Is there a disconnect between press and gamers?

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I've noticed some the negative reviews of Red Steel, "meh" reactions to Wii Sports, and just general apathy for the Wii launch sans Zelda. The press seems to be the only place though where there's been a really negative-meh reaction to the Wii launch line-up. With Rayman, Trauma Center, DBZ (it's good, really), Excite Truck, and Super Monkey Ball getting favorable reactions here, what's the deal? Is the press too jaded or are gamers just blind to the flaws of the Wii at the moment?
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']I believe it's that the gamers are willing to forgive faults for the sake of having fun, which is par for the course.[/QUOTE]

Pretty much. The press has been good about ripping shitty games a new one on the Wii... since apart from Zelda and Trauma Center, most games have been pretty gimmicky.
 
On a more forgiving note, reviewers specifically are paid to tear apart games (not necessarily in a negative light). A lot of the stuff that we don't care about, or don't really pay attention to during the course of the game, they're pausing it and taking notes about (figuratively).
 
Ok, so everyone makes Zelda seem like the ultimate game, but I've been playing for a few hours and I don't really get it. It's kind of like KOTOR with worse graphics, more loading times, and adventure-style puzzles (which are cool). What am I missing? I really want to get the most out of this game, it's the only one I bought with the Wii.
 
[quote name='rickonker']Ok, so everyone makes Zelda seem like the ultimate game, but I've been playing for a few hours and I don't really get it. It's kind of like KOTOR with worse graphics, more loading times, and adventure-style puzzles (which are cool). What am I missing? I really want to get the most out of this game, it's the only one I bought with the Wii.[/quote]

The same could be said for FFXII (actually, FFXII is way closer to KOTOR than almost any other game - I like both, though).

Zelda's slow for the first few hours. You need to get into the later dungeons and items to really love it. This is not uncommon in modern RPG-length games(the aforementioned FFXII, KH2, etc.).
 
[quote name='rickonker']Ok, so everyone makes Zelda seem like the ultimate game, but I've been playing for a few hours and I don't really get it. It's kind of like KOTOR with worse graphics, more loading times, and adventure-style puzzles (which are cool). What am I missing? I really want to get the most out of this game, it's the only one I bought with the Wii.[/quote]
Load times? Sometimes you have to wait maybe 2 seconds... I wouldn't consider that a long load time.

Try Zelda with component cables in 480p and it looks fuck'n amazing! Besides why are people so hung up on gfx? They don't make the game, gameplay makes a good game!
 
[quote name='ckendal']Load times? Sometimes you have to wait maybe 2 seconds... I wouldn't consider that a long load time.

Try Zelda with component cables in 480p and it looks fuck'n amazing! Besides why are people so hung up on gfx? They don't make the game, gameplay makes a good game![/quote] It's not that each loading time is too long, it's that there's too many of them. It doesn't really feel like a large world to me when it's divided up into so many tiny areas. It kind of reminds me of those really old PC games where you move to the right edge of the screen and you're in a new room with you at the left.

For graphics, I wouldn't say I'm too hung up them, or I wouldn't have bought the Wii in the first place. It's just that it's even worse than I expected. Compare almost any original Xbox launch title to Zelda's blurry, low-res textures. But anyway, someone posted that Zelda is a gamecube port, so maybe there is hope for the future.

I'll keep playing of course, it's not hard to believe that it gets better. From what I remember KOTOR started off kinda slow too.
 
I think the disconnect comes from the fact that most reviewers are basing Wii scores on the XBOX360 \ PS3 graphics as the standard. I realize that those systems are the top tier for graphics but seeing as how Nintendo has stated their console was not about graphics I think these games should be based on what the machine is capable of rather than something it can't pull off in the first place.

Then you hear how the speaker in the controller is tinny...well it has a fucking speaker in it...its not perfect but no other controller has it. Although people complain about the Microsoft headset quality I don't read reviews about Halo or Gears of War where they complain about the fucking headset. How come?

