This thread is in response to a review for Resident Evil 5 on the PlayStation 3. You are encouraged to view the review in a new window before reading this thread.
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Author: Lewis
Posted: March 25, 2009 (03:54 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
I'm not a scorewhore, as you know, but I'm surprised you went as high as an 8. You sound so utterly despondant with Resi 5, utterly bored by its existence. Almost as if you begrudgingly like it because it's a Resident Evil game, even though you weren't really having that much fun.
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Author: zippdementia
Posted: March 25, 2009 (10:44 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
I talk about that a bit in my blog.
Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic." |
Author: Suskie
Posted: March 25, 2009 (11:48 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
That's a philosophy I disagree with, though. If I read a review, I want to know whether or not I'll like it, sure -- but based on your experience with the game. What's the point of even giving your own personal analysis of a game to begin with if your final verdict has you trying to gaze into other people's minds?
You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it. |
Author: zigfried
Posted: March 26, 2009 (12:59 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Trending the score upwards at the end of a negative-ish review indicates a lack of faith in the power of your position. Usually people do that because (a) they're trying to appease advertisers, or (b) they're nitpicking and know they're nitpicking. In this case, the score's a bit jarring because the observations you make are substantial and well-supported.
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Author: Lewis
Posted: March 26, 2009 (02:09 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
I agree with Suskie and Zig (but also yourself, Zipp, about not liking to fix a number on the end, when you know it's what people are going to get caught up in. Why do you think I do my Not A Reviews on my blog? It's basically an excuse to write about games without the necessity of a numerical response) that it's more important to achieve consistency between copy and score than it is to appease the masses. The review really does read like something between a 5 and a 7 - and remember that 6 and 7 indicate a reasonably good game. The whole piece actually reminded me of Eurogamer's Fear 2 review. They went the other way, though, and awarded it a 5, to a predictable backlash. So maybe playing safe is good for the soul. Or your face.
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Author: Lewis
Posted: March 26, 2009 (02:17 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
...All that said, it's probably my favourite Zipp review to date. So good on you.
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Author: joseph_valencia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (06:59 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
All this hoopla over a number is ridiculous. All that should matter in a review are the actual words. If people want "accurate" numbers, they can go to metacritic.
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Author: Suskie
Posted: March 26, 2009 (07:09 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
In a sense, I agree with that, and as has been said numerous times here, I wish we could just review without having to add an arbitrary number to the end. But, at the same time, a score can act as a finish line, a means by which to judge how well the reviewer sold his point. You could be reading this review and thinking, "Yeah, this doesn't sound like anything special." Then you see that he gave it an 8/10 and you think, "Wait, what? Is it better than I thought? What am I missing here?" It's disorienting.
You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it. |
Author: Lewis
Posted: March 26, 2009 (07:23 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
"If people want "accurate" numbers, they can go to metacritic."
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Author: joseph_valencia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (07:31 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
But, at the same time, a score can act as a finish line, a means by which to judge how well the reviewer sold his point.
JOSEPH VALENCIA was able to build this sig IN A CAVE…… WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!! |
Author: Lewis
Posted: March 26, 2009 (09:08 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
"I think that's more of a problem with the way a lot of game sites (not just this one) lay out reviews. A better approach would be to just have the score thrown out at the beginning in normal letters/symbols. That way, the reader can forget about it during the course of the review and simply "judge" the writer for their writing."
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Author: joseph_valencia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (09:44 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Those people don't read the reviews regardless. They just scroll to the bottom for the big number. :-D
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Author: Masters (Mod)
Posted: March 26, 2009 (10:56 AM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
I agree mostly with the sentiments expressed by this review, but the score actually serves to undermine the legitimacy of those sentiments. The review says, "uninteresting, derivative drivel" and the score finishes off with, "but it's GREAT!" If you think it deserves a 6, it should get a 6.
I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined! |
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Author: zippdementia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (12:06 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Like I said, this was a tough one to score. Pretty much EVERYTHING everyone has said here is correct. I know that contradicts itself, but THAT'S MY POINT. IT WAS A TOUGH ONE! On one hand, I didn't want to illegitimize my statements with a high score. On the other hand, I had to acknowledge that the product was, on the whole, well put together, and most gamers won't have a problem eating it up.
Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic." |
Author: EmP (Mod)
Posted: March 26, 2009 (12:38 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
That's great and all, but you don't review other people's perspectives because you're always going to come off as second best when you try. You review, wholly and uncompromisingly, on your perspective alone. Otherwise you get a review that's discredited by all audiences.
For us. For them. For you. |
Author: zippdementia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (12:42 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Or in this case, loved by Lewis ^_^
Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic." |
Author: EmP (Mod)
Posted: March 26, 2009 (12:51 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
The review itself isn't the problem; it's a very good review. But you're almost irredicating every point you make by then scoring it based on what you feel someone else would get out of the game.
For us. For them. For you. |
Author: zippdementia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (02:58 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Well, not much I can do about it now.
Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic." |
Author: zippdementia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (03:32 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Well, after showing this around various RE forums, the score of 8 seems to have saved me from many severe flaming wars... though not all of them. I think of that 8 as my fan-armour. It protects me from raging idiots and allows me to get a few shots off at the same time.
Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic." |
Author: honestgamer
Posted: March 26, 2009 (04:01 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
Please remember also that the helpful staff wouldn't be able to be helpful in this case. When a review is posted as a staff or freelance review, the score should not be changed unless the change happens within a few seconds of the review being posted. Any longer than that and it shouldn't be changed because it will have made the rounds on various meta sites and so forth. When a review is posted on that level, it needs to be carefully considered before it is posted so that there are no regrets... since regrets typically can't be addressed.
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality |
Author: zippdementia
Posted: March 26, 2009 (05:51 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
And I have no regrets!
Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic." |
Author: zigfried
Posted: March 26, 2009 (05:54 PM) Actions: Register for a free user account to post on the forums... |
The score has sparked a nice little debate here that will come in handy for future endeavors.
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