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This week, we have much to be thankful for. One thing we should all be thankful for is the fact that Adam Sessler takes the time out of his busy schedule each week to let us know what's on his mind. This week, Adam is going to respond to some of your criticisms about the recent scoring of Assassin's Creed II and Left 4 Dead 2. Many of you pointed out that these sequels have improvements over their predicessors, but got a lower score. Press play to find out why.
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Comments
Displaying 81–100 of 141
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BBHSbenito
If you want really good reviews without numbers look up classic game room hd on youtube. its really good and the guy has a good sense of humor and he doesn't beleive in giving numerical review
RaddaRadda023
If you wouldn't make the written review so long I would read more of them. Im sure a lot of people would agree with me.
goldenboy319
Happy thanksgiving Adam! I always enjoy watching your soapbox
Empyu
I have an interesting idea that came from Adam's comment about covering up the number.
How about when a new review comes out, don't have the number score there. Instead, have a poll that asks readers what they think the game got based on the written review. Then reveal the score when the video review comes out.
It's like a little game, but at the same time people will start to see just how arbitrary the numbers are when it comes to what is actually written down. AND it will encourage more people to read the written portions.
Traveller69
Some people will just never understand. I tend not to look at the numerical score at all because to me the in-depth discussion about the various bits and pieces that come together to make a complete game are far more important.
But for the hell of it here goes: try to wrap your mind around a 5/5 game striking people dumb through sheer awesomeness and a 4/5 game \"merely\" containing loads of fun and entertainment. There. Is that simple enough for you people who only see numbers?
I prefer watching the videos and/or reading the written review for comments on gameplay and storyline. Graphics really don't mean a whole lot to me, every once in a while I might look around and say \"hey, that looks really nice\" and then go back to enjoying my play experience. If the story just plain sucks or really doesn't make any sense and the controls and mechanics cause endless frustration I will not play it. That probably goes for a lot of other people as well but at the same time it seems so many people get caught up in graphics discussions. I am perfectly happy going and playing NES, SNES, N64 and so on....because they are fun.
Zombiemafia
when you think about it, the first game (EX Assassin's Creed I) really set the ground basis of how the next one would be judged.
So maybe the 2nd one recieved a lower score, it just means that it didn't over do the 1st one even if there are some improvements.
i haven't played the 2nd one so i can't tell you if i agree with the score or not. But i think that is something to keep in mind...
silver6kraid
I confess I expected a 5/5 for both AC2 and L4D, but after reading the reviews and playing the games I found myself agreeing with what they had to say. Not only that but a 4/5 is pretty damn good, and I still bought AC2 and loved it, but I did notice the problems that the review had stated the game had. As far as I'm concerned if the game has a 4 or a 5 it's worth my time and if I am interested I will get it. Perhaps they need to have a better scoring system, 1 through 5 does seem a bit linear, 1 through 10 could probably help them more, plus they could have have scores like, 9.5 or 8.6, make it more specific, that would likely put these peoples minds at ease, I don't really know, it's an idea...and I can dream.
Aerindel_Prime
I guess every 4/5 game I have ever bought felt like a 4/5, ie, not as good as it could be. Some 5/5 games have left me feeling this way too but I've had better luck with 5/5.
To put another way, I've never played a 4/5 game that I thought deserved better. Most of the time I thought they deserved worse.
drug_x
I agree, i like to think that games should get perfect scores when they are unanimously amazing or near perfect. I think that if there is any idea that it might not be a 5/5 then it must not be 5/5 if there reviewer is torn between the decision then it obviously is not a 5/5.
chosensamuri
i don't know if this was already said but im gonna throw out there...why don't you guys just have the person that reviewed the first one review the second one, it keeps reviews consistent.
haterhater
It is just a score, a journalized opinion, just as Adam said, and in particular, the opinion of the individual who has to be honest and cohesive about it. If anyone has a problem with these numbers, whether it's a four out of five, or an 8.75 out of 10, then just buy the freaking game, and be done with it!!! jeezus............
highdive_lowlife
my mom gets a 1 out of 5 for raising me, thats why im an asphole and HATE YOUR NUMBER SCORES!!!
:-/
Eternalsoul77
Ive played both of these games..and i think that they deserved the scores they both got whole handily. I, thankfully, only rented AC2, I say thankfully because I beat the game in 2 days,and aside from collecting feathers for a cape, lol..yeah thanks for nothing... I have completed the game, that includes all the gliphs and side missions.. now, i spent 3 bucks to do that, and it was totally worth both my money and my time. Had I paid the full retail price for that game I would have been upset that it was so easy to beat.. I bought LFD2 because it is extreamly difficult, keep in mind i was loaded and playing on its hardest difficulty, but it will take me more time to finish the game because of the difficulty and multiplayer. and it does look like crap, but so does halo3 odst, i still have and had fun with these games.. but this i a review of over games, and looks are part of the criteria..super mario, (on the NES) would not get a 5/5 these days if it was released on modern consoles.. its progress, besides... who cares what G4 says about a game, if you like it, play it, quit being a sheep and think for yourself
JubeiSaotome
I feel that the main problem we have with numerical review scores is that majority of mediocre games get a 7/10 or a 4/5, when they should be getting a 4/10 or a 2/5. This really depends on who is reviewing and what publication it's with. I think that's what's made readers develop issues with a good game not getting a perfect score, the mediocre games getting decent scores because certain reviewers can't score correctly, or because of media/distribution groups breathing down their necks. This is just a 3rd person view, though. I'm sure it's probably different.
samiam0605
Good podcast. I for one like to read the reviews for the games I am thinking of buying but do my best to not see the number/letter score. I also read/watch more than one review. Based on those reviews is when I make my choice on a game. I've bought games that X-play has given 3/5 and 2/5 and I've turn down 5/5 games. Sometimes the parts of the game that a reviewer finds fault with, I donnot. When that happens I don't blame the reviewer for missing something, the person just has a different opinion.
