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After Destiny, do you trust the games media more?
- Thread starter alexandros
- Start date
Oh yeah, I noticed it too :s
gingabishounen
Banned
I never didn't trust them. Everything has been blown way out of proportion. Maybe I'm naive but I believe that most games media is honest.
ShinMaruku
Member
That is the logical way to act.
Exactly
That assumes people are rational actors which they are not. Hence this thread here.
Captain Tuttle
Member
By far the most hype for this game came from this very forum, not the press and not Sony or Activision or Bungie. Right here was the center for me (and I suspect many). Hell, I think the second OT started before the game even came out.
I'm enjoying it though as I progress but I like loot games.
I'm enjoying it though as I progress but I like loot games.
QuantumZebra
Member
This. For the record I LOVE Destiny. So w/e
Because some of them disliked a game I also dislike