Why Jim Sterling's Mario Kart 7 review is bullshit.

[SamuelT]

For fear of getting ridiculed...

Who the hell is Jim Sterling?

He's a reviewer and commentator who makes the Jimquisition videos here and writes reviews for Destructoid. I think he's an editor for Destructoid as well and does a few other things, but that's what I know he does.

Oh. That Jim.

Why do we care again?

 

[Giftfromme]

For fear of getting ridiculed...

Who the hell is Jim Sterling?

He's a reviewer and commentator who makes the Jimquisition videos here and writes reviews for Destructoid. I think he's an editor for Destructoid as well and does a few other things, but that's what I know he does.

Oh. That Jim.

Why do we care again?

The thread makes us care brother. We must care! We must rise against Jim Sterling and this outrageous score! We must write a letter to him! Anyone with me?!

 

[NickCaligo42]

Jim Sterling, once again showing what a hypocrite he is, gives Mario Kart 7 a 5 out of 10 for being a "stagnant, crawling, and indolent effort" despite being more lenient towards the Dynasty Warriors series, which is just as stagnant as this game, if not more.

This was really the biggest problem you had today? That some dude you don't know dissed a game you like, but not some other game that you don't particularly care for? Not only is this oddly specific, but I have to think there's better shit you could use your time for.

 

[DalekJaas]

It's Mario Kart, you were expecting more than a 5?

 

[Toriver]

The fact is, EVERYTHING about this thread is subjective, from the OP and his defenders to the guys telling him to just ignore it. If someone had given the so-called-God's-gift-to-*excuse me* SKYRIM!!!1!one a low score, the tables would probably be turned and 75% of the people in the thread would be bitching about a payoff from a rival company (maybe even Nintendo) or reviewer bias or the state of the industry or something like that, no matter how valid the claims may be in the review itself. Personally, I will probably buy Mario Kart 7, and I will enjoy it, and screw anyone who tries to tell me I shouldn't because "WAH it's just the same as all the other ones, Yahtzee says we should all hate Nintendo for making the same 10+ SERIES over and over". But they can have their opinion and respond to me just as I can do the same, and we can disagree and make jokes about it, have a little laugh, and then move on because it's really not that important. I suggest that everyone here does the same.

If it were Skyrim, there would be more to justify it being a new game based off the OPs arguments. It has more than a couple of new characters, a new map, and one new system (Say, the Dragons). Much of the game has been reworked from Oblivion, but it still retains its Elder Scrolls feel. I can guarantee Oblivion and Skyrim won't play the same. There will be things you do in Oblivion that you don't do in Skyrim, and there will be things you do in Skyrim that you won't do in Oblivion. Skyrim is considered by many as a streamlined version of Oblivion, as many of the things that required an investment of your time to manage from Oblivion are replaced by simpler systems. This, combined with the massive facelift and massive amount of content, justify a new game. MK7, going by the OPs 'New maps, New characters and minor tweaks such as underwater racing, gliding and cart customisation', MK7 would be more suited as DLC for previous titles.
Of course, we have not played it so we do not know how much it has changed, but if the OPs statements are all that has changed, then it is not worth $60-$70 as a new game.

I think you kinda missed the point of my post: obviously, if a reviewer was to give a low score to Skyrim, it would be for different reasons than Jim gave for Mario Kart 7: I said right in the post that many people would likely be in an uproar regardless of the reasoning behind it, no matter how sound it is, just because "OMG, IT'S SKYRIM!!!!", much like this guy is getting all defensive over Mario Kart. In fact, you kinda proved that point with this post by getting defensive about Skyrim without anybody having attacked it at all.

 

[ultimateownage]

Simply having new levels or any sort of new content more than a reskin is enough to keep any game series fresh.

So you're saying that you would be perfectly fine with Mario Kart 8 being identical to Mario Kart 7, except having the ? boxes be 0.01% more favourable to a green shell, and pay full price for it? Every update or patch to a game can be counted as 'new content'. So according to you, you'd be willing to pay £30 for every patch released for a game, no matter how small the change was. How fucking rich are you?!

