Revisiting Gamespot's 6.8 Review

[Shibiryo]

What, all reviews are cynical. Stay away from them.

[Yokosuka]

Wow I didn't know IGN hated Shenmue so much :
http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/11/ ... is-shenmue

[SMDzero]

What does Hillary Goldstein know about good games? Nothing apparently.

[Zoltor]

Wow I didn't know IGN hated Shenmue so much :
http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/11/ ... is-shenmue

Holy shit, I knew IGN would hate on such not being catored towayds brain dead people, but damn that goes way beyond hate, they downright loath it.

I mean WTF did Shenmue, and Yu Suzuki ever do to the scum that work for IGN, for them to be so hateful about such?

[SMDzero]

You can't spell ignorant without IGN.....

[drunkensailor]

I'm sure this has been seen and I'm just failing at my forum searches, but just in case...

Remember that infamous Gamespot review? The original author (who also wrote a mini-guide I've seen people reference) wrote about it a few years ago, and stands by his original 6.8:

http://frankprovo.livejournal.com/568275.html

It's an interesting read. He did post more recently about Shenmue III (http://frankprovo.livejournal.com/609377.html), and was a little more positive about Shenmue II in that post.

For those who aren't familiar with it, the original review (http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shenmue-review/1900-2540599/) scored it a 6.8. After much rage, it was bumped up to a 7.8 against the reviewer's wishes. At the time, it was fairly notorious, with most sites giving Shenmue rave reviews (IGN scored it a 10/10, for example).

Anyway, wasn't sure how many had seen his "response" in 2010. It's always interesting to hear from the other side.

gamespot were very much known sega haters. pls look up any saturn review pretty much. last bronx getting a 4.5 can still be found

[drunkensailor]

the biggest dutch videogame magazine power unlimited during their 20th year anniversary 2 years ago asked reviewers what they felt most sorry about and the guy who reviewed shenmue 1 and gave it a 7.6 said he regretted it immensely and it haunted him still to this day as well as people still to this day confronting him with it. he felt he wasn't ready for the game in hindsight and should've given it a lot higher and someone else to review

[KiBa]

Wow I didn't know IGN hated Shenmue so much :
http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/11/ ... is-shenmue

This is what happens when you let hoomon feemales wear clothes.

[Zoltor]

Wow I didn't know IGN hated Shenmue so much :
http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/11/ ... is-shenmue

This is what happens when you let hoomon feemales wear clothes.

Yea, the only thing worse then that, is letting females earn "profit" lol.

[Spaghetti]

The review doesn't surprise me, though the Shenmue 3 live journal post is a bit ranty (and as we all know, filled with massive inaccuracies).

Not a lot of people were ready for Shenmue back then. We didn't really start seeing games commonly that include individual components that made Shenmue great until fairly recently. For better or worse it was ahead of its time. It was an art game with a big budget, and that probably wouldn't happen these days.

Luckily, a lot of the things that made Shenmue expensive are now very easily done and I honestly think making the game in UE4 is the biggest asset they've got to stretching the budget to the absolute maximum. With atmosphere, varied gameplay, and the narrative making Shenmue truly special (instead of superficial things like graphics), I think YSnet are well within their remit to make those things happen again.

The only problem is the media trying to make the game out to be something it isn't, and in turn will probably manufacture some faux disappointment when Shenmue 3 comes out and it's the modest, intimate game anybody who has been following the development knew it would be. So, I'm not expecting rave scores for Shenmue 3 either. Nor any Shenmue HD collection, because I know the complaints about the controls and voice acting will dominate.

It's unfortunate that people put so much stock in reviews instead of entrusting their own tastes. Barring any reports of bugs and glitches out the ass, I think people should ignore reviews and go with their gut and buy the games that interest them or they like the look of. It's not like the games media is capable of seeing through the same bullshit consumers are given during the hype cycle either. That's why big, shiny games from large publishers get good reviews despite complaints of huge flaws once it hits consumers (looking at you, Arkham Knight).

Of course, opinions may vary, but I believe a lot of games media swing from hopelessly cynical to drinking the kool aid from publishers without a tremendous amount of space in the middle. Games media in general is very negative too, and negative games communities are a product of that. Or maybe it's the other way around. Chicken and egg situation really.

[fittersau]

It's unfortunate that people put so much stock in reviews instead of entrusting their own tastes.

That's the problem when consumption is more important than appreciation.