Author Topic: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'  (Read 217404 times)

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Offline Mario

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The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« on: September 10, 2008, 01:23:23 AM »
This topic is basically about reviews, I was going to make it about how it sucks as a whole, but it got too depressing. We all know that Gamespot / IGN / 1up etc. all offer completely terrible reviews, have crap staff, and just plain embarrass themselves on a daily basis in almost every "opinion" piece they put up.

I want to use this thread to post crap reviews, and why they are crap, so if you know a crappy review for a game you own and actually know about, go nuts and post. I just came across this review that spawned this thread.

http://au.wii.ign.com/articles/907/907568p1.html - Ferrari Challenge Wii

They copy / pasted the PS3 review with a few different words. LITERALLY, it's the SAME review. No mention of the controls or controller, so this was planned. Pretty much the only unique thing about the Wii version, its motion wheel controls, not mentioned. PS3 versions online play, not talked about in that versions review. Differences between versions like frame rates, and amount of cars on screen, nope. Both versions got the exact same score despite the PS3 version having a massive amount of extra features, better graphics and better controls. However the most painful time I had comparing them was my browser struggling to breathe when I had multiple ad-infested IGN tabs open. The PS2 version also got a lower score than the Wii version (same text as well) despite being the SAME exact game with superior controls. Anwyway the review also has CLEAR flaws that can be proven as factual lies.

Lies
Quote
Even if it wouldn't be as accurate, the game would have done better to have the camera closer to the windshield.
It's a sim, that would NOT be better.
Quote
With each race running for 15 minutes or more, and with two races per weekend, that means each "event" is a good half-hour of driving. This would be fine except that if you're good and can get out in front fairly quickly, you'll spend 20+ minutes driving with no competition ahead of you.
No. There is an option in the game, to make it as short as 5 minutes. He didn't even go to the options menu, in a customisable driving simulator. The game is also much harder than that and there's no WAY you can win your first race by a large margin. Quite frankly this review could have been written just by looking at the screenshots and reading the PR info.

Contradictions
1
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I'm a pretty big fan of racing games, and I love everything from Burnout to Gran Turismo.
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hard to tackle most of the tracks without the driving line turned on
2
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With Ferraris being your only option to drive, there isn't a ton of variety to speak of
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you'll unlock faster cars, like the F50 or the FXX, and you'll also delve back into Ferrari's past with some classic rides
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ranging from raw power and performance of the newer models to the rather unassisted handling of models from the '50s and earlier
The entire customisation aspect of the game is also completely ignored.

Plain stupidity
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"the game feels fairly linear at times"
What? You can drive off the track into the sand if you want. What else do you expect?

This isn't a matter of opinion, the review is completely **** for having crap information. You could find more about the game on the back of the box. If it was a matter of opinion, it would still be **** because this persons has the worst personality ever, and a shitty opinion. The whole "dont give a ****" attitude is not appropriate for someone getting paid, to spend 5 minutes a day copy and pasting and making fart noises with his armpits, on the most visited gaming website in the world. Then the BIGGEST thing of all. The Wii version actually has a game breaking flaw, 1 and 2 buttons on the Wiimote do not register at all while shifting gears. Not even mentioned. Also one of my biggest problems with the game, the load times, not mentioned either.

WHAT is the point of reviews like this, if they don't help consumers? Besides being POINTLESS, which we can disregard, for the sole reason they exist. This IGN review of the game is the ONLY review up on the entire internet at  the moment. They have a copy of the game (actually, they might not) and they've completely shat on their responsibility to tell people what it's like. Sure I could put up a blog somewhere with my own review, but nobody is going to find that in google search. I've seen reviews like this before, games they think nobody will play. Games they don't WANT anybody to play. They think they can "get away" with reviews where they basically ignore the game and high five themselves during the review talking about how they licked some guys hairy balls in high school instead. I actually had my account deleted at IGN after POLITELY (yes I know hard to believe) commenting on several reviews correcting facts, so they are fully aware of their consistent level of failure.

Another reason this completely annoys me is having stupid friends who constantly spout annoying "facts" about games that they read from IGN or Gamespot and having to correct them about almost everything. It's completely embarrassing being associated with these "hardcore" game sites just because i'm heavy into videogames myself.

Offline DAaaMan64

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2008, 01:33:45 AM »
I actually read that shitty review and I agree. The Linear comment is ridiculous. I may pick up this game JUST because of YOU.
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Offline that Baby guy

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2008, 01:48:24 AM »
Let's the three of us start an amazing review magazine.
But then we'll post everything in the magazine online for free, with more detail and pictures, then complain when people don't subscribe.

Can I run the rumor section?  Square-Enix is going to make a sequel to Final Fantasy XIII.  I'm qualified!

