Late Reviews

[NeedAUserName]

Has anyone else noticed a trend in game reviews, (from users) being released later and later after their release date? I mean don't get me wrong, I praise people that can write reviews of games, I'm just awful at it, and I know it takes time and planning, but reviews are just getting really delayed now, as correct me if I'm wrong but a review is meant to either persuade you into buying a game, or steer you clear of a game that looked great but was full of design/graphical/gameplay errors. But who needs a review of a game 3 months after its release date?
So just wondering what people have to say on the subject, or if they even care.

P.S. I have no idea what category this should go under, so feel free to move it to wherever.

 

[-Seraph-]

It really depends on how late the review is. I can understand if a reviewer wants to go the whole way and play the game to the fullest to properly judge the entire game. it makes sense, and it just shows that good effort might have been put into the review.

Other times it just has to do with scheduling. Sometimes reviewers get backed up with other games, especially during times where many many games are being released...I can't imagine how November is gonna be.

I don't know if your talking about video reviews, written reviews or both, but reviews that are delayed by many weeks and months does seem rather lazy.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

It's common for MMO's, but it also depends on how "high-profile" the game is. The big sites usually get early hands on play and give high-scores to promote the game right before it comes out.

 

[stompy]

Also, you have the issue where the review is submitted late because the developer knows the game is going to suck, and thus, they stall the review to get some sales. I'm not saying that's the only reason, but it's there.

Also, like Seraph said, it can do with scheduling as well.

 

[RetiarySword]

I am writing a review for a website at the moment. I told my editor that it will be delayed as I started university 3 weeks ago. I bought stalker but everytime I sit down to play it, I get dragged to a party or a night out. Also trying to review stalker on my pc.. Well the PC is so weak I might as well play it on a gameboy!

Also don't forget that other things take priority above reviews, as most reviewers have a job to go to and review for fun, also sometimes like my case, I have to go out and get the game myself so cash can become a factor.

 

[Novajam]

But who needs a review of a game 3 months after its release date?

Me.

Really, a lot of people hold off buying games, usually because of finances, so having a recently written review available can be handy.

Plus, some people are practising writing reviews (me), some people like doing "Retro reviews", and some are just reviewing old stuff for "Lulz", so old games are good fodder for these sorts of things.

 

[searanox]

Oftentimes, later reviews means the source a) hasn't been paid off to give the game a high rating, b) is independent or comes from a smaller site where employees have to buy games off the shelf with their own money, and c) has a more developed opinion as he or she has been able to play the game for a longer period of time. I dislike the games journalism industry due to the fact that reviewers are often forced to write on 20-plus-hour games after having only played them for a few hours, where technical aspects tend to outshine any redeeming gameplay value, or, conversely, technical flaws are more visible and gameplay which revolves around a cumulative experience rather than instant gratification goes unrewarded.

 

[dukethepcdr]

I think there is room for both kinds of reviews: long and in depth reviews by writers who have beaten the game and shorter more timely "first impression" reviews that come out quickly after a game is released. I'd like to see more reviews come out right when a game is released too. Only, I wish they would admit early on in the article that they haven't beaten the game or that they did a quick playthrough without exploring all aspects of every level. Some sites and mags are big enough to get preview, unreleaased versions of the games before the release date to play. Those previews are ok, but I've been burned by them before. Remember how great all the previews said Enter the Matrix would be? Nuff said. It's not always a bad thing to wait a month or so after a game is released to buy it. Sometimes, if you are patient, you can save some major bucks by waiting a few months for the game to be availiable used or to at least go down in price.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

That guy who did a blog exposing the sham of the videogames news industry mentioned that people who gave Assasins Creed a higher score were allowed to release their reviews several weeks sooner. I have no reason to assume this is uncommon practice so-

Speed = Reviewer with developers dick in mouth

 

[Samurai Goomba]

I'm planning my first Escapist review, which will be an old game nobody has ever played. I'm wavering between the Ghost in the Shell PS2 game and Genji: Dawn of the Samurai.

Honestly, I'd much rather point people to overlooked games than give another rave review of the latest and greatest piece of next-gen garbage with pretty colors.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I'm planning my first Escapist review, which will be an old game nobody has ever played. I'm wavering between the Ghost in the Shell PS2 game and Genji: Dawn of the Samurai.

Honestly, I'd much rather point people to overlooked games than give another rave review of the latest and greatest piece of next-gen garbage with pretty colors.

I played Genji, it was Okay. Most people didn't play Ghost in the Shell though, perhaps because I heard it was bad.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

I'm planning my first Escapist review, which will be an old game nobody has ever played. I'm wavering between the Ghost in the Shell PS2 game and Genji: Dawn of the Samurai.