It's the same thing with reviews about online play...I almost wish there was a single player review and an online review so I can stop hearing how a particular game doesn't have it or its limited. WE GET IT. NOT EVERYONE IS PLAYING ONLINE 24\7 THOUGH EITHER!

I just feel like when it comes to some reviews they are looking for issues rather than actually enjoying or playing the game. If it came down right to fun factor over everything else Wii Sports would be a 9 or 10.

I feel like a lot of reviewers are jaded at this point and forget what its like to play a game just because its a good time not because its graphically amazing, in HD, and online. I played my NES and Genesis when those things weren't important and yet I still had fun.
 
[quote name='jkam']Then you hear how the speaker in the controller is tinny...well it has a fucking speaker in it...its not perfect but no other controller has it. Although people complain about the Microsoft headset quality I don't read reviews about Halo or Gears of War where they complain about the fucking headset. How come?[/quote]
Right, this complaint is more against the Wii itself rather than the individual game.

And yeah, show me another system with a speaker in the controller. If it could time travel they'd find something to complain about too. "Well you can travel back in time, but ONLY in even-numbered years, and ONLY into the past. 6.3/10"
 
I think the disconnect comes from the fact that most reviewers are basing Wii scores on the XBOX360 \ PS3 graphics as the standard.
It doesn't make much sense to compare the Wii's graphics to the Xbox 360 and PS3, especially since those two are more expensive.

OTOH I think it is fair to expect the Wii to have better graphics than last-gen consoles, which are older and cheaper. Instead it looks worse than the first Xbox at launch.
 
The Wii is a new system. Gamers just spent $300 plus for the console + a game. Do you think many of them want to admit that they wasted $50 on a mediocre game? Not usually.
 
This is kind of ironic, because usually the gaming press gives too many positive reviews, especially before a game is released.

I still think the Wii will outsell the PS3 though, because the reviews say the PS3 is unfinished and overpriced, and people who haven't really played games before won't notice the Wii's bad graphics.
 
[quote name='jkam']I think the disconnect comes from the fact that most reviewers are basing Wii scores on the XBOX360 \ PS3 graphics as the standard. I realize that those systems are the top tier for graphics but seeing as how Nintendo has stated their console was not about graphics I think these games should be based on what the machine is capable of rather than something it can't pull off in the first place.[/quote]
Have you read the reviews? None of the ones I've read mention anything about 360/PS3 being a factor in the review. How about accepting that these aren't perfect graphics by Wii standards and not some conspiracy?

[quote name='jkam']Then you hear how the speaker in the controller is tinny...well it has a fucking speaker in it...its not perfect but no other controller has it. Although people complain about the Microsoft headset quality I don't read reviews about Halo or Gears of War where they complain about the fucking headset. How come?[/quote]
Because the headset is built into the Xbox 360 controller? You said it yourself, "it's not perfect," so it gets mentioned as a flaw when it could be better.

[quote name='jkam']It's the same thing with reviews about online play...I almost wish there was a single player review and an online review so I can stop hearing how a particular game doesn't have it or its limited. WE GET IT. NOT EVERYONE IS PLAYING ONLINE 24\7 THOUGH EITHER![/quote]
Because the Wii is an honest-to-goodness online console, but Nintendo's holding back the online from third parties, which hurts some of the games that we've come to expect online play from over the years. It's a missing feature, so it gets mentioned.

[quote name='jkam']I just feel like when it comes to some reviews they are looking for issues rather than actually enjoying or playing the game. If it came down right to fun factor over everything else Wii Sports would be a 9 or 10.[/quote]
When do they ever say it's not fun? It's their job to look for issue that should've been fixed in development. Wii Sports isn't getting perfect scores because it's too much of a tech demo instead of a game, just because it's free doesn't give it a free pass to suck all it wants.

