Coffee Talk #4: Game Review Scores and You

Posted on October 15th, by raymond padilla in Coffee Talk, PC Gaming, Today's Specials, Videogames. 257 comments

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, whether the Motorola Cliq will turn the company around, why the hell it’s raining in Los Angeles, or bellybutton lint, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

In Coffee Talk #2, reader rbee90 brought up the topic of game reviews, which led to a conversation about review scores. The discussion started to get interesting and reader RRODisHere suggested that I write about the topic in Coffee Talk. Well here it is!

I have a ton of problems with the way most — not all — game reviews work. Scoring is a huge pet peeve of mine. 100-point scales are just stupid. I’d love for someone to (intelligently) explain the one-point difference between a game that gets an 87 and one that gets an 88. Five-point scales — which I like a whole lot better — are a problem because of the way the business uses scores and how some consumers interpret them. Here’s a pro tip for you — three stars out of five is not the same as 60 percent. Yet that’s the way a three-out-of-five is treated by review aggregators (most of the time). What’s worse is that some publishers base royalties on aggregate review scores, which is completely unfair to developers.

Borat Thumbs Up Coffee Talk #4: Game Review Scores and You

Personally, I think there should only be three review scores — buy it, rent it, eff it, symbolized by thumbs up, thumbs in the middle, and a thumbs down (or Megan Fox’s thumbs). Isn’t purchasing, renting, or passing what it all comes down to anyway? I pushed for this system when I worked at GameSpy, but nobody was buying it. Oddly enough, my boss at GameSpy eventually went to Crispy Gamer, which uses a scale like the one I suggested. Anyway, the bottom line is that scores have become so important that the words behind them are often overlooked and sometimes ignored.

Then there’s the way some games are reviewed. Some publishers send code to reviewers days before they’re allowed to publish their reviews. For competitive reasons, everyone wants to get the review up the second the embargo lifts. This has the reviewer cramming a pint glass of gameplay into a shot glass of time. Another practice that bugs the hell out of me is when publishers have reviewers play the game off site. In these cases, a reviewer has to commute to a hotel suite or a conference room to play the game for a few days before writing the review. Again, the short amount of time introduces a problem, but it’s compounded by having to play the game in a completely unnatural setting. My issue here is that reviewers have to play games in a way that few consumers would. Do most people play 50-hour games in three days? Of course not. Do most people make daily commutes to play games in a conference room? No.

Okay, I’m getting angry about the whole deal. What I’d like to know from you is what you expect from game reviews. Do you like like 100-point scales or do you prefer five-star systems? What information is most important to you in a game review? Do you think that the unnatural way reviewers have to play games leads to an unnatural view of the game? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Coffee Talk PC Gaming Videogames

SlickyFats

@cornflake

I am supposed to be studying for an A&P test today to get into the nursing program. Its already not going well since i have been here all morning
http://www.gamerswishlist.com/ Nightshade386

If you go to Bioware.com, you can tell what games other members have bought when they post in the forums because you enter you UPC code on the site. I'm not a programmer, or an expert on how all things electronic work, but I'd have to imagine that you could do something similiar with the online services like PSN and XBL for older titles. At least it seems logical enough on the surface.
oOcornflakeOo

to me, its about making informed purchases.. i just fail to see what drives the purchase of the other.. its like a video game.. would you buy a game that will be fun only 43% of the time? uhhh duh! no
tokz_21

I'm glad to see that this topic is going to take us past 200 comments again. More traffic for Rpad means he'll hopefully be able to keep this site up.
Hrolf

@ RROD

If I had room for everything I would gladly do that. I will probably have to for some of the games I know I want for the system, but I am too lazy to get behind the tv and hook everything up each time I want to play. I COULD play the games on the smaller 25 inch tv so maybe I will do that. Honestly, its just easier with B/C but not a necessity by any means
Shockwave562

are we still on that 57% fail thing cornflake? My xbox has worked 100% of the time for nearly three years now…
Shockwave562

@Hrolf, I definitely agree. I don't own a PS2 or an Xbox anymore. but I always keep my favorite discs thanks to BC… but who knows, sounds like that's going away. I'd rather see this DD become popular. I just don't want to pay for things twice if they haven't been improved in some way
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

Just made some changed to the site's sidebar. Let me know if you like it this way or if you liked the three-tab menu better. Maybe some of you won't notice. Ha!
oOcornflakeOo

if you were to use the UPC codes, then i could just go to game stop, copy all the codes in their used game baskets and have a bajillion free games.. that wouldn't work
http://twitter.com/Sandrock323 Sandrock323

I've had some busy work days this week. Should slow down nxt week thouugh.
Hrolf

The way you have it now is good. but I had no problem with the 3 tab menu either
Shockwave562

well I'll give you that. but maybe you could only have one active so if you purchased it you call sony and they deactivate that for the person that stole it if you have proof of purchase.