Noct17
Thanks Adam, you make an excellent point. I remember when I used to baste things mostly on there numerical value or their letter- grade. But through the times I have played games, it has come to the point where those really no longer matter. Its more about the reviewer's article and whether or not his review of the game was convincing enough for me to buy the game or just something I should either rent, borrow, or just not even play at all. I read assassins creed 2's review and I thought it was a fitting score(if you put a numerical value on it) but after reading the review I understood why and things did make sense for the reviewers score.But by no means was AC2 a bad game, its story is very good and the game is definitely a buy. People should look more into the article itself and into the words of the person who has played the game , instead of the value that was placed on it.
-John-
How about a three star system?
3 Stars=4/5 to 5/5=Awesome. Play it NOW!
2 Stars=3/5=Eh. It's cool. You may like it.
1 Star=2/5 to 1/5=STAY AWAY FROM THIS GAME!
Storm_NTG
I forgot to mention this: There's good reasoning behind the reviews, everyone. The G4 team states them, well-written enough. Sure both ACII and L4D2 are improvements in many aspects of their predecessors, but improvements alone shouldn't make for an instant 5/5. There's other factors to consider, such as a closer look at the changes made to the sequel, the pacing, the overhaul, if any. Did it fix it's predecessor's issues? I can't speak for ACII, but for L4D2, a game that I thoroughly enjoy, I can admit that it's still showing some issues the first game suffered from. Understandable issues, though, such as the lack of a real plot. Now, I know that it's a co-op shooter to be experienced with a group, plots aren't really necessary, and Valve did a great job tying in the campaigns, but that doesn't change the fact that it's still lacking one. At least give us a reason for the infection, a tiny bit of backstory. Yes I know, it's somewhat nitpicking, but heck, it's worth mentioning. Besides, would people have been satisfied with a 5/5 on L4D2? Some would say it was too high, that the mentioned drawbacks such as the AI, the engine \"showing age\" (though I think it looks fantastic), etc., and state reasons as to why it should be lower. But yeah, read the review, there's great reasoning behind the scores. It's nost just there for show.
Storm_NTG
Great topic, something that is constantly being nagged about by the gaming community. I watch some Youtube reviews from various people who are apparently rich (they buy just about every anticipated title...even if it's not even a AAA title, good god), and they gave some big games rather average scores, with other games high scores that makes people feel it's overrated. People explode on some of the reviewers on there, it's ridiculous. For example, one reviewer gave Tekken 6 an 8 or something out of 10, bashing it's Scenario Mode and rather terrible storyline. Tekken fans flamed quite a bit in protest, thinking too many points were taken off and the reviewer should look at the game as a whole...diminishing the fact that he stated it was his opinion and view on the game's new mode. No one's ever satisfied, it's like you, the viewers/readers are trying to force your views onto someone else, in this case the reviewer(s), that's completely missing the point of a review.
So what if they may not score the way you want them to, or rate as high as you want, it's to get a good general knowledge of what you may or may not purchase. Hell it's one reason why most of the reviewing shows/writers have more than one person doing a review on the game, to get different opinions. Reviewing isn't like a math test, you do some homework on the game and expect your score to be humongous, it's there as a sort of guideline, a form of entertainment as well, and it helps those skeptical about picking up a particular game, or even seeing a film or reading a new book. In the case of scoring, what was said in G4's review on both games were substantial, it's what really counts.
I've seen some rather low scores on games that I thought weren't justifiable, but we all have different tastes and opinions, and as long as they state their reasons to why they didn't exactly like specific regions of the game, then who are we to blame? Still, the scoring is apparently important, not much we can do there...it's like a Sports game, many people look closer at the end results than the actual bulk as to how those end results came to be. The explanation is there, some people just don't want to bother. There's always highlights, but even then it's breaking away from the complete story. Not sure what can be done about the scoring, it seems fine for the most part. Some reviewers have a different setup which I think can help matters, such as putting up categories for the game: Is it highly replayable? How's the fun factor? Etc..
Here's a decent review of Demon's Souls: http://gamesand.me/2009/10/rev iew-demons-souls-ps3/. The scoring system...well it's more of a summary/description and end-thoughts on the game, but I think it works alright. Still, it's all about the numbers, heh. In any case, thanks Adam for the explanation. Hopefully this will resolve some things.
jdmonmou
While review scores do have their drawbacks (fanboys using the scores to spread their vitriol about why their system is better), they are necessary to give the reader an unambigous answer to whether or not a game is any good. With the 5 star system my preference is to purchase games that receive 4 or 5 stars, rent 3 star games, and avoid games that only receive 1 or 2. I understand that the author of the review has put a lot of work in to write text for a review, but a rating is necessary for those who do not have time to read the entire review. It also makes the author make a decision about the quality of the game that is clear to the audience.
Kotaku is a site that writes reviews without giving a numerical score to a game. Instead they just list the things they love and hate and then sum up in a couple of sentences their feelings about the game. I honestly find this style of writing a review indecisive and it is a cop out. A rating or score sends a clear message of what the author felt about the game. Why take that out?
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