Forums > Contributor Zone > Week 4: results!!

~~~ Team Battle: Janus v Leroux ~~~

Janus?? versus Jerec??
Janus: Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered
Jerec: Final Fantasy XII

ASchultz:
Janus--"allow me," "rather rotund," ... etc. There are some flourishes here which I feel you just don't need, but other than that I think you do very well in establishing the entertaining moments that save BaSS from becoming a mishmosh of sci-fi platitudes and already-done point and clicking. It certainly has me curious as to what the puzzles are and has me googling the name of those Amiga startup roms that shouldn't be legally distributed but everyone knows how to get them anyway. I have little to say about this review because I just like it a lot.

Jerec--this is a good review and one you felt you needed to write. I double checked the wk4 topic before posting this and wasn't surprised it was a bit rushed. If you want, I can run down some of the more pedantic stuff. But I enjoyed many observations, like that there were 2 directors--or that Balthier was eclipsed by Vaan for some crazy reason. There's some lazy phrasing, though, like hot jailbait or grizzled old soldier. Also "Penelo...only contribution is as a moral compass." That sounds like a pretty important one if you play RPGs for the story. Overall, though, I think you can chop down how the characters work together in the story, and maybe tie up their differences with a sentence or two of--well, it doesn't matter, they can all level up the same. It seems you have one or two "money" observations that get to the point with each review--many reviews are lucky to have one--that your "it's a shame" paragraph led me to say, it's a shame THIS was put so far back.

Also--early you say Balthier was wasted on this game, but the conclusion says he just tips it into the likable category. This weakens the conclusion substantially, as does the parenthetical about XIII--it's one of those flabby phrases that people throw out with "good morning," eg could be better, could be worse.

Winner: Janus

-----

CoarseDragon:
Janus – Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered: It seems a shame that the game did not expound upon the vision given to us in the opening paragraph of the review. This review gives a very clear picture of the game and the examples explained some of the features and mechanics of the game.

Jerec – Final Fantasy XII: I felt the fifth paragraph would have been a better opening because the paragraphs before it took a bit too long to get into the game itself. While the political intrigue in the game is important to the story I think this missed pointing out some flaws in the game that were just barely touched upon in the review. The Gambit system was so central to the battle but only briefly touched upon in the review.

Janus vs. Jerec: Janus is the winner

-----

Zigfried:
Janus (Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered)
Wow. From the opening description of a dystopian world to the oddball character descriptions, this sounds like a delightfully entertaining farce that only the Brits seem to be able to come up with (see also: Death's Head). This review had me glued from beginning to end; my poor iPod Touch G-Generation Gather Beat 2.0 has been neglected for a full year, but I'll be downloading this one the next time I'm at the wireless cafe. I enjoyed your enthusiasm, your vividness, your hints, your writing. Beautiful.

Jerec (Final Fantasy XII)
I really like the point you make in your introduction, and as someone who has played FFXII, I completely agree. It was a beautifully realized world, and for a while, I enjoyed the game. The point when I realized FF12 had gone to crap was when I had to find all those dumb little furry things to open a gate. Sounds like you had the same experience. I had completely forgotten about Penelo; this game really dropped the ball with its characters. And its leveling system. Argh! I like this review a lot. This is a hard game to cover because there's so much wrong with it... but it's not a terrible game, really. After a thorough pounding, your conclusion does a fine job of bringing us back to that reality.

Anyways. I pick Janus.

Ultimate Victor: Janus (3-0)

*****************************************

Bluberry?? versus Venter??
Bluberry: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Venter: Young Thor

ASchultz:
Venter--I really like this review. It captures one of my old complaints about myths--too much to do at once--and doesn't editorialize too soon, and I like ground pounds not working versus teleporting ghosts. But oh, please, please, never use "utilize" again. That said, the review really moves along and establishes repetition without being repetitive, and I think the ending is quite funny--in the truth sort of wait, not bust a gut laughing. We all need fill in the time gap games and I can see why this is a good one.

Bluberry, your review is, once again, unapologetic, though it does right in saying it's *not* for some people. And it's a polar opposite from Venter's, about a game that's just for fun. I think we all have this sort of game that's tough for us, and we like it that way. A few things do feel out of place, though. Mentioning numbers and thirds and halves--well, the mathematical stuff cut into the imagery and pace you established. And the off-side about Overdrive broke up a good argument. Of course, you take some risks telling people they're wimps. But you take another with an inside joke and this misfired a it.

Venter took no such risks and made no such mistakes. This was a tough one to pick, but

Winner: Venter

-----

CoarseDragon:
Bluberry – Castlevania: Circle of the Moon: It is made very clear that this game is very difficult. We also get the sense that the reviewer liked the game despite this but is this difficulty compared to other Castlevania games or other games in the platform genre.

Venter – Young Thor: I was happy to see that the game was a PSP mini and only cost 4.99 because the length of the game seemed to be rather short. The game was detailed very nicely and the fact it could be enjoyed by youngsters means parents should not have a problem picking it up for the young ones in the family. One thing I would liked to have known is if Thor was given the hammer to save world or did he always have the hammer and therefore was the only choice to go and save the world.

