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Completing A Game Before Reviewing It?

robrymond04

By robrymond04
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robrymond04

robrymond04

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Recently we had a complaint from Rockstar about a review on PMC for Manhunt. They claimed that we hadn't finished the game, and the review was inaccurate. This led to them taking us off there PR list for games, regardless that we had reviewed 8 of there games already and given them good scores, they seemed to get bad vibesd about the site, as he said on the phone.

So this led me to think, should you complete a game fully before reviewing it? And if so why?

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Quexex

Quexex

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Yes. Of course you should. Are you serious? How can you pass comment on a game before you've explored if fully!

I concure, I often feel that some of the edge reveiw scores are based on uncompleted games, you have to ahve completed the gaem to review it unless in the extreme case that it's so bad that you couldn't complete it in which case this should be reflected in the reveiw text.

Cheers

Quexex

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robrymond04

robrymond04

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But in some circumstances take Rockstar they wanted the game review up within a week. Surely this means its hard to get a game completed in this amount of time, what with commitments and work or school.

Yes I do agree you cannot fully judge a game by the first level, but you can on looks and sounds almost. Take a FF game that takes hours to complete, and these companies expect reviews within 2 weeks..

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danryu

danryu

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For paper based press, they have to review the game before it comes out and they get the game sometimes less than a month in advance and the mag needs to go to press about 2 weeks before the magazine is in the shops.

Quite honestly i'd get sick of a game if I had to play it all the way through on a tight deadline and then review it objectively, but there you go, it's a hard job if done correctly. You certainly couldn't complete the game in time if it was Disgaea or something. Perhaps a game should be played until the reviewer is totally sure that they have the feel and essence of the game so you can write about that and so it doesn't matter if you've completed it or not, you've summed it up. If the game doesn't reveal its charm within 7 or so hours play then it's not worth the perseverence or merit of a higher score.

That PR man seems to be a wanker and is just sore because it probably got a score less than he told the reviewer to give it (oh yes, they do make threats sometimes, especially to smaller websites, which don't have the power or prestige to 'get away' with giving an honest score).

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Sprite Machine

Sprite Machine

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Perhaps a game should be played until the reviewer is totally sure that they have the feel and essence of the game so you can write about that and so it doesn't matter if you've completed it or not, you've summed it up. If the game doesn't reveal its charm within 7 or so hours play then it's not worth the perseverence or merit of a higher score.

Precisely.

Also, I find it pretty easy to calculate a game's merit based on a short amount of play, depending on the type, of course. If it is an evolving game, or very story-led, I'll see it through to the end, for more repetitive kinds (ones that you know will continue to play consistently throughout), I'll play 'enough'.

I wrote up an entire Prince of Persia review after about 4 and a half hours; that was easy. Something like Golden Sun 2 took longer because I finished it fully.

Sonic Heroes, recently, was written up once all the levels had been played, etc.

It's not at all necessary to see every inch, every nook and cranny. Things like that can take months to even see, never mind then write about!

But you've also got to be sure you've seen 'enough', sometimes that's just longer than others though. Gotta have good judgement, I guess. And obviously, if a game is boring the pants off of you, just say so; it can't be that good.

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nih

nih

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Reviewing a game after a few hours sounds more like a (first) impression to me, rather than a proper review.

I wish that people reviewing games would state for how long they had played the game. Then I could draw my own conclusion, as to the value that I would put on the review.

The perfect reviewer should play each game to conclusion. Hard words from a tough customer, but there you have it. How can I really trust a review(er) otherwise?

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df0

df0

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It's easy to say 'hey, of course you have to finish a game before reviewing it' for non-writers, but it is also so wrong.

Imagine: 50 reviews per month (regualur gamesmagazine). That is about 6 review per writer. That is about every 5 days a review. Even with 8 hours gameplay per day there is no way to finish a game with in 5 days ánd write a good review.

So, does a reviewer need to finish a game before reviewing? Hell no! Does a reviewer need to play a lot? Hell yes! Reviewing Final Fantasy X-2 after playing 10 hours is rediculous, so is competing PGR2 with ALL Platinum. A reviewer does not need to know the game inside out, he/she dóés need to know what to write.

Sure, reviewers get a game early (I have Bond: Everything or Nothing since december) but the magazine also needs previews and features.

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Uncle Nasty

Uncle Nasty

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It depends. If nothing changes throughout, what's the point?

You'll only find out if nothing changes if you play through to the end in most cases though, surely? Manhunt is a good example as it happens, it changes quite considerably as you get into it.

I usually really enjoy your reviews btw, Gamestyle is one of the only gaming sites that I bother with.

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kamrantaz

kamrantaz

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It only takes 10-20 minutes to fugure out wether a game is good or not. Longer to figure out wwether its a classic though.

example: edge's review of GTA3 doesnt take long to figure out its a great game, but requires a a weeks solid play before realising its beauty. see also Goldeneye's review as well.

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Sprite Machine

Sprite Machine

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You'll only find out if nothing changes if you play through to the end in most cases though, surely? Manhunt is a good example as it happens, it changes quite considerably as you get into it.

Yes, you can often just 'tell' when a game is going to change for the better/worse though. And if you're not sure, its best to keep playing anyway unless it's so utterly unbearable that no-one in their right mind would bother anyway.

I think at least seeing 'all the levels' is a good place to start. Or see as many as you need to be able to assess the mechanics properly... really though, it does depend and it does require judgement to know when to call it a day. If I have the time, however, I'll just keep playing (planning on getting all the way through Metroid Zero Mission, for example).

I usually really enjoy your reviews btw, Gamestyle is one of the only gaming sites that I bother with.

Wahey!! :D

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Tetchy

Tetchy

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I don't like reviews myself actually, I prefer previews as they give the overall impression of a game without spoiling it too much [unless it's overhyped like TS2]. I say don't score them it just makes it worse [just see the EDGE/MK:DD incident].

Oh and on the point of the question asked: of course a game should be played, if not to completion then at least to near completion.

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df0

df0

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Wouldn't it make sense for games companies to provide cheats or codes to at least enable reviewers to ensure that they see every level of a game within the alloted time?

A lot of 'em do. Plus does a magazine rarely receive the full retail version. 99% versions are sent out, including debug menu/codes like level skip, debug cam, infinite ammo and so on.

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cloutbasher

cloutbasher

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A lot of 'em do. Plus does a magazine rarely receive the full retail version. 99% versions are sent out, including debug menu/codes like level skip, debug cam, infinite ammo and so on.

Well then there's no excuse is there you lazy buggers. I don't expect a book reviewer to give up halfway through because 'he knew what it was like from the first few hundred pages'*

*nb - This may not be an entirely fair example.

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Fry Crayola

Fry Crayola

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Manhunt is a special case which doesn't fall into the whole "You can tell within a few hours" bracket. The game completely changes when you get a gun, and becomes excellent.

I've not read a single review yet which mentions this, leading me to believe most of them were heavily based on the opening seven levels.

For the most part though, a game can be fairly well judged after a few hours play.

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Sprite Machine

Sprite Machine

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Manhunt is a special case which doesn't fall into the whole "You can tell within a few hours" bracket. The game completely changes when you get a gun, and becomes excellent.

I've not read a single review yet which mentions this, leading me to believe most of them were heavily based on the opening seven levels.

The Gamestyle review mentions this, I believe. :D

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