What's that? You want me to RAGE my pants?!?!?

[Cpt Tenacious]

http://www.videogamer.com/news/23-06-2008-8613.html

THAT STORY LINE IS COMPLICATED DUUUUUUUURRRRPHHHHH I DONT LIKE IT.

 

[Deleted member 56031]

 

[Lucid]

It's their opinion, I tried playing MGS2 on the PC awhile back and couldn't get into it at all.
Maybe I just feel that an overly complicated story in a game like that is unneeded, even though it's a Japanese game so they feel the need to trip on acid while writing their stories anyways.

 

[Absinthe]

Free London newspaper calls out overhyped, overrated game for what it is. And, of course, the comments section is a noxious bubble of pure PS3 fanboyism. "LOL GO PLAY HALO 3 U JELUS H8ERS!!11!"

And no, I have not played MGS4.

 

[Que-Ever]

That last paragraph makes me want to facepalm myself into a coma.

 

[Absinthe]

I thought that was a nice touch too.

 

[jimbo118]

Read it this morning on the train, we get the Metro here too. I smirked. They gave Okami Wii a 4/5.

 

[Wanted Bob]

Man, I dont mind any of the reviews written, but the comments section for each review (good or bad) is sickening.

 

[PvtRyan]

I like how that page tries to equate "free newspaper" to "shitty reviews".

 

[Kadayi]

Never played any MGS games so no idea what the hype is all about. From what I've read and seen, it seems to be just as much an event game as Halo 3 was, but for PS3 this time. From what I've read the principal thing with MGS is that the game is balls hard to play right generally (anything but the right route normally results in painful death) and you spend a great deal of time sneaking about and hiding from patrols of guards (is that a fair assessment?).

 

[smwScott]

I like how that page tries to equate "free newspaper" to "shitty reviews".

But it is a shitty review.

A game can not be to someones taste, but as a reviewer it is your job to provide an unbiased critical appraisal of the game. The game simply has a level of production value, quality, and level of content so far above what is expected from the average game that to give it a 6/10 is thoroughly ridiculous. Even if the plot and all other extraneous content was stripped down to its bones the core gameplay alone would be at least a 9/10.

I'm not even saying I disagree with all their points or that they shouldn't address them in their review. My point is that this mag clearly held the game to a far greater standard than other games, probably purely for the attention and free advertising (it worked). I bet if you compare MGS4 to their other 6/10's it would look fairly ridiculous.

 

[TheHamster22]

I'm not even saying I disagree with all their points or that they shouldn't address them in their review. My point is that this mag clearly held the game to a far greater standard than other games, probably purely for the attention and free advertising (it worked). I bet if you compare MGS4 to their other 6/10's it would look fairly ridiculous.

What would a free newspaper care about advertising when its given out for no charge on all the buses and trains? D: (And if its anything like the Manchester Evening News, on every street corner.)

 

[smwScott]

So in otherwords, you'd rate the game a 9/10 on presentation alone? Have fun watching your movie, then.

Really? You deleted this line from my original statement -

Even if the plot and all other extraneous content was stripped down to its bones the core gameplay alone would be at least a 9/10.

... which was immediately after the sentence you quoted ... just so your quip would make sense ...

wow.

 

[AiM]

What would a free newspaper care about advertising when its given out for no charge on all the buses and trains? D: (And if its anything like the Manchester Evening News, on every street corner.)

It's simple, free newspaper are only free because of the ad revenue they generate. The more readers they have, the more they can charge for each ad and thus cover the costs incurred by giving away the newspaper for free. An event like this, where they are the exception in posting a 6/10 review to MGS4 (MetaCritic score is a 95), creates free publicity to the mag and creates an influx of viewers to their article.

 

[Cerpin]

Metal Gear Solid 4 feels like a last-gen game trapped in a next-gen body. It's dated and sluggish.

 

[Stormy]

Perhaps this is about the only honest review of the game, the hole thing is totaly over hyped just like halo was.

Halo is terrible :/

 

[AiM]

Perhaps this is about the only honest review of the game, the hole thing is totaly over hyped just like halo was.

Halo is terrible :/

So is it reasonable to assume that there's a conspiracy from all game reviewers to artificially inflate their scores despite their apparent dislike for the game? That they're willing to sacrifice their most important journalistic value - their integrity - in order to promote this game in order to sell more PS3's which won't directly affect their profit margin.