Bluberry vs. Venter: Venter is the winner

-----

Zigfried:
Bluberry (Castlevania: Circle of the Moon)

What's the Crissaegrim? Anyways, this is a great review with a few errors (example 1: "challange", example 2: "challange's sake"). I really didn't need you to remind me that COTM isn't perfect, as I never assumed it was (and that's a pretty hackney phrase), but most of the review flows freely and uses wording that still feels fresh, even if this is a year-old review you bum. Why don't you and OD do a Castlevania showdown next time?

Honestgamer (Young Thor)
What kind of twisted childhood did you lead? Reading about Thor, Odin, and Loki was anything but inaccessible! What child wants to play as a gawky little kid when they could instead be the mighty Thor, wielder of the thunder hammer and wearer of the horned helm? I'm half-kidding about that, but when you started talking about the short worlds, I really started to genuinely feel like this game is insulting to children. I think we, as a collective, expect too little of childrens' games. But I'll stop editorializing now. This is a completely reasonable consumer report, which is what a review needs to be, but the subject matter isn't interesting in the least (hence why I fell into the editorializing mindset so readily). I respect your ability to put together competent, professional, and -- most importantly -- fair reviews for games like this, but it's not going to beat Bluberry's COTM.

My pick: Bluberry.

Ultimate Victor: Venter (2-1)

*****************************************

Asherdeus?? versus Leroux??
Asherdeus: Split/Second
Leroux: Edward Randy

ASchultz:
Asher--some forgivable grammar stuff here but the review overall works well. Its/it's, etc. The 2nd and 3rd paragraphs work well but still this review feels hesitant a bit--mentioning diversity, variety and freshness, then bouncing to what doesn't work before getting back to it. The examples are good stuff, but watch the common misuse of aggravating. Also, I dunno--constant explosions + rock-solid framerate? "A full suite of online modes..." maybe a word or two about if they're similar to the game? Would you even get to control an attack helicopter? This would be a cool way to wrap things up.

Leroux--though I think there's some over-finessing, I overall like the storytelling here. I mean, the introduction's cool. But "Such is how?" Or the dotted points which sound a bit like the advertisement of a penny dreadful? Perhaps too many examples here. Oh, also, you said utilize. Other people did too. I'll call them out. Stuff like fighting a tank in a Model T is good. Overall, though, I think if this review may bounce me back and forth a bit more than I like while describing the game, it's just a lot of fun and it's an eloquent statement for games that didn't quite work. Also, newfangled for the health system? It seems like it should've been done before. I also don't know if you can DO that in a "perfect" review--leaving the controls out for so long before saying, this is where it fails--I was wondering what you were doing myself--but this doesn't have to be and I'll remember this review a lot better than others this round, for better or for worse. This is the sort of review I was waiting to make a big mistake I was pretty sure it would, but then I wound up enjoying it all the way through, and it reminded me of why I liked some other games despite it all. And given Asher's bounced me around a bit, too...

Winner: Leroux

-----

CoarseDragon:
Asherdeus - Split/Second: The introduction to the overall story line of the game was interesting and goes on to explain the game plays out like a game show of some sort. It was a good idea to point that out early so we understand it and how that relates to progress in the game. The review flowed quite nicely and gave us plenty of information on the dynamics of the game itself.

Leroux - Edward Randy: From start to finish the review takes us on a ride through a game that is doomed to succeed at being a failure. Yet it is that very failure that lets it sore to an unimaginable height. The examples given were right on the mark in helping us understand what was good and bad about the game. It would have been interesting to know how a second player fit into the game but that was not mentioned.

Asherdeus vs. Leroux: difficult choice but by slight margin Leroux is the winner

-----

Zigfried:
Asherdeus (Split/Second)
I've read three reviews for this game, but this is the one that really made me understand the TV-show concept (maybe it just had to soak in through repetition). It's a cool idea, and I keep hearing good things about the game. I'm not a fan of mode discussion approach; based on your L4D2 review and this, I'm assuming you dig that style of review. I do think you touch on a good point early on, though; why have different modes if they're not terribly different? (As an FYI, I appreciate when someone explains why one mode significantly changes the game's feel -- I'm not as interested when they're just variants of the same core mechanics). This is a review that sounds educated, but it really didn't give me a strong sense of the experience. It's hard to say whether this is a "fault" of the review, or if it's just because I've read so much about this game already that it no longer feels special.

Leroux (Edward Randy)
Someone pays attention. This is the kind of game I'm bound to love -- after all, I loved that other spectacular failure called Earnest Evans -- and this is the kind of review for such a game that I love to read... filled with colorful screens, expressive phrases, intriguing thoughts on game design, and even an Earnest Evans reference. I've read this four or five times already and it still feels fresh; if there's a fault in this piece, I'm blind to it. NICE GUTS!

My pick: Leroux

Ultimate Victor: Leroux (3-0)

THE FINAL SUMMATION:
Leroux's team wins. ASchultz will be doing the fancy number work.

//Zig

Not sure how to make a sig? While logged into your account, you can edit it and your other public and private information from the Settings page.

