzt "tag.." game (you're a punk who runs around and throws bricks) is by far the best webgame i've ever played -- it has great art/style, runs very smoothly, and is super-fun.

it's one of the only flash-games i know if that i'd actually consider a real video game. some of the people you listed (i.e orsinal) make large numbers of "games" which are VERY simple and/or boring. yes, they look good, but if they were made into an arcade machine, i doubt that anyone would play them.

raigan

[strille]

token, thanks for the compliment... However, I can't take credit for the mode 7 thing - PercyPea did it before me for example, I just messed around with it.

I think Jakub Dvorsky is one of the most creative Flash develpers around. The games may be simple technically, but they are truly brilliant in my opinion:

Samorost
Quest for the rest

I love the "mystery" in these games. The first time I saw Samorost I was thinking "what the f**k is this?!". But as soon as you "get it" you can't stop playing until you've finished them. Wonderful ambient mood and the graphics and attention to detail is wonderful. They truly are works of art.

[tomsamson]

yeah,samorost rocks =)
imho its still not as good as oldschool pc adventures like the monkey island series but the creativity and "aha" moments are class =)
i agree with metanet,while i liked the orisinal games at first because of their own style,i also thought they get too boring too quikly (the art style is still yummy though).
metanet´s N is technically great,just not my thing graphicwise.
strille´s and lux sylvaniah is great technically,too (also graphicswise) but i don´t like the level design a lot there (still a great flash game though).
and yeah,tag der arbeit is the ideal version of a coffee break game imho,not intensive enough to be counted as full game,yet still way more entertaining (and full of replayvalue) compared to other "coffee break games" like yeti sportsw (sorry but i never got why anyone played those more often than one round for seeing em).
generally the best flash games of the year show a movement into the realms of becoming full value games,there are fewer games i can remember than last year,but the top ones are classes more advanced than older flash games.

[Butthole_Surfer]

Originally posted by strille
token, thanks for the compliment... However, I can't take credit for the mode 7 thing - PercyPea did it before me for example, I just messed around with it.

I think Jakub Dvorsky is one of the most creative Flash develpers around. The games may be simple technically, but they are truly brilliant in my opinion:

Samorost
Quest for the rest

I love the "mystery" in these games. The first time I saw Samorost I was thinking "what the f**k is this?!". But as soon as you "get it" you can't stop playing until you've finished them. Wonderful ambient mood and the graphics and attention to detail is wonderful. They truly are works of art.

Those are really awesome games , I really enjoyed playing them

[Phlook]

Surprised no-ones mentioned the boys at Stimunation yet...

Theyre on my list of the best, their games are truly astounding, from how they run, to how they look

[sanga]

In my opinion the best is:

http://www.deusx.com

I was stunned when I saw them first. Graphics , gameplay, most polished overall. Mostly sports games but the shooter demo was excellent, easily the best flash shooter made even in beta.

[Dangerskew]

I'd say the people at Metanet. Very cool programming there, and the graphics are great, considering how much stuff is goind on. Still waiting for the second tutorial though.

[Xanthe00]

When I first played samorost I was begging for a walkthrough! (I did manage to complete it though )

Although I aim to make a flash game (already started), I'm not that keen on playing games online, except multiplayer games.

Yamago - I've only played one of their games, which is Run 'n Roll. Neat little game, cute graphics, I quite like their graphics style.

[>flashl!ght<]

Originally posted by Xanthe00
When I first played samorost I was begging for a walkthrough! (I did manage to complete it though )

those two games are nice(i love the creativity/feel and mood) but something that's easy to forget when making game:

the TAB button highlights all interactive stuff BRIGHT YELLOW! unless otherwise specified by the developer.

[uhmazuhn_aashun]

For art I think Xiaoxiao is one of the tops. He does nice 3d stuff and has great animation on his stick figures but his scripting is usually simple.

[Q Dervish]

At the risk of being redundant, I would just like to say that I love the Samorost and Quest for the Rest games. They are awesome. Because of the Quest for the Rest game, I bought the Polyphonic Spree CD. Served its purpose I guess . Awesome ambience. Love it.

Derek

[Squize]

Thanks Phlook

Squize.

[tonypa]

Try this, if you liked Samorost:
http://www.nanahiro.com/compe/

Maybe not correct thread, but in the "2005 IGF Competition" entries you can find couple of nice Flash games:
http://www.igf.com/2005entrants.shtml
For example "MegaBloks Dragons Fire & Ice" from Fuel Industries is pretty good example of isometric RPG
(the link to it doesnt work correctly, you have to use the part from link without login/pass and enter them manually)

[mentuat]

www.robotduck.com - great ideas, games and characters - mainly shockwave though all by one guy

www.kerb.co.uk - slick agency stuff

although they might seem 'simple', orisinals style and presentation are superb and are rarely bettered

[tomsamson]

Originally posted by Squize
Thanks Phlook

Squize.

oh yeah,thanks phlook =)

btw: squize,what do you think about my new avatar? (i thought you might like it (remember the donkey talks )

[WilloughbyJackson]

OT: Tom...

your new avatar...

...it gives me nightmares...


...

[Bash_321]

www.miniclip.com
miniclip has very much of games. Most flash few java.
theyre short and i think that they get boring after few times playin it. well the best one is runescape.Actually runescape is made with java.

[edit]moved into this thread by tomsamson,guess it belongs here [/edit]