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As someone who has been writing video game reviews for the last 10 years, I've always wondered the effect my (and my colleagues') words have had on the readers. A new study from the EEDAR group (Electronic Entertainment Research and Design) this week confirms that reviews do actually have an effect on opinions...but it's not our self-validation that's important here. What matters is that you guys spread the word about whether a game is good or bad. We brought in EEDAR President & COO Geoffrey Zatkin to explain the results of the study, why reviewer trust is important, and whether or not a game should have a playable demo.
Other subjects for Feedback study:
- The May NPDs came out last week, and while everything was more or less down, Red Dead Redemption was up in a big way.
- Is the end of summer the secret sweet spot for a potential sleeper hit? Batman: Arkham Asylum and Borderlands would argue that it might be...
- Xbox Live's Stephen Tolouse recently said that hardcore gamers have more or less been wrong for the last decade of gaming. Does that mean Kinect is going to be a success? And if so, is it up to Dance Central to convince the rest of us?
Feedback: Disqualifying ourselves from scientific research since 2009. Next week, Crackdown 2.
The AUDIO MP3 of this episode of FEEDBACK is available here: Right-click and Save.
Comments
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ProphetRevolver
Thumbs up if you think Abbie Heppe is hott and hilarious. I watch all the feedbacks with her in it (and Leah Jackman) but Adam is also equally funny and these shows are really informative. Finally a talk show I can listen to. Thanks G4. (p.s. show less Cheaters and Cops and more X-Play.)
Ressard
He wasn't speaking softly. His audio input in to the sound board was down too low. I'm surprised no one checked or noticed it.
JimMD102
Zatkin speaks too softly. I had to jack up the volume below the video and on my computer and I could still only barely him while everyone sounded too loud because the volume was set high.
JimMD102
Zatkin speaks too softly. I had to jack up the volume below the video and on my computer and I could still only barely hear him while everyone sounded too loud.
David_C_
I know I'm late to this here party, but I needed to chime in.
Criticism matters. Reviews? Whatever. Criticism matters. It allows the consumer of art to engage in a conversation with the creator. And more-so, professional criticism matters because it pushes that conversation forward. It pushes developers into taking chances. I don't care if they affect sales personally. The only reason that matters is when a game like Heavy Rain (a big deal for the MEDIUM, even if the actual story of the game, which was as important as gameplay in this case, was really pedestrian. I'd rather re-watch Zodiac. But at least it tried something, and ultimately, the concept and gameplay sold the idea that this was a potential way of telling stories) is able to break out. Critics championed it, hyped it, brought it to peoples attention, they bought it, and the creators have been rewarded for their creativity. That may not always work (Tim Schafer deserves better), but think of how bad the sales would have been for Psychonauts WITHOUT the critical love. I know I'd never had played Shadow of the Colossus or Portal without the amount of critical love heaped upon those games.
And even if the sales weren't affected in the slightest, criticism still matters. Just as film critics have documented the intellectual and academic/historic conversation that's occurred since the birth of cinema, the same will be said of video games. We're just now seeing the video game version of what happened to cinema during the French New Wave, or during Orson Welles' heyday, or during 70s new hollywood, and I could go on. The conversation is essential. It's what makes are come alive. It's what makes games worth playing. Otherwise it's just randomly pleasing aesthetics and algorithms that appeal to our need to solve math problems in the form of shooting Nazis and Aliens. And that's fine, but without the conversation, I'd need more.
Leftthelighton
There is a definite upside and downside to having a game reviewed. Which is why i dont like seeing the reviews until after i've played a demo or the actual game and then compare to what the review(s) said about it. I rely much more on what friends of mine, or other gamers say about it before i decide on whther or not to play it. More because i've had conflicting views of games that have been reviewed highly and what i played was not that good, and vice verses. But it helpful to have the reviewers there, for people that don't have the time to play these games.
gamegeek101
awesometvshow awesomepoeple
gamegeek101
awesometvshow awesome poeple
Spybreak
Good episode but I wonder what would have happened if they tested a few games with different genres to boot. PvZ, say some indie game and then maybe an MMO. Plants vs Zombies just gets better as you play it so I'm not surprised people would think it's a good game. Throw in a driving game like GRID and then test em on it. That game was fun from the start but not as addictive fun as PvZ! ^^
IGameXbox
I love demos! As a gamer and a consumer you can't go wrong with trying out new games and playing the demo obviously is the best way to do that. I loved Batman Arkham Asylum's demo and I ended up buying the game, but Crackdown 2, not so much. Demos for gaming companies are a double-edged sword, however, there is a solution to this, don't make crappy games.
kevinalford
Why do you guys even wear those headphones? You're all fired for the yo-yo quality of audio over the history of this program.
Topshonuff
I couldn't understand what that guy was saying.. Somebody should of said "Speak Up"..
Fusion13
Could you guys please make an android app!?
archimedes83
was Geoffrey's mic on? can barely hear him.
business_casual_gamer
I truly believe demos usually hurt. Two recent examples: I was ridiculously excited for AvP but after playing the glitchy demo with awkward gameplay, no thanks. Crackdown 2, on the other hand, I loved the demo. I loved the demo so much that I felt no need for the $60 purchase.
tonymonges1
I could not hear a word the guest said, next time make sure they talk into the mic,
luiskami
You should have more guests on the show. Hes comments were so non-bias and neutral that I wish he would be the one doing the reviews. Since games riviews are strictly an opinion and opinions varies from person to person, that means that now days just about anybody can writte a review. What makes your opinion of a video game "professional"? people doesn't need an education to play a video game, left alone to know how to enjoy it, but you do need to be educated to actually appreciate and understand real art.
Darkpuppy
I find the most interesting and compelling part of this study is how the people who were subjected to the high rating reviews were, when compared to the low reviewed people, more likely to take the game home rather than the money. That just shows it in its simplest form, you see a good review/score your more likely to enjoy the game and take it home with you.
The box office on Transformers is because movies cost a 10th of what games do and we're a lot more likely to take the risk on something we have idolised for so long and just try to ignore the reviews to our own detriment in this case. But when its games its so much more expensive a risk it takes the kind of moron that listens to '50c' to also go and buy the game if the review is so dam awful.
Scores and one line quotes on the box do nothing for my choice in games anymore, hearing the excitement in a reviews voices, such as yourselves reviewing Red Dead Redemption, leads me to give the game a go. And thank you for the Red Dead encouragement so happy to have played a game I would have otherwise left on the shelf. .... happy, apart from the ending of course.....
DarkP
jscott0126
guys what the heck! no game of the week. n this episode was too short. other than that good show
kragoon
Very nice. I'm an aspiring Indie game developer, and this feedback gave me a lot of good information that I can use when I'm trying to generate excitement for the games that I'll be making. Thanks a lot!
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