Zero Punctuation: Next Gen Buyer's Guide

[Dragonbums]

He's complaining now and says that people shouldn't buy the next-gen console, but he already has a WiiU and he will get an Xbone and PS4 for his reviews, if not for himself.
I agree with him, but I'd like to see people taking a stand - especially known game critics.

Consoles have held games that I like hostage before, but I never got those consoles because I know that I shouldn't have to use multiple gaming platforms - I have one, my PC, and that's enough.

That's the equivalent of telling a Graphic Designer to stick with Photoshop CS4 and not get CS 5, 6, and 7.

It's his job to review games, and to tell consumers about the products they already have or are about to own. He can't do his job if he doesn't have any of the next gen consoles. That is integral to keeping him on top of his game. I'm pretty sure that if he was a commentator, or had some sort of other occupation as opposed to reviewing games across all systems perhaps he would be able to do that.

 

[Doom972]

He's complaining now and says that people shouldn't buy the next-gen console, but he already has a WiiU and he will get an Xbone and PS4 for his reviews, if not for himself.
I agree with him, but I'd like to see people taking a stand - especially known game critics.

Consoles have held games that I like hostage before, but I never got those consoles because I know that I shouldn't have to use multiple gaming platforms - I have one, my PC, and that's enough.

That's the equivalent of telling a Graphic Designer to stick with Photoshop CS4 and not get CS 5, 6, and 7.

It's his job to review games, and to tell consumers about the products they already have or are about to own. He can't do his job if he doesn't have any of the next gen consoles. That is integral to keeping him on top of his game. I'm pretty sure that if he was a commentator, or had some sort of other occupation as opposed to reviewing games across all systems perhaps he would be able to do that.

This analogy won't work. A graphics designer needs one program to be able to perform certain tasks - not several similar programs. A game critic can have one or many gaming platforms to review games for. A game critic who does one review per week won't be able to review every possible game anyway, so even sticking to one platform would provide him with enough games to review. He could take a stand and not get an Xbone at least to show that there's a red line that no console maker should cross, and hopefully others will do the same.
There will be enough good (and many more bad) games for the PC, PS4, and the WiiU (perhaps not that last one. We'll see). The Xbone won't be missed.

 

[Justin Harris]

So far from what I heard, both PS4 and Xbox1 are going to try and kill the used games market, and both are incredibly invasive. So if I /DO/ get a Next Gen Console, it's going to be a Wii U. I already skipped the PS3 because I hate sony for hating its consumers. I have no problem telling Microsoft to Bite it and switching to Linux instead of Xbox 1 and Windows 8.

 

[BrainBlow]

So far from what I heard, both PS4 and Xbox1 are going to try and kill the used games market, and both are incredibly invasive. So if I /DO/ get a Next Gen Console, it's going to be a Wii U. I already skipped the PS3 because I hate sony for hating its consumers. I have no problem telling Microsoft to Bite it and switching to Linux instead of Xbox 1 and Windows 8.

Where the hell did you hear that about the Playstation? It's the exact OPPOSITE! The PS4 is NOT being invasive, and it EMBRACES used games!

 

[taltamir]

Regarding the "hold something I like hostage" metaphor-- they're already doing that. Remember Halo 2 multiplayer? Every single Xbox game that requires a centralized server in order to function will one day be shut off. So maybe they're hoping that when our Halo 4s and Borderlands 2s stop working, we'll buy a new console because we have no other choice.

You do have another choice, you can play better games made by better companies

 

[WarpZone]

Regarding the "hold something I like hostage" metaphor-- they're already doing that. Remember Halo 2 multiplayer? Every single Xbox game that requires a centralized server in order to function will one day be shut off. So maybe they're hoping that when our Halo 4s and Borderlands 2s stop working, we'll buy a new console because we have no other choice.

You do have another choice, you can play better games made by better companies

There is no "better" in the next generation of consoles. There's only "which of these three is the least bad?" Sorry if I made it sound like the only alternative to 360 is an Xbone. What I meant to say is that we'll have no choice but to buy into the next generation of consoles AT ALL.

I mean, you can say "play PC," and I do, and it will evidently become my primary gaming platform in the near future, but the point is we have great games NOW on acceptable hardware that they've only managed to slightly ruin with this last year of bullshit. It sucks to lose that. It sucks that they're ending the current gen early and giving us a next gen with nothing to recommend it, only shiny new ways of fucking the customer over.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Well, Nintendo might have went all in with a 2 and a 4, but they just came out of it with 2 Aces and a King (Smash Bros, Mario Kart and Mario 3D World). Sony, however, already has 2 Aces and a King (Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts III, not being an XBOne), and are just waiting for their last card to see if they win. Either way, Microsoft is going to loose everything they had.

