Joystiq

Trends of launch game review scores across generations

JC Fletcher — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:30:00 EST

It can be really interesting to look through a bunch of well-organized data even (especially) if there are no easy conclusions to be drawn from it. Gamasutra's gathering of historical Metacritic/Gamerankings review data for home console launch games is just such a collection of interesting, difficult to interpret numbers.

Aggregated looks at review scores for the launches of systems from the PlayStation to the Wii U show that the PS3, Wii, and Wii U's launch games had the widest spread of review scores - a phenomenon we might attribute to the larger number of reviewing press outlets that were present for those launches.

The average review score was highest for GameCube, and lowest for PlayStation. And surprisingly, the Wii U has almost as many US launch games as the most populated platform, the PS2. That's at least one auspicious statistic for the Wii U's launch lineup, even if many of the games in it are ports.

Trends of launch game review scores across generations originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detoc: Rocksmith reviews show 'lack of enthusiasm' for innovation

JC Fletcher — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST

Laurent Detoc, Ubisoft's North American executive director, believes Rocksmith didn't fare better in reviews because it was just too innovative. "What I see when I read the reviews is a lack of enthusiasm for something that is new," Detoc told Gamasutra. "We, as human beings, tend to like what we know."

That lack of interest in new experiences, of course, is exactly what led us to say that Rocksmith "oozes boredom," suffered from audio latency, and "declines every single opportunity presented to educate the player on music theory."

He then went on to say that reviewers are asked to cover too many disparate genres. "We can't expect critics to be experts at everything," he said. That was the other unspoken issue, we suppose. Rocksmith was too new, and we don't have a dedicated "being taught how to play the guitar" critic.

Detoc: Rocksmith reviews show 'lack of enthusiasm' for innovation originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Driver San Francisco review: A beautiful dream

Jordan Mallory — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST

The Driver series has spent the majority of its twelve year lifespan in Grand Theft Auto's shadow. The original Driver may have hit consoles a full two years before Grand Theft Auto 3, but it was GTA that secured pole position in the minds of the public, and Driver has been struggling to keep up ever since. The franchise's desperate attempts to stay relevant culminated in 2006 with Driver: Parallel Lines, a game that unabashedly and haphazardly aped Grand Theft Auto in every appreciable and quantifiable way.

That was five years ago, however, and in the interim Ubisoft Reflections appears to have realized a very important and universal truth: The only way to win a game you're destined to lose is by not playing at all. Driver: San Francisco is the best Driver game there's ever been, because it is wholly and entirely true to itself.

Gallery: Driver: San Francisco (GamesCom 2011)

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Driver San Francisco review: A beautiful dream originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metacritic drops individual developer ratings for good

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST

Though Metacritic's recent policy of not only applying scores to video games, but also the individual people who created those games, drew some ire from the site's users, we thought it was a masterstroke. Assigning people arbitrary scores based on their past achievements? Seriously, the person who came up with that had to be, like, at least a 93. Sadly, the ratings were short-lived, and in a recent GamesIndustry interview, Metacritic founder Marc Doyle (a known 77) said, "We have no plans to bring it back."

Ultimately, Mr. 77 said the site isn't meant to "fuel some larger discussion over what person is more worthy than some other person." That's actually kind of a nice sentiment, but it's that lack of bloodthirstiness that's keeping Mr. Doyle from breaking into the low 80s.

Metacritic drops individual developer ratings for good originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector says reviewers 'misunderstood' Epic Mickey's camera

Justin McElroy — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST

Though plenty of reviewers (our own included) were swept up by the enchanting world of Epic Mickey, its shoddy camera has been pretty much universally maligned. Creator Warren Spector leaped to his team's defense while speaking with MTV, saying, "First, there has never been a game that I couldn't break if you give it to me for 30 seconds. I mean, I will break a camera in any game ever made. [Ed.'s note: Well, clearly.] Third-person camera is way harder than I even imagined it could be. It is the hardest problem in video game development. Everybody gets it wrong. It's just a question of how close to right do you get it."

Spector went on to claim that the issue stems from the fact that his game isn't a pure platformer, so the camera couldn't be tuned just for that purpose. "If reviewers want to give us a hard time about it because they're misunderstanding the game we made, it's not for me to tell them that they're wrong," he continued, "absolutely not."

Listen, we love Warren Spector, and Epic Mickey has plenty of good points, for sure. But "We tried to do something that was crazy hard and it didn't work" is not a suitable excuse -- unless you're going house to house and explaining the "right" way to play. (P.S. If Spector does start doing that, you probably shouldn't let him near your cameras.)