We're not the people being too spoilt, people like you are being too complacent. Why would you PAY for a NEW game, if the game is fucking identical to the last one?!

I thought the people complaining Left 4 Dead 2 were massive idiots, and Jim is indeed a hypocritical idiot, but you're taking this way too far in the other direction. That, or you're just a pretty good troll.

 

[deus-ex-machina]

He is one reviewer. If you do not like his review, then ignore it.

I have ignored him but then, I didn't even realise he had a part on the Escapist, but from my experience, Mario Kart games are pretty dull in single player... the fun comes from multiplayer. Each gamer has a different taste and from what I've read, he doesn't come across as the most empathetic critic.

Mario Kart has enough fans to ignore one review that puts it down as 'average' - not bad - average.

Meanwhile, I'm surprised few people have complained that this game is currently only on the 3DS. I love Mario Kart games but I'm not dishing out on a 3DS just for this. It's almost Christmas damnit! I have to settle with playing Mario Party 9 instead!! I hate Mario Party and would much rather me kicking it up on the 'Kart come Christmas.

 

[Adeptus Aspartem]

Doesn't this whole topic prove his video "Hate out of ten"?

It's really cool how people how claim Jim being the biggest troll ever just prove him right in the same thread.

 

[Jimbo1212]

http://www.destructoid.com/review-mario-kart-7-216484.phtml

Jim Sterling, once again showing what a hypocrite he is, gives Mario Kart 7 a 5 out of 10 for being a "stagnant, crawling, and indolent effort" despite being more lenient towards the Dynasty Warriors series, which is just as stagnant as this game, if not more.

But I kind of have a problem in general that the idea that being similar to previous games makes a game bad.

Let me ask you something, Jim. Does Mario Kart 7 have new tracks? Does it have new characters? Does it have various minor tweaks to the formula, such as gliding, underwater racing, and kart customization?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, you've invalidated your own argument. Simply having new levels or any sort of new content more than a reskin is enough to keep any game series fresh. If a sequel has the exact same gameplay and graphics engine as the previous game, but has new levels, then it is still just as fun as the previous entry but is new enough to warrant a purchase.

I'm not saying innovation is bad, I'm just saying that you shouldn't automatically assume that the absence of it is bad. You can have a sequel change the formula to keep things new and exciting, as long as it's true to the spirit of the original and still fun, but after a certain point, there's nowhere left to go. Mario Kart has reached the point where there really isn't much to improve, but that's not a bad thing at all. Don't act like you NEED to make a radical change with each new game to keep the series fun, that's just bullshit. You just need new levels, new characters, a graphics update, and a few other minor tweaks.

All I care is someone is being honest knowing the wraith of fans that will go bat shit at him.

 

[Something Amyss]

How'd you find that if you don't mind me asking? Because I seriously couldn't.

I just went to destructoid.com and searched on it. It was the first thing up.

 

[natster43]

Personally I see nothing wrong with his review, though I personally don't think I will agree with him on it when I get to play it. Besides, why has having a different opinion on something when being a game reviewer become such a horrible thing?

 

[Ubermetalhed]

Not played it but I don't expect the game to be 5/10. It implies it is quite subpar and I highly doubt that.

Jim likes to stir up shit, just ignore him. Besides who cares what this guy thinks?

 

[Something Amyss]

It will be $10 in a bargain bin in a week, you are greatly exaggerating with $60.

Unlikely, but yeah, how dare he talk list price?

Threads like this are the reason why the whiny gamer stereotype exists.

"Oh noes! Someone has a different opinion from my own! Troll! Y U SO MEAN!?"

Seriously, fuck you people.

Yahtzee fans don't hurt.

"I want to see you rip into video games...But NOT THE ONES I LIKE!!!!!"

 

[Omnific One]

Please, Nintendo hasn't really innovated in years in the software sector, so honestly, this was deserved. When you release the same game over and over with minor adjustments/reskinning, I'm glad someone called them out on it.

 

[Wuggy]

[EDIT]