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OctogenarianPussy · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:26 pm Post subject:

Do you realise there are people who don't?
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banjo_ted · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:27 pm Post subject:

KKLEIN · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:34 pm Post subject:

SillySprout · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:47 pm Post subject:

Some people seem to be using the "it's just an opinion" line a bit too freely. Opinions from professional game journalists simply can't vary as much as they have in this instance. How can a game get "Editors Choice" from one source, and slatered as "completely unplayable" by another? Seriously!

Take a look at Game Rankings page for Driv3r, there are currenly only 3 reviews on there with a score above 70%. Each of them are taken directly from Magazines, in the same manner that Gamesradars review was taken from PSM2, so you could easily assume all of them had copies of the game prior to it's general release, unlike the half dozen or so who reviewed it in the 65% - 30% range. Coinsidence I guess?

When the reviews start flooding in, this topic will have much more potential, but in the meantime there a lot to indicate that certain "professional" opinions are absolutely worthless, regardless of what lead up to the basis of those opinions. As somebody who enjoys what is already an expensive hobby, that worrys me.
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OctogenarianPussy · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:56 pm Post subject:

Pull yourself together. Remember. You are an outrageous vegetable Very Happy

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I came here to chew ass and kick bubblegum. And I'm all out of ass.

SillySprout · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject:

And you're a.... pussy. Very Happy

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Tyler Durden · Starting Member Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 1

You've got to love Eurogamers sense of humour, sticking this link at the end of that review :-

Order yours now from Simply Games. Laughing

I just might get Driv3r from GAME and see what all the fuss is about (Isn't GAMEs 10 day no quibble return policy great Smile

)

simon71 · Member Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 170 Location: London

spittleandbrain · Starting Member Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 1

A couple of things I'd like to go into here - namely magazines reviewing unfinished code and publishers releasing buggy games:

Regarding magazines getting unfinished code to review - this is standard practice for most publishers.
The 'Review' code will typically be two to four weeks earlier than the 'Gold' code. As mentioned previously this is down to lead-times for magazines and whether the marketing department wants the review out the month before the game release or month of release.
Games will go to reviewers with a list of known issues, i.e. a list of bugs in the current code. They will naturally be told that these will be fixed for the final version of the code and are to be ignored for the purposes of the review.

Now this isn't being underhand on the part of the publisher (or at least the one I work for, can't vouch for others). The bugs mentioned are always endeavoured to be fixed for release. No-one wants to release a buggy game. However there are often constraints from 'above' on the release of the game. Typically end of financial year/quarter stuff. And if these people 'above' say the game goes, bugs are waived and it goes. Reality. That's how it works.
Doesn't mean that everyone working for the publisher or developer is happy about it but then they don't get paid to have to make those kinds of decisions. Shrug and carry on, it's business.

Now some reviews do mention that they are looking at unfinished code and some don't. Some magazines say they only review finished code and indeed their reviews are often a month or two after the game has been released.
I guess it's an editorial decision whether or not to tell the reader if the version of the game under review is final retail code or not.

Personally I would like to see it adopted as standard practice that magazines state as part of the review or in an info box whether or not the code they are reviewing is the final retail version. But then again even if they did I doubt the casual gamer would truly understand what difference it made to the review.

jeebus · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:40 pm Post subject:

Great topic this. Very enjoyable read.
I wasn't even interested in Driver 3 at all, I haven't played any of the previous installments, it seemed like just another gta wannabe to me... But after reading all this I must say I'm intrigued. I might give it a rent to see what all the fuss is about.

Anyway, about the "reviews are all subjective anyway" thing, I think Big_Damn_Hero already said it best:

the one and only · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:53 pm Post subject:

KKLEIN · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:59 pm Post subject:

Where's Nick 'Harry Potter' Ellis? He promises he'd come back on here & guess what? He doesn't. Someone has said something to him obviously.

I wish everyone that works for Future would come on here, in fact any forum for that matter, stick their jobs & reveal what exactly does go on in that building because it's now just becoming a total embarrassment. What are Future going to do, fire everyone?

If magazines weren't a total laughing stock before they certainly are now.
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Sprite Machine · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:30 am Post subject:

jeebus · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:52 am Post subject:

GamesMan · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:25 am Post subject: