EGM NOV Reviews (A bit of Halo 2 info)

[ryosnk]

Just reading the HALO 2 single player story and it sounds SWEET .

New Halo enemies called Drones (Nasty Li'l BUGGERS) .


New EGM Scores

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THUG 2- 9, 9, 8.5 Silver (and by the way, it's 4 pages)
Leisure Suit Larry MCL-3.5, 2.5, 1.5
Demon Stone-7.5, 5.0, 6.0
TMNT 2- 3, 4, 2
Robotech Invasion-4, 7, 6
MK Deception-6.5, 5.5, 8 (4 pages)
FIFA 2005- 8.5, 7.5, 9 Silver
Conflict Vietnam-7.5, 5.5, 4.5

Head to Head of NBA Live 2005 & ESPN NBA 2K5- Live gets an 8.5, 8.5, 8 Silver; ESPN gets a 7, 8.5, 8.5 Silver

Blood Will Tell-8, 6.5, 6
KOF Maximum Impact-6.5, 7, 6.0
Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne-8, 9, 8.5 Silver
Guilty Gear Isuka-7, 7, 4
Monster Hunter-8, 8, 8 Silver
Men Of Valor-6, 7.5, 6
Otogi 2- 9, 8, 9 Silver
Mega Man Zero 3- 8, 7, 7
Paper Mario 2- 9, 9, 9 Gold (2 pages) Gold (GOTM)

[Rig]

The Paper Mario review makes me happy!

[guessed]

So, they didn't like LSL, then? I'll admit, it doesn't seem like a $50 game (part of the reason why I bought the $30 PC version), but worse than TMNT 2? Ouch. I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but I sure hope I like it better than they did.

[Trakan]

I'm surprised at the monster hunter score.

[danh920]

wow, leisure suit larry really flopped

[guessed]

wow, leisure suit larry really flopped

For comparison, it averages in the mid to high 60% range (varies based on platform) at gamerankings. This seems more in line with my expectations.

[GuilewasNK]

Guilty Gear Isuka-7, 7, 4 (Now that is surprising, I want to read the review of this)

I wouldn't read much stock into the Leisure Suit scores. EGM and other mags seem to be against boobs for some reason (almost like they are afraid of offending a girl they like by saying they like it). I'd read what the reviews actually say instead of the scores. If they talk about how boobs are bad or shouldn't be in games, then they have focused on the wrong thing in the game.

[zewone]

The GG Isuka score is suprising. Thats lowest scoring Guilty Gear game from them ever I believe.

[sadunclesnugglez]

sweet! Looks like I might actually pick up PM 2

[hiccupleftovers]

Eh...I don't really take much credence from EGM scores anymore. A lot of the time it seems they are out of their minds or disconnected from the gaming community as a whole.

[nneace]

I wonder if Demon Stone would have had a better review had it had a multiplayer option?

[coolsteel]

Damn Robotech did terrible

[jmcc]

Wow. Otogi 2 did way better than I'd have expected.

[msdmoney]

Paper Mario scores make me glad I pre-ordered it cheap at gamerush. Not much else really interests me, probably pick up the others when they hit the bargain bin.

[JEKKI]

poor Ninja Turtles, I hope that isnt the score for the GBA one tho...

and yah, Isuka does deserve a 4, becoz since #r came out isuka's weird gameplay is... weird. it's not good for a fighting game, more like a party game.

and go shin megaten nocturne!!! cant wait for it!

[Magician]

Very promising scores for Paper Mario 2 and SMT: Nocturne. Since my subscription just ran out, I might pick up the November issue just to see what they say about the two games.

[gokou36]

I bought Guilty Gear X2 last year, and it wasn't *that* impressive. It just seemed like another SF clone with nothing special added.

[ChessPieceFace]

I thought TMNT 2 was going to address the issues of the first one... add 4-player mode, mix up the monotony, allow you to play the original arcade game...

[Scorch]

Leisure Suit Larry MCL-3.5, 2.5, 1.5

Are they kidding me? I am loving the hell out of this game.

[GuilewasNK]

http://www.happypuppy.com/games/index.jsp?game_id=905&x=106&y=7

Two places give Larry at least 7.1 out of 10, and another 74 out of 100.

[Rozz]

The first console Hawk game that didnt get a gold rating *wipes tear from eye* :-(

[yogi99]

I want to get Shin Megami Tensei Nocturn, Monster Hunter, Men Of Valor, and Otogi 2. Leisure Suit Larry got a very bad review, is it really that bad?

By the way, ryosnk, who are those two girls on your signature?

[Kaijufan]

Im glad to see Paper Mario 2 getting GotM over THUG 2.