Warren Spector says reviewers 'misunderstood' Epic Mickey's camera originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alan Wake reviews have Remedy 'pretty damn far from disappointed'

Justin McElroy — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:28:00 EST

Though he insists that the Remedy team doesn't check the Alan Wake Metacritic score too frequently (sure guys), Mikko Rautalahti, a writer for the studio, said the team is "pretty damn far from disappointed" with the critical reception of the game, which will be released next Tuesday, May 18. Currently, the game has an average rating of 84, a score Rautalahti said Remedy would "have to be complete goddamn idiots to not be satisfied with."

Here in the future, we've already fallen in love with Alan Wake, gotten bored of it and moved on to wondering what Remedy has planned for a follow-up; a question Rautalahti addressed in another forum post: "Well, it's certainly no secret that we'd love to make a second one if the first one does well. But since the game isn't even out yet, it's really up in the air."

Wait ... up in the air? You heard it here first: Alan Wake 2: Wake's On a Plane.

[Via The Mind Channel; Videogamer.com]

Alan Wake reviews have Remedy 'pretty damn far from disappointed' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 May 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infinite Space puts two launch videos into orbit

Mike Schramm — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:37:00 EST

Did you pick up Infinite Space yet? The DS spaceventure was released from its docking station by Platinum Games yesterday, and so far the reviews are actually better than we expected. We've got two more launch trailers to share with you: one above which seems to be the intro to the game (complete with Star Wars-style crawl and the weird narration we've come to expect from this game); and another after the break which will walk you through the game's battle tutorial.

If you've tried the game out, let us know what you think below. The battle system seems different and the story isn't supposed to be too bad, either. You wouldn't think that an infinite void of open space would have that much going on, but maybe it's worth a shot.

Continue reading Infinite Space puts two launch videos into orbit

Infinite Space puts two launch videos into orbit originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (multiplayer)

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:41:00 EST

For those who prefer their multiplayer experiences to be full of camaraderie rather than competition, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 delivers a bonding experience like few other games can. By pushing the idea of teamwork upon players, Bad Company 2 is a game that discourages the "lone wolf" mentality found in many, if not most, online first-person shooters.

A question I've been asked a lot this week: "I barely played and/or didn't really enjoy the first Battlefield: Bad Company's multiplayer. How does this stack up?" The sequel is more Battlefield 1943 than Bad Company. It's a more balanced experience like developer DICE's summer hit, but with a modern setting and delivering the scope one would expect from a full-priced retail experience.

Squads. It's one of the most important elements to Battlefield and a feature that has gotten better through each iteration. A squad is your mini-team within the game; working with them just makes sense, since you'll be respawning with them when you die. In previous Battlefield games, squad members would sometimes be switched to the other team, even as total strangers were inserted in your squad. (As one comrade-in-arms aptly put it this week: "It's like being invited to a Rock Band party, but you're accidentally given the address next door and they're playing Guitar Hero. Sure, it's almost the same, but that's not the party you wanted to attend.") Thankfully, the biggest problem with making a squad is resolved in this outing.

Gallery: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Continue reading Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (multiplayer)

Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (multiplayer) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Bayonetta

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:30:00 EST

We may still have a few more weeks before the hair-based weapon wielding Bayonetta arrives on US shores, but that doesn't mean that reviewers haven't gotten their hands on the region-free, fully translated PlayStation 3 Japanese release (and the lucky folks at Official Xbox Magazine seem to have secured an extra early Xbox 360 review copy). Regardless of the downright silly nature of the game's story and characters, Bayonetta has thus far received universal acclaim from the critics. Here's what some had to say.

Edge (100/100): "A beautiful and graceful fighting game that lets imagination loose, and winks before slapping Dante, Kratos and every other hero back to the drawing board."
Eurogamer (9/10): "It's in combat that Bayonetta's splendour is fully revealed ... a blast of creative brilliance, both technically accomplished, strategically deep and infused with rare imagination, Bayonetta represents the pinnacle of its chosen niche."
Official Xbox Magazine (90/100): "Every one of these dazzling battles is thrilling without overstaying its welcome - and also challenges you without being cheap"
Play.tm (95%): "Bayonetta could - and should - breathe fresh life into the ailing Japanese action genre ... an unrivalled showcase of imagination and creativity."

Source 1 - Metacritic PS3
Source 2 - Metacritic Xbox 360

Gallery: Bayonetta

Metareview: Bayonetta originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AbleGamers launches reviews with accessibility in mind

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST

Before you send an overtly hostile dissertation to AbleGamers about their outrageous 6.7/10 scoring of Batman: Arkham Asylum, keep in mind that the site's newly launched review section focuses on accessibility above all else. While that particular review mentions the game's many qualities, some of them may be difficult to appreciate by disabled players.

The site offers critique and advice on several aspects you may take for granted, including the presence of subtitles, colorblind options and adjustable controls. "There are countless sites out there that review games for their graphics and sound, but no one is looking at the game from the standpoint of accessibility," explains Mark C. Barlet, President of the AbleGamers Foundation. "With 63 million Americans with disabilities this is a focus that is needed and who better to do it than the flagship site for disabled gamers, AbleGamers.com. I hope that game makers now add AbleGamers to their list of news outlets to send review copies to."