Offline KDR_11k

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2008, 01:54:16 AM »
I actually read that shitty review and I agree. The Linear comment is ridiculous. I may pick up this game JUST because of YOU.

Mario said it has a gamebreaking bug, I don't think that's a recommendation.

Offline Nick DiMola

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2008, 06:43:09 AM »
Well I know I'm kind of part of the game media myself at this point, but I couldn't agree more. Mario, you make alot of great points, but the one that really drove it home for me was this one:

I've seen reviews like this before, games they think nobody will play. Games they don't WANT anybody to play. They think they can "get away" with reviews where they basically ignore the game and high five themselves during the review talking about how they licked some guys hairy balls in high school instead.

I've seen this one a bunch of times. Sites believe a certain game is actually beneath them for whatever reason and **** all over it. IGN's Helix review is a great example of this. They barely justify the 4.3 they gave it, and abstract the review with "It'll only cost you $10 and your dignity." WHAT? To me that makes it pretty clear that he felt like a tool playing it, so his way of saving other people from possibly looking uncool is to drop a huge deuce on one of the best WiiWare games available.

Alot of people did this same thing to a bunch of Wii launch games. Lowered the score because they were scared that people might actual like this whole "casual gaming" thing more than their precious Xbox 360 first person shooters. Excite Truck got a fat shaft and that still remains one of my favorite games on Wii.

Now of course, being on this side of the fence, I can put my thoughts out there and people will be able to read them. I try to show deference to everything I review even if I don't like it. I can't say I'm any sort of professional at this stuff, but even as a hobbyist I feel it is my job to provide people with correct information and give them a thorough and accurate depiction of the game so they can decide whether to Buy/Try/Avoid the game.
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Offline Morari

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2008, 10:06:13 AM »
Excite Truck got a fat shaft and that still remains one of my favorite games on Wii.

I'd still be paying Excite Truck if the multiplayer split screen had been horizontal instead of vertical. As it stands, there are no options to change it, making the game very far from fun in extended multiplayer sessions. I do wish that all games would allot me the choice to play my own music in the background however.
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Offline Caliban

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2008, 10:35:59 AM »
Mario if you're not aware, Chris Roper is a Gran Turismo slut, and super biased on any subject Gran Turismo, so he compares all racing games to what he thinks is a masterful game, but little does he know that Gran Turismo is a really poor example of a driving simulator.

Offline ShyGuy

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2008, 11:20:49 AM »
LOL, IGN Australia.


1up struggles to keep their doors open and IGN can afford Australian coverage. Both ends of the financial spectrum are rotten. Destroy gaming media as a whole.

Offline NWR_Lindy

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2008, 02:48:54 PM »
The funny thing with IGN is that they won't outline game-specific differences in a review, because they save that for their Insider head-to-heads...which you must pay for.  It's pretty disappointing.
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Offline KDR_11k

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2008, 04:20:43 PM »
Heh, like that'd make me pay them.

Offline D_Average

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2008, 04:44:45 PM »
Nice thread, I thought I was the only one who noticed that ridiculous laziness in regards to the Ferrari Challenge Wii review.

I'll post another link to an IGN review.  Its bozo's review of Madden 09.  The game is great and all, and received a just score, but the little turd didn't mention once how the motion controls work.  Are they better than last years iteration?  Does is always throw to the right receiver?  Does it make the game more enjoyable?  Considering the game includes no classic or GC controller support, these are valid questions.
http://wii.ign.com/articles/897/897601p1.html
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Offline Mario

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2008, 12:30:46 AM »
That Madden one is even more shameful because it's a very popular game. The Wii launch games is a good point, and even DS launch games, Feel the Magic and Downhill Jam are both great games who were unfortunate victims to this. If they came out now they'd be praised as "finally some more innovative new stuff!" or "a step forward".
LOL, IGN Australia.


1up struggles to keep their doors open and IGN can afford Australian coverage. Both ends of the financial spectrum are rotten. Destroy gaming media as a whole.
It just gets au put in front whenever I visit the website, that's the US content.
Mario if you're not aware, Chris Roper is a Gran Turismo slut, and super biased on any subject Gran Turismo, so he compares all racing games to what he thinks is a masterful game, but little does he know that Gran Turismo is a really poor example of a driving simulator.
I'm not aware, that makes it interesting and more expected, but a review is about a product not the person. If you were blind you wouldn't put "the game sucks because I can't see it, don't waste your time" in a review. That also confirms the theory that the review is about this guy not wanting anyone to play the game, because it's not Gran Turismo.

