Skyrim Becomes First Western Game to Nail 40/40 Famitsu Review

Mike Kayatta

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Aug 2, 2011
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Skyrim Becomes First Western Game to Nail 40/40 Famitsu Review



The biggest source for videogame reviews in Japan has finally awarded a Western title its top honor.

On 11/11/11, tiny indie developer Bethesda released Skyrim, a modestly sized fantasy RPG that told the same, tired story of a hero fighting dragons. Perhaps you've heard of it. Since then, the game has sold a whopping 3,500,000 copies and received enviable heaps of critical praise [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/9216-The-Elder-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Review]. Now, the game can craft one more flawless sapphire into its crown: Famed Japanese reviewer Famitsu has given it a 40/40, making it the first game ever produced in the West to receive its perfect score.

Famitsu has been circulating around Japan since the mid-eighties, and since then, has grown a base of over half a million subscribers. That's not too shabby for a print publication in the twenty-first century. With a thriving series of magazines and an active website, it's easily become the largest source of game reviews in the country, and arguably the most influential. Still, no Western-made game has impressed them enough to slap with a 40/40, until now.

If you were wondering why a "40/40" instead of, say, a 5/5 or a 10/10, Famitsu gets its score from four separate reviewers who all rate on a much more standard ten scale, making it all the more difficult for games to join the ranks of the seventeen (counting Skyrim) titles to ever make the cut. Previous games making rank include Ocarina of Time, Final Fantasy VII, and Pokemon: Black and White. In the spirit of full disclosure, Nintendogs is in there too (not that there's anything wrong with playing virtual fetch with virtual puppies, mind you).

Skyrim being a Western title also means that the West got it first, meaning Famitsu's vast Japanese readership is going to have to wait until the game is finally released to Asian shores on December 8th before deciding for themselves if the coveted 40 was deserved. I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?

Source: Eurogamer.net [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-29-skyrim-the-first-western-game-to-receive-a-40-40-famitsu-review]

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VincentX3

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Jun 30, 2009
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I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!

Seriously though, Bethesda must be celebrating :) A well earned score.

Unlike some other developers who try to manipulate the score...
*Stares in shame at COD-MW3*
 

Korten12

Now I want ma...!
Aug 26, 2009
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VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!

Seriously though, Bethesda must be celebrating :) A well earned score.

Unlike some other developers who try to manipulate the score...
*Stares in shame at COD-MW3*
They weren't trying to manipulate scores. They simply said basically: "Hey, if you honestly like our game, rate it up."

Because asking honest fans if they like the game to rate it up is as bad as:

"Rate our game up even if you don't like it!"

>.> I will never understand the escapist...

Plus it wasn't even professional reviews they were asking for, it was user reviews.
 

weirdee

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Apr 11, 2011
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Hopefully this means that we will be receiving some sexy Japanese mods shortly.

Yeah, I know, I'm a sick and twisted individual.
 

HassEsser

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VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!
You deserve all the internets xP

But yea, Bethesda should be very proud of this, I just hope they can release the Creation Kit soon, the game will be perfect then!
 

VincentX3

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Jun 30, 2009
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Korten12 said:
VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!

Seriously though, Bethesda must be celebrating :) A well earned score.

Unlike some other developers who try to manipulate the score...
*Stares in shame at COD-MW3*
They weren't trying to manipulate scores. They simply said basically: "Hey, if you honestly like our game, rate it up."

Because asking honest fans if they like the game to rate it up is as bad as:

"Rate our game up even if you don't like it!"

>.> I will never understand the escapist...

Plus it wasn't even professional reviews they were asking for, it was user reviews.
Tell that to the "Fan-Outrage"

Let me know how it goes =P
 

AxelxGabriel

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Nov 13, 2009
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While I definitely think it's good Famitsu given the game a perfect score, I'm just worried about people over there who only consider it based on the trailer for the game. It is ENTIRELY different from the one we have, doesn't come off as vast and epic at all.
 

Korten12

Now I want ma...!
Aug 26, 2009
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VincentX3 said:
Korten12 said:
VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!

Seriously though, Bethesda must be celebrating :) A well earned score.

Unlike some other developers who try to manipulate the score...
*Stares in shame at COD-MW3*
They weren't trying to manipulate scores. They simply said basically: "Hey, if you honestly like our game, rate it up."

Because asking honest fans if they like the game to rate it up is as bad as:

"Rate our game up even if you don't like it!"

>.> I will never understand the escapist...