[quote name='jkam']I feel like a lot of reviewers are jaded at this point and forget what its like to play a game just because its a good time not because its graphically amazing, in HD, and online. I played my NES and Genesis when those things weren't important and yet I still had fun.[/quote]
That's right. You know what they're thinking when they write these reviews. 6's, 7's, and 8's aren't horrible scores, they're actually good scores of varying magnitudes. These aren't perfect games, so accept the non-perfect scores. You're obviously getting way too hung up on these scores instead of playing and enjoying the games.
 
Graphics suck on launch games that are more than likely ports from the GC and also only spent a few months on final dev kits? Really? Granted some of them aren't great but that's asking for a lot right out of the gate at this time. There's really not a problem with saying that they aren't great now, but most reviewers speculate that "well this the ride we're in for." The games will look better, so this issue will subside.

As for gameplay, I think some reviewers get it immediately and others don't. That would explain the huge disparities.

Online can be explained easily - they are still testing the waters. I imagine the system updates and Wii Shopping - not to mention messaging - is giving it some strain. They are gauging this as good as they can with this sort of step in their history. So I can forgive them for that, but I'm not going to buy the games (CoD3 for example). When they get online I'll look'm over.

I mean, what would have been a better CoA - what they chose, or hundreds of thousands of people pissed because every game online is so laggy? You gotta draw the line somewhere and you gotta test it all out. Simple concept for the time being.

I just think the speaker is cool. Tinny in something like Monkey Ball, but I still like it. It'll even out down the line, and I imagine Nintendo will secretly modify it with future revisions and make it handle stuff better. At least they are trying another thing new.

Wii Sports might be a tech demo, but it is an ungodly fun one. I'd call it a Tech Demo 1.5, as it includes multiplayer games and keeps track of stats and stuff. I am sincerely hoping they bring out a Wii Olympics or something, with online gameplay. That would be so unbelieveably good it hurts to think about.

There's disconnect, but that's always going to happen. I do think there's some people being overly stupid about a few things, but there's an equal number of people out there saying "that's overly stupid of you," so it all works out.
 
"Online can be explained easily - they are still testing the waters."

Very true, this is Nintendo's first real fortray into the online world. Given some time, hopefully they will work out the bugs and make it fun.
 
I myself have only seen the reviews on Xplay of both PS3 and The Wii. I looked on gamerankings.com and seen lackluster reviews for Red Steel and a couple others, but I don't think that its overly against The Wii.

On Xplay, they reviewed both consoles, PS3 Friday, Wii Monday. And in my perspective, except for Reistence:FoM, The PS3 was bashed pretty bad. They tore apart Gundam, Genji and Untold Stories. 1's and 2's for them.

And then on The Wii reviews monday, they were really decent. I was expecting maybe a 2 for Red Steel and they gave it a 3. And the rest of the games got excellent reviews, 4's and 5's. Monkey Ball, Madden, Rayman Rabbid Rabbids (sp?), Excite Truck and of course Zelda.

So I would think the everybody is baised against sony, bad reviews, people fighting and or shooting people in the waiting line. And then selling it on ebay for outrageous prices.
 
Graphics suck on launch games that are more than likely ports from the GC and also only spent a few months on final dev kits? Really? Granted some of them aren't great but that's asking for a lot right out of the gate at this time.

Either way it's Nintendo's fault. There's no good excuse for the Wii's launch titles to look worse than the launch titles for a 5 year old console.

Granted the graphics will probably improve, but they should already be better than the last generation.
 
The more and more I read these threads the happier I am that I didn't get one at launch. Besides Zelda and Wii Sports there's nothing for the Wii I'm going apeshit for until the first half of 2007. I wasn't really sold on white either. I just want my goddamn roommate to get one so I can try the mother out.
 
[quote name='Strell']Graphics suck on launch games that are more than likely ports from the GC and also only spent a few months on final dev kits? Really? Granted some of them aren't great but that's asking for a lot right out of the gate at this time. There's really not a problem with saying that they aren't great now, but most reviewers speculate that "well this the ride we're in for." The games will look better, so this issue will subside.

