Your Dream Game

[Lawliet]

Okay, so if you could assemble your "Dream Team" for a game, what would it be and what kind of game would you have them produce? For the purpose of this thread, assume:

1. The end product will still be a coherent thing despite all the differing talents involved.
2. No budget or tech constraints.

For now, I'm thinking of a game made with the following talents:

Concept: Fumito Ueda (Shadow of the Colossus) - The conception of a hero going on a quest (murder spree actually) to defeat 16 giants being the basis to explore love, loss, and other themes was just sublime. I would have Ueda come up with the main concept for the dream game.

Plot: Toshihiro Nagoshi (Judgment, Yakuza) - Anyone who's played RGG's games will recognize their skill with plotting, especially in the Judgment series, which feels like a compulsive thriller each time; you can't put it down.

Characters: CDPR (Witcher 3) - I think CDPR pulled off a lot of memorable characters in W3, and not just the major ones. Even characters who show up in one or two quests can still leave an impression on you.

Setting: Ken Levine (Bioshock) - Rapture. I don't think I need to say more.

Lore: Hidetaka Miyazaki (Bloodborne) - FromSoft is famous for their intricate lore and world building, so this seems like a logical choice.

Writing: Obsidian (Fallout: New Vegas) - These guys have serious writing chops, from hilarious dialogue to general writing competence.

Music: Ko Otani (Shadow of the Colossus) - Till today the most sublime original sountrack for a video-game, in my humble opinion. So I would have Otani compose the game for that reason alone.

Art Direction: Team Cherry (Hollow Knight) - I love the gorgeous hand-drawn art style they pulled off in HK. A style like that would work for me any time.

General Gameplay: Nintendo EPD (Zelda BotW) - Zelda BotW is pure gaming joy. It makes you fall in love with gaming all over again.

Combat Design: Santa Monica Studios (God of War) - Despite the many issues the GoW games have, the combat is always fun.

Level Design: From Software (Dark Souls, Bloodborne) - Hardly needs explaining to those familiar with FromSoft's games.

World Design: Rockstar (Red Dead Redemption II) - After what they pulled off in RDR2, I think no one can do this part better.

Programming: Capcom (Modern RE) - Their games generally look gorgeous and run smoothly.

Hmm...that's what I got for now. I wanna know your selections. Go nuts!

 

[BerserkDrifter]

Ooooh, exciting thread, ok assuming this is all hands off and actually something cohesive is made:

Music: Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) or Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill). Either something majestic, moody, or a mix of both.

Level Design: Naughty Dog (Last of Us Part II) I love the level design of Seattle and Naughty Dog's level design in general or Arkane Studios (Prey) - Maybe some of the best level design in modern gaming

Overall Game Directors: Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid & Death Stranding) & Hideki Kamiya (Bayonetta) No idea, just let them make something but keep it somewhat restrained if that's possible with them haha.

World Design: From Software (Dark Souls 1) - Yeah, easy to understand but I want something like the linked world of Lordran in something new again.

Writer: Troika Games (Vampire: Masquerade Bloodlines & Arcanum) - I can't decide how this works but I want the writing staff from both those games

Programming: Capcom (Modern RE) - Agreed, great performance and great graphics.

Combat: Hideaki Itsuno (Devil May Cry) - Probably the best designer of 3D action combat right now.

I'm tired right now so I can't think of anymore but this should hopefully get some thoughts rolling.

 

[Lawliet]

Ooooh, exciting thread, ok assuming this is all hands off and actually something cohesive is made:

Music: Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) or Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill). Either something majestic, moody, or a mix of both.

Level Design: Naughty Dog (Last of Us Part II) I love the level design of Seattle and Naughty Dog's level design in general or Arkane Studios (Prey) - Maybe some of the best level design in modern gaming

Overall Game Directors: Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid & Death Stranding) & Hideki Kamiya (Bayonetta) No idea, just let them make something but keep it somewhat restrained if that's possible with them haha.

World Design: From Software (Dark Souls 1) - Yeah, easy to understand but I want something like the linked world of Lordran in something new again.

Writer: Troika Games (Vampire: Masquerade Bloodlines & Arcanum) - I can't decide how this works but I want the writing staff from both those games

Programming: Capcom (Modern RE) - Agreed, great performance and great graphics.

Combat: Hideaki Itsuno (Devil May Cry) - Probably the best designer of 3D action combat right now.

I'm tired right now so I can't think of anymore but this should hopefully get some thoughts rolling.

Good choices. I can't believe I forgot about Arkane, who make really great levels, especially IMO in Dishonored. DMC combat designers are also very good at what they do. Nobuo Uematsu is a legend, so that's another choice I agree with a lot. Ah, the possibilities are endless!

 

[Walter]

My pitch is pretty simple. I would like a new, modern successor to Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2), but with a good story, and a massive world. I feel like that game had a ton of potential with its mix of action-RPG that was never truly capitalized on with the rest of the "Mana" series.

