Arkham Asylum - red flags?

[not a zaar]

Like many of you, I played the Arkham Asylum demo recently and got pumped up for this game. It's supposed to be released on consoles in less than a week, and yet I haven't seen a single review of it online. Metacritic has nothing on this game. This is usually a bad sign. What do you think?

 

[tiredinnuendo]

Well, Eidos doesn't have *any* kind of history trying to massage or outright alter the metacritic score during the opening of a new game.

*ahem* Yes.

There was a rumor going around that said that if you gave the game above 90% and put it on the front cover of your mag, you would be allowed to publish your review early (i.e. before release). Shortly after that rumor started floating around, one mag (something in the UK, can't recall now) posted a very positive review (above 90%) with the game boldly posted on the front cover. Does that, combined with the fact that we have no other reviews, and the fact that it's Eidos, confirm the rumor? Not really, but it's certainly shady.

None of that means it's a bad game though. Prototype got much the same treatment, and I really enjoyed that one.

- J

 

[TheLastCylon]

Meh, I'm not concerned, review don't usually faze me anyways. I'm still going to get this game.

 

[Starnerf]

Well if the demo got you pumped up then that's usually a good indication that you'll like the game. Or you could just wait until more reviews come out since you can't buy it yet anyway.

 

[Julianking93]

I don't care what anyone says. Its fucking Batman!!!! There's only been like 1 or 2 bad Batman games so I have pretty high hopes for this one.

Plus, if it plays anything like the demo, its gonna kick ass.

 

[Harlemura]

Maybe all the people who played the game found it so awesome their heads exploded, thus couldn't write a review.
I don't really know if no review = no good, it's rare I look at a review unless it's a game that's been out for a while.

 

[Radeonx]

I don't know, I normally don't get games based on the reviews at launch.
And I seem to be the only one that hated the demo. The game just doesn't look appealing.

 

[Corkydog]

Like many of you, I played the Arkham Asylum demo recently and got pumped up for this game. It's supposed to be released on consoles in less than a week, and yet I haven't seen a single review of it online. Metacritic has nothing on this game. This is usually a bad sign. What do you think?

I don't base my purchases on Metacritic because a lot of review sites or magazines tend to have slight biases either way, which I find distracting when figuring out my next game. I just use a couple of sites that I trust, and word of mouth, and it usually works out. If you liked the demo, don't let publisher politics get in the way of enjoying the rest of the game.

 

[Marv21]

The thing is that no one is going to touch that review early because it will put their ethics in sight of the general population meaning they will take pay for early good reviews.

 

[oliveira8]

Well...I bet it's cause the PC version is still a month away!

 

[Ravenseeker]

read gameinformer, they reviewed it and it got a great score. but if you're going to base your judgment on what people tell you, then you've got other problems

 

[TaborMallory]

G.I. Joe pulled that move. Surprise! The movie sucked.

 

[HT_Black]

Ehh...the game is good, and there have been a few people who've reviewed it-- This time around, I don't think Eidos is sucking them off for good ratings as much as the magazines are sucking them off for a right to review them pre-release.

Honestly, the only actual warning light with this game that would suggest it might be bad is the troubling matter of boss fights...

 

[teutonicman]

The only thing about this game that worries me is that Edios was also behind Kane and Lynch and Conflictenied Ops

 

[JammasterJG]

i think it'll be good, the gameplay looks really different and unique

of course u have to remember most things LOOK really good, but then turn out to be a bit of a disapoinment :S

but julian king does make a good point

I don't care what anyone says. Its fucking Batman!!!! There's only been like 1 or 2 bad Batman games so I have pretty high hopes for this one.

Plus, if it plays anything like the demo, its gonna kick ass.

so yeah, batman + good story setting + fun gameplay = a formula for success

 

[not a zaar]

The only thing about this game that worries me is that Edios was also behind Kane and Lynch and Conflictenied Ops

Eidos is not the developer of this game.

 

[Julianking93]

i think it'll be good, the gameplay looks really different and unique

of course u have to remember most things LOOK really good, but then turn out to be a bit of a disapoinment :S

but julian king does make a good point

I don't care what anyone says. Its fucking Batman!!!! There's only been like 1 or 2 bad Batman games so I have pretty high hopes for this one.

Plus, if it plays anything like the demo, its gonna kick ass.

so yeah, batman + good story setting + fun gameplay = a formula for success

Thank you

The only way they could fuck it up is if the boss battles suck and its only around 5 hours but taking into consideration of how many villains are in this game, the length of it doesn't seem like it would be a problem and if the boss battles are just half as diverse as the regular gameplay is, I don't think there's much to worry about.

 

[Hotfoottfox]

I'm not that worried, and it sounds interesting. That, and it's fucking Batman! There's still the crap factor, but I'm still going to buy the game. It has 'aslyum' in the name, so I have to buy it just to find out what it's about.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

The only thing about this game that worries me is that Edios was also behind Kane and Lynch and Conflictenied Ops

Eidos is not the developer of this game.

No.... they're the publisher. Just like on Kane and Lynch and Tomb Raider. Where they openly manipulated review scores and (in one case) got a reviewer fired.

Pay attention.

- J

 

[Doc Theta Sigma]

Well I'd be worried if they hadn't released a demo and hadn't released a review like they did with Prototype. However they released a demo and it'll probably be reviewed by the end of the week. If I remember correctly most places don't review until a week or less before it comes out. I don't base my purchases on reviews anyway since they're opinion. I loved the demo and I'll be getting it regardless.

Batarang here I come