As for gameplay, I think some reviewers get it immediately and others don't. That would explain the huge disparities.

Online can be explained easily - they are still testing the waters. I imagine the system updates and Wii Shopping - not to mention messaging - is giving it some strain. They are gauging this as good as they can with this sort of step in their history. So I can forgive them for that, but I'm not going to buy the games (CoD3 for example). When they get online I'll look'm over.

I mean, what would have been a better CoA - what they chose, or hundreds of thousands of people pissed because every game online is so laggy? You gotta draw the line somewhere and you gotta test it all out. Simple concept for the time being.

I just think the speaker is cool. Tinny in something like Monkey Ball, but I still like it. It'll even out down the line, and I imagine Nintendo will secretly modify it with future revisions and make it handle stuff better. At least they are trying another thing new.

Wii Sports might be a tech demo, but it is an ungodly fun one. I'd call it a Tech Demo 1.5, as it includes multiplayer games and keeps track of stats and stuff. I am sincerely hoping they bring out a Wii Olympics or something, with online gameplay. That would be so unbelieveably good it hurts to think about.

There's disconnect, but that's always going to happen. I do think there's some people being overly stupid about a few things, but there's an equal number of people out there saying "that's overly stupid of you," so it all works out.[/quote]
Of course they're still testing the online waters, but it's still a missing feature. Nintendo's keeping it away from third parties and it hurts the replay value of the games.

What stats does Wii Sports keep? Just skill level and fitness age? That sucks that I can't see how good my Mii or the many others are at Baseball, my records in Tennis or Bowling, and my averages in Bowling and Golf. Those are stats, not skill and age. There's just places where a little more control would help make the game better (lineups in Baseball; picking Mii partner in Tennis).
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']What stats does Wii Sports keep? Just skill level and fitness age? That sucks that I can't see how good my Mii or the many others are at Baseball, my records in Tennis or Bowling, and my averages in Bowling and Golf.[/quote]

FWIW, and that's not much, if you have Rayman Raving Rabbids you can post your high scores to raymanzone.com to see how you stack up, a la Metroid Prime Pinball.

Hopefully, Nintendo will ditch this model, however, because it really sucks. :whistle2:#

I, too, was hoping for something like Xbox Live's gamercard. :cry:
 
I stopped listening to reviewers after 99% of them gave that shit game FFXII near perfect scores.

I am already getting sick of people complaining about why the Wii should be just like the 360. If you want something like the 360 so much how about you go play the 360? Duh....
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']Have you read the reviews? None of the ones I've read mention anything about 360/PS3 being a factor in the review. How about accepting that these aren't perfect graphics by Wii standards and not some conspiracy?[/quote]
I don't think its a conspiracy but let's take Zelda for example. It is probably the best looking Wii game right now yet in the review I get to hear about low-res textures. So low-res compared to what exactly? Gears of War?


Because the headset is built into the Xbox 360 controller? You said it yourself, "it's not perfect," so it gets mentioned as a flaw when it could be better.
Just like the controller speaker the headset is a part of the console that produces sound and the makes up the gaming experience. If the sound coming out of the controller is so annoying to them wouldn't a garbled transmission over LIVE be just as annoying? For whatever reason I never hear about that in a Gears of War review. So by your statement if that is a flaw and could be better shouldn't it be mentioned?


Because the Wii is an honest-to-goodness online console, but Nintendo's holding back the online from third parties, which hurts some of the games that we've come to expect online play from over the years. It's a missing feature, so it gets mentioned.
It's neither here nor there for me. I actually was talking about all reviews not just for the Wii.