In a show of support, Joystiq Publishing has sent over its highly anticipated puzzle game, Is This Color Red or Green?. We reckon it's at least a nine.

AbleGamers launches reviews with accessibility in mind originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commercial success dependent on 'more than just quality,' Divnich suggests

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:15:00 EST

Pictured: A successful commercial

Speaking during a presentation at the recent Montreal International Game Summit (as covered by Edge), EEDAR Director of Analyst Services Jesse Divnich highlighted a tenuous connection between game review scores and commercial success. In the case of Nintendo's DS, Divnich is quoted as saying "scores don't matter." But do they matter among a more dedicated gaming audience?

"When we did compare Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 only games, we did, to no surprise, find that review scores highly correlated to sales," Divnich told Joystiq. "However, marketing correlation was still just a tad bit more." According to EEDAR's research, marketing has played the "more crucial role" with DS games and, to some degree, Wii games (a point Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime seems to agree on).

While emphasizing that his aim was not to dismiss the value of critical evaluation, Divnich suggested that marketing plays a more persuasive role in what has become a burgeoning industry. "Video games are now a mass marketed product, it is a product that targets all major demographics, very similar to television or movies or any other sector within the entertainment division." While Joystiq readers may lock out the din of marketing as they tap the F5 key and anxiously wait for review embargoes to lift, the industry has grown to encompass people who aren't as exposed to the likes of Metacritic.

It seems that being informed takes precedence over being entertained -- at least until you start playing the game. "Quality does matter," concluded Divnich, "but marketing matters just a little bit more."

Commercial success dependent on 'more than just quality,' Divnich suggests originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EEDAR: 37% of Wii games went unreviewed in early 2009

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST

In his latest "debriefing" on IndustryGamers, EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich suggets that the average score for Wii games may be improving because a significant portion of titles aren't being reviewed. Strictly comparing January to June, in both 2008 and 2009, the analyst group graphed the total number of titles released for the three major platforms and the percentages of those titles that were not reviewed (see above). The number at the bottom of each bar represents the number of titles released for the platform in the stated time period; while the percentage at the top corresponds to the quantity of those titles that was not reviewed.

Divnich recognizes that "while the Wii has experienced a rise in average review scores (from 60 to 66 in one year), this has come at the benefit of critics ignoring some titles that could have possibly dragged down the Wii's average." However, it's possible that such reviews could have also raised the average score -- we know, that's unlikey, but still. Additionally, the report notes that the unreviewed Wii games weren't "core-targeted titles," which also holds true for unreviewed games on Xbox 360 and PS3.

Divnich maintains that Wii games are getting better, but he concludes, "It is just coming at the cost of not reviewing the increase in casual and low-budget titles." He believes that a similar issue could appear occur with respect to PS3 and Xbox 360 as the consoles' casual demographics increase in conjunction with the continued growth of their install bases.

EEDAR: 37% of Wii games went unreviewed in early 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First (glowing) Uncharted 2 reviews released

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:26:00 EST

If you're one of those people who judges the value of games based on numerological qualifiers, you'll be pleased to know that a few print publications have had their Uncharted 2 review scores posted online. Surprising nobody, PlayStation: The Official Magazine (which features Nate Drake on its upcoming October issue) awarded the game a perfect 5 out of 5 score and wreathed it with the magazine's monthly "Editor's Choice" award.

However, French publication PSM3 really went above and beyond with the accolades, giving the game a score of 21 ... out of 20. The mag summed up the game with a single word: "M-O-N-S-T-R-E-U-X!!!" According to the understanding we gleaned during our one semester of French tutoring, this can be translated to mean, "my strudel!" Impossible math and random pastry shout-outs? Man, French game reviews are weird.

First (glowing) Uncharted 2 reviews released originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: The Conduit (Wii)

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:31:00 EST

While you're patiently waiting for the end of the week so you can cash that paycheck and pick up High Voltage Software's The Conduit for your Nintendo Wii, why not take a gander at what the rest of the interweb had to say about the game? Considering the lack of correlation between Metacritic scores and the sales numbers of Wii games, though -- at least according to Peter Moore -- you probably shouldn't let these numbers get to you too much.

