Don't Believe Everything You Read - steelernation28's Blog

steelernation28's Blog

Don't Believe Everything You Read

Posted on August 8, 2009 at 05:31 AM.

(8)

I waited all day for the IGN opinion of Madden NFL 10, reloading the review page at least fifty times for sure. When it did finally did pop up the first thing I looked at of course was the overall score. 8.9? Okay. I was expecting something a little higher, but its just score. Right? So I start to read, pushing my way through the feature list. Pro Tak, presentation upgrades, addition to the franchise and tweaks to that mode and naturally the co-op and online portions of the game. What he enjoyed from the game and what he didn't. When I'm done reading I am left, lets say, unsatisfied. That part of me that contained the immense excitement for Madden 10, an excitement that would rival any game that I have ever waited for, was now empty, crushed beneath the boot of IGN. After hours of giving thought to this article I had a re imagined epiphany. I hadn't realized how much stock I had put into this review. Some reviews of games are dead on, no doubt. After playing them you see everything just as they said it would be. If its a less than positive review you're probably left asking yourself, why did I buy this? If you're like me, at least the way I used to be, you'd realize you bought it because you had to play it for yourself. I should know better. I've played a lot of games and read a lot of reviews and through those years I recognized the FACT that reviews don't always get it right, and sometimes its apparent that their just plain wrong. Is this guy playing the same game as me? So I know again now, that it shouldn't matter what a review says about Madden 10. I know that I'm going to buy it regardless. Just like I bought '09 and '08 and every madden before it. Most years I didn't buy Madden until months after its release. Knowing that I would eventually, 'cause I need my football! Even if I wasn't excited for Madden (which I still am), I would still pick it up, having to know one thing for myself. Did they get it right this year?

Comments

# 1 stlstudios189 @ Aug 8

I have never trusted IGN or Game Informer for their sports gamer reviews.

# 2 rudyjuly2 @ Aug 8

And how much of that IGN review actually talked about real gameplay? Like how the running game works for both human and cpu, the passing game (short vs. deep) and how playing defense is? Extremely little. They just spent a lot of time talking about features on the back of the box and little about the true nuts and bolts. Reviews are nice for a consensus but just trust your own opinion.

# 3 matt8204 @ Aug 8

If you want detailed analysis of a sports game, you really need to check out user impressions. They're far more in-depth and come from hardcore fans of a sport.

# 4 CreatineKasey @ Aug 8

What the average gamer wants and what we want out of our football games can be two different things. I just look for the things that matter to me and kind of disregard a score.

# 5 matt8204 @ Aug 8

Good point, Kasey. A hardcore fan of a sport might pick apart things more than they average person would. They know more of the nuances of the game.

# 6 kennyacid @ Aug 8

Thats why I dont pay attention to reviews. I just go on my own judgment and my judgment is, I love the game. Last year you could b.s. on defense and still win and dominate with lack luster qb's . This year is a different story. If you not on your game when your on D, you will get exposed. And you can take any QB and think your gonna throw for 4000 yrds 30 TD's cause it aint gonna happen. Wack QBs this year are wack QBs.

# 7 Sherman91587 @ Aug 8

Whoa whoa Kenny your killing me and my NIners Shaun Hill and his 69 overall. The only time I wanna see that number is in my bedroom haha not in a sports game. Oh well it will just make me that much better when I am disecting Ds like a surgeon haha.

# 8 trufootball @ Aug 8

like the blog but remember, don't make this game out to be what it's not to be, you really can't go by this score because every next gen madden has got good scores from everybody that has reviewed them. THat goes to show their credibility and you also have to take into account everyone may not be looking for what the next person is looking for. Me im all about gameplay first, if it is **** the whole game is **** to me no matter what. that is how i've felt about every previous next gen madden. i think this is first actual playable madden for next gen consoles, and ea has shown their is some promise in their game. They have a good game with madden 10, but the real truth is will ea do what needs to be done to make this the best football simulation game ever and i believe they have that chance with madden 11.