Saturday, October 3

There's bias in GameTrailers Uncharted 2 review



I said this before and I'll say it again, the big news websites often time look out for themselves instead of gamers. They don't really care to give us honesty, instead the "big boys" behind the scenes cut deals and dictate what score a game receives. I'm not talking about just any game, some titles don't have much impact so no one bothers to mess with their score, but Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has been receiving stellar reviews across the board, and now it seems money and influence have once again gotten in the way of sincerity and honesty. Yesterday October 2nd the gaming industry was dealt a huge blow by one of the most prominent websites in the business, and every gamer should be irate, because there's no way Uncharted 2: Among Thieves should get a lower score than Gears 2, or Halo 3, it's a shame indeed.

The reviewer begins his analysis by pointing out Uncharted: Drake's fortune pulled a lot of ideas from other games and how there were not many thrills. Later he went on voicing that the story isn't unique, but the game makes you feel as if it is. Now, can anyone tell me what game hasn't borrowed ideas from those before it, or what story can truly claim to be 100% unique? Gears of War 2 or Halo 3 weren't 100% original in storyline or gameplay, yet they got higher scores. Don't get wrong, I think Halo and Gears are great games and worthy of every award, but do they warrant a better score than Uncharted? No. It's nonsense. He went on talking about the game not allowing you to free roam and then there's the statement where the reviewer says Naughty Dog took ideas directly from Call of of Duty 4 and ripped off horde mode right from Gears of War. Was all this game comparing even necessary?

There's a lot more worthless talk in the review, and you'll see and hear for yourself, but the bigger point I'm trying to make is how websites like Gametrailers bring down the industry and stifle creativity. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves not only have the best graphics to date, seamless immersion between gameplay and cut-scene, the best narrating, excellent pacing and over 15 hours of play, in some ways it's bigger than a Hollywood blockbuster. I'll be blunt, I sometimes feel these websites get paid off to do some of the things we see happen, like giving an AAA game that has redefined a genre 9.3 so "other games" could get higher overall ratings on Metacritic.

We have the power, but if gamers blindly continue to drink whatever is poured in a cup, then they'll keep on shoving lies and bias reviews down our throats.

10/03/09 Ernice Gilbert

62 comments:

  1. Gears of War 2 & Halo Deserve those high scores because they are the better GAMES than Uncharted 2 also the graphics are not much different from Uncharted 1 . Uncharted is starting to go down hill like tomb raider there for it deserves 9.3 which aint a bad score.

    I know all you pathetic droids were hoping for 10/10 well tough luck now go cry in the corner.

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  3. If Uncharted 2 was multiplatform, would there be ANY fuzz about this AT ALL? Of course not. Fanboys arent happy with the score, as if it could actually hurt the game itsaelf.

    "BEND TO OUR WILL AND GIVE THE GAME 10/10 OR YOU SHALL FEEL OUR RAGE". The fact that a review is the reviewers own opinion is not important to these boys, its all about making others bend to their will and mindlessly hailing the game they hacvent played.

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  4. LMAO, only a handful of review sites arent corrupt or paid off, and it aint any of the big ones....Sad very sad.

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  5. These 2 post above me sound like real 360 Deathbox, ThreeRings, JunkBox etc. fan boys...who don't want to see Uncharted 2 sell more copy's then either GOW or GheyLO! Graphics not much different? have you even touched a PS3? if your deathbox found out it would red ring on you haha. Dont be mad you already down graded our FF13.

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  6. I dont care what machine my games play on as long as they are good, but i realluy do not understand all the fuzz about Gametrailers Uncharted 2 Review.

    9,3 is an EXCELLENT score.

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  8. How would you know if the game is good or not? Sony would NEVER send you a copy to review.

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  9. The review was extremely positive you moron.

    Why are scores and comparisons between Playstation and Microsoft games so important to you?

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  10. The entire basis of your story is that a game that got a high score isn't getting as high of a score as games like Halo and Gears?

