Why were a lot of UK game reviews totally wrong? - Page 2

NOB · 02 May 2007, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

.

I always wondered why the UK magazine ratings differed so extremely in comparison to other european reviews. What do you think?

There are some extreme rating differences between the german mags, too.

MAG VS MAG:
http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=div/magvsmag

Ian · 02 May 2007, 17:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

I always wondered why the UK magazine ratings differed so extremely in comparison to other european reviews. What do you think?

Kick backs, bribes and threats.

"we know this is shit, but if you give it a bad review you may find getting review copies of our games quite hard in the future"

Retro-Nerd · 02 May 2007, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOB

There are some extreme rating differences between the german mags, too.

MAG VS MAG:
http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=div/magvsmag

I know it, but not in the same dimension. Maybe the english publisher gave a shit about german reviews. So they didn't care about the ratings in other countries.

Codetapper · 02 May 2007, 23:30

We should compile a list of suitable games and compare the scores for each mag including UK vs German vs French mags for AMR etc. Would make an interesting article!

If you know of any games that a particular mag either really loved or really slammed please list them or PM us. A few titles to start:

Rise of the Robots
Turrican 2
All Terrain Racing
Superfrog

dlfrsilver · 02 May 2007, 23:39

ok let me find the marks for french mags ^^ !

Retro-Nerd · 02 May 2007, 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codetapper

We should compile a list of suitable games and compare the scores for each mag including UK vs German vs French mags for AMR etc. Would make an interesting article!

If you know of any games that a particular mag either really loved or really slammed please list them or PM us. A few titles to start:

Rise of the Robots
Turrican 2
All Terrain Racing
Superfrog

Kultboy & Kultpower have a lot of scans of german mags. Can you manage through it? Or should i upload some scans (somtimes in lousy quality)

http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=testb/testb

http://kultpower.de/

Codetapper · 02 May 2007, 23:43

If possible I'd like to pull the values out of the AMR database but because we don't have much of an index of the French and German mags (yet) we can just hard-code.

Retro-Nerd: Don't worry about uploading scans for now, just think of some more suitable games to compare at this stage. Maybe someone that is into RPGs or adventures could suggest some suitable ones since I don't play these games.

Retro-Nerd · 03 May 2007, 00:30

Ambermoon is a good start. Sure, the german Amiga Games overrated it with 5-7%, but the AP rating is not arguably. Could you/Galaxy scan this review, i'm curious?

http://amr.abime.net/amr_search.php?...=0&action=Find

The german Powerplay rated it with:

Graphics: 85%
Sound: 77%
Total Rating: 88%

You mentioned The Addams family right? Another UK overrated game.

http://hol.abime.net/3189/review

The german Powerplay rated it with:

Graphics:68
Sound: 54
Total Rating:69

Pretty near to my own rating.

Worms: A multiplayer hit, but AP rated it with 60%.

http://hol.abime.net/1779/review

Slighty overrated (94%) by the most UK & and the german Amiga Games mags.

ant512 · 03 May 2007, 01:12

Game reviews tell you a number of things. First of all, they tell you if the game's graphics are of a reasonable standard for the computer the game runs on - if you've got an Amiga game with C64-standard graphics, you know there's something wrong.

They tell you what the sound is like - again, is the sound of a reasonable standard, given the capabilities of the computer?

Thirdly, they can tell you about any really obvious problems - rubbish AI, bugs, design flaws, etc.

But, other than that, a game review is just an opinion. You ask me what I think of watching football on the telly and I'll tell you that it's a complete waste of time. "No," you say, "you're wrong! Football on the telly is worth 90%!"

If you didn't want my opinion, then why ask for it? Similarly, if you don't want the opinion of a games reviewer, why read the review? All a review score tells you is whether the reviewer liked a game or not. A percentage score isn't a scientifically measured estimation of the game's worth.*

*But, as noted, in a lot of cases <cough>Rise of the Robots<cough>, the publishers paid for good reviews. So, a game review is one of two things - the opinion of the reviewer, or a reflection of the amount of money paid to Amiga Action/The One/CU Amiga for the review.

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 11:34

@ant512
LMAO!!!!! a little controversial considering the company, but all to damn funny!!!!

a most sensical approach to reviews!

still wont stop me from beating up domonic diamond! that sucka has it comming!

and before you ask, its not any particular review... its ALL OF THEM... that and he likes manic-sellout-street-so_commercialised-preachers! hmmm explains a lot really!

grrrrr

with added 'r'

[edit]
been playing arround with AMR and I just want to say to the AMR team.... even though you may of heard it already but really guys.... f*cking fantastic job!!!!!

