Game Review Ratings And Their Failure - Pared's Blog

Pared's Blog

Game Review Ratings And Their Failure

Posted on November 19, 2008 at 09:50 AM.

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I find it laughable when people use review ratings to justify a game's quality. That's the same thing that the developers are doing and they just encourage it. I mean, give me a break; You're going to use the same ratings that people argue over which is typically the opinion of the average joe who is impressed by the one facemask animation to justify your point?

Do you even know what site you are on?

I would think most of those who frequent OS would be able to use solid reasoning to back their opinion but apparently not. You point to the same numbers developers do. At least their direction is justified; The individuals they answer to use it as a barometer along with sales when evaluating the "success" of a given title. They don't have any clue as to what makes a football game fun and engaging, and they don't really care. All they're really interested in is utilizing the license that they paid millions for to the fullest extent possible to drive more sales.

Do you enjoy the game more as you sit there and play because it scored an 89? When a ball morphs through a players hands... when you see players throwing off their back foot 30 yards downfield... or when a pass rush is almost non existent... do you remember that glorious review number as justification that what you just witnessed is actually good?

I can only shake my head when I read some comments here at times. I'm hoping despite the NCAA developers using Metacritic as a measuring scale of the quality of their game that they will, one day, get the fact that this mindset is what isn't all that matters. That sort of tunnel vision creates this sort of mess year in and year out. I'll tell you one thing though... I know it's much easier for me to say that when my job isn't on the line... but some companies have proven that you can put out a solid product AND receive the praise and recognition you would expect from a AAA title.

Comments

# 1 rudyjuly2 @ Nov 19

I like looking at Metacritic or Game Ranking scores. I think they are a fairly solid indication of what a general gamer might feel about a game. Nobody said they were perfect or that they accurately reflect your personal opinion.

If I see a game with a score in the 40s I probably wouldn't waste my time renting it. That said I've played games with scores in the low 70s that I really liked and found some games that got a 90 which leave me shaking my head.

# 2 PVarck31 @ Dec 4

You are exactly right. If these sites continue to rate games like Madden and NCAA so high, year in and year out. They will never get better. I think that is one of the biggest problems with those two particular games.