~~~ Team Battle: Wolfqueen vs Overdrive ~~~

Suskie?? versus Overdrive??
Suskie: Alan Wake
Overdrive: Enchanted Arms

ASchultz:
Suskie: It seems like a simple formula doesn't it? Describe the game, describe what it does better, add some detail, and throw in some narrative voice. Show why it makes sense that it doesn't make sense. I'm biased for reviews of games like that, but I think even without my bias, this is a strong review. Rereading the review, I can see why you thought the harvester was stupid, and why it would not be, with the other examples. This gave me one of those moments where I realized someone was reviewing a game worth looking at, showing what a game could be and at least ensuring that I was able to get to the main points of it even if I did not have the time. I suppose it's tough to describe dreams without making people groan. That goes for dreams in games, too. I neither groaned nor wanted to while reading this review. But I nodded my head a lot.

Overdrive: I came down tough the first two weeks but this is another good review. The combat system description was engaging, and describing the characters worked decently. But I still think there's better. "Illustrating this is the way the characters were written." "always there to pick each other up and get things back on track" OK, these aren't ghastly cliches, but they don't need to be there. I think I get the point--these outward stereotypes don't take a lot of time to whine and snap their friends who do back to reality quickly. So we have combat and characters--but the shaggy dog quest you describe takes much too long. And if it describes a couple hours' action, then I think you're dwelling on the bad bits. Maybe, like the characters in the game, you should've focused on the good stuff a bit more.

Winner: Suskie

-----

CoarseDragon:
Suskie – Alan Wake: Even in the movies it is difficult to bring true terror to the audience and we would expect that in a game it could be even more difficult. The picture of walking down a darkened street being only accompanied by the constant buzzing of a payphone does bring chills. So with that description is does seem clear that this game succeeds at bringing horror to the game without being a horrible game.

Overdrive - Enchanted Arms: Those boring fetch quests are a part of every J/RPG that has ever been made and there is that big sigh of relief when they are finally over. This game appears to be no exception to that rule of RPG quests. While there was a lot in the review I felt some aspects of the game were glossed over and only given a cursory nod. We are not even told why or from where the game gets its name.

Suskie vs. Overdrive: Suskie is the winner

-----

Zigfried:
Suskie (Alan Wake)
This sounds reminiscent of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, except that this one sounds good. That other one sucked. I really liked your examples provided throughout the review; it feels like you told me a lot, but I don't feel spoiled, because your writing gives off the impression that there's so much more. This is a great example of whetting the reader's interest. It's impeccably written, too. The only grammatical error I noticed was this sentence: ...the otherwise flawless web that Remedy have spun for us. Since Remedy is a company, it takes the singular verb tense "has". One question: if I buy this game, will I see the ending? I heard somewhere that the last episodes aren't on the disc. Or are those pieces more like a sequel/sidestory?

Overdrive (Enchanted Arms)
I like this review, I really do, but using a review for a game that a judge already reviewed himself isn't a good idea when facing an opponent like Suskie. Even though I often found myself nodding in appreciation (I especially liked the example of "Laughing Man"), you've handicapped yourself in a battle against a review that entertainingly and vividly describes a game I've never played. I'm not trying to be mean -- strategy counts in these contests, so it's just advice for future matches. From a website perspective, I'm glad you wrote this. Enchanted Arms needs all the love it can get!

My pick: Suskie

Ultimate Victor: Suskie (3-0)

*****************************************

Wolfqueen?? versus True??
Wolfqueen: Fantasy Wars
True: NIER

ASchultz:
Wolfqueen--why contradictory? Surely you mean contrarian? Still despite some too easy transitions ("Things start out easily enough," "Tip of the iceberg," and utilizing,) I think this review works. The best part is describing the environments, and if some parts seem like the word count could be chopped down, or you detail some tricks too much e.g. showing one side than the other--this is effective narrative if not overused--I still have a good idea what the game's about and the sort of tricks challenges it expects from you, the tricks it suckers you into thinking you can get away with and the higher levels that stifle them. "If you still can’t tell..." feels patronizing at the end, though. I mean, that puts all the fault on the reader, and confidence in a review is important, but...

True--this was one of those reviews I was really rooting for but it never quite worked out for me. The first paragraph waffles a lot, and the "one single element" seems too vaguely defined. "Heart" is one of those tricky terms. Perhaps you feel Nier faces real adversity? Perhaps you enjoy the mystery of the story with him and his daughter? A lot is described later, and yeah, you have to have heart to think of it, but--it's up there with "hustle" describing a mediocre ballplayer. Describing the side quests also gets tangled. They're dull, then it's good they're only money, then the quests may play a major part from being dull, despite really opening up the story. Maybe you see it in retrospect. But just saying something is dull can leave my eyes glassing over. Let's move on! There are some other phrases that seem like they should mean more than they do, too. The conclusion has me a bit confused, too--did you need to stop playing at points, or did you want to replay the game in whole? This leaves a lot of questions--not the "and what else" but "wait, don't you need to fill in..."

Winner: Wolfqueen

-----

CoarseDragon:
Wolfqueen – Fantasy Wars: It was nice to know that you could raise your peasant to halberdiers to knights to paladins but where did those peasants come from. Most of the fundamentals seemed to be covered but in addition to managing your army did you also need to manage resources. I would also liked to have been given a bit more information on the elf-dwarf alliance, spoiler or not.

True – NIER: The opening paragraphs told the story so well that I could almost visualize the scene. While some reviews open really well they often falter at keeping that pace throughout. While this review kept a good pace I felt some things may have been overlooked. I was not sure how the graphics turned out, what kinds of puzzles to expect and what type of combat system I would find in the game.