Graham Humphrey · 03 May 2007, 11:36

Veering off-topic again but.... what's wrong with Manic Street Preachers?

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 11:37

...... ....... .....

.....

...

...... .... .....

i am asuming with that statment that you have not heard any of the Mancs suposed music ?

Graham Humphrey · 03 May 2007, 11:38

I own all their albums

That's why I asked the question

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 11:46

i can only asume you are either deaf... or wishing to be!!!!!

LMAO!!!!

seriously... I liked their first album.... well two of the tracks anyway but even then i cannot remember them.... problem is the only tracks they get in *any* of the charts is bland and over comercialised... not that one should really go on whats in the charts.... after all only dead fish swim with the stream..

but I have found (at least to me) *and not just the fact of domonic diamond tainting it* that manics sold out to commercialism after their 2nd/3rd album and to be sincerely honest.... as with a lot of poor stuff out there i find thier music lyrically limmited and predictable.... but then there really is worse....

i supose the only real reason why i loath the MSP is simple...

YOU LIKE 'EM

thats gonna be my saying for the day now!

Graham Humphrey · 03 May 2007, 11:54

Actually I thought their last album was a complete waste of time, their last really good album was Everything Must Go, some of their stuff's been quite good since then but mostly it's been pretty ordinary. Hopefully their new album will be better, though I'm sure you won't be buying it!

Zetr0 · 03 May 2007, 12:06

LOL,

dont know..... i supose it depends on whom reviews it *snicker snicker*

killergorilla · 03 May 2007, 12:23

Holy Bible is their best album IMO

Generation Terrorists was far too long and had far too many tracks.

Everything Must Go was a great album for what it was. It wasn't ground breaking and it certainly wasn't genre defining. But it was a very good album and still stands up today.

It all went a bit wrong after that. This Is My Truth a couple of decent tracks but it was a bit dull. Everything after has been pretty much dross.

IFW · 04 May 2007, 00:50

http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/...ld_editor.html

Sensi · 04 May 2007, 14:40

Motorcycle emptiiineess

Good band.

It´s normal people have different opinions and different tastes but if an author overrates two three games in a month, it´s strange. There was an Amiga magazine in Czech Republic called Amiga Review and the game section was horrible, articles were very bad written and high marks were given to the games with good graphics and music and sound (doesn´t matter how cool or bad the games were). One of the reasons why authors did it - they didn´t play the games but watch them (a lot of men do this with women :-) ). Fortunatally there were other good magazines here (Score,Excalibur, Amiga News for instance, for Czechs and Slovaks here) and they judged games by playbility, new ideas, playtime and so on. Because they were real players.
Another reason could be this (and I don´t want to blame anyone, not at all, but I´m not 15 years old naive person) : someone wants sell average and silly game and knows people want buy games with high marks. And someone else wants to buy brand new car

03 May 2007, 00:30	#28
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,436	Ambermoon is a good start. Sure, the german Amiga Games overrated it with 5-7%, but the AP rating is not arguably. Could you/Galaxy scan this review, i'm curious? http://amr.abime.net/amr_search.php?...=0&action=Find The german Powerplay rated it with: Graphics: 85% Sound: 77% Total Rating: 88% You mentioned The Addams family right? Another UK overrated game. http://hol.abime.net/3189/review The german Powerplay rated it with: Graphics:68 Sound: 54 Total Rating:69 Pretty near to my own rating. Worms: A multiplayer hit, but AP rated it with 60%. http://hol.abime.net/1779/review Slighty overrated (94%) by the most UK & and the german Amiga Games mags. Last edited by Retro-Nerd; 03 May 2007 at 22:01.

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02 May 2007, 23:30	#24
Codetapper 2 contact me: email only! Join Date: May 2001 Location: Auckland / New Zealand Posts: 3,182	We should compile a list of suitable games and compare the scores for each mag including UK vs German vs French mags for AMR etc. Would make an interesting article! If you know of any games that a particular mag either really loved or really slammed please list them or PM us. A few titles to start: Rise of the Robots Turrican 2 All Terrain Racing Superfrog

02 May 2007, 23:39	#25
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,412	ok let me find the marks for french mags ^^ !

02 May 2007, 23:43	#27
Codetapper 2 contact me: email only! Join Date: May 2001 Location: Auckland / New Zealand Posts: 3,182	If possible I'd like to pull the values out of the AMR database but because we don't have much of an index of the French and German mags (yet) we can just hard-code. Retro-Nerd: Don't worry about uploading scans for now, just think of some more suitable games to compare at this stage. Maybe someone that is into RPGs or adventures could suggest some suitable ones since I don't play these games.