The only locks I have for staff based on my personal preferences are:

Director: Yoshinori Kitase (the 90s Final Fantasies)
Music: Yuzo Koshiro (pretty much everything good on the Mega Drive) for the high energy stuff + Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, etc) for the dramatic stuff.

 

[Lawliet]

My pitch is pretty simple. I would like a new, modern successor to Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2), but with a good story, and a massive world. I feel like that game had a ton of potential with its mix of action-RPG that was never truly capitalized on with the rest of the "Mana" series.

I'm intrigued. I'm going to look that series up.

The only locks I have for staff based on my personal preferences are:

Director: Yoshinori Kitase (the 90s Final Fantasies)

He directed Final Fantasy VI right? That was an amazing game, so he's another good pick. That reminds me, I would pick Yasumi Matsuno for a directorial role as well. Square had some good talent back in the day.

Music: Yuzo Koshiro (pretty much everything good on the Mega Drive) for the high energy stuff + Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, etc) for the dramatic stuff.

Mitsuda's Chrono Trigger music is still stuck in my head all those years later. Frog's theme especially. Good choice!

---

I realize I didn't pitch an idea of what my dream game could be. I know I mentioned Ueda coming up with the concept, but if I could choose I would like to play a prison break game one day. Imagine a really intricate prison game world that tests your abilities to the fullest, without worrying whether or not it is too difficult or if it will sell well. They put you up in a prison and just give you one "quest": break out. There would be no scripted solution, just you and your ideas. You can make allies or enemies, face moral quandaries (e.g. do I let this murderer in on the break-out just because I need his help?), and so on. Given the recent trend of puzzles being brain-dead and insulting, it would be refreshing to play a game that really tests your mind in that regard.

 

[Griffith]

Bloodborne II

Kidding aside, sort of, since I'm inherently skeptical of supergroups or "dream teams" (there's really only one, the 1992 USA Men's Basketball Team =), my dream games are more one's that could have been or concepts I'd still like to see. Now, I've been fortunate to actually see a number of these realized: GTA San Andreas (California do-anything simulator), Mega Man 9 (another classic Mega Man), Fallout 3/New Vegas (first person Fallout, and then by the original Black Isle team!), Shovel Knight (transcendent classic Mega Man/Duck Tales with full 2-player co-op!), Resident Evil 2 Remake (RE2's soul in RE4's body), etc etc. There are more, but let's focus on the one's that got away or which I'd still like to see:

Resident Evil 4 Beta AKA "Leon's Mansion" - With perfected classic RE gameplay and spooky ghosts! I'd probably be disappointed by and regret this. =)

Metal Gear Solid V: Director's Cut and the Kojima directed sequel/remake teased at the end that could have brought the series and the two main Snakes full circle: Metal Gear Solid VI: Operation Intrude N313 (should probably just subtitle it "Outer Heaven" =). Just buy it for Kojima, Sony, it's probably a better bargain than giving him a blank check in perpetuity for whatever he feels like doing.

Mega Man 12, classic style, full co-op. This should have been Mega Man 10, and again, got the best equivalent in Shovel Knight.

Street Fighter Vs. Mortal Kombat - Probably never going to happen beyond a DLC character swap if we're lucky.

Resident Evil Code Veronica Remake - But it's actually good.

Diablo IV - But it's actually good.

Half-Life 3 VR - Half-Life Alyx is essentially this by default, but if they're ever going to make a Half-Life game with the number 3 somewhere in the title, they should do it this way and really blow it out; no half measures.

King's Field VR - VR Souls. And finally, in that vein, the aforementioned...

Bloodborne II/Dark Souls IV/Demon's Souls II - I guess these games are basically already the prequels/sequels to each other, and Elden Ring to all of them, but what can I say, I can't get enough and sometimes I like my sequels to have the same title and background information as the previous games in the series. =)


I think I'm forgetting some big concepts here, and honestly this list is kind of pathetic, but be again, what can I say, many of my "dream games" I've already played and my interests, if not becoming more selective, have definitely narrowed.

 

[Aazealh]

I think I'm forgetting some big concepts here, and honestly this list is kind of pathetic

It's not pathetic enough yet! You forgot... DEEP DOWN!

 

[Lawliet]

Bloodborne II

Yes, please!

Kidding aside, sort of, since I'm inherently skeptical of supergroups or "dream teams"

Hehe. That's why I said assume it will work out anyway.

...my dream games are more one's that could have been or concepts I'd still like to see. Now, I've been fortunate to actually see a number of these realized: GTA San Andreas (California do-anything simulator), Mega Man 9 (another classic Mega Man), Fallout 3/New Vegas (first person Fallout, and then by the original Black Isle team!), Shovel Knight (transcendent classic Mega Man/Duck Tales with full 2-player co-op!), Resident Evil 2 Remake (RE2's soul in RE4's body), etc etc. There are more, but let's focus on the one's that got away or which I'd still like to see:

That's an interesting take too; I'll have to make a list of my own then. And another list of games I was fortunate to see happen too.

Metal Gear Solid V: Director's Cut and the Kojima directed sequel/remake teased at the end that could have brought the series and the two main Snakes full circle: Metal Gear Solid VI: Operation Intrude N313 (should probably just subtitle it "Outer Heaven" =). Just buy it for Kojima, Sony, it's probably a better bargain than giving him a blank check in perpetuity for whatever he feels like doing.

If we're talking Metal Gear, I would go nuts for a remake of MGS3. But I doubt Kojima would ever want to touch MGS again. I mean, he only "retired" from it a bunch of times. If anything, this man should just go to Hollywood fulltime, given his passion for movies. I don't know what's holding him back from it. He already has the name and the contacts.

Mega Man 12, classic style, full co-op. This should have been Mega Man 10, and again, got the best equivalent in Shovel Knight.

I grew up with the Mega Man X series, so I agree with the above but of course with the style of MMX. In fact, I'd take an entire game just playing as Zero.

Street Fighter Vs. Mortal Kombat - Probably never going to happen beyond a DLC character swap if we're lucky.

Oh yeah, plenty of people have dreamed that too. Wonder if Capcom is down to have their characters dismembered in all sorts of horrific ways. It's just weird to have MK without the gore, as MK vs DC showed.

Resident Evil Code Veronica Remake - But it's actually good.

You guys discussed this at length already. I'll only say that it will be very difficult to take a "serious" version of CV, well, seriously. I can't separate it from the goofiness I witnessed.

Diablo IV - But it's actually good.

More importantly, it should be consumer friendly. After the ridiculous fiasco that was Diablo Immoral Immortal, I don't imagine people will be thrilled to come within 30 feet of a Blizzard product again. Did you know it takes around 10 years and $100k to max out your character in the latter?

King's Field VR - VR Souls. And finally, in that vein, the aforementioned...

Bloodborne II/Dark Souls IV/Demon's Souls II - I guess these games are basically already the prequels/sequels to each other, and Elden Ring to all of them, but what can I say, I can't get enough and sometimes I like my sequels to have the same title and background information as the previous games in the series. =)

Oh fully agreed. I'd even take them without the Miyazaki "touch", although preferably not.

Also, and please don't cringe, I'll add Sekiro: Shadows Die Thrice here as well.

I think I'm forgetting some big concepts here, and honestly this list is kind of pathetic, but be again, what can I say, many of my "dream games" I've already played and my interests, if not becoming more selective, have definitely narrowed.

Yeah, it's the same with me, but you can always be surprised. Pre-pandemic days I would have balked at playing side-scrollers, and today I have a dozen of them completed. So, never say never, I guess.

 

[DogFood]

Okay, so if you could assemble your "Dream Team" for a game, what would it be and what kind of game would you have them produce? For the purpose of this thread, assume:

1. The end product will still be a coherent thing despite all the differing talents involved.
2. No budget or tech constraints.

My dream game is a berserk game made by Santa Monica studios (the same people who made god of war ps4 and god of war ragnarok) while also collaborating with Miura Sensei and Hidetaka Miyazaki.

For the music it would be Susumu Hirasawa, Yuka Kitamura, Tsukasa Saitoh, Motoi Sakuraba, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shoi Miyasawa, Yoshimi Kudo and Tai Tomisawa.

The combat and gameplay would be similar to that of god of war ps4 and ragnarok and it would be semi open world. The combat and gameplay of those games fit perfectly for a berserk game as well as a semi open world fits a berserk game more rather then an open world game like Elden ring or Witcher 3 in my opinion.

 

[Ysbryd]

I would absolutely love it if CAVE developed another full-fledged arcade Shoot 'em up, we haven't gotten anything since DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou in 2012 and it hurts; in a perfect world, it would be another DoDonPachi installment or a Ketsui sequel.

Outside of that, ever since I was a kid I have always wanted a Tekken VS Mortal Kombat game with Tekken's mechanics combined with some of the cool special moves and fatalities from Mortal Kombat (and all the glorious gore that comes along with it). If they could include the entire cast of both franchises and somehow still make it fun and balanced, I don't think I would touch another fighting game.

 

[VladimirPutin]

I'm a science fiction and cyberpunk fan, first of all. So I'll go with that. I love that Cyberpunk 2077 didn't go with this generic ( it is generic, just look at cyberpunk Google results) Blade Runner esque vibe with Edward Hopper's Nighthawks noir and intricate city architecture - cyberpunk buildings are pretty small for a cyberpunk fiction.

But I think this time we do really need just that, this Blade Runner like game with true RPG FPP shooter experience, branching storyline, just like Deus ex. Neon/rain soaked streets are not enough, acid rains and never ending darkness through day and night are not enough. Less punk and more neo-noir setting sounds just about right.