Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Yeah, the 1-5 thing is tongue in cheek. What does everybody else think about dropping scores and so that people have to read the review and make some kind of decision based on that?
cheers

Tim

Aw, I liked the 1-5. :3

I've thought for a while that numbers are just way too much hassle than they're worth - this topic is pretty much proof that many people simply don't read the review or jump on the number as a means to try to contradict what was said in the review.

Somewhere people lost the concept that the number is merely a quick-fire indicator to supplement the full text, not a basis on which the review text is bound to. But while getting rid of the scores allow for the audience to truly read the piece to obtain the definitive view of the outlet, the Internet isn't the best medium to read long articles in itself. The average 'net user skims, rather than reads, and picks up highlights along the way.

Maybe lose the score, keep the Summary at the end (as that appears to be sufficient for a 'roundup' paragraph or something) would help. Perhaps a small "Plus / Minus" segment with what was loved/hated? Assuming such an idea isn't considered too... well, 'beige'.

meh.

I say keep the scores...no reason to let inmates bussed in from outside the asylum any say in the matter

Y'know, I had thought that most of the fanboys had migrated to the 360 (and I was more than a little depressed by this) but I suppose this proves that Sony is still the fanboy platform of choice. That or something about the PS3 MAKES you stupid. I just don't get it...

Edge tried to drop the scores from their reviews in one issue and everyone complained, even though they published the scores at the end of the review section. You might loose some readers...

To be honest I do flick to the end of some reviews to see the score and then decide if i want to read the review, but I only do that for games I'm vaguely interested in, but if I read a review I read the whole thing.

It would be controversial but its something I've thought magazines/website should have done a long time ago.

If I remember correctly they used P.N. 03 as an example piece that they got other industry types to review



I do a similar thing as well, I think getting rid of the score is worth trying with the added inclusion of something like the plus, minus/good, bad & ugly points at the end.

Then maybe include something like how many people in the SPOnG office are playing it.

Do I feel a poll coming .....

Its certainly a good idea, the level of "office buzz" for a game is often a very good indicator of how good the game is.

But for Uncharted (for instance) it would be a bad indicator, because we only had a single copy, and it was Pre-release code which would only play on the debug (Test) PS3. And because it was (originally) embargoed until October 6th, I took the PS3 Test and the code home and played it at my leisure. ALthough I completed it in 12 hours, I did so in five sessions (about 3 x 2 hours and 2 x 3 hours)... so no one else in the office got too much of a chance to play it.

They have played it of course, a little before I took the Test home and since the review was finished last Friday. And the general feelings are very positive. TimSPOnG was not a big fan at first, but it won him over eventually.

In the end, the embargo was lifted early, but instead of rush our review for the new earlier embargo date, we decided to hold back publication until Monday when the review was complete, since the game is not out until the 16th.

Just to clarify... it was Review code that had not been cut to retail release disc so had to be played on the debug. Nothing from the copy Dee reviewed was changed in the retail release... or I would have said so at the start of the copy.

Cheers

Tim

Yeah I see the problem, especially as most of the games you review are pre-release, you could include which games are being played in the office that week, although that doesn't really help with the review side of things, unless perhaps you include the last 3 games the reviewer choose to play.

I think the BETA sucks the whole Uncharted franchise fails Xbxo 360 FTW

I think the BETA sucks the whole Uncharted franchise fails Xbox 360 FTW BTW i have a PS3 but i Know Xbox OWNZ all FABLE 2