What still needs to be improved?
Bug testing. The increasing move toward PC ports of console games is making computer games the stepchild of the industry. PC games are increasingly buggy or poorly designed because they're a byproduct instead of the main attraction.

Writing. There are too many poorly designed games rushed to market to make money on the coattails of a blockbuster film. The original games are the best. Quit recycling old superheroes, I say. The new ones, like Cate Archer, are far more interesting.

What was the best "sleeper" game of the past year and what made it stand out?
Unreal II: The Awakening. Ha ha, sorry. I thought you said what game was best at making you go to sleep. The sleeper for me was Arx Fatalis. Didn't always succeed, but made a valiant stab at trying to extend the bounds of RPG and meld it with FPS. Full of little nooks and crannies and quests set in a gloomy dungeon of a world. I felt like I was there.

Who, in your opinion, are consistently the best game developers and what makes them so?
The folks who create original games (not tied to films) and deliver them when they're completely ready - id and Blizzard come to mind immediately. I would have to think hard to come up with others who never release a turkey.

If you could give game developers 3 tips that might help their games receive more critical-acclaim, what would they be?
I can only speak for the PC side since that's all I cover, but I would say:

Make it PC. If you're going to release a game for PC make sure it's a game for PC, not an afterthought cobbled together from console code. Too many current titles suffer from console-itis - poor controls, lack of save points and other nightmares for PC gamers. PCs have a mouse - make sure game players can use it.

Make it fun for me. Make sure the game is playable and fun for a single player. Don't tack on single-player levels as an afterthought to a multiplayer game. Not everyone is on the Internet all the time, or wants to play multiplayer all the time. Some people have tight schedules and have to squeeze in playing in short bursts. Make games to accommodate those players.

Listen to me. Listen, respond and react to feedback from the people who buy your games. If the user forums want you to respond to complaints about bugs, say something, even if it's only "we're listening and trying to solve the problem." People who pay $40 for a game don't want to feel they've wasted their money. They want a little acknowledgment of their pain and suffering.

Next >>>