 

[catalyst8]

He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

You seem to misunderstand the word. In a professional sense a critic is 'a person who judges the merits of literary or artistic works, especially one who does so professionally.' (OED 2013)

Peter Brook explains the role eloquently in this article: http://austintheatre.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/peter-brook-on-job-of-critic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critic

A critic doesn't have to be "balanced".

Also Yahtzee is part critic, part comedian. Those of us who tune in to ZP on a regular basis are full aware of his bias toward "making fun of stuff".

Some of his points are valid, some are nitpicking for humorous effect. Which of his opinions fall into which camp ... well that's up to you to interpret.

Wikipedia is not a good source to reliably cite for anything. You made an incorrect claim as to what a professional critic is. Your error is confirmed by the Oxford English Dictionary which, as I demonstrated, gives a very different definition of the word than the meaning you claimed for it. Whether Crowshaw is a critic or not is irrelevant, the point is that that you're mangling English & refuse to admit it.

 

[deadish]

He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

You seem to misunderstand the word. In a professional sense a critic is 'a person who judges the merits of literary or artistic works, especially one who does so professionally.' (OED 2013)

Peter Brook explains the role eloquently in this article: http://austintheatre.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/peter-brook-on-job-of-critic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critic

A critic doesn't have to be "balanced".

Also Yahtzee is part critic, part comedian. Those of us who tune in to ZP on a regular basis are full aware of his bias toward "making fun of stuff".

Some of his points are valid, some are nitpicking for humorous effect. Which of his opinions fall into which camp ... well that's up to you to interpret.

Wikipedia is not a good source to reliably cite for anything. You made an incorrect claim as to what a professional critic is. Your error is confirmed by the Oxford English Dictionary which, as I demonstrated, gives a very different definition of the word than the meaning you claimed for it. Whether Crowshaw is a critic or not is irrelevant, the point is that that you're mangling English & refuse to admit it.

Fine. Yahtzee is not a critic then. Happy? Jesus.

The point is Yahtzee is NOT a reviewer. He doesn't give a crap about "fair and balance" journalism. Picking apart games and game systems is his job.

 

[Pearwood]

Been a while since I've thought Yahtzee is absolutely right. I really, really want Bayonetta 2, that is my only interest in the next console generation since they all seem to have started a dickwaving contest before any of them have anything to actually show.

 

[TheSchaef]

Another Yahtzee bash-by-numbers of Nintendo. Color me surprised.

The dearth of new releases post-launch is certainly not much fun, and it doesn't help that various Wii U exclusives are being delayed for the sole purpose of turning them into non-exclusives, but we picked one up on launch day and my entire family is playing games and having fun. I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to expect it to do.

 

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

Next Gen Buyer's Guide

This week, Zero Punctuation takes a look at the three next gen consoles.

Watch Video

 

[RJ Dalton]

Not that I can really blame you, but I was kinda hoping for a 20 second joke video. But then again, I guess you can only say "Piss off and let me enjoy my holiday" so many times before it stops being funny.

The fact that it was funny at all the first time probably says something about our collective self-esteem, but I'm too unsure of myself to take a stab at what it is.

 

[dragonshardz]

Ah Yahtzee... propagating the PC Master Race are we? Thank Go-- I mean GabenN.

 

[FPSfanatic]

hehehe, that was actually a pretty good joke. no opinion change on Yahtzee's side, thanks for the update.

 

[Idlemessiah]

This is why I'm using my Christmas money to buy a PS3 and use the change to raid the Steam sale. The new consoles just don't seem to be worth the money.

 

[Guffe]

Sorry Yahtzee... alread bought, about a year ago.
I've had my WiiU since last xmas, I didn't own a 360 or PS3 so I've been enjoying the hell out of my console with all the re-releases / ports from those two to the WiiU. I can't remember when was the last time I've played this much in 360 days. So for me the WiiU has been a great buy, and I still have a small backlog of games to buy, a few even Wii games, and it plays Wii games so that's great!
But yes, otherwise I can agree that the systems for this gen have been a bit strange since they all go for so much more than just gaming, while gaming is what we want. right?

 

[wolf_isthebest]

Oh Yahtzee betting your money on desperate Microsoft Not rly predicting the momentum with consoles. To be fair Xbone is doing better then I expected so he might break even with that bet.