A critique of game review websites

[Brightonrock]

I hope that my post will inspire intelligent no flamming debate.
I just got done reading the review for COD 2 at gamespot, which recieved a 8.8. I do not know if it deserves it or not because I am yet to play the game. My concern is that while comparing the review for Quake 4 and the review from COD 2 I noticed that positives for COD 2 were negatives for Quake 4. When they were discussing the multiplayer for COD 2 they say:

"Multiplayer Call of Duty 2 picks up right where the original left off, offering standard deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture-the-flag modes, along with the search-and-destroy mode from the original game"

This statment is saying that the multiplayer is the same as orginal COD but when Quake 4 delivered the same as Quake 3 it was given a negative stigma. I think that the reviewer is not using a constant formula for reviewing games. I understand that in some sense reviewing a game is subjective and not able to be reviewed by some formula or equation. But at the same time I think it is important to stick to the same criteria accross the board.

 

[shard]

I think they are different reviewers too. But yeah, it is pretty rediculous how many review companies do that. Take for instance PC Gamer, their main editors tend to tell it how it is, but some of their other editors tend to be full of it, and just plain rag on the game becuase they felt like it.

 

[superdaveviii]

Reviews from sites and magazines are to games as to what movie critics are to films. They are paid to give their opinion on a game. This opinion will not reflect everyone. I can think of a myriad of movies that were met with extremely harsh reviews by a majority of critics, however, many people feel that in some particular instances they are flat out wrong.

I take reviews with a grain of salt. The only person I listen to is myself after I'm done playing the demo, which imo, any self respecting company will release shortly prior to or with release. 50 dollars is a lot to waste on a game that you very well may not enjoy, or have technical problems with, especially when almost every point of purchase for software will not allow straight up returns. You don't buy a new car without test driving it, after all.

 

[Brightonrock]

Well while I do agree that in the end your own opinion is what matter to yourself that opinion you have is based on some criteria that you have. So while a reviewers article about a game may be his or hers opinion that opinion is based on criteria and that criteria should be accross the board.

I also agree with your demo comment. I think it is in a game developers best interest to put out a good demo.

 

[OC Noob]

Yeah, game reviewers are often young adults that aren't typically too objective. They tend to favore franchises/devs/companies that they grew up with or to have biases against certain genres.

Take Far Cry and its review in Electronic Gaming Monthly for instance. It recieved a 7/10 because the reviewer complained it was too hard and he said the AI was cheap because they would spot him and head shot him from very far distances.

Well, you and I know that Far Cry is a much better than 7/10 game and any idiot knows when he is being detected with the indicator. There is an obvious problem with this reviewer reviewing Far Cry.

Far Cry Instincts gets reviewed by the same mag and they sight the previous reviews complaints and give it an 8.(something)/10 and sight the same thing how the AI was cheap because they got owned. They do say that there are some very cool improvements over the original Far Cry, yet rip it because they suck at FPSers.

I read through the more western titles (FPSers, etc) in that mag (EGM) and they tend to get rather poor scores compared to other mags.

There are just some sites/publications you have to relize there is a problem when reading reviews. Think that anything free or $5 a year for mags is probably **** poor and most are.

Gamespot is a bit different as they are very hard on games and I think the best review they've had in the last few years is a 9.4 for RE:4 (could be wrong, thats off the top of my head), but they don't hand out 10/10's and a high 8 can often get 10/10 from most sites/mags. There scale is a bit different. Also PC/western style games tend to score a bit lower than eastern/Japanesse games on that site too. Check out any FPSer or even PC masterpiece from the last 5 years and it more than likely recieved a very low 9 to high 8.

Hence, a high 8 is very good praise for a PC FPSers from them and I wouldn't worry at all.

And yes, game reviewers are a bit young and inconsistant bunch that will praise a game for something and rip another game for the same exact thing the next review. It more often then not is based on emotion and not objectivity.


ps for some reason sports titles do very well at gamespot too, but I'm not sure why.

 

[Brightonrock]

hey oc nice points.........

the one thing i give them like u said is they dont hand out 10's very often (do they ever?)