GamePro (70): "The Conduit is the closest you will get to recapturing the magic of Goldeneye ... To be blunt, The Conduit is a by the numbers shooter that offers a couple of thrills but ultimately doesn't make much of an impact ... anyone who loved Goldeneye will want to give a look as well if only to get a nice dose of nostalgia, but the rest of you shouldn't feel a need to abandon your favorite next-gen shooter for this one."
GamesRadar (80): "The Conduit is fun, controls well, and is, at times, quite beautiful ... Both humans and alien drones are animated with competent physics and personality that puts High Voltage Software's Quantum3 engine outside the realm of the "GameCube 1.5" criticisms ... The truth is you probably wouldn't bat an eye at The Conduit had it appeared on PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 ... The solid, yet unremarkable single-player won't win any awards, but The Conduit still features the most finely honed online outings available on Wii."
IGN (86): "The Conduit is not a revolutionary first-person shooter, but it's a damned good one ... the title features the tightest, most comfortable control scheme of any console-based first-person shooter to date ... The Conduit features a robust list of modes and maps to play online and nearly 20 weapons to use as you rip through arenas blasting foes ... it's not revolutionary, but The Conduit is a great first-person shooter designed just for Wii owners."

Gallery: The Conduit

Metareview: The Conduit (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Winds dev: Reviewers are a problem with low Wii metacritic scores

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST

Apparently, for the Nintendo Wii (according to Lost Winds developer David Braben), the folks reviewing Wii games are the wrong people for the job. Responding to comments made by EA Sports' Peter Moore earlier this month regarding low metacritic scores for Wii games and its less than serious effect on sales numbers of said games, Frontier Developments head David Braben told Eurogamer that, "Most reviewers are what are often called 'core gamers' - and these family-focused games tend to appeal less to them."

And he makes a good point. If Joystiq's readership is primarily "core gamers," what's the point in covering casual fare meant for more mainstream crowds? Braben continues, "It throws up a difficult dilemma for those reviewers ... are they reviewing the game for those people likely to play it, or for those people who form the bulk of their readership?" We put it to you, Joystiq loyalists: Continue to cover games intended for a "casual," more mainstream audience (as well as more "hardcore" titles), or focus on "core" games coverage exclusively?

[Image credit]

Lost Winds dev: Reviewers are a problem with low Wii metacritic scores originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The industry chimes in on the importance of reviews for Wii games

JC Fletcher — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:35:00 EST

Various industry figures have come out in support of Peter Moore's claims that review scores don't impact the success of Wii games. One developer told Eurogamer that how a Wii game does is contingent entirely upon marketing, calling Wii games "pure risk." "A lot of these games that you think are the perfect game for Wii don't sell because companies don't have the money to market them," the developer said. "Whereas Nintendo is spending gazillions of dollars marketing their games."

Michael Pachter suggested that review scores aren't important because many Wii owners don't read reviews. ""I think that Metacritic scores are irrelevant for people who don't look at them - how's that for obvious?" Pachter said. "While there are many Wii owners who are hardcore and who care very much about scores, there are many - perhaps half - who are quite casual, and wouldn't know Metacritic if it fell on them." He offered games like Carnival Games and Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum as examples of successful titles with little critical acclaim.

However, 2D Boy's Kyle Gabler offers an instance in which Metacritic scores and reviews do make a difference: indie games, like his own World of Goo, which happens to be the third highest-rated game on Wii. He compares mainstream games to Will Smith movies, which draw audiences without reviews.

"But for indie guys like us, Metacritic and review scores matter a lot," Gabler said. "In fact we link directly to them from our web site. So does Steam. It makes a lot of sense - potential players don't feel comfortable dishing out cash for some random unknown indie game without an aggregate thumbs-up from solid reviewers."

The industry chimes in on the importance of reviews for Wii games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq Review: Evasive Space (WiiWare)

David Hinkle — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:15:00 EST

We've been telling everyone that Evasive Space is kind of like a shmup, without all of the sh-ing. Turns out, that's wrong. Evasive Space is like combining Operation and Asteroids.

If you've had enough of text today, then feel free to watch our video review. It's injected with 100% videological goodness, courtesy of Joystiq (patent pending).

Continue reading Joystiq Review: Evasive Space (WiiWare)

Joystiq Review: Evasive Space (WiiWare) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F Impressions: Lips review

Dustin Burg — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews

Announced during E3 with the glitz and excess of a live performance by Welsh singer Duffy, it was obvious that Lips was Microsoft's attempt to create a music platform for the Xbox that would lure in the same gaming crowd as Sony's SingStar. With the promise of karaoke party fun, high tech motion controlled microphones and images of walking lips seared into our brains, we took Microsoft's Lips for a musical romp. Click towards the break to read our impressions.

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X3F Impressions: Lips review originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bury the Shovelware: Metal Slug 7

Kaes Delgrego — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bury the Shovelware

After seeing the ho-hum critical response to Metal Slug 7, I decided to give the title a look in the ol' shovelscope in order to further explore how critics' scores can heavily affect our perceptions of a game before we're ever able to form our own opinions. Plus, I just wanted an excuse to talk about it.

