What's in a (Videogame) Name?

Y'know, sometimes the simplest titles are the best choices.

Case in point: Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal. I'm a big fan of the series, but half the time I couldn't tell you whether that game came before or after Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando. Then there's the upcoming Ratchet: Deadlocked, which is only a side game and not meant to be "Ratchet & Clank 4" (I guess the clue is that it doesn't have "& Clank" in the title.) God help new players who come to the series looking to play the games in order. Would it really have hurt to have put "2s" and "3s" in the titles?

There's another problem with dropping numbers. In the past I've been conditioned to look at unnumbered sequels as side games, like Resident Evil: Outbreak. People might pass up a title like Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and wait for "Ratchet & Clank 2" instead.

Many other game names are either too bland and undescriptive (Cold Winter; Snowblind), or too confusing (Viewtiful Joe; Sly Cooper and the Thievious Raccoonus). And let's not forget the trend to tack on long, unncessecary subtitles (like Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade, and the Scrabble-winning Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords).

Japanese titles are weird because, while they often don't make any sense, they still sound cool (see Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, and Resident Evil). Having a nice ring to your title still isn't enough in today's market though, when western-developed games are making the English-as-a-second-language titles look more awkward. Then there are the Japanese game names that mean nothing whatsoever to U.S. consumers, like Onimusha, Tekken, Tenchu, etc.

What makes a good game title? To start with, it should be unique, reflect the feel of the game, be clear and catchy, and be as succinct as possible. A subtitle can work, but it should also adhere to these goals, and it should also help to differentiate the game from the others in the series. Using a movie as an example, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope works well.

I'll bet that something as seemingly trivial as a game's title can have a massive impact on its sales. A good title will hook you, excite you, and convey the type of amazing experience that awaits you. A bad title is generic, dull, confusing, and long-winded. Most publishers can really improve on how they name their games.

I could also talk about bad box art and advertising, but I'll save those for later rants ;)