    A review is about the person's experience with the game, in fact a score is rather arbitrary. How can you get upset that someone's personal experience wasn't as good as yours?

    Sounds like journalism was dealt a pretty heavy blow when you made this post.

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  11. Hoo boy. This is really something else.

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  14. All your opinions are appreciated, however we will not tolerate indecent language on this website.

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  15. There is a reason why you write on a blog site and real journalists work at bigger News sites. Stick to flipping burgers and stop complaining about a 9.3.

    Take a look at any Publisher, they love it when their games get anything over an 8 and a 9.3 is a great score regardless of where you are.

    When top-tier publishers start sending you review builds of games, then you can bitch.

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  16. Have you yet to play Uncharted 2 outside of the demo? If not then you complaining about Halo 3 or Gears 2 receiving higher scores is idiotic.

    And are comparisons to other games necessary? Yes, provided the reviewer can draw a connection to those other games, which it seems they did. Uncharted 2 (or any other game for that matter) does not exist in a vacuum where on Uncharted exists. It is competing for the hard earned dollars of a lot of the same consumers so an explanation of its similarities and possible downsides is responsible journalism.

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  17. All you people hitting Ernice so hard fail to realize one thing, there's indeed great hypocrisy on sites like GT and IGN against Sony.

    I believe he could've done a better job relaying said issue but there's some truth to his article..

    And stop acting like Microsoft pay you guys to bash on every indifferent piece. Geez.

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  18. Hey, is this article satire? Because no sane person would make this argument. Before you start accusing a site of bias you might want to line up some evidence that shows a consistent lean. That's what bias is. It's a consistent tendancy toward a particular opinion or idea. This? This is just a review. One gamer's opinion of a game. A game, I would like to remind you, you have not played yet. Nor have I.

    I don't know if you've heard, but reviewers' opinions don't exist to validate yours!

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  19. Isn't GameTrailers owned by MTV? Yep, I think so, but who owns MTV? You guessed it right, MICROSOFT...

    Ernice is some points in this piece.... Although I agree it's a bit shallow.

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  20. I find whenever I tell people like yourself Enrice how it really is, you guys tend to ban me. So I will be as nice as possible.

    Mr. Gilbert, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent article were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having read what you wrote. I award you no praise, and may God have mercy on your soul.

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  21. Since when is a 9.3 a bad score? Are you seriously complaning about 0.2 decimal point difference!? I'm so sick of these arguments for game scores that amount to absolutely nothing of relevance towards the advancement of game reviews and game journalism. Your complains just keep feeding the fires of argument among people that just don't seem to understand that scores amount to nothing when people are enjoying and truly having fun with a game, regardless of what a critic may think of it.

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  22. You guys need to stop the hating....

    This site has been bringing excellent content and make here my home....

    I think however, Ernice couldn't placed more thought into this article....

    But, that's how it is a journalist... you get flacked every now and then...lol

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  24. Are you seriously complaining about a 9.3?

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  25. If you don't have actual proof of money changing hands or some other evidence of score influencing other than "because it has *teh* best graphics IN TEH WORLD!1!," it's just your opinion...just like the reviewer's score and observations. You have a right to disagree and can say as much, but you don't have the right to make accusations of wrongdoing without facts. It's why you're writing a blog and others work for the "pro sites." Enjoy your best traffic ever this weekend and move on.

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  26. @SciFiCat, how can you sincerely say scores amount to nothing? Indeed scores are necessary to help gamers make wise decisions. if it were not so then why review games? And why do many gamers wait until a game has been reviewed to make up their minds on whether to purchase, rent, or just ignore a title altogether?

    Some may think discussions like the one we're having now may not be helpful but that's far from the truth.

    I think one of the healthiest things gamers can do is discuss vigorously topics that are touchy to help shed light on situations.

    You may not agree with me on this one, (I understand) but let's not act like there's no hand-pulling behind the scenes that hurts this industry.