As for the game Ferrari Challenge there's a thread about it in the Wii board if you want to talk about that, i'll do a review for it whenever I 'finish' it. I like it but it's definitely not for everyone, not for most people in fact. Do some research before you consider it, I hear IGN has a review up. (LOL)
Quote
"It'll only cost you $10 and your dignity." WHAT? To me that makes it pretty clear that he felt like a tool playing it, so his way of saving other people from possibly looking uncool is to drop a huge deuce on one of the best WiiWare games available.
LOL horrible memories of Gamespot playing Wii Sports sitting down barely moving.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2008, 12:34:57 AM by Mario »

Offline KDR_11k

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2008, 02:44:32 AM »
BUT MOVING IS FOR CASUALS! WE MUST REMAIN HARDCORE AND SIT ON THE COUCH UNTIL WE BECOME ONE WITH IT!

Offline Smash_Brother

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2008, 04:16:06 PM »
LOL at the "fairly linear" description being used on a RACING GAME!
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Offline Mario

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2008, 08:34:26 PM »
IGNs Wii Music review turned out to be just pure wankery and emotionally biased, to the point where random words are manipulated and logic is ignored just to get their 3 month old point across. I would be so embarrassed to be associated with IGN.
Quote
"5.0 Lasting Appeal
60 instruments and just as many songs, not to mention the ability to trade renditions with friends. There's even a four-player jam mode. It's all there, but the core package just isn't that fun."
Huh? So the lasting appeal is awesome, despite their opinion on the game, yet the score for lasting appeal is still crap? Why even bother with it? This happens all the time too. NWR seems to be the only site to treat categories independently.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2008, 08:38:01 PM by Mario »

Offline Bill Aurion

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #15 on: October 17, 2008, 09:55:51 PM »
IGNs Wii Music review turned out to be IGN just being IGN

Yep...
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Offline NWR_Lindy

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2008, 04:23:33 AM »
Nah, it's just one man's opinion of the game.  Knowing Cassamassina's tastes, I can totally see how he'd have a "Meh" reaction to Wii Music.  Let's just say that he's looking for a quite a bit more than what that game has to offer.

I appreciate his honest review, because I figure that he generally likes what I like (for the most part, he's more of a Nintendo homer though) so can tell that I'd have the same reaction to it.  If he would have given it a 9.0, I would have really been interested in it because I know going in that he'd be a very hard person for Wii Music to please.
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Offline Mario

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #17 on: October 18, 2008, 06:00:28 AM »
Are you STUPID? BRAIN DEAD? Who cares how crap the game is, the lasting appeal thing is bottled bullshit in a can.

Offline KDR_11k

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #18 on: October 18, 2008, 06:26:40 AM »
Not only that, all the compnent scores are low for some reason.

Offline NinGurl69 *huggles

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #19 on: October 18, 2008, 06:39:10 AM »
Lol IGN
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If anything, it's only confirmed my suspicions, specifically that Nintendo's first step into the music / rhythm genre is actually a misstep

First step?

Mario Paint
Donkey Konga
Elite Beat Agents

and probably others.
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Offline KDR_11k

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #20 on: October 18, 2008, 07:24:10 AM »
Was EBA actually made by Nintendo or just published by them?

Offline Flames_of_chaos

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #21 on: October 18, 2008, 09:50:57 AM »
Was EBA actually made by Nintendo or just published by them?

Published, Inis developed Ouendan/EBA.  Namco's Taiko No Tetsujin/Taiko Drum master team made Donkey Konga. So legitimately Nintendo made the music portion of Mario Paint, Rhythm Tengoku, Wii Music. There may be some others that I'm missing though.
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Offline D_Average

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2008, 12:10:07 PM »
IGNs Wii Music review turned out to be just pure wankery and emotionally biased, to the point where random words are manipulated and logic is ignored just to get their 3 month old point across. I would be so embarrassed to be associated with IGN.
Quote
"5.0 Lasting Appeal
60 instruments and just as many songs, not to mention the ability to trade renditions with friends. There's even a four-player jam mode. It's all there, but the core package just isn't that fun."
Huh? So the lasting appeal is awesome, despite their opinion on the game, yet the score for lasting appeal is still crap? Why even bother with it? This happens all the time too. NWR seems to be the only site to treat categories independently.

He never said the lasting appeal was "awesome".  He simply stated it had the potential with all of the songs and one not.  But when you have a core package thats lame, whats the point of going back?

Basically, its equivalent to a GIANT box of Fiber One cereal.   Sure, it'll last you a while, but is it something you really wanna go back to?
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Offline mac<censored>

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2008, 06:18:04 PM »
bottled bull**** in a can.
Kind of sums up IGN really...

Offline KDR_11k

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Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'
« Reply #24 on: October 19, 2008, 09:00:52 AM »
What exactly do you have a "lasting appeal" score for if it's just going to reflect the gameplay score?