Rare doesn't need help, but they can use help. The reality is the developer is pretty spot on with their own past performance. Run the averages for their games on the 64 and 360. They are in the mid eighties on both platforms. The difference being that on the 360 Rare is far more consistent. While on the 64 they had wild swings. One game would be in the high nineties, and another may be in the seventies.
What I find more troubling is the fact that they are no longer producing the volume, and not scoring a critically acclaimed title. During the 64 generation you would have been justified in saying that without Rare propping up Nintendo the console would probably have done much worse. Rare was able to bring quality and volume. Not necessarily both at the same time. Though you could hardly cast your eyes away as they brought more then two titles to the console per year.
Which is amazing when you think about it. Even at the time most first or second parties couldn't hope to deliver more then one game a year. Let alone have a year where they brought three. Then to have one of them be a game of the year contender. Rare was just a machine plain and simple.
Rare isn't doing anything particularly wrong, but they just seem to have lost their potency. We may have been blinded in the 64 generation. It is easy to shine in a nearly empty room after all. However I think it is safe to say we need to see Rare delivering more then one game every two years, and we need to see at least a game hitting over a ninety.
Honestly I think Molyneux may be just what Rare needs. Someone vocal to get gamers looking in that direction. More importantly they need someone that will fight for them at Microsoft. That is the real problem they have. Microsoft is pigeon holing Rare as their mainstream family friendly studio. That is a terrible waste in my humble opinion. Rare was always a more edgy developer that was incredibly strong in the area of mechanics.
I look at Nuts and Bolts, and the word that springs to mind is potential. This game had a great notion in vehicle crafting. Had it been catered to the hardcore demographic I have little doubt it would have been a massive success. These mechanics could have allowed for a game that was equal parts Halo and Mario Kart.
Imagine a online sixteen player death match where every player uses their own self crafted vehicles to have at one another. The possibilities are endless, and I doubt anyone in this thread would argue that would not have been highly fun. In fact I hope that Rare keeps that formula in mind, but it goes to show you Rare has good ideas they are just not getting to use them to their best potential.
Rare needs someone to get them unchained, and whether you like Molyneux or not he did one important thing with Halo. His game was accessible to the very young. Without costing the more mature player any enjoyment. Were Rare to have developed Fable I highly doubt that the big boys at Microsoft would have allowed them to do half the shit that made Fable 2 so much fun.