[JEKKI]

I bought Guilty Gear X2 last year, and it wasn't *that* impressive. It just seemed like another SF clone with nothing special added.u donno how to play. that simple

[Rodimus]

I bought Guilty Gear X2 last year, and it wasn't *that* impressive. It just seemed like another SF clone with nothing special added.

I gotta disagree there. Maybe it's to deep for you to understand. Kinda like how VF 4 was for alot of people. It turned them off cause it was to hard and technical to understand. Guilty Gear X2 is the most technical 2D fighter I've ever played, much more technical then SF has ever been.

Anyways I'm very disapointed in many reviews. I've been thinking about getting MK: Deception. I read Game Informers review and they gave it like a "9". Who do I belive? Game mags don't make sense, and I can't wait to get KOF Max Impact, GG Isuka and love em.

[CaseyRyback]

GMR gave Isuka a 9/10 and seemed to really like it.

sounds good to me, but I am gonna wait until it is cheap (do not have 2 other people to play with to get a good 4 player game going)

[Vtdgnca]

I was looking forward to Blood Will Tell but the reviews don't seem so hot.

[t65will]

I kind of agree with egm giving GG Isuka those low scores. The whole point of Isuka seems to be multiplayer. The PS2 has no 4 ports (adding the inconvenience of buying a multitap), but most importantly, this version lacks online play. Online play would add tremendous appeal to this game because it means always being able to find 3 other people to play with. So it's not that the game is bad, it's just that egm expects GG Isuka to be MUCH better on xbox (which it should be).

[jlarlee]

Hav epeople already started to get their mags this month. I usually never see mine until after the 15th are they running early this month?

[beerguy961]

I'm picking up PM2 now. other scores seemed to surprise me...

[kraid]

Thanks for posting those scores. I'm glad Paper Mario 2 got the score it deserved. That will be one of the games I plan on picking up for the Toys 'R Us sale.

[ChrisXE]

awesome, yea during the GC sale, employess got these special coupons, 20% of purchae of 75$ or more, so pick up 3 PM2 for say 80$ and some change

[Rodimus]

I kind of agree with egm giving GG Isuka those low scores. The whole point of Isuka seems to be multiplayer. The PS2 has no 4 ports (adding the inconvenience of buying a multitap), but most importantly, this version lacks online play. Online play would add tremendous appeal to this game because it means always being able to find 3 other people to play with. So it's not that the game is bad, it's just that egm expects GG Isuka to be MUCH better on xbox (which it should be).

Just because it's an inconvenience to buy a multi-tap doesn't mean its bad. That makes no sense. If it plays remotly like the other games in terms of combos and the tech aspect then it most defintly deserves more than a stupid 4.

[Jrunt20x]

I know the problem with GGI and why it recieved that score. I've played the japanese arcade version when I was in japan. The game only has manual turning. Why in a fighting game do you have to press a button to get your character to turn around to face your enemies. Its just so hard to control and just not fun. I haven't read the review but i know thats one of their reasons.

[ryosnk]

Just reading the HALO 2 single player story and it sounds SWEET :).

New Halo enemies called Drones (Nasty Li'l BUGGERS) :wink:.

[Final Starman]

I wish I had ordered Paper Mario from that MTV deal like a month ago. NJ needs a GR too.

[Grammaton-Cleric]

EGM is painfully unreliable when it comes to reviews. They trash quality on a regular basis and have endorsed more than a few crap games, perhaps due to ad revenue.

One of the reviewers actually gave Driver 3 an 8.5?

I read the magazine for previews and some industry news, little else.

[Zingela]

I know the problem with GGI and why it recieved that score. I've played the japanese arcade version when I was in japan. The game only has manual turning. Why in a fighting game do you have to press a button to get your character to turn around to face your enemies. Its just so hard to control and just not fun. I haven't read the review but i know thats one of their reasons.

This is exactly the reason I prefer the other versions of the game. You must press the R1 or R2 button (one of those, don't remember which. it's been a little while since I've played) to turn towards your opponent.

While I see the need for this (up to four players at once, remember), I just wish there was perhaps something that could detect whether you were the player furthest to the left or right of the stage, and switch your direction automatically.

Having three other people playing it with you though, is pretty fun. It gets pretty chaotic. Online play would have been great with this.

Having owned X2, X2 Reload, and Isuka, I reccomend the X2 or X2 Reload if you plan on playing with only yourself or one other person.

[Parathod]

I respect EGM's reviews. In general, their tastes are close to mine. I'm glad that they grade the games pretty rough because then you know what the really good games are. The only exceptions that come to mind right now are Mario Kart: DD and Splinter Cell, which were both overscored.