    Again, we appreciate all opinions, all we ask is you keep it clean. Thanks, admin.

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  27. Please don't call him a journalist.

    He's a blogger... on blogspot.

    If GameTrailers was a shill for Microsoft, wouldn't they give Uncharted 2 a MUCH lower score?

    Also, if every game gets a 10, then games are going to have to start getting 11s to feel special.

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  28. Prove that Uncharted 2 was born in America! Show us the birth certificate!

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  29. @ TheEye, I'm not complaining about a 9.3 score, I'm looking at the score compared to other games that are less impressive yet get higher ratings.

    If you look through this site, you'll see we report fairly across all consoles, Xbox 360, PS3, and Nintendo Wii, however we're not the type to shy away from difficult discussions.

    share your thoughts.

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  30. Why not call him a journalist, because he brings up stuff everyone else is afraid to write about?

    Yeah, well stick with the guys that are afraid of loosing money and sponsors for their site.

    I'll stick to the truth.... Keep going Ernice

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  31. You guys really need to stop commenting on this guy's articles. Leave him with no responses, no hits, and wait for him to slink back into the hole he came out of.

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  32. "Slink back into the hole?" Slink back? Then why are you commenting on the site?

    I hope this site grows, and Ernice if you're listening, your website needs a face lift.

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  33. @ immediately above, thanks, we're working on it as we speak. It will be something fresh and appealing... www.gamesthirst.com will be a great place for gamers of all ages to come and quench their gaming thirst. Have a look, it's just the first stage, however we hope to launch soon. Thanks.

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  34. Great post man!!! I agree with what you said why are they comparing games? they clearly are bias lost a bunch of followers too. I didn't hear them comparing GEARS to RESIDENT EVIL 4 I bet they forgot to deduct points from there by the way I loved gears 1 not 2 though. Yes gametrailers is owned by MTV andMTV is owned by VIACOM and guess who made a half a billion dollar 5 year contract with VIACOM that includes 'content sharing and advertisement' anybody?? ''raises hand''
    MIICCROOSOOFT?! ding ding yes

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  35. See, I knew there was something fishy about this review. Half a billion dollar 5 year contract?

    See, and the guys above bashing the author as if there was no truth to his logic. Keep working sir!! shed some light on their shady dealings

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  36. @GameThirst: I did not say that scores amount to nothing, I said that scores amount to nothing WHEN people are having fun with a game regardless of what a critic may think of said game. On more than one ocasion I've played games that have been scored in the 6-7 range and had far more enjoyment out of them than the reviewer had, and likewise I've experenced games that were scored by critics around the 8-9 range yet I did not see them as such. Scores are important in the sense that these are a barometer to help you gauge if a game is worth a look or not. If invariably many reviewers score a game low, say 3.5 for example, then I know it is not worth my money. But there are occasions when a game gets very diverging reviews from many sources, and in those cases reviews end up being more of a confusing element instead of an aid. Who do you believe then? The only recourse for the consumer is to rent or buy the game and decide for him/herself.

    It just seems inconsequential to criticize
    GT for giving Uncharted 2 a 9.3, had it been a 9.4 or 9.5, it still qualifies as a 9-10 range game, therefore an excellent game, regardless of the decimal diference. Even if it had been scored a 8.0 it still would be a great game and most PS3 would have bought it anyways. But in the end, GT says clearly: "If you are a PS3 owner, you must buy this game" If that is not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what it is.

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  37. Get the fuck over yourselves. Each reviewer has a different way of reviewing things, and thus their score scale means different things. So what if it has a score lower than Gears 2 or Halo, does it really matter? In the end, all that matters is that all three games are worth buying.

    Are a few tenths going to sway your opinion on purchasing it? "Oh, it got a 9.3 instead of a 9.7, I'm not going to buy it anymore."