Wolfqueen vs. True: True

-----

Zigfried:
Wolfqueen (Fantasy Wars)
Contra isn't oppressively difficult! You must be a girl! Oh... wait... Anyway, I get what you're saying. It's the difference between a game that's just hard, versus a game that's engaging. Nice distinction. I did laugh at this early line: I enjoy strategy because I know I’m smart and so seek to prove that against anyone daring enough to try me. Moving into the description of the game -- the paragraphs about monster types really didn't do much for me, as I was still waiting to hear why the game is difficult. Knowing that trolls are weak to heroes or ballistae, and that flying goblins are weak to magic and arrows, doesn't make the game sound hard; maintaining a diverse assortment of troops is pretty standard for any (good) strategy game. The bits about limits on abilities/levels and the use of terrain aren't particularly unusual for a (good) strategy game either. To show that a game is engaging, you need to move beyond the surface elements (description of mechanics) and address the deeper pieces (scenario layout and objectives; or, to put it another way, how the game really plays). At this point you're probably thinking I hated your review, but I didn't. Even though I'm not convinced of the challenge, I do believe that the game is good. If it weren't, you wouldn't impart such importance to the mechanics. So it's effective, just not quite in the way that you appear to have intended.

EDIT: Having completed my judging, I went back and read the feedback topic. Touching on the deeper bits might also help with your "emotion" concerns, without being too direct about it.

True (Nier)
Square didn't develop Nier. You may be groaning right now, but since I'm a huge Cavia fan, I couldn't help but grimace, especially when you claimed that Square is the best at telling stories (you know that's not true --you've played Lunar!) I'll now shed a memorial tear for Cavia and move on to the rest of your review. There are some parts that I really like, such as your acknowledgement of Yonah's unpretentious nature. I also liked the early bit about taking chances, as this game takes a lot of chances. I wish you had expounded on that more (from a gameplay perspective). Unfortunately, the eventual angle of "the game is good because repetitive, unnecessary sidequests build character" isn't particularly compelling. You're on the right path, but be bolder! Imagine that you were on trial for doing what you thought was right. Would you apologize for doing the wrong thing and profess good intentions, or would you fiercely defend the righteousness of your actions? You start in that direction but never quite floor the accelerator. This is a very emotional review that lacks convincing justification. It may have helped to spend less wording on the prologue, and more on later gameplay.

My pick: Wolfqueen

Ultimate Victor: Wolfqueen (2-1)

*****************************************

Genj?? versus Zippdementia??
Genj: Onechanbara
Zippdementia: Young Thor

ASchultz:
Zombies and Norse Mythology--very different, but apparently they can make for similar games.

Genj, I dunno about the first paragraph. You see, you seem to have sought this game out purposefully. And yet, you "don't know what did it." Later you provide a brief history of the game which suggests you knew what you were getting into. Or were you not one of the "Any idiot(s who) can glance at the cover and realize Onechanbara doesn’t promise a compelling narrative?" Just say you weren't looking for a unique challenge. You get a certain amount of nudge-nudge-wink-wink per review. Given this, I think you do a good enough job of discussing the actual game versus the graphics and how it has some virtues.

Zipp, I like how this review brings up Norse Mythology without really drenching us with it. We know the basics, and we suspect there's more cool stuff. But I think that you get too involved in bashing. Yes, it's fun to look at bad games, but you cross yourself up with "that's the best thing you can say about it" and describing the Mystic Forest, which seems interesting. Also, since the game took

Not sure how to make a sig? While logged into your account, you can edit it and your other public and private information from the Settings page.

Just a note to all that I am really enjoying seeing all this new stuff each week. Thanks for producing such great content!

//Zig

Not sure how to make a sig? While logged into your account, you can edit it and your other public and private information from the Settings page.

A much needed strong showing from our team this week. I'm pretty sure the standings are all extremely close at this point (Janus & Leroux should be tied for first, we're in third by 1 match I believe). The next two weeks will be crucial. Thanks to the judges for their continued work. I hope to see you all vote for me again soon. Good job to Zipp. I thought I'd be 0-4 this week.

_

I knew it would be a tough week but... ouch! Full-on-loss for Team Overdrive! We may be going out next week, I don't know, but I'm determined to come out of this with at least one personal 3-0 and I think the team can still pull a win next week and maybe make it to the finals.

I'm not good at math so I haven't done the particulars, but that's what I think.

Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."

QUICK LOOK BEHIND YOU IT'S A PAYPHONE

Oh no, it's a Goomba!

Well done, Janus. I'd wish for more time on that review, but it'd already taken me 4 years. >_>

Thanks judges!

