I Don't Need No Stinking Standards!
- Thread starter tendo82
- Start date
I hear you, Tom.
Most of the games (actually, probably all) I play have an emphasis on collecting stuff. When I look at my games, I realize that a large portion consists of Pokemon and Metroid. I like playing games where you can earn a perfect score, or find all the powerups. I love SSBM, but the thing I worked hardest for in that game wasn't getting better, but collecting all the trophies. Completing the bestiary in an FF game, finding the red stars in Kirby, getting a perfect score in Elite Beat Agents. I enjoy the challenges rather than the story, and the way I play and purchase reflects this.
Most of the games (actually, probably all) I play have an emphasis on collecting stuff. When I look at my games, I realize that a large portion consists of Pokemon and Metroid. I like playing games where you can earn a perfect score, or find all the powerups. I love SSBM, but the thing I worked hardest for in that game wasn't getting better, but collecting all the trophies. Completing the bestiary in an FF game, finding the red stars in Kirby, getting a perfect score in Elite Beat Agents. I enjoy the challenges rather than the story, and the way I play and purchase reflects this.
whai is no one responding to tom?
anyway, Knytt stories got good reception from me anyways.
Sometimes you just have to overlook today's standards and lock yourself in your basement with a copy of Fantasy world: Dizzy.
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No, I'm fifteen, just a retro gamer, is there something wrong with that?
anyway, Knytt stories got good reception from me anyways.
Sometimes you just have to overlook today's standards and lock yourself in your basement with a copy of Fantasy world: Dizzy.
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No, I'm fifteen, just a retro gamer, is there something wrong with that?
I think this is a bit of a hard thing to really discuss. As reviewers, professional or otherwise, it seems like the writer has a bit of a job to convey a topic as understandably as possible to an audience at large. This means that personal taste and creative direction needs to take a back-seat to readability and clarity for the people at large.
That is probably why the reviewing community as a whole lost a lot of its personality in favor of a rigid set of standards. It is a lot easier for a reader to latch onto a finite concept of "graphics don't look great" rather than "despite being technically unremarkable, the art direction and stylistic character design provide a childish wave of nostalgia that goes beyond the requirements of the GPU." The same could be said for any criteria.
Although, I do agree that reviews need to spend less time reading like textbook description of gameplay elements and more time explaining the why of these elements, and how it affects the game. This opens a world of "bad" games to the reviewing circuit. It's what makes things like Little Big Planet and Crayon Physics such enjoyable games. Even when compared to intense and massive-budget titles like Prototype and InFamous.
However, there is something to be said for having standards in general. Without standards at all, any reviewing publication can review any thing. And while this doesn't sound like a bad idea in theory, the User Reviews section shows that the concept of reviews about sandwiches, staplers, bricks, and even forum-members isn't unheard of or even impossible. That's not to say that these mediums are lesser or inferior, just that everything has a time and place.
I am certainly behind you 100% about more diversity and fewer criteria on the review circuit. Hopefully even enough to allow for the games we've never heard of to be published alongside those we have.
That is probably why the reviewing community as a whole lost a lot of its personality in favor of a rigid set of standards. It is a lot easier for a reader to latch onto a finite concept of "graphics don't look great" rather than "despite being technically unremarkable, the art direction and stylistic character design provide a childish wave of nostalgia that goes beyond the requirements of the GPU." The same could be said for any criteria.
Although, I do agree that reviews need to spend less time reading like textbook description of gameplay elements and more time explaining the why of these elements, and how it affects the game. This opens a world of "bad" games to the reviewing circuit. It's what makes things like Little Big Planet and Crayon Physics such enjoyable games. Even when compared to intense and massive-budget titles like Prototype and InFamous.
However, there is something to be said for having standards in general. Without standards at all, any reviewing publication can review any thing. And while this doesn't sound like a bad idea in theory, the User Reviews section shows that the concept of reviews about sandwiches, staplers, bricks, and even forum-members isn't unheard of or even impossible. That's not to say that these mediums are lesser or inferior, just that everything has a time and place.
I am certainly behind you 100% about more diversity and fewer criteria on the review circuit. Hopefully even enough to allow for the games we've never heard of to be published alongside those we have.
Every time I read one of your articles, it helps me redefine the way I view gaming. Either you make a point on some facet of the industry so cleanly that it changes my perception, or you put words to what I've been mulling over for quite some time.
I appreciate your work the most on this site, and look forward to more of your insights.
Great work.
I appreciate your work the most on this site, and look forward to more of your insights.
Great work.
tendo82 got it so right!
plus:
"Can something normally as ignored as motion capture become one basis upon which a game is recommended? I think the answer is yes."
how stupid is this? Endo clearly mistook "Eyecandy" or "Cinematic add-ons" with actually PLAYING a game. How a game looks has nothing to do with how is plays. I want to PLAY a game, not watching a movie. "hey man you need to get the new Donkey Kong Game, the ape swings really smooth. That is, if you can get past the awkward controlls to ever see it and not be bored to death by then."
while he got the point that "thinking outside of the box" is always good, the article presented it´s intention really ill.