Pedigree

While the Metal Slug series doesn't have much mainstream recognition, it's generally regarded as a well-kept secret amongst 2D enthusiasts. Furthermore, it's near-gospel to fans of side-scrolling run and gun titles, such as Contra and Gunstar Heroes. The original title is interesting in that it served as a glorification of 2D gaming right at the exact time when 3D gaming was taking over. It looked and played like a 16-bit title on steroids. Its characters were cute, its colors were bright, but the game orchestrated sprites into an all-encompassing celebration of hand-drawn beauty and retro charm.

And with great fandom comes great pressure. Let us not forget the support of all things SNK by the company's monomaniacal fans, a group arguably more devoted than Nintendo's fan club. Although SNK must greatly appreciate the support and instant-buzz generated by the fans, they are also subject to very high expectations.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Metal Slug 7

Bury the Shovelware: Metal Slug 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq Review: Left 4 Dead 1 Week Later

Justin McElroy — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Reviews, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

We were going to pound out a review for Left 4 Dead to coincide with its release, but it seemed wrong somehow. It seemed that to really "get" L4D, you'd want it in optimal conditions: A group of friends, an hour to kill, and a serious vendetta against the undead. While we're still trying to work up that last one (they're victims too!) we can confirm that if you've got the friends and time you absolutely shouldn't miss this.

You know the basic premise, right? You and three other survivors are the last vestiges of humanity in the zombie apocalypse. You must battle the undead, escape to safety and try to figure out how repopulating Earth with three dudes and one lady won't be awkward.

Gallery: Left 4 Dead

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Joystiq Review: Left 4 Dead 1 Week Later originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eidos UK blocks Tomb Raider Underworld reviews below 8/10

Justin McElroy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Reviews, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Reps from the UK PR firm for Eidos have confirmed that they're asking publications not to release any reviews for Tomb Raider: Underworld below an 8/10 until Monday. The firm says they're doing so at the request of Eidos, which is trying to manage the scores for as long as it can. The game is currently sporting a 78 on Metacritic.

Really Eidos? Really? You didn't lose enough goodwill being blamed for getting the world's most popular video games journalist fired and bringing a respected games portal to its knees? (Yes, we know you denied any involvement. This sort of thing certainly makes that seem credible.) You thought maybe journalists would keep this quiet because you were buds? Because they were worried about not getting advance copies of Just Cause 2?

Note to Eidos: Stop being evil. That is all.

[Update: The head of Barrington Harvey, the UK PR firm, is playing defense, with director Simon Byron saying, "Any site, be it Gamespot or whoever, is entirely within their rights to post whatever score they want and no-one is under any sort of obligation to delay any review." It should be noted that "being obligated to" and "being asked to under penalty of being blacklisted" are two very different things. Not that we think that happened, of course.]

Eidos UK blocks Tomb Raider Underworld reviews below 8/10 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq review -- Mirror's Edge

Justin McElroy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Features, Reviews, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

Before they had even laid hands on Mirror's Edge, a lot of journalists were ready to give EA and DICE the 2008 Brave Choice Award[TM] for taking the risk of crafting a AAA title in a completely new genre. And let's make no mistake, that's exactly what this is: Bold, fresh game design that feels like nothing you've touched before.

But we'd be remiss to forget there's also an act of faith required on the part of you, the player. You have to open yourself up to Mirror's Edge, to avoid playing it like a first-person shooter. You have to trust that if you take the time and the effort to learn this new genre, you'll receive something out of it that you couldn't have found anywhere else.

After finishing the 360 version of Mirror's Edge, I'm happy to report that those who can take that leap will find their trust rewarded.

Gallery: Mirror's Edge

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Joystiq review -- Mirror's Edge originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metacritic to crack down on phoney user ratings

Randy Nelson — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

Thousands of suspiciously low user ratings for Gears of War 2 were evidently the tipping point for aggregate reviews site Metacritic. With the game averaging in the low- to mid-90% range from various media outlets, just shy of 4,000 user votes have it at a measly 3.5/10 - this before it has even hit shelves.

In this specific case, Metacritic games editor, Marc Doyle, advises visitors to the site to, "focus ... attention on the Metascore for this game and not the thousands of user votes, most of which have been submitted before said users have played the game." Doyle also promised that the site will "post the full legitimate user reviews upon the game's release."

"If people want to stuff the ballot box, there's not much I can do at this point," Doyle said, revealing that, "When we upgrade the registration requirements for participation on the site in the near future, this type of thing won't happen." Haters, you have been warned.

Metacritic to crack down on phoney user ratings originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq's Real Time Review: Resistance 2 [Day Two]

Justin McElroy — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Reviews, First Person Shooters

So, here we are again for the second day of our Real Time Review of Resistance 2. I hope you all got plenty of sleep and are jonesing for more off-the-cuff observations on the PS3 shooter. Again, if you have any questions or anything you'd like to see addressed, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Read up if you missed yesterday's action and I'll start updating at the end of the post in a few.