When do they ever say it's not fun? It's their job to look for issue that should've been fixed in development. Wii Sports isn't getting perfect scores because it's too much of a tech demo instead of a game, just because it's free doesn't give it a free pass to suck all it wants.
It isn't said but a lot of complaints they have the average person wouldn't even notice for the most part. Well if you hold any Wii Sports title up to a full fledged sports sim yes its lacking. However if you are just taking it for what it is its a lot of fun. I don't think it should have a perfect score either but at least be taken in the confines of what it actually is. Oh man Wii sports doesn't have fucking dynasty mode! Not everyone cares about that stuff.


That's right. You know what they're thinking when they write these reviews. 6's, 7's, and 8's aren't horrible scores, they're actually good scores of varying magnitudes. These aren't perfect games, so accept the non-perfect scores. You're obviously getting way too hung up on these scores instead of playing and enjoying the games.

I don't think the scores are horrible but I feel as if they are lower because the XBOX 360 and PS3 exist. Not too many games are perfect. No I am enjoying Wii Sports and Zelda for what they are rather than pausing the game to pick out low-res textures.
 
[quote name='cochesecochese']The more and more I read these threads the happier I am that I didn't get one at launch. Besides Zelda and Wii Sports there's nothing for the Wii I'm going apeshit for until the first half of 2007. I wasn't really sold on white either. I just want my goddamn roommate to get one so I can try the mother out.[/quote]

The first half of 2007 starts in less than 2 months. I think Zelda will last me at least that long, and I doubt I'll be done having fun with Wii Sports, either. I'm glad I didn't wait.
 
I was really confused when I read the first post, but then I figured that by "press" he was referring to the "gaming press" specifically. Because I was all like "wait a minute, didn't Time magazine say that Wii Sports might be the best game ever made?" But once I read the following posts, it became clear that we were talking about the more jaded gaming press.
 
You could see the problem with Wii Sports just by watching all the videos they'd post. They were complete spazs. These are guys that by and large sucked and never played real sports.

Wii Sports is effing brilliant and has a ton of depth. If you love playing sports, I'd say Wii is justifiable for 250 for just that game. But I suspected this was gonna be the case and it's definetly true.
 
It's a launch, and whenever most major gaming sites are doing reviews, they are going to be cognizant of what those reviews will reflect in 2-3 years...So yeah, Excite truck may be fun, but it's not going to get 9's, because there will be a racing game that will crap on excite truck over the next 3 years...
 
[quote name='jkam']I don't think its a conspiracy but let's take Zelda for example. It is probably the best looking Wii game right now yet in the review I get to hear about low-res textures. So low-res compared to what exactly? Gears of War?[/quote]
To GameCube games? Current-gen games? Blurry textures are blurry textures regardless of the platform.

[quote name='jkam']Just like the controller speaker the headset is a part of the console that produces sound and the makes up the gaming experience. If the sound coming out of the controller is so annoying to them wouldn't a garbled transmission over LIVE be just as annoying? For whatever reason I never hear about that in a Gears of War review. So by your statement if that is a flaw and could be better shouldn't it be mentioned?[/quote]
The two are completely unrelated. The headset is something you don't need for every game, but the remote's speaker is going to be used in every Wii game.

[quote name='jkam']It isn't said but a lot of complaints they have the average person wouldn't even notice for the most part. Well if you hold any Wii Sports title up to a full fledged sports sim yes its lacking. However if you are just taking it for what it is its a lot of fun. I don't think it should have a perfect score either but at least be taken in the confines of what it actually is. Oh man Wii sports doesn't have fucking dynasty mode! Not everyone cares about that stuff. [/quote]
Then again, the average person doesn't check GameSpot when they go to purchase 50 Cent Bulletproof or any other game. I haven't seen a Wii Sports review that faults it for not being as deep as a full-fledged sports game, but that the sports included do or don't work as well as they should. What's wrong with that?