 

[Dodo]

I really enjoyed it, didnt feel like a movie, and the gameplay isnt dated. Especially the gameplay is really cool, its been evolving for 20 years now and it came out close to perfect (if you like hide and seek).
Wind direction, temperature and camoflage effect the sight, sound and smell the enemy uses to find you.
The whole social aspect of the game, who you team up with on the battlefield, is a first in video games id say.
Awesome cutscenes, a story with depth, great graphics, a 30+ hour game (compare that to all big titles released in the last 2 years ... ) with good replay value, Online multiplayer .... sheesh ..... and they give it a 3 out of 5.
For the type of game MGS4 is, which people can like or dislike, its the best out there no doubt about it.
[/fanboyism]

-dodo

 

[Laivasse]

Oh maaan@this article... ALART TEH INTERNETS SUM1 DAAAAARED TO DISLIKE MGS4! ! ! ! ! WHO DARES...!

'An art house remake of a Jean Claude Van Damme movie' is actually a very clever way of describing the MGS games, since it encapsulates the unfathomable artistic pretentions stuck in a blender with overblown melodrama, horrible dialogue and some people getting duffed up.

I can't comment specifically about MGS4 but I doubt I'd like it much more than the others.

That they're willing to sacrifice their most important journalistic value - their integrity - in order to promote this game in order to sell more PS3's which won't directly affect their profit margin.

Integrity their most important value...! Don't make me laugh. The most important thing for journalists is not their own integrity, but the exclusive access (and to a lesser extent, advertising revenue) their magazine gets. In order to increase these things they need to constantly massage their relationships with game companies. When you see a mag with a 'NATIONWIDE EXCLUSIVE REVIEW! 10/10!!' followed by a full page ad for the game, don't kid yourself that you're getting any kind of impartial opinion.

 

[Darkside55]

The most important thing for journalists is not their own integrity, but the exclusive access (and to a lesser extent, advertising revenue) their magazine gets. In order to increase these things they need to constantly massage their relationships with game companies.

This is the complete and utter truth.

 

[JNightshade]

I have a very strange relationship with the MGS series. On one hand, I adore them. The gameplay is challenging and addictive, the levels are cool, the characters are ridiculous and entertaining, and 3 was (in my opinion) an absolute masterpiece. On the other hand, the plot and characters miraculously trap fans into confusing "insane" with "good". Sure, it's interesting to find out what happens next, but honestly, it sounds like it was writting by a SEVERE schizophrenic. I have yet to play 4 (and don't get me wrong, I really f*cking want to) but I'm confident I'll feel just as conflicted about it (if not more) than the others.

 

[Teta_Bonita]

I love how everybody bashes this review for daring to give MGS4 anything less than a perfect score, but unquestionably agree with Yahtzee for doing the same.

 

[Blackthorn]

I don't see everybody bashing it, I see most people agreeing it to be one step closer to winning their "I Told Everyone I Didn't Like MGS4 On The Internet" t-shirts at the end of the year.

Also...

When you see a mag with a 'NATIONWIDE EXCLUSIVE REVIEW! 10/10!!' followed by a full page ad for the game, don't kid yourself that you're getting any kind of impartial opinion.

You clearly have little idea how magazines are run. The advertising, just like on websites, is done by a totally different team to the editorial staff. When the editors make their final version, all they have in front of them is text and massive blank areas where the ads go. I'm sure there are some underhand dealings going on with some publications, but to think every journalist is being paid off by companies is an incredibly naive opinion.

 

[Que-Ever]

So you don't think maybe the people in charge of the magazine say, "give this game a good review or you're fired" ever?

 

[Blackthorn]

I'm not saying it never happens, but in most cases it doesn't. There's not enough to gain from it anyway, as review scores have a minimal effect on sales compared to advertising and viral marketing.

 

[Acepilotf14]

I don't see everybody bashing it, I see most people agreeing it to be one step closer to winning their "I Told Everyone I Didn't Like MGS4 On The Internet" t-shirts at the end of the year.

Where can I get said T-shirts?

 

[Blackthorn]

Just keep posting, they'll find you.

 

[AiM]

Integrity their most important value...! Don't make me laugh. The most important thing for journalists is not their own integrity, but the exclusive access (and to a lesser extent, advertising revenue) their magazine gets. In order to increase these things they need to constantly massage their relationships with game companies. When you see a mag with a 'NATIONWIDE EXCLUSIVE REVIEW! 10/10!!' followed by a full page ad for the game, don't kid yourself that you're getting any kind of impartial opinion.

Way to be in cutting out part of my original sentence. So do you believe that every single magazine but this one, all took part in conspiring to give MGS4 inflated scores? That every single magazine but this one, were willing to do this despite Konami obviously not having enough resources to pay off every single magazine but this one? That even if they hate it, they're willing to give it an average of 95% just to please Konami?