[Update: Ask and you shall receive Chase: Watch me play Resistance 2 LIVE, if, for some reason, you want to.]

Continue reading Joystiq's Real Time Review: Resistance 2 [Day Two]

Joystiq's Real Time Review: Resistance 2 [Day Two] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP Fanboy review: Neverland Card Battles

Majed Athab — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews

Neverland Card Battles merges the strategy-RPG genre with the core gameplay mechanics of a trading card game. It's a card game first, an SRPG second, and this is clearly evident after having played and finished the title this past week. We know that a good number of our readers have read our preview from last month and have kept interest in the title. With the game releasing today, we know you all want to know: what's the final verdict? Read on after the break to find out.

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PSP Fanboy review: Neverland Card Battles originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq review: Fallout 3

Justin McElroy — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Reviews, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, RPGs

As an Oblivion fan, I was ready for Fallout 3 to completely blow me out of the irradiated water. I had the shiny "Game of the Year" trophy all polished and ready, and all I was waiting for was a couple of hours of play time before I made the trip to the engravers.

Before I talk about those hours though, let me tell you fellow Oblivion fans what you need to hear: All the good stuff is here. There's still a giant world to explore, with tons of diversions if you don't mind chasing them down. It may not be as pretty as Tamriel, but it's a lot more dense, teeming with treasures to dig up and people to meet/kill.

You still have countless different ways to customize your character, who could be anything from an evil medical genius who's got a way with rocket launchers to an angelic scientist that can decapitate a mutant with a single hammer swing.

Those battles feel surprisingly satisfying too, thanks to the addition of Fallout's V.A.T.S. system which lets you stop time and to choose which body parts to target, usually resulting in a decapitation or ... de-arm-itation. Each shot uses a number of action points, and you have to wait for them to refill before you can get any more aiming assistance. It works so well that I hope something similar is implemented in the next Elder Scrolls title.

Gallery: Fallout 3

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Joystiq review: Fallout 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F Impressions: Dead Space review

Dustin Burg — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Dead Space

Way back (by internet standards) in September 2007 when EA announced a new space survival horror game game called Dead Space, we couldn't help but roll our eyes in expectation of mediocrity. But over the course of a year, things changed.

Over time, we heard more about its intriguing story, its gruesome dismemberment, stunning visuals and were introduced to the iconic look of main character Isaac Clarke. Suddenly, bloggers and reporters were coming out of E3 giving it praise and were actually excited for EA's survival horror game. That's when a sense of excitement spread as Dead Space's potential was realized. I'm proud to say that after playing through the entire Dead Space campaign, the game delivers a gaming experience as expected. But not based on those early, mediocre 2007 expectations. No, Dead Space delivers on the higher expectations that were set during E3, treating gamers to a solid survival horror experience as was promised.

Continue reading X3F Impressions: Dead Space review

X3F Impressions: Dead Space review originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Molyneux asks for special review consideration; we ask 'what would other industries do?'

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Reviewers received Fable 2 this week and found within the package a letter from developer Peter Molyneux asking for a few things. Variety explains one of the first things the letter asks (using the word "please" five times) is that the reviewers let a person who doesn't play games try out Fable 2 and to gauge their experience. Two paragraphs are also devoted by the designer to the game's well publicized and initially missing online co-op.

Molyneux apparently details the online co-op feature in the letter, which will be added soon after launch. Variety ponders if publications should wait until the feature comes out before reviewers write their pieces, or if outlets should make a note saying this important feature couldn't be tested at the time? So, we asked Variety (well known for its movie and music reviews): what would one of its film or music critics do if they were asked to review an unfinished product? Find out the answer after the break.

Continue reading Molyneux asks for special review consideration; we ask 'what would other industries do?'

Molyneux asks for special review consideration; we ask 'what would other industries do?' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dead Space scores 91% in first review

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Buhbuhbuh it's EA, Joystiq! Though we'll save our most obnoxious we-told-you-sos for the more comprehensive metareview ... we did tell you so. Our E3 Game of Show has scooped up its first (and hopefully not last) set of review accolades, scoring 91% in the pages of Xbox World 360. The review reportedly suggests that EA could teach Capcom "a thing or three about survival horror," with Dead Space boasting ferocious foes that make others in the genre seem "decidedly average."

Oh, but there is one thing that worries us: the game's "film-worthy" script. Have they not been to the cinema recently? With rare exception, a poorly formatted paragraph describing a pair of voluptious breasts ramping a Porsche over an explosion would have to be dumbed down by a script doctor. Too arty.