 

[maxio098ui]

the only reviewers i trust fully is www.gamerevolution.com
i think all oher reviewers are fanboys and/or commercial

 

[Captain Newbie]

I look at reviewers just like I look at news sources. I don't read just one, and usually I don't base my decisions off of just reviews. A broad perspective is required, and that means lots of opinions. Sadly, too, many of the reviewers have more-than-friendly relations with the game industry. Thus, it is prudent to read with a questioning eye.

The magazine I dislike the most is Maximum PC, for I believe it is Minimum PC and Maximum BS.

That's why it's important to be part of a community like this. Communities like this tend to give a broad perspective and an environment for discussion. I value the opinions of many people here MORE than review sites.

 

[Brightonrock]

ya at least we always have forums!

 

[squads]

i use gamerankings.com to get a general idea of how a game was rated. most games are rated pretty consistently but i usually skim through a couple different reviews to get a feel for a game.

 

[Janus67]

hey oc nice points.........

the one thing i give them like u said is they dont hand out 10's very often (do they ever?)

yes:

http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?...&page_type=games&dlx_type=all&date_filter=all

Top Rated Games of All Time


10.0
perfect
Chrono Cross (PS)
Release Date: Aug 15, 2000

Chrono Cross may not have had the largest budget, but it has the largest heart.
Full Review »

10.0
perfect
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)
Release Date: Oct 28, 2001

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 strikes a perfect balance between new and old and renders the two previous entries in the series almost completely obsolete in the process.
Full Review »

10.0
perfect
Soul Calibur (DC)
Release Date: Sep 8, 1999

Think state of the art.
Full Review »

10.0
perfect
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Release Date: Nov 24, 1998

Ocarina of Time definitely follows in the footsteps of the previous games, and the result is a game that can't be called anything other than flawless.
Full Review »

 

[OC Noob]

I look at reviewers just like I look at news sources. I don't read just one, and usually I don't base my decisions off of just reviews. A broad perspective is required, and that means lots of opinions. Sadly, too, many of the reviewers have more-than-friendly relations with the game industry. Thus, it is prudent to read with a questioning eye.

The magazine I dislike the most is Maximum PC, for I believe it is Minimum PC and Maximum BS.

That's why it's important to be part of a community like this. Communities like this tend to give a broad perspective and an environment for discussion. I value the opinions of many people here MORE than review sites.

Amen brother. This is and other forums are the best place to go for your info.

 

[Brightonrock]

yes:

http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?...&page_type=games&dlx_type=all&date_filter=all

Top Rated Games of All Time


10.0
perfect
Chrono Cross (PS)
Release Date: Aug 15, 2000

Chrono Cross may not have had the largest budget, but it has the largest heart.
Full Review »

10.0
perfect
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)
Release Date: Oct 28, 2001

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 strikes a perfect balance between new and old and renders the two previous entries in the series almost completely obsolete in the process.
Full Review »

10.0
perfect
Soul Calibur (DC)
Release Date: Sep 8, 1999

Think state of the art.
Full Review »

10.0
perfect
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Release Date: Nov 24, 1998

Ocarina of Time definitely follows in the footsteps of the previous games, and the result is a game that can't be called anything other than flawless.
Full Review »

hey janus thanks for the linkage..........is that all the 10's ever given or is that just a handful of them.......

 

[fuzzba11]

It's pretty easy to spot an over critical review when there are so many sites that you can visit. Much like Quake 4, when Interstate '76 came out, PC Gamer gave it a review of around 70! Yet I know both of these reviews are flawed because both games received scores of 80% or above in the rest of the press.

I find Gamestop user ratings to sometimes give a more leniant score based on an end user experience. If a reviewer has just played FEAR and given it a score of 92%, obviously if they play Quake 4 afterwards the single player experience isn't nearly as impressive. At least a gamer will be basing their score on how happy they feel with the game when they pick it up.

 

[9mmCensor]

Game reviews suck.

The only person I trust to tell me what is a fun game is me.

 

[ninthebin]

I used to generally like reading pc gamer reviews - I dont base any of my buying decisions on what games get rated by some random joe, I can generally tell from a little background info and a screenshot or vid or two whether or not its something im going to want to play or buy.

but recently seeing something to the effect of:
"too repetitive" in a pc gamer review of quake iv got me a little riled...

if that reviewer had of played anything online...ever... he woud have known it generally involves you running around the same little set of rooms / corridors over and over for months if not years on end - lets hope the same reviewer doesnt do UT2007, poor epic might not make 50%