Plus it wasn't even professional reviews they were asking for, it was user reviews.
Tell that to the "Fan-Outrage"

Let me know how it goes =P
What? Fan-Outrage? More like a bunch of trolls.
 

VincentX3

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Jun 30, 2009
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Korten12 said:
VincentX3 said:
Korten12 said:
VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!

Seriously though, Bethesda must be celebrating :) A well earned score.

Unlike some other developers who try to manipulate the score...
*Stares in shame at COD-MW3*
They weren't trying to manipulate scores. They simply said basically: "Hey, if you honestly like our game, rate it up."

Because asking honest fans if they like the game to rate it up is as bad as:

"Rate our game up even if you don't like it!"

>.> I will never understand the escapist...

Plus it wasn't even professional reviews they were asking for, it was user reviews.
Tell that to the "Fan-Outrage"

Let me know how it goes =P
What? Fan-Outrage? More like a bunch of trolls.
Like I said, Fan-Outrage =P
 

Nick Holmgren

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Feb 13, 2010
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TBH Famitsu has lost some of its prestige in the last 5 years.
Bayonetta for one, was not a perfect title (yes it was great and I do own it has its definite flaws in story delivery).
Nor was wind waker flawless, notably the sailing was mostly tedious and there are some minor plot holes if I recall correctly.
Smash bros brawl was and still is fundamentally flawed as a competitive fighter and SSE was a joke.
super mario bros wii was mario bros ds but on the wii and with some of the most annoying coop since battletoads.


Famitsu is just not the gold standerd of impossible to please it once was.

I could go on but I seriously do not consider their 40/40 to mean a game is truely a master piece.


That said, I am 28 hours into skyrim and massively annoyed that I am not further.
 

ChocoFace

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Nov 19, 2008
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VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!
]
Oh god i'm picturing it now:
Every woman in Skyrim is wearing one of those "sexy" catsuits
All the characters have huge eyes
The dragons have tentacles.
 

LilithSlave

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Sep 1, 2011
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weirdguy said:
Hopefully this means that we will be receiving some sexy Japanese mods shortly.
And instead, some cute mods, for me.

Japan does cute better than sexy, in my opinion. There's a lot of stuff about both in Japan, but I find that cute is clearly Japan's modern forte. And looking at their modern pop culture, I think that no matter how much Japan appreciates sexy, they appreciate cute far more. They're masters of the art of cuteness far more than sexiness.

And I, for one, have no interest in turning my RPGs into a porno.

I do, however, like nice frilly dresses, pink ones, pastel colours, and a cute little lady or sweet little guy to go in that dress.

There's nothing like plowing through and heroically saving a world you inhabit, as a cute little lady in a pastel pink frilly dress, with a gigantic axe.
 

Soviet Heavy

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Jan 22, 2010
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ChocoFace said:
VincentX3 said:
I wonder what the word "Dovakhiin" sounds like in a Nordic Japanese accent?
DOVA-KUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!
]
Oh god i'm picturing it now:
Every woman in Skyrim is wearing one of those "sexy" catsuits
All the characters have huge eyes
The dragons have tentacles.
No, the bears will have tentacles.
 

thethird0611

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Feb 19, 2011
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So, before I came into the thread, I bet, "Ok, within the first 3 post there is going to be a reference about MW3..." Gosh I wish I wasnt right.

But anyway, im glad it made that score. Gives the US a boost, gives other developers something to look to, and gives us a great game. Only sunk about 15 hours into it and its good.
 

Kopikatsu

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May 27, 2010
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CommanderKirov said:
Also by them. 40/40 review for FFXIII.


Yep. They are trustworthy.
Are people still not over this?

It's a JRPG. It was primarily developed for the Japanese market. It was EXTREMELY popular in Japan. Just because most Westerners don't like it doesn't mean it's a bad game.

And no, the battle system wasn't bland. `-` If you're sitting there mashing 'X', then you're playing the game wrong. Yes, there is a wrong way to play the game because if you try to do that later on, you'll get reamed. The complexity of the battle system lies in the Paradigms, not in the individual actions.

/rage
 

antipunt

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Jan 3, 2009
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All the ppl ITT reminding me that the Japanese will start having a hand in helping the modding community.

Thanks. You just made my day.

d-^_^-b
 

kebab4you

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Jan 3, 2010
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CommanderKirov said:
Also by them. 40/40 review for FFXIII.


Yep. They are trustworthy.
XIII? It clearly says: XII >_<

OT: It better have tentacles in the japanese version else it can't be shipped!