Over the weekend I was thinking about how there’s a lot of different things that come up here and there that seem to completely take over the conversation relevant to whatever the broader topic is despite whether or not it’s remembered a month later. In the video gaming world this is particularly the case and I wanted to create this (hopefully) recurring feature to remind us all about things that we just might have forgotten about.

For this inaugural post I was inspired by thinking about how everyone has seemed to move on from GTA IV and MGS 4 already. It’s funny though since when each one came out they were both almost universally hailed as the second coming of Christ. Hell, even we devoted two BitCast episodes to each. So I can’t help but wonder, why is no one talking about these games any more? Though I haven’t played MGS 4 my opinion of GTA IV was widely noted and I can’t help but question if this game is so great why is no one talking about it still in the same way that we still bring up something like Portal or Bioshock when measuring a good game?

What say you? Am I crazy or just over-thinking things?

I was reading through the online portion of Edge’s MGS 4 review when I started reading the comments. At the time I read it, this was the first one:

8/10? The review doesn’t really mention what cut 2points off of this title. I just get the impression the writer’s going ‘I want to be the guy that gives MGS4 a sorta-mediocre-yet-lower-than-expected score, it will make me UNBIASED and OBJECTIVE, yeah! I’ll be vague and smarmy to get what I waaant’

What it does mention is… exactly what Kojima’s been saying to be humble all japanese-like about his magnum opus. He’s just being humble damnit, do game makers now have to say all the time ‘THIS GAME IS ART’ ‘THIS GAME WILL MAKE YOU CRY!!’ to get higher points?

Seems to be how things work now.
Posted by Andy, on 06/06/2008 at 08:00

The rest follow accordingly, many taking a lot of words to explain why the reviewer is “wrong” in his (excellent) critique of the game. One even took a jab at the “quality of the writing” in the review…in Edge, one of the most respected gaming publications.

This is why we had problems when we reviewed Smash Bros. for the Wii. You’re facing a bunch of people with pre-determined expectations for games. What’s the point of having a score scale when you evidently can’t use anything besides a 10? When did an 8 become a “sorta-mediocre-yet-lower-than-expected score”? Why should someone reviewing the game have to list the exact reasons two points were deducted?

I know I’m not blazing new trails of thought here, but when I read this douche’s comments it made me angry and since I help provide content for a gaming blog I decided to air these grievances in public. For a better read check out Multiplayer’s recent series on the subject.

I’m also happy to know that most of the people who regularly visit this site and contribute in comments have some sense to them and believe me, we’re thankful for that.