I can name you at least 10 with better track records, and calling ND better than Miyamoto, Kojima, Blizzard, Nintendo, Epic, Activision, Bathesda, Intelligent Systems, or Valve is just a shame, imo.

They're a cool company, make great games, are great to work for, very hip, and develop exclusively for the PS3. That's why people would tout them. Were they exclusive developers for the 360, I'm sure some of the same people would be flaming them, but I digress.

Let me just quickly reference the facts that longevity, metacritic, and sales disagree with any assertion that they are the "best developers ever" and not a single one of their games could ever be a "best game of all time," that I've ever heard anyone claim.

Give me one game Naughty Dog has made that wasn't good.

Give me one game from Naughty Dog that could be in contention for "best game of all time."

Respect to Naughty Dog.

That said, just because they work hard to make good games, doesn't mean they have the talent to make the best games, and they haven't proven they have that talent so far.

I can name multiple games from all those developers that could be considered amongst the top games ever. None from Naughty Dog.

Sure, most of their games have been good. Have any been great? I'm not so sure.

That said, their track record of making good games does not yet have the longevity to stand as a significant achievement.

This is a developer who has benefited greatly from the fame of exclusivity this generation.

If someone is going to claim a company is one of the "best developers of all time" they should have to back it up. I'm bashing the claim, not the company.

IMO, no one should ever make such a light hearted claim off-handedly.

There are many more developers who have made much better games for far longer than ND, like Blizzard for instance, or Nintendo, or Square-Soft during the Playstation days.

Honestly, do you think any game by ND is equal to a Secret of Mana, or FFVII?

Do you think any ND game is better than an early Zelda, or Mario Brothers?

Do you think the company whose last game was Resistance 2, should be mentioned in the same breath as the creator of the Metal Gear Solid series?

How bout Valve? You really think any ND game compares to Portal?

Are there any "Must play" naughty dog games so far?

Just because they are above average on a consistant basis for a few years, doesn't mean they rival Nintendo. Back up your assertions, sir.

Now, as far as ND being a great developer, sure are. Not the best though. Still have a lot of working to prove that leap.

ND are lazy, because the graphical difference between U1 and U2 prove how much they didn't try last time.

Explain your opinion then. How has Naughty Dog proven that they have the talent to make the best games? Name the games, or any specific instance in a game where they have proven that they could make something as good as Secret of Mana, FFVII, OOT, LTTP, Half-Life?

Where are these epic games that prove their omnipotence in gaming, because I must have missed them.

Surely you don't mean Rachet and Clank?

What is your favorite Naughty Dog game?

As far as your assertion that ND is one of the industries most respected developers, they certainly are. They have a great work force and great people. They are very much respected for putting out great content. However, nobody thinks their games are the best games they've every played. Even you, a huge PS3 and ND fan, seem to be reluctant to name one of their games as "contender for best game ever."

Are any of them even close to contention for that presigious title?

Wouldn't you feel ashamed for listing any of their games in that hallowed hall?

Another thing, longevity, to be "the best developer ever" you can't be a relatively new company. IMO, you have to prove yourself over a significant period of time, relative to competition. Would you disagree?

Why am I being framed as the evil one here? Just because I won't accept the claims that ND is as good as Valve, without some sort of explination, that no one seems willing or capable to give?

Can you at least explain your opinion, with a real life example.

Zen, dude...that's two posts now. Naughty Dog =/= Insomniac!

"Do you think the company whose last game was Resistance 2, should be mentioned in the same breath as the creator of the Metal Gear Solid series?

Surely you don't mean Rachet and Clank?"

Both Insomniac

Firstly, Naughty Dog didn't make Resistance 2, that was Insomniac, and it was certainly below their normal quality.

Naughty Dog's last game was Uncharted. In fact, they've never made anything short of an amazing game (in the last 15 years- I say this because Rol pointed out some random crappy 3DO ND game). Uncharted is fantastic, and I suppose for some people it might be better than those games you named- along with the Jak series and Crash Bandicoot. I don't think ND are the best developers ever, not even close- they're not even my favourite Sony developers. But some people might, and your opinion is no more correct than theirs.

Zen, did you really just go on a multi-post tirade about how your opinion was correct and everyone else's was wrong, yet you didn't even know what studio you were talking about?

I would say I'm shocked, but I'm really not.

It fits with your usual posting style.  You often have a pre-conceived opinion about something and defend this position to the death, despite sometimes having little actual knowledge of the subject at hand.