You may have heard Jimreport the other week, that the AIAS prez says that “game reviewers are lazy.” I can certainly see how the whole world of game reviewing is not an exact science, but we’re not here today to wax poetic on that idea (maybe).
I’m proposing that we discuss the semi-emerging trend of game developers and creators taking an aggressive front towards the people reviewing their games. Ever heard of Dennis Dyack? Remember when he lost it on the 1up show and called for the end game reviews all together? Yeah, that was epic. How about Jeff Minter, the guy who threw a sissy fit because a good game sold more than his crappy hippy fest rip-off of Tempest?
Or, how about when a game maker calls out a review that hasyet to be printed? Like I said, game reviewing isn’t an exact science, and no reviewer would probably argue with that, but maybe some people have to realize that what they made isn’t that good.
And I just can’t end this without mentioningLair. Bad reviews because the reviewers “didn’t know how to play it?” Um, is it just me, or doesn’t that mean you just made a crappy game? Claiming it’s the reviewers fault that he or she couldn’t figure out your game because you made a bad design choice — now that’s what I call lazy.
Discuss!
[Editor’s note: I held off on posting this one on Sunday to move away from the release of a certain drama fest. Also, some of the editors needed more time to get their responses in. As always, though, nothing has been changed.]
Publishers care too much about metacritic. Period.
DMV
I think sitting down with the developer, and showing them the flaws while playing the game would be interesting to see. They can argue all they want about how the game works just fine, but when you two are sharing the same experience, and point to the exact flaws, then they’d have a harder time being defensive.
Joe Burling
How many of those developers would have the chance to go back and make the necessary changes, though? How many publishers would push the game out the door anyways? Developers like Valve would take advantage of that feedback, but what about developers like EA? If you gave EA negative feedback on Madden 2010, would they delay the game to fix those issues?
Reviews obviously affect game sales. I guess I’d like to retract my first statement. If I was a developer or a publisher, I’d care about metacritic, too.
I do think it’s true that some reviews are not accurate, though.Lairwasn’t that good, but did it really deserve a 53/100 average metacritic score? On the flip side,GTAIVwas great, but did it really deserve a combined 82 perfect scores on metacritic?
Brad Nicholson – Who is not DMV
Some developers and publishers utilize metacritic to give out bonuses. Great metacritic scores mean more money in the pocket of those who created or helped create the game. That’s why they care so much. Regardless of how shitty their game is they’re going to get pissy when your review drops the average score.
Jonathan Holmes
11 out of 10
Almost every single one of us has had someone shit on our work here at the site, but we mostly just shine it on. Personally, I’ve gotten more than a few complaints aboutRFGO!, and even more about my writing. I won’t say that it doesn’t upset me, but I certainly don’t go the Dyack route and make absurd challenges to GAF and the community at large when someones tells me that the don’t like my stuff.
It’s not the issue of the concept of reviews, but how certain people in the industry take them. I mean, really, you’re a grown person Mr. So and So; try acting like one. Game reviewers, for the most part, have been playing just as long as you, and they can spot CRAP when they see it. Don’t make yourself look like more of dummy by calling foul on that.
I think the manner in which a designer responds to a review can have a serious effect, too. People don’t tend to forget those sorts of things and, in the age of the internet, getting information on a name you vaguely recognize is only a click away. The next time Dyack or theLairteam has something that they’re hyping, people are likely to think back on the stunts and name-calling that transpired. A bad review can be forgotten but, if you fight it, you’re only drawing more attention to the negative aspects and will generally come off looking like a douchebag.
And there’s nothing people like to look at more than a falling star.
I think Luc must’ve been expecting a good review because it’s anindie gameand he’s had a blog onDestructoid. So, why wouldn’t we love him and look through the game’s flaws to see it’s true inner beauty?
Brokering deals with publishers for exclusive previews, news and assets is a practice I can understand. However, when it comes to reviews, which are where honesty in games media actually counts for something, signing clandestine agreements for exclusive benefits creates a world of stigma which you can’t rub off. Maybe IGN, for example, was being honest with itself and its readers when it gave GTA IV a 10/10. After all, plenty of other Web sites did that. However, in the rush to be first, and proudly boasting the world exclusive deal it brokered with Rockstar, one has to wonder exactly what was agreed, and it creates questions of bias that may not even be entirely fair, but are impossible to shake off.
As I think about the original argument, I think “lazy” is the wrong term to use when talking about reviewers. In truth, they work very hard — but I think they put their effort into some very questionable practices. Time that should be spent purely focusing on the gaming and striving to be as honest as can be is spent instead inking deals and rushing work out of the gate to beat the rest of the press. As the guys in charge of review content around here, it’s Nick and I’s job to make sure that kind of shit doesn’t fly onDestructoid.