 

[Laivasse]

You clearly have little idea how magazines are run. The advertising, just like on websites, is done by a totally different team to the editorial staff. When the editors make their final version, all they have in front of them is text and massive blank areas where the ads go. I'm sure there are some underhand dealings going on with some publications, but to think every journalist is being paid off by companies is an incredibly naive opinion.

That is why I said 'to a lesser extent, advertising revenue' which certainly doesn't imply that I think every journalist is being paid off - the main point was about exclusive access.

Like QE said anyway, the editorial team and the advertising team will still answer to the same bosses, just like in any other company, and if those bosses want to take a magazine in a certain direction - such as being a more favourable vector for advertising from certain companies - then in some cases I have no doubt they won't be above giving their journos a little... 'direction'. This is exactly why 'Official-whatever' magazines are historically seen as less trustworthy than Magazines like, say, Edge, when it comes to reviewing.

But anyway, that point was only of secondary importance. The main point was about exclusive access, which you pretended I never even mentioned. Reply to what people say, not what's in your head.

Way to be in cutting out part of my original sentence. So do you believe that every single magazine but this one, all took part in conspiring to give MGS4 inflated scores? That every single magazine but this one, were willing to do this despite Konami obviously not having enough resources to pay off every single magazine but this one? That even if they hate it, they're willing to give it an average of 95% just to please Konami?

I didn't talk about a conspiracy because I don't think there is one. I was simply laughing at your statement that 'integrity' is the most important thing to videogame journos and that point still stands. I remember reading about instances from back when videogame journalism was younger, where journos would sometimes not even play a game before reviewing it since the freebies they'd received from games publishers were enough. I'm not saying the industry hasn't cleaned up its act since then, but there is far too much money involved for that schneakery not to be continuing in some lessened form or other - everyone knows the value of good publicity. A difference of a few %'s can be the difference between just another 90-something% rated game and 'OUR HIGHEST RATED GAME EVAR!' Stuff like that becomes a badge of honour that can be stuck on a game forever after. But who really knows how much that happened with MGS4? I'm just saying it happens.

Also, while I don't believe there is a 'conspiracy' per se, I do suspect there is an immense machinery of hype being artificially generated around MGS4, just like there was with Halo 3, just like there was with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and just like there has been with every anticipated game release ever. Conspiracies aren't commonplace, hype is, and when people buy into it it very often means that games get a favourable critical response that doesn't stand the test of time. To characterise people who point out hype as conspiracy theorists is a weak straw man and does nobody any favours.

Again, what's with these blinkered responses...? Could it be because this is a thread about a game with a cult fan*** following...? HRRRMRMRHRMRRHMMMMmmm... Benefit of the doubt, maybe.

 

[Krynn72]

If the game is anything like the last two (never played the first) Then I'd say its finally gotten an honest score here. The story is always ridiculous in these games, being complicated for the sole reason of being complicated. Story points are often very forced and contrived, making no logical sense whatsoever. Plus the presentation of it is wordy and redundant to the extent that i have never seen before in any medium. Overblown is an understatement.

And if the gameplay is anything like the last two, its outdated and clunky, with no real innovations and no real depth.

 

[Fishlore]

If the game is anything like the last two (never played the first) Then I'd say its finally gotten an honest score here. The story is always ridiculous in these games, being complicated for the sole reason of being complicated. Story points are often very forced and contrived, making no logical sense whatsoever. Plus the presentation of it is wordy and redundant to the extent that i have never seen before in any medium. Overblown is an understatement.

And if the gameplay is anything like the last two, its outdated and clunky, with no real innovations and no real depth.

If Mario Galaxy is anything like 8 bit Super Mario Brothers then it's a simplistic 2D side scroller. BTW, I'm not defending MGS 4 since I've never played it or any of it's predecessors. Just thought this was illogical.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Metal Gear Solid sounded more like a mech game than a stealth game, when I first heard about it.

 

[CyberPitz]

Everybody I've heard talk about the game *weather they enjoyed it or not* said it plays a lot like the previous MGS's, just with more 'features'...

 

[Acepilotf14]

everybody I've Heard Talk About The Game *weather They Enjoyed It Or Not* Said It Plays A Lot Like The Previous Mgs's, Just With More 'features'...

Weather?
Rain In The Valley Plz

 

[CyberPitz]

Weather?
Rain In The Valley Plz

Uh oh, I spelled a word wrong, yet it's pronounced the same, OH SHIT WHAT DOES HE MEEEAANNN??!!