Summary
BioWareis a big name in the video gaming industry, having been behind the creation of some of themost popular video gamesto date since the founding of the company by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip in 1995. These include classicBioWarefranchises likeMass Effect,as well as others that have won countless Game of the Year awards, likeDragon Age: Inquisition,back in 2014.
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Although these titles are easy to recall owing to theirmassive impact on video gaming, there are some BioWare games that have been forgotten over time, not necessarily because they were bad or unsuccessful games, but simply because they might have been overshadowed by large BioWare franchises such asMass Effect,Star Wars,andDragon Age.
6Shattered Steel
The first BioWare game ever made wasShattered Steel,released in 1996. The game is a mech simulation game that allows the player to travel to five different planets in a post-apocalyptic future where human beings have gone extinct.
The single-player story campaign features around 20 missions on each planet, with the player fighting aliens that look vaguely like different types of insects in a “planet runner” - a large machine-like vehicle with two legs that can run and shoot. The game was a modest success, with fairly average reviews, and was available on MS-DOS and macOS.
5MDK2
BioWare’s second sci-fi game,MDK2was released in 2000for Dreamcast, Windows, PlayStation 2, and the Wii console. The game is a third-person shooter that features three playable characters named Kurt, Hawkins, and Max. Depending on which character the player chooses, one gains certain strengths and weaknesses.
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The story ofMDK2is a classic sci-fi one - aliens invade Earth and the three heroes - in the form of an intelligent dog, an alien-looking creature, and a scientist - need to stop them. The game was very well received, and even won an Editor’s Choice award for its beautiful art direction, fun boss fights, and great level design, which features a lot of puzzles and not only straightforward shooting.
4Baldur’s Gate
Owing to the very successfulBaldur’s Gate 3, which was released recently and gained the status of being one of thehighest-rated games of all time, many are familiar with the franchise. However, many might have forgotten the original game, which was developed by BioWare and not Larian Studios.
The firstBaldur’s Gatewas released in 1998 for Windows and in 2000 for Mac. Even at that time, the game was praised for revolutionizing computer role-playing games and was the first to use the Infinity Engine for its graphics. It was well-received all around and was heralded as one of the best RPGs of its time.
3Neverwinter Nights
Another successful fantasy RPG,Neverwinter Nights,was developed by BioWare and released in 2002 for Windows, and later on other platforms, including Linux and macOS, as well as on various consoles in 2019. At the time, the game won a few Best Role Playing Game awards and received good reviews all around.
The game is based on theDungeons and Dragonsthird edition rules and was an MMORPG that could host up to 64 players at a time on a single server. The game uses the popularthird-person isometric perspectiveand included three game modes, a story campaign and multiplayer mode being among them. The sequel for the game was not developed by BioWare, but was equally successful.
2Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhoodis the only Sonic game ever developed by BioWare, and it is the onlySonic the Hedgehoggame that is an RPG. The game was published by Sega in 2008 for the Nintendo DS console and was unfortunately not adapted for other platforms like many other BioWare games were.
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The game was met with mixed feelings and reviews owing to the story and music of the game, as well as being shrouded in some controversy regarding copyright issues. Nevertheless, it was a unique entry in theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise, and it showed the potential of what a Sonic RPG could be like even though it did not seem to get it right completely.
1Jade Empire
Jade Empirewas released as an Xbox exclusive in 2005 but was later adapted to run on Windows PC and Mac. It is an RPG that is set in a fictional world that is vaguely based on Chinese mythology. The player is the last surviving Spirit Monk, who tasks themselves to defeat the corrupted Emperor Sun Hai along with their tutor, Master Li.
Interestingly,Jade Empirewas BioWare’s first RPG that was not set in an existing fictional universe, such as that ofStar WarsorDungeons and Dragons. This game too received critical acclaim from most of the industry and was another success for BioWare. Unfortunately, to date, a sequel orremake for the gamehas never been realized, despite its notable success.