[Via X3F and Twitter, which apparently works in outer space]

Dead Space scores 91% in first review originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Achtung, baby! German mags give Spore disappointing scores

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Mac, PC, Simulations

For the most part, all is quiet on the western front in terms of Spore reviews, but there are some exceptions sneaking out of Germany. VG247 reports that German PC mags Gamestar and PC Games have rated Spore with a 79 and 73, respectively. Although not gawd-awful, it's not exactly in line with the glowing reviews the publisher is hoping for with Will Wright's ultra-hyped and much-delayed "sim everything."

We're not currently aware of when the North American embargo on reviews expires, but the European one is allegedly up this Friday, alongside the game's release in the region. UK mag PC Gamer was apparently given the all-clear by EA to release its review early, doling out an impressive 91. It'll be very interesting to find out what the European outlets think of the game later this week.

Gallery: Spore at Harvard Square

Achtung, baby! German mags give Spore disappointing scores originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP Fanboy review: Space Invaders Extreme

Majed Athab — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews

Ushering in the 30th anniversary of a true gaming classic, Space Invaders Extreme is set to rekindle respect for all things retro. With all new add-ons and the obligatory face lift expected of a modern day remake, Space Invaders Extreme takes good old-fashioned fun and transforms it in a refreshingly new spin of things without destroying the original formula. Is it the same game you've grown to love over the years? Yes, yes it is; however, it's so much more than that, too.

Continue reading PSP Fanboy review: Space Invaders Extreme

PSP Fanboy review: Space Invaders Extreme originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MGS4 receives 'perfect' score from Famitsu

Randy Nelson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

Japanese games mag giant Famitsu has rated Metal Gear Solid 4 and bestowed it with its highest honor: a score of 40/40. MGS4 is the first PS3 title to receive such high praise from the magazine's editors. It has already picked up similarly glowing scores from European and Western publications.

Famitsu has only handed out a 40/40 score to seven other games in its history: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64), Soulcalibur (DC), Vagrant Story (PS), The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (GCN), Nintendogs (DS), Final Fantasy XII (PS2), and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii). We imagine Otacon is peeing his pants right about now.

[Kotaku via PS3 Fanboy]

Gallery: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots

MGS4 receives 'perfect' score from Famitsu originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game reviewers draft a 'Bill of Rights'

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

Though you may begrudge them for stamping a 4.5 across Highly Anticipated Shooty Game, or daring to rate The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess an outrageous 1.3 points lower than what you felt it truly deserved, game reviewers are known to have feelings too. Sensing the beating hearts beneath these calculating judgment machines, MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo has asked several reviewers to lay out the circumstances necessary for the wishfully "perfect" review. Their requests aren't as lofty as you might expect.

Compiled in a "Bill of Rights," reviewers' requests include being granted access to a game's online mode during the review process, as well as receiving a final boxed copy of the game prior to the review. "I think all a reviewer should really have in their disposal is exactly what the person purchasing the game will have," says Giant Bomb's Jeff Gerstmann.

Sometimes, even a review copy of the game is hard to come by on time, with critics asking to receive final code a week before the review gets underway. Modern production schedules frequently prevent this, forcing writers to peer into the future and take the publisher's word on what will be fixed in the final code. Oh, and developers? Please don't peer over their shoulders while they're playing your game. Check out the full Game Reviewer's Bill of Rights on MTV Multiplayer.

Game reviewers draft a 'Bill of Rights' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 May 2008 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Fanboy reviews the WiiWare launch lineup

Ross Miller — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii

Sure, Microsoft may be living it up with the Xbox 360 Spring Showcase, but let's not forget about Nintendo's WiiWare launch this past Monday. Our friends at Nintendo Wii Fanboy have been churning out reviews and impressions to give you an idea of what to expect.

	Lost Winds (review) "Without a doubt, LostWinds is like finding a diamond-encrusted Hummer in your box of corn flakes." (Gallery)
	Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (impressions) "Several hours later, since I was still playing ... Without my even realizing it, My Life as a King had gone from boring to fun." (Gallery)

Continue reading Wii Fanboy reviews the WiiWare launch lineup

Wii Fanboy reviews the WiiWare launch lineup originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 May 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Wii games aren't good

David Hinkle — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Reviews

Based on data pulled from GameRankings, folks over at GameFunk have prepared the nice little chart above. Apparently, Wii games don't get that great of marks from reviewers. Compared to the marks of games on other consoles, it makes the Wii's library look even worse!

Here's the numbers:

Xbox 360: 374 games: 26% good, 24% bad
PS3: 122 games: 33% good, 17% bad
Wii: 189 games: 11% good, 37% bad

But, before you punch your computer monitor in a fit of rage, know this: the Wii does have a lot of shovelware. It's just the price of success, as publishers and developers see the console as a means to make money. And that's what they're in it for.

Also, keep in mind that the PS3 and Xbox 360 don't have Metroid Prime 3: Corruption or No More Heroes. So they pretty much lose.

