Kyle Orland

@GrandpaMasaki I think he meant that sales could have been even better if the expectations were higher initially, or that they could have capitalized on the high sales if Sony was willing to reinvest in the marketing once they saw the game could sell even without it.

@Jack Tretton Yes it was sarcasm.

@CrimsonRyan Thanks... good to be back, even if it's just for a bit.

@LaughingTarget, @Courtney: I'd love to bring it back. Did you see the very similar "It Ain't Perfect" reviews I did at Crispy Gamer (before the site went to crap)? http://kyleorland.com/blog/index.php?s=it+ain't+perfect&submit=

@Wiizer Just back to cover the Develop conference, for now.

Indeed that is the point. Look, everyone knows the positives about these games, by osmosis if nothing else. But the negatives tend to get drowned out. the nega-review isolates them and amplifies them in an entertaining and easy-to-read way.

In context, it was clear this was meant as a negative point in that review. Just FYI.

I've considered the idea of posi-reviews. Only problem is, the really awful games (I meant the ones that get, like, 20/100 averages) are ones no one has ever heard of. Picking out the positive bits form these reviews wouldn't be interesting because there's no ocntext for the reader. Also, there aren't that many positive points to stretch into a full review. Maybe someday we'll figure out how to do it right.

We actually try to do them for every game that nears or surpasses a 95% average on MetaCritic/GameRankings, regardless of whether or not they're hyped (although usually they are).

"WOW, go ahead and take all the small criticisms from a bunch of reviews and put it into one, great job."

Um, thanks?

"Are you going to do this for the positives as well or just stick to being a negative _____?"

Not sure what the ______ here is supposed to mean. I'll just assume it's a stand in for "nellie."

Yes, I am just being a negative nellie. Frankly, if you want positives about this game, you can read one of the dozens of glowing previews its received in the last year plus. Or read the ACTUAL reviews I link at the bottom, which are overwhelmingly positive.

"I don't think it is fair, not only to LBP but to any game..."

On its own, probably not, but when weighed as a small counterbalance to the overwhelming positive hype all these games receive, I like to think the Nega-reviews are perfectly fair. As I wrote: "This isn't meant as a serious critical look at a game, but rather as a counterpoint to what might seem like overly-effusive game for a game that isn't perfect (and no game is)."

They take a decent amount of time to make, but it's worth is just to "amaze" you. =)