    As a PS3 owner, I was already set on buying the game. The fact that there ARE some reviews that call some ideas/concepts out is better, because who wants to buy an overhyped game?

    You act like a 9.3 isn't a GREAT score. It is. It's a fantastic score. So where's the problem? As I look at the GameRankings aggregate scores for Halo 2 and Gears 2.... lo and behold, they both hover around 93%. Sounds an awful like a 9.3.

    Let's go to Metacritic, where Gametrailers allegedly used their low score to bring it below Gears 2 and Halo 3. Gears 2 is sitting at a 93 metascore. Halo 3? 94. Now let's take a look at Uncharted 2. 97.

    Now here's where I agree with you. Some outlets are being heavily pressured by PR departments through means of pulling advertisements, less inside info and not giving review/early builds. That sucks and I wish it didn't happen so often.

    You're doing a good job calling some outlets out, but this time I feel you're reaching a little too far.

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  39. Do you forget that reviews are written by individuals with their own views and perspectives? Not everyone thinks this game is the best thing since sliced bread. Get over it.

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  41. Your whole argument lies on the assumption that Uncharted 2 is inherently better than Halo 3 and Gears of War 2; a claim you give no evidence or provide any discussion for. You act as if it's some universal truth or understood fact that this newly released game is better than the other two.

    "Don't get wrong, I think Halo and Gears are great games and worthy of every award, but do they warrant a better score than Uncharted? No. It's nonsense."

    Doesn't it just suck when a game you like gets a great score? Alert the press.

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  42. I farted. Obviously my fart is better than other big name farts even if it's in a completley different genre than those other farts, does things as well or better than those farts but has some issues just like other farts. Also the fact that only profesionals have gotten to smell my fart other than a small beta. Because my fart is a big name fart and a tent-pole for a major fart machine then it surley should score in the thousands, 5 star/10 point/hundred scale is far to meaningless for my fart. In fact, it has now been scored 1,000,000 our of 10 by all of my farts fans who have yet to even smell my fart.

    Also, I apologise for my poor spelling. I'm lazy.

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  43. @ SciFiCat: Great response and I understand where you're coming from, however it would be foolish not to keep an eye on websites like GT, IGN and Gamespot.

    They're owned by big companies with all kinds of interests, many times decisions are calculated to benefit only them.

    If they're never criticized there's the potential that said websites become complacent and get the sense that gamers don't really care so they'll just keep doing business as usual.

    So as I said before it's great we're having this conversation, and each has his/her opinion. It's healthy dialogue.

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  44. @ DANIELRAND

    Yes I'm set to buy the game and not because I'm a PS3 owner, and not only because I have played the first game, but because it looks good. On the other hand there's some people who will buy a game based on the reviews as GamesThirst said what would be the point of people doing reviews if nobody is interested in hearing them?? Think before you talk don't you think that people hearing something like " one of the greatest games ever created" or "the best game ever" or " move over zelda" would definitely be driven to buy the game. How are you gonna tell a woman she's the most beautiful person in the world, the smartest, that she's unique, but not MARRY HER?? does that make sense to you??? No so why would they do shit like this A review should come from a professional stand point not from a company looking to extend their contract with microsoft

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  45. Wow just wow, I mean seriously you actually think that game reviewers are being PAID to give lower scores? Do you have any idea how utterly illogical that is?

    Game reviews are 100% opinion, some sites lean more towards particular games because the people doing the reviews simply have tastes that go that way.

    Metacritic and scores in general are utter bullshit, they dont mean anything. If a game is good and you want to get it then fucking get it, just because someone doesn't think the exact thing as you do about said game is no reason to manifest some misplaced paranoid delusion that their is some kind of 'system' of underhanded dealings.

    I've talked to and listened to countless reviewers about responses to their reviews and every time one gets this kind of feedback they just laugh at the utter absurdity of it. News flash; reviewers are PEOPLE and people dont share the same opinions.