I think the guys at gamestop might notice someone with a pen and pad writing down upcs though. but I can definitely see the flaws in that system
oOcornflakeOo

its bound to happen buddy =P theres a reason why its at 57% so yes it will be brought up over and over… ignorance isn't the cure. ok i'm sorry. i don't wanna seem as though i'm attacking anyone here. you guys are all cool in my book no matter what system you put your blind faith into
SlickyFats

@shockwave

Pen and paper yes but cell phone pics or video would be sneaky
http://www.gamerswishlist.com/ Nightshade386

3 tab bar personally. Makes it easier to find what I'm looking for IMO.
oOcornflakeOo

leave the three tabs.
SlickyFats

I say if you really want the digital copy of a game bad enough you should have to mail in your hard copy in exchange for a voucher. Didn't a movie company do something like that when HD-DVD bombed, send in HDDVD for a BluRay.
tokz_21

@rpad

The new way is better, it reminds me of the G4 feature comment when you viewed the feed headlines one by one. How are you filtering which comments are placed on the sidebar?

Is it by the topic they started or best feedback or other?

Keep up the good work….
Dad

The industry must have developed standards in the review of games since they have been in existence for a while. Convening game critics with representation from users to develop one set of ratings would mean a lot more than the diverse way numbers are used without necessarily attaching meaning to them
oOcornflakeOo

if it isnt a customer copying the codes via video/cell phone pics, then for sure a nerd working behind the counter would capitalize on the codes. it would never work
Shockwave562

that 57 was a poll of 5,000 gamers cornflake. (people who have probably owned xbox since the awful start) do you know how many people own a 360? 30 million? I don't even know what fraction of a percent that is out of all the people who own a system. suffice to say I'm ok with .000000 whatever percent of people have a 57 percent fail rate.
oOcornflakeOo

@shockwave

but doesn't that warrant at the very least a red flag when considering the purchase? regardless of the number of participants in the poll, it is a more-than well known fact in the gaming industry that the system's architectural build is flawed severely and it will go down in the books as one of the worst built gaming systems in history [and apparently the slyest ever seeing how consumers willingly throw their money at it].
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@tokz_21 The comment box lists the ten most recent. I shall try to keep it up. I hope you keep reading!
oOcornflakeOo

last i checked, polls generally represent a pattern that would reflect/represent to average populous
http://www.gamerswishlist.com/home Nightshade386

Yeah, I have a hard time taking that particular GI poll seriously. It was hardly a scientific sample. It's not like they did a thourough background examination to find 5000 gamers, they pretty much let anyone respond.

And frankly most TV polling is a waste of time for the same reason. You can ask the same question on MSNBC and FOX NEWS and get two completely different samples (for obvious reasons).
Shockwave562

maybe cornflake, I bought an xbox day one and so I didn't have the chance to be looking for red flags. do I regret buying it? most certainly not. To be honest it annoys me, MS messed up big time and it's a shame they got away with it but reliability is just not something I think about when I compare my PS3 and my 360. I also think that very few new xboxs will fail like the release ones have. I think this RROD and E74 debate will be over in the next couple years. think of how few E74 errors have been reported. to my understanding E74 was introduced when the Elite was 3 years ago and it hasn't gotten nearly the coverage that RROD did
Shockwave562

I guess when it comes down to it cornflake, after all the mishaps both Sony and MS have had with the release of this gen at the end of the day both of them are excellent consoles and now both of them are pumping out great games. isn't that all that really matters anymore?
oOcornflakeOo

yes thats true but i wont excuse it from memory.. to forgive, yes but to forget, mmm not my style. like i said, i think you guys are cool, i'm just not down with M$'s recent lack of quality ::looks at windows vista::
Shockwave562

ya vista was a huge mistake. a god awful one. of course I was one of the few people who got in on the ground floor of Windows Me too. remember that forgotten piece of garbage?