I can avoid death by not having a life.

The only grammatical error I noticed was this sentence: ...the otherwise flawless web that Remedy have spun for us. Since Remedy is a company, it takes the singular verb tense "has".

Ha. Couldn't resist, could you?

To answer your question, Zig, the disc most definitely contains the full game. The ending is ambiguous (to put it mildly) but from a game design perspective, the final chapter builds to a very exciting and satisfying climax, i.e. it doesn't feel like anything was left out. There was a DLC released recently that added to the story or something, but since I only rented the game, I haven't played it.

Anyway, good match, go team, etc. Props to Genj for pulling in a long-overdue win this week. He's really been working for it so I'm glad the judges gave him the victory.

You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it.

Thanks for the kind words, judges! It's good to know that my new content is still worth reading, even when I'm covering games where keeping a long-time gamer interested can prove challenging. I do still write a lot of stuff, and a lot of it maybe isn't for the "big" games, so sometimes I worry that I'm wasting everyone's time. It's always good to hear that I'm not. At least, that's how I take the feedback that I got here.

Congrats, as usual, to the rest of the people who submitted stuff this week, and thanks go out to the other members on my team for ensuring that we're still very much in this thing. I wouldn't mind having another team tournament ring and so far that's not off the table. I like it!

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world2

Thanks as always for the feedback. I'm glad all our effort is finally starting to pay off, or so it seems. Congrats especially to genj for pulling a much-deserved win.

A note to CD: You don't play many strategy games, do you? haha It's pretty much implied that you're given a starting army consisting of basic units. Really, that's not something I want to spell out to people because, quite frankly, they're not idiots (and I'm not implying that you are with this; sorry if it looks that way =x). Besides, if I were really that thorough, the review would be 50 miles long, and it's already long enough, haha.

Anyway, thanks again everyone. Congrats to everyone else, too.

[Eating EmP's brain] probably isn't a good idea. I mean... He's British, which means his brain's wired for PAL and your eyes are NTSC. - Will

Thanks judges, congratulations Wolfqueen. We'll get them next time team.

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

Week 4 stats:



It's really up for grabs.

My principal said, 'Emo, Emo, Emo.'
I said 'I'm the one in the middle, you lousy drunk!'
-- Emo Phillips

Tight race here.

//Zig

Not sure how to make a sig? While logged into your account, you can edit it and your other public and private information from the Settings page.

Man, Zipp, we suck...the last two on the list.

TEAM: We need to win the final two weeks to make the playoffs. NO FUCKING QUESTIONS!!!! You fight like your lives depend on this week. And they do. The Internet is a wonderful beast. I will be able to find both of you! And you can believe that while exacting my justice in a way that would make Charlie Manson be all like "WTF? You're sick, dude!", I will ignore how my inept performance led to our failure!

I'm not afraid to die because I am invincible
Viva la muerte, that's my goddamn principle

Yeah, we do. I happen to know it's because Janus bribed the judges, though. It may also have something to do with me turning down Zig in the bedroom and instead sending pictures of myself wearing nothing but a corncob pipe to Aschultz.

Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."

wolfqueen - A note to CD: You don't play many strategy games, do you?
Not really no, but I do know how to play those kinds of game. Re-reading I was not clear on what I meant. What I wanted to know is if you build a place where you recruit peasents and what does it take to build the recruitment centers. Gold, Lumber, Iron that kind of thing, because if I am going to play that kind of game I want to know those things beforehand.


Congratulations to the winners and the non-winners alike.

Age is a condition not a state of mind.

instead sending pictures of myself wearing nothing but a corncob pipe to Aschultz.

You were on the right track. A straw hat woulda done the trick.

My principal said, 'Emo, Emo, Emo.'
I said 'I'm the one in the middle, you lousy drunk!'
-- Emo Phillips

Scat the dog pill! Why didn't I think of that?!

Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."

A sombrero with castanets would have been an acceptable alternate solution.

I won't discuss others. Surprise me. That's what the TT is about at its best, right?

My principal said, 'Emo, Emo, Emo.'
I said 'I'm the one in the middle, you lousy drunk!'
-- Emo Phillips