[quote name='jkam']I don't think the scores are horrible but I feel as if they are lower because the XBOX 360 and PS3 exist. Not too many games are perfect. No I am enjoying Wii Sports and Zelda for what they are rather than pausing the game to pick out low-res textures.[/quote]
I doubt they're pausing the game to pick out flaws, but just noticing them as they play, just like any game that they review.
 
I don't get the complaints about the Wii remote speaker. I find it very impressive - e.g., when hitting baseballs or tennis balls. There was one Rayman mini game where a pig makes noises in the remote (if he gets too loud you are near a hidden bunny and have to go a different way). While that particular game is a bit broken in that the sound doesn't always work, when it does work, it *sounds* fine. Why all the hate for the Wiimote speaker? It's much better than I would expect from such a tiny thing, especially after reading all the crap about it.
 
[quote name='jkam']I think the disconnect comes from the fact that most reviewers are basing Wii scores on the XBOX360 \ PS3 graphics as the standard. I realize that those systems are the top tier for graphics but seeing as how Nintendo has stated their console was not about graphics I think these games should be based on what the machine is capable of rather than something it can't pull off in the first place.

Then you hear how the speaker in the controller is tinny...well it has a fucking speaker in it...its not perfect but no other controller has it. Although people complain about the Microsoft headset quality I don't read reviews about Halo or Gears of War where they complain about the fucking headset. How come?


.[/QUOTE]


From what I have heard on a variety of gaming podcast is, they aren't comparing to to the ps3/ xbox 360, but more so the gamecube. I don't have one yet, so I really have no comment on it, but from 1up, egm, gamespots podcasts they seem to think the games don't look as good as some of the better looking gamecube games.

If you add a feature like the speaker, you shouldn't get bonus points for it, if it sucks. Again, the comments across the board on the podcast I have listened to is that if you have surround sound going while playing the game, then you won't hear the speaker. IMO, it is a great idea but if what they are saying about having your surround sound speakers pumped up, and you can't hear the wiimote speaker then it is a wasted feature.

As for the headset, while you might not see it it bitched about in reviews, it is bitched about on the podcasts and message boards.
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']To GameCube games? Current-gen games? Blurry textures are blurry textures regardless of the platform.[/quote]

I guess its just lost on me. I never pick that stuff out. I just play the game.


The two are completely unrelated. The headset is something you don't need for every game, but the remote's speaker is going to be used in every Wii game.

They are hardly unrelated. They are both sounds that happen during gameplay are they not?

Then again, the average person doesn't check GameSpot when they go to purchase 50 Cent Bulletproof or any other game. I haven't seen a Wii Sports review that faults it for not being as deep as a full-fledged sports game, but that the sports included do or don't work as well as they should. What's wrong with that?

Ugh 50 Cent Bulletproof. Yeah I guess no one does read reviews.

I doubt they're pausing the game to pick out flaws, but just noticing them as they play, just like any game that they review.

I guess you are right about that but I never notice that stuff.
 
[quote name='ryanbph']
If you add a feature like the speaker, you shouldn't get bonus points for it, if it sucks. Again, the comments across the board on the podcast I have listened to is that if you have surround sound going while playing the game, then you won't hear the speaker. IMO, it is a great idea but if what they are saying about having your surround sound speakers pumped up, and you can't hear the wiimote speaker then it is a wasted feature.
.[/QUOTE]

It most definitely doesn't "suck", but it may have a few issues that keep it from being perfect. And my complaint, if anything, is that it is TOO LOUD compared to my game volume. When playing late at night the thing chimes like a bell tower when setting up some of the Wii Sports games ;). Is there even a way to control the volume? But if you can't hear it then you have your damn surround sound turned on too loud, that's all I have to say to that. Whoever said that in this podcast is a freaking moron.

Look, is it a necessary and crucial feature? No, but me (and the rest of my family) think it is pretty cool to hear the "thwack" noise of tennis racket hitting the ball. It works perfectly and sounds just fine - I don't see how anyone has an issue with it unless they just don't like the concept of it.
 
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