MS is crap but I use it at work because that's how business is done. MS is crap but I have a 360 because I love good games. I think I'm more loyal to certain developers like bioware than I am MS or Sony really. just give me good games.
Shockwave562

I got nothing against you either cornflake. I like a mature debate I just don't like it when arguments turn in to cheap attacks
rbee90

@hrolf

sorry for the uber late reply, just got out of english class. well, at least RE5 wasn't crap. The gameplay may be frustrating sometimes, but the story was fun. I had fun killing lickers, and the final boss fight with wesker was awesome. The thing i really hated about RE5 was the atmoshpere. it wasnt that much of a survival horror game anymore. And as for Fable 2 winning GOTY, yes, i totally disagree with that decision made by Sessler and the xplay crew. Im not saying its a bad game, Fable 2 was awesome, (even though, i only played it once for 5 hours), its just fable 2 isnt GOTY material.
Hrolf

About RE in general, I hate them all. I couldnt stand the control scheme and because of that I never played them. The graphics of RE 5 looked good, and I have heard that you can change the control, ut I will most likely never play it simply cuz I know nothing of the other games.
Shockwave562

@Hrolf, same boat for me. didn't like the demo for the controls mostly. I felt so frustrated when I wanted to shoot something and it all moved so slow. it didn't make it scarier it just pissed me off
http://www.gamerswishlist.com/home Nightshade386

The demo for RE5 was all I needed to play to know I wouldn't like the game. It immediately came off of my GameFly Q. I'm sorry, but if the shambing hoare of undead is coming towards me, I damn well better be able to back away while shooting at the very least.
Hrolf

then they charged for the multiplayer. that pretty much killed any chance of them getting my money. I spend 30 dollars a year for gold to play multiplayer, shouldnt have to pay more..
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

It's time…for console wars!!! Microsoft Aaron Greenberg fires off a defensive shot:

http://rpad.tv/2009/10/15/microsoft-expects-to-be…
oOcornflakeOo

what it really boils down to is quality..

@shockwave

fortunately for me, i never had to deal with windows ME.. i was either too young to experience it or too poor at the time [for my family] to buy a computer
Hrolf

Windows ME was more stable for me then XP, Or Vista. though I am really glad I went and got a Macbook. I just wish more games were available. I would SO buy Fallout 3 for Mac…
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

Ladies and gentlemen, you've set a new site record for comments!!! Thank you all so much!
http://www.gamerswishlist.com/home Nightshade386

You know if you get paid on a per comment basis, I'll be glad to spam the board for ya! I'm clearly not doing anything I'm supposed to be doing at work anyway…..
http://www.gamerswishlist.com/home Nightshade386

@r-pad: Yeah, I know. I was being silly.
Shockwave562

ya I wish more developers supported Mac.. my work computer (I have to use xp on bootcamp though) my home computer and my laptop are all macs. I love em
N8R

Sorry guys, I crashed out.

@ RROD

I'm actually pretty stingy and I really do look for games with replay value. The only game I felt I wasted $60 on was L4D. The demo was awesome but once I got the game, it got very repetitive, very fast.

Luckily, I ended up selling it to someone for $40 shortly after the release so I ultimately only wasted $20.

@ shockwave

I'm strictly Mac anymore either. But, since Macs are using Intels and NVIDIAs now, I think the days of Mac not having games will end shortly.
Smartguy

@N8R

Only if developers use OpenGL. Aion is a good example of a developer shitting all over the platform. THough aion sucks.
N8R

@ Smartguy

I also believe that OpenGL is the wave of the future. Those who don't use it in the coming years will be selling themselves short.
rbee90

did you guys read about the baldur's gate camera for dragon age: origins can only be possible on the pc?

@N8R and smartguy

since you guys are talking about video cards, or some sort, please…enlighten me, i must have the pc version of dragon age. and my computer needs some gaming upgrades. im getting ready for starcraft 2 and diablo 3 too. the only game i have for pc playin is DOTA, and i love DOTA.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@N8R When I worked at PC Magazine Labs, we always referred to it as Open Green Lantern. Ahhhh, nerd humor.
N8R

@ rbee

I really don't know that much about it. Smartguy and Ray are much more well versed in that kind of thing. I'm a console gamer by definition.

I use my computers for graphic design, music, movies/shows, and talking with you guys… that's about all I need.

Oh, and porn. Can't forget about that.
rbee90

@N8R

hm…same thing here, especially, for movies and porn, and DOTA, did i mention i love DOTA? it would be an honor to have a DOTA session with you guys.
Smartguy

@rbee

depends on what the rest of your machine is running. Nvidia 8800 GTS should do you fine for dragon age. Personally I like the 250. Also, BFG has never done me wrong. If your machine is a bit old just check your power supply to make sure you can run the card. In all honesty, whatever you get to run dragon age should more than handle SC2. Remember, SC2 is done. All that is left is multiplayer beta kinks. Graphics are done.

I don't foresee blizzard making diablo3 much harder to run. Point is, if you are running dragon age on full settings…the two blizz games won't be an issue.

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Coffee Talk #4: Game Review Scores and You

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