Maybe Endo needs some time in a Chinese Electro Shock facility to recover. Oh wait, they are already closed these.
plus:
"Can something normally as ignored as motion capture become one basis upon which a game is recommended? I think the answer is yes."
how stupid is this? Endo clearly mistook "Eyecandy" or "Cinematic add-ons" with actually PLAYING a game. How a game looks has nothing to do with how is plays. I want to PLAY a game, not watching a movie. "hey man you need to get the new Donkey Kong Game, the ape swings really smooth. That is, if you can get past the awkward controlls to ever see it and not be bored to death by then."
while he got the point that "thinking outside of the box" is always good, the article presented it´s intention really ill.
Maybe Endo needs some time in a Chinese Electro Shock facility to recover. Oh wait, they are already closed these.
I think it is true that many of the things most people look for when trying to "objectively" look at a game, don't necessarily make a good game in themselves.
Of course we all expected Prince of Persia to be consistent with it's rotoscoping roots, but I don't think it's necessary to print in a review (if it was I would probably just ignore it).
Basically I agree with this, but I think a truly good game will shine no matter what the reviewers' expectations.
Of course we all expected Prince of Persia to be consistent with it's rotoscoping roots, but I don't think it's necessary to print in a review (if it was I would probably just ignore it).
Basically I agree with this, but I think a truly good game will shine no matter what the reviewers' expectations.
Aye...I have a wierd obsession about death animations, movement animations and motion capture in some games...prototype and Left 4 dead became alot more fun for me with the cool death animations of the latter, and the sweet flips, jumps and attacks of the former.
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There are many metrics. And the "Did you have fun playing it" is a very, very broad one. It includes appealing looks, handling, music and basically EVERYTHING.
As for animation making the game - that's a reason i regularly return to Flashback and Blackthorne. Otherwise some quite generic shooty platformers, but the character animations are so lovingly detailed, that you just want to see more of it.
As for animation making the game - that's a reason i regularly return to Flashback and Blackthorne. Otherwise some quite generic shooty platformers, but the character animations are so lovingly detailed, that you just want to see more of it.
So you want the definition of a "good game" to become Looser?!
Don't we have enough crap that get's scored too well?
I thought game reviewers already rated more on whims and less on actual effort. Otherwise, how did No More Heroes become so overrated?
Don't we have enough crap that get's scored too well?
I thought game reviewers already rated more on whims and less on actual effort. Otherwise, how did No More Heroes become so overrated?
You're right.FloodOne said:
I can't imagine anyone liking No More Heroes.
In fact, I don't personally know anyone who liked No More Heroes. All of my friends thought it was total crap too.
Who tried rating the word overrated? Did they have standards?
There is very little I can comment on that article as I agree entirely with what you have said.
If you look at almost any forms of entertainment media (TV, Video Games, Music etc.) each one will have a set of standards that they need to stand by. But the problem is that as we have lost the standards and have become more creative, we have unfortunately kept to the same standards when it comes to criticising them, and some standards just can't work with some projects.
If you look at almost any forms of entertainment media (TV, Video Games, Music etc.) each one will have a set of standards that they need to stand by. But the problem is that as we have lost the standards and have become more creative, we have unfortunately kept to the same standards when it comes to criticising them, and some standards just can't work with some projects.
The new average is about a 7, as so you can make any above average title into a 8 or a 9 effortlessly.
I rate games based on past experience's, design implementations and how fun something is to me.
Graphics? I could really care less, sound... same, music I can respect something that dose not fall into trends and pitfalls of modern design, something more than rock music,metal,metal,generic octrstia,metal,generic metal,ect,ect,ect and don't get me started on event music......... to me it has killed the greatness of simple and powerful background music.....
This is why I can say Dark messiah is a 7 because the story keeps it from an 8 but the ambition of the gamepaly is what makes it a gem worth owning.
Bioshock even Cryisis or Halo 2/3 on the other hand is a lulz fest of sloppy designs and barely earns the 6 I can give them.
Medicare story+medicare gameplay makes for a sub medicare experience....
I rate games based on past experience's, design implementations and how fun something is to me.
Graphics? I could really care less, sound... same, music I can respect something that dose not fall into trends and pitfalls of modern design, something more than rock music,metal,metal,generic octrstia,metal,generic metal,ect,ect,ect and don't get me started on event music......... to me it has killed the greatness of simple and powerful background music.....
This is why I can say Dark messiah is a 7 because the story keeps it from an 8 but the ambition of the gamepaly is what makes it a gem worth owning.
Bioshock even Cryisis or Halo 2/3 on the other hand is a lulz fest of sloppy designs and barely earns the 6 I can give them.
Medicare story+medicare gameplay makes for a sub medicare experience....
I like a game when it reviewe against it's self. Did it do action well if it's an action game. Did it do humor well if it's a funny game.
Not is it Better, the same as, or worse then Halo.
Not is it Better, the same as, or worse then Halo.
I think it's perfectly reasonable to recommend a game for something like its animations. It's not uncommon to recommend a movie because one scene in it is incredible, or an album because 2 out of its 10 songs are masterpieces.
That said, games are a much greater investment of time and money than a movie or an album, so it's not surprising that gamers would want more consistent standards.
That said, games are a much greater investment of time and money than a movie or an album, so it's not surprising that gamers would want more consistent standards.