03 May 2007, 01:12	#29
ant512 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: California Posts: 964	Game reviews tell you a number of things. First of all, they tell you if the game's graphics are of a reasonable standard for the computer the game runs on - if you've got an Amiga game with C64-standard graphics, you know there's something wrong. They tell you what the sound is like - again, is the sound of a reasonable standard, given the capabilities of the computer? Thirdly, they can tell you about any really obvious problems - rubbish AI, bugs, design flaws, etc. But, other than that, a game review is just an opinion. You ask me what I think of watching football on the telly and I'll tell you that it's a complete waste of time. "No," you say, "you're wrong! Football on the telly is worth 90%!" If you didn't want my opinion, then why ask for it? Similarly, if you don't want the opinion of a games reviewer, why read the review? All a review score tells you is whether the reviewer liked a game or not. A percentage score isn't a scientifically measured estimation of the game's worth.* *But, as noted, in a lot of cases <cough>Rise of the Robots<cough>, the publishers paid for good reviews. So, a game review is one of two things - the opinion of the reviewer, or a reflection of the amount of money paid to Amiga Action/The One/CU Amiga for the review.

03 May 2007, 11:34	#30
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@ant512 LMAO!!!!! a little controversial considering the company, but all to damn funny!!!! a most sensical approach to reviews! still wont stop me from beating up domonic diamond! that sucka has it comming! and before you ask, its not any particular review... its ALL OF THEM... that and he likes manic-sellout-street-so_commercialised-preachers! hmmm explains a lot really! grrrrr with added 'r' [edit] been playing arround with AMR and I just want to say to the AMR team.... even though you may of heard it already but really guys.... f*cking fantastic job!!!!!

03 May 2007, 11:36	#31
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	Veering off-topic again but.... what's wrong with Manic Street Preachers?

03 May 2007, 11:37	#32
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	...... ....... ..... ..... ... ...... .... ..... i am asuming with that statment that you have not heard any of the Mancs suposed music ?

03 May 2007, 11:38	#33
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	I own all their albums That's why I asked the question

03 May 2007, 11:46	#34
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	i can only asume you are either deaf... or wishing to be!!!!! LMAO!!!! seriously... I liked their first album.... well two of the tracks anyway but even then i cannot remember them.... problem is the only tracks they get in any of the charts is bland and over comercialised... not that one should really go on whats in the charts.... after all only dead fish swim with the stream.. but I have found (at least to me) and not just the fact of domonic diamond tainting it that manics sold out to commercialism after their 2nd/3rd album and to be sincerely honest.... as with a lot of poor stuff out there i find thier music lyrically limmited and predictable.... but then there really is worse.... i supose the only real reason why i loath the MSP is simple... YOU LIKE 'EM thats gonna be my saying for the day now!

03 May 2007, 11:54	#35
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	Actually I thought their last album was a complete waste of time, their last really good album was Everything Must Go, some of their stuff's been quite good since then but mostly it's been pretty ordinary. Hopefully their new album will be better, though I'm sure you won't be buying it!

03 May 2007, 12:06	#36
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	LOL, dont know..... i supose it depends on whom reviews it snicker snicker

03 May 2007, 12:23	#37
killergorilla Lesser Talent Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: UK Age: 42 Posts: 7,957	Holy Bible is their best album IMO Generation Terrorists was far too long and had far too many tracks. Everything Must Go was a great album for what it was. It wasn't ground breaking and it certainly wasn't genre defining. But it was a very good album and still stands up today. It all went a bit wrong after that. This Is My Truth a couple of decent tracks but it was a bit dull. Everything after has been pretty much dross.

04 May 2007, 00:50	#38
IFW Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: ... Age: 52 Posts: 1,838	http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/...ld_editor.html

04 May 2007, 14:40	#39
Sensi Unregistered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: N/A Posts: 1,643	Motorcycle emptiiineess Good band. It´s normal people have different opinions and different tastes but if an author overrates two three games in a month, it´s strange. There was an Amiga magazine in Czech Republic called Amiga Review and the game section was horrible, articles were very bad written and high marks were given to the games with good graphics and music and sound (doesn´t matter how cool or bad the games were). One of the reasons why authors did it - they didn´t play the games but watch them (a lot of men do this with women :-) ). Fortunatally there were other good magazines here (Score,Excalibur, Amiga News for instance, for Czechs and Slovaks here) and they judged games by playbility, new ideas, playtime and so on. Because they were real players. Another reason could be this (and I don´t want to blame anyone, not at all, but I´m not 15 years old naive person) : someone wants sell average and silly game and knows people want buy games with high marks. And someone else wants to buy brand new car

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