    Once again; the numbers mean nothing. It was a simple system invented long ago for games reviews so that stupid and lazy people would be able to make purchasing judgements easier.

    You said yourself the majority of reviews of U2 have been positive, is that not enough reason to go buy it aside from your own personal interest? Why does ONE FUCKING WEBSITES OPINION matter at ALL if you are STILL going to buy the game?

    You really think most people are going to watch one god damn review with a score of 9 point fucking 3 and assume the other reviews are all wrong? Is that what this is? Some deluded sense that people are too stupid to realize that not all reviews are the same and that some are going to be more positive/negative than others?

    Have a little more faith in humanity please.

    Lastly 9.3 is a great score, if they had given it like a 7 or some shit then maybe that would be a little unfair but really it doesn't matter.
    God I am so sick of this stupid shit.

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  46. I'm quite certain that so-called "articles" regarding this type of "news" are the cancer that plagues the enthusiast games media (that's not to say a site like this is part of that media). Not only conspiring about such trivial nonsense such as deflated scores rooted in shady corporate bias, but a score that is regarded as exquisite even by the very site being targeted. You are a perplexing breed of moron to say the least.

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  47. WOW how ignorant are you guys?? Yes they're people who work for other people who work for big companies who have interest and sponsors or business partners they're people who HAVE to be PROFESSIONAL. No a 9.3 is a good score but when you have a game that is really good that score doesn't just cut it. Why does it matter?? Because it's a big fucking SITE you dumbass why do you think that when you're watching a movie preview they will say that an actor has been nominated for an oscar or has won etc.

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  48. Yeah, a 9.3 for that game you haven't played is a real injustice. Perhaps you should launch a silent protest. Better yet, how about a hunger strike?

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  49. 9.3 is a number, the rest of that video is a review and in that review they had nothing but praise. Maybe we should stop reading numbers and start listening to what they have to say?

    Put it this way, what would your opinion of the game be without number scales? Positive or negative, end of discussion.

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  50. The one line worth reading in this article:

    "Was all this game comparing really necessary?"

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  51. So here's the crux of the problem.

    You say "there's no way Uncharted 2: Among Thieves should get a lower score than Gears 2, or Halo 3" in your article.

    I say it should.

    Now how is your opinion more correct than mine? You're saying it as if it's fact.

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  52. In fact, let's be completely ridiculous here. I would go as far as to say that Halo 3 is, without a shadow of doubt, a much better FPS than Uncharted 2.

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  54. OK, first thing that I would like to point out is that a game should stand on its own merits, and not be compared to other titles of a similar or higher score. The fact that Uncharted 2 scored lower than Gears and Halo means absolutely nothing, which is why numbered rating systems are inherently stupid.

    While it is unfair to compare Uncharted to the X-Box's million sellers, at some point you do have to make the comparison for clarity. If someone had not played Uncharted, comparing the cover mechanic to Gears 2 is a nice way to convey the mechanics of the game to someone. Again, just because the games were compared does not mean they should be judged similarly.

    Bottom line is, compare gameplay mechanics if you must, but not score. Score is what an individual felt about the game.

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  55. For the last time, indecent language will NOT be tolerated on this site.

    All such posts will be deleted permanently by website's admin. Thanks for respecting the rules.

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  56. Whoever paid them to give it a 9.3 should get thier money back. just saying...

    Also, ranting and raving about a game you havent played yet is rather fanboyish.

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  58. There's bias in every review. It's not a dirty secret; it's the way personal opinions work. Why anyone would want to read an impartial, unbiased product review for a game is beyond me.

    Stop having fits over the numbers people attach to scores. It's childish.

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  60. DUDE listen to yourself man, this is ridiculous. I agree to the idea that some sites get paid for modifying review scores, but CMON MAN! Have you ever considered the idea that some journalists have other opinions than others? you cannot claim a review is biased based solely on the score in comparison to other great titles, its fucking BS

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  61. I had fun reading the comments

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