Honestly, I'd much rather point people to overlooked games than give another rave review of the latest and greatest piece of next-gen garbage with pretty colors.

I played Genji, it was Okay. Most people didn't play Ghost in the Shell though, perhaps because I heard it was bad.

Quotes galore! I loved Genji, but I didn't think the short length was much of a flaw (which put me in the vast minority of reviewers.) The graphics are very well done from an artistic standpoint, the voice actor cast is excellent, and the combat is fun in a "DMC Zero Calorie" sort of way. It's tasty, but lacking the depth of the devil-slaying Capcom adventure.

The Ghost in the Shell game suffers from uninspired level design and some poor level layouts, which somewhat downplays the really great-looking graphics, authentic voice cast, functional combat, satisfying and beautiful explosions and very fleshed-out multiplayer. The game also took hits for the controls, but this can be easily fixed. I liked it, but it doesn't deliver what a lot of Ghost in the Shell fans were expecting, which was something more than a slightly-generic 3rd-person shooter.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I'm planning my first Escapist review, which will be an old game nobody has ever played. I'm wavering between the Ghost in the Shell PS2 game and Genji: Dawn of the Samurai.

Honestly, I'd much rather point people to overlooked games than give another rave review of the latest and greatest piece of next-gen garbage with pretty colors.

I played Genji, it was Okay. Most people didn't play Ghost in the Shell though, perhaps because I heard it was bad.

Quotes galore! I loved Genji, but I didn't think the short length was much of a flaw (which put me in the vast minority of reviewers.) The graphics are very well done from an artistic standpoint, the voice actor cast is excellent, and the combat is fun in a "DMC Zero Calorie" sort of way. It's tasty, but lacking the depth of the devil-slaying Capcom adventure.

The Ghost in the Shell game suffers from uninspired level design and some poor level layouts, which somewhat downplays the really great-looking graphics, authentic voice cast, functional combat, satisfying and beautiful explosions and very fleshed-out multiplayer. The game also took hits for the controls, but this can be easily fixed. I liked it, but it doesn't deliver what a lot of Ghost in the Shell fans were expecting, which was something more than a slightly-generic 3rd-person shooter.

My biggest problem with Genji was it's biggest strength. You could kill any boss in 3-8 (for the last boss) hits if you could manage that hard ass TAP THIS BUTTON REALLY FAST reposte attack game. It made for an interesting mechanic but was oh so frustrating for me. Never the less I almost completed the whole combo on the final boss. Never quite beat him though.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

I'm planning my first Escapist review, which will be an old game nobody has ever played. I'm wavering between the Ghost in the Shell PS2 game and Genji: Dawn of the Samurai.

Honestly, I'd much rather point people to overlooked games than give another rave review of the latest and greatest piece of next-gen garbage with pretty colors.

I played Genji, it was Okay. Most people didn't play Ghost in the Shell though, perhaps because I heard it was bad.

Quotes galore! I loved Genji, but I didn't think the short length was much of a flaw (which put me in the vast minority of reviewers.) The graphics are very well done from an artistic standpoint, the voice actor cast is excellent, and the combat is fun in a "DMC Zero Calorie" sort of way. It's tasty, but lacking the depth of the devil-slaying Capcom adventure.

The Ghost in the Shell game suffers from uninspired level design and some poor level layouts, which somewhat downplays the really great-looking graphics, authentic voice cast, functional combat, satisfying and beautiful explosions and very fleshed-out multiplayer. The game also took hits for the controls, but this can be easily fixed. I liked it, but it doesn't deliver what a lot of Ghost in the Shell fans were expecting, which was something more than a slightly-generic 3rd-person shooter.

My biggest problem with Genji was it's biggest strength. You could kill any boss in 3-8 (for the last boss) hits if you could manage that hard ass TAP THIS BUTTON REALLY FAST reposte attack game. It made for an interesting mechanic but was oh so frustrating for me. Never the less I almost completed the whole combo on the final boss. Never quite beat him though.

At least the button was always Square, unlike similar mechanics in Genji 2 and Rogue Galaxy. Other than that, I don't really disagree with anything you said. Personally, I loved everything about the Kamui mechanic and it's risk/reward system. And it's not like you ever have to use it, either. Bosses and enemies were designed so you could just beat them down if you wanted.

And I love the final boss. I love him so much, I hold him up high as a perfect example of how to make a final boss a memorable experience in and of itself. In fact, the final boss actually made me buy the game. He looked so awesome I couldn't control myself.