[Via Joystiq]

Report: Wii games aren't good originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamespot: Brief 9.5 for GTA IV was a 'bug'

Kyle Orland — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

[Update: Gamespot EIC Ricardo Torres has posted a fuller explanation of what exactly caused the bug. In short, Torres says the 9.5 review was not final and was changed to a ten during the regular peer review process. A glitch in Gamespot's servers caused the score to be briefly published before it was ready.]

Given the flood of perfect review scores for Grand Theft Auto IV, observant gamers were justifiably surprised when a score of 9.5/10 briefly appeared on Gamespot.com Monday. That surprise turned to confusion in some quarters when the score (which had no accompanying review) was quickly taken down and later replaced with the fifth 10/10 in Gamespot's history (complete with corresponding review text). Message boards and some blogs jumped at the change, throwing around charges of "review fixing" and alluding to Gamespot's recent Gerstmann-related credibility problems.

Don't go running for your pitchforks and torches just yet, though. According to a forum post by Gamespot's Aaron Thomas, the briefly displayed 9.5 was just a pre-production glitch and never an official review score. "We never posted a review with the score of 9.5," Thomas writes. "What you saw was a bug that sometimes causes scores to appear on the site before reviews go live. Sometimes that score is correct, sometimes it isn't. In this case, it wasn't." Nothing to see here, folks. Move it along. Save your indignation for the thugs trying to push Niko around.

(full disclosure: I write a weekly column on the game media for Gamespot)

Gamespot: Brief 9.5 for GTA IV was a 'bug' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Famitsu best of 2007 list shows a lot of Xbox 360 love

Scott Jon Siegel — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

The Xbox 360 has a reputation for being the underdog in Japanese sales, partly due to its status as the only American-produced console of the big three. So color us surprised by Famitsu's list of the top 25 titles of 2007, as ranked by the magazine's review scores, which features a lot of love for Microsoft's white wonder.

Of the 25 titles ranked, a whopping ten are Xbox 360 titles. The games -- which include titles like Lost Odyssey, Halo 3 and Forza 2 -- make up the majority of the list, with the DS and PS3 tying at a distant second with five games apiece.

The PS2 and PSP each had two games make the top 25 list, and the Wii lagged in last place with only one title (Super Mario Galaxy). Congrats go out to Microsoft. Now all they need are some strong sales figures in Japan to go along with their impressive scores.

Famitsu best of 2007 list shows a lot of Xbox 360 love originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS3 Fanboy review: Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds

Majed Athab — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews

The game of golf is all about precision, patience, and looking swank in plaid. Unquestionably, this checklist of golfing requirements was on the developers' minds when they started designing Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds. If we take those three terms and translate them into the context of videogames, it would sound something like this: precision comes in the form of an intuitive yet complex gameplay; patience describes the progressive difficulty and the game's longevity; and lastly, plaid symbolizes a stylish design. Well okay, plaid isn't that stylish, but you get the point right?

As Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds introduces a new style of play, it still is more or less true to its roots. We've enjoyed the game immensely and we've got to clap our hands together for Clap Hanz. Nice shotto!

Continue reading PS3 Fanboy review: Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds

PS3 Fanboy review: Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP Fanboy review: Wild ARMs XF

Nick Doerr — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Wild Arms

The western-themed RPG franchise finally hits the PSP with their strategy title, Wild ARMs XF (crossfire). Throughout the franchise's history, they've battled lukewarm reviews, netting them the title of a catch-all RPG. Traditional, but different. Easy, accessible, and more or less for everyone. However, the titles have garnered a cult following, where they yearn to traverse Filgaia once again and explore its barren desert exterior. It seems the folk over at Media.Vision and Sony have been secretly working on this title for a long time, plotting to destroy everything you know about Wild ARMs, but keeping everything as familiar as possible. The result? Pure genius.

Continue reading PSP Fanboy review: Wild ARMs XF

PSP Fanboy review: Wild ARMs XF originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Which publisher gets the best review scores?

Kyle Orland — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Hacks, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

Ah, review scores. Besides letting us skip all that long, boring text that actually describes a game's high and low points, it also allows for some excellent statistical analysis and fanboy-infuriating numerical rankings. To that end, and spurred on by an similar EA-produced chart, Next-Gen's Matt Matthews crunched the GameRankings data and ranked the best-reviewed publishers of 2007.

Unsurprisingly, first parties Sony and Nintendo topped the list with averages above 75% -- not bad when you consider their production includes clunkers like Lair and Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast. Microsoft is slightly lower with a 69% average, behind top-ranked third-parties like Capcom, LucasArts, EA and, surprisingly enough, Atlus. Major publishers like Midway, Atari and Majesco stagnate near the bottom of the list -- none of the trio even breaks through the mediocre 60% average barrier.

The full story also breaks down the data going back to 2005 and also looks at changes in the sheer number of games released by various publishers. Check it out.

Which publisher gets the best review scores? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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