Grammaton, I think the scores were 5.5, 7.5, and 8.5... average those scores together and it sounds just about right to me. That's the beauty of multiple reviewers.

[Grammaton-Cleric]

I respect EGM's reviews. In general, their tastes are close to mine. I'm glad that they grade the games pretty rough because then you know what the really good games are. The only exceptions that come to mind right now are Mario Kart: DD and Splinter Cell, which were both overscored.

Grammaton, I think the scores were 5.5, 7.5, and 8.5... average those scores together and it sounds just about right to me. That's the beauty of multiple reviewers.

7.5 and 8.5 is still far too high for that game, regardless of how you spin it.

I also take issue with their ESPN Vs. Madden review that seemed like it was bought and paid for by EA. They actually claimed that Madden looks better than ESPN 2K5. How am I supposed to take such a review seriously?

What is really annoying however is how often the reviewers disagee. One gives the game a 5.0, the other assigns a 7.5. Who in the hell are you supposed to believe?

I actually quit taking their reviews seriously several years back. They have trashed all manner of quality titles, including assigning low scores to genre classics such as Virtua Fighter 2. If they work for your tastes, that's certainly fine, but I personally have very little faith in their opinions.

[Sartori]

I bought Guilty Gear X2 last year, and it wasn't *that* impressive. It just seemed like another SF clone with nothing special added.

I gotta disagree there. Maybe it's to deep for you to understand. Kinda like how VF 4 was for alot of people. It turned them off cause it was to hard and technical to understand. Guilty Gear X2 is the most technical 2D fighter I've ever played, much more technical then SF has ever been.


Agreeing with you here.

[Parathod]

Their score on Madden ended up being .75 over the average of ESPN, which is the same as every other review site/mag out there. If they ever make bad reviews, so what?, they aren't going to rate every single game exactly as you want them to. it's not enough reason to hate them.

[Grammaton-Cleric]

Perhaps you have different sources than I but just about every other review I have read gave ESPN the clear edge. Granted, it's really a matter of personal preference but the one aspect of that review that continues to mystify is their assertion that Madden is the better looking game. In that regard, I can't see how anybody would come to such a conclusion given how much better ESPN looks, specifically the XB version.

As for the notion of hating them because they don't score every game exactly as I want them to, that really isn't the case. They have given some very low scores to quite a few quality games and their short, often vague reviews often don't bother to explain nor justify assigning such low numerical values. Their Terminator 3: Redemption review for example scored the game considerably lower than any other site or magazine I have personally read. The game is actually quite good if not a bit repetitive and the scores they gave it in no way reflect the quality of the product.

I don't hate EGM but I think their reviews are lacking in both accuracy and depth leading me to believe their entire scoring system has become an aribitrary and unreliable mess. That isn't to say they always miss and that certainly doesn't mean I hate their periodical but I certainly don't base my game purchases on their reviews.

As I stated before, if they cater to your personal tastes, godspeed.

[Parathod]

Madden 2005 - 92%
ESPN NFL 2K5 - 88.6%

source: http://www.gamerankings.com

They can't give every game a 2 page review, although that would be ideal. They almost always score a game lower than other mags and that's why I think people tend to like their mag over say Gamepro (where everything gets a "Funfactor" of 5). If you don't like EGM (which is fine), what magazine do you like?

[Grammaton-Cleric]

Madden 2005 - 92%
ESPN NFL 2K5 - 88.6%

source: http://www.gamerankings.com

They can't give every game a 2 page review, although that would be ideal. They almost always score a game lower than other mags and that's why I think people tend to like their mag over say Gamepro (where everything gets a "Funfactor" of 5). If you don't like EGM (which is fine), what magazine do you like?

I like Game Informer, and I always purchase OPM and OXM but only for the demo discs.

I actually like PLAY because their reviews seem both thoughtful and intelligent, though I don't always agree with them either. I also use IGN and Gamespot to try and get a consensus on the quality of a game.

Finally, I trust my own tastes.

But EGM has been around for quite a while, their magazine often makes me laugh, and they are much better than Gamepro.

I just don't trust their reviews. Everything else is fine.

The best, most serious-minded gaming magazine was called Videogames and they folded years ago. The maazine was almost purely text and discussed games in an intelligent and academic construct. Next Generation was also very good but sadly, they too no longer exist.

[Parathod]

Yeah, I liked Next Generation, especially the discs they gave you towards the end. Game Informer is decent.

[Scahom1]

What is really annoying however is how often the reviewers disagee. One gives the game a 5.0, the other assigns a 7.5. Who in the hell are you supposed to believe?

Not everyone will have the same opinion on a game. I love the fact that they give 3 reviews per game, so you get 3 different opinions about it.

Weigh the pros and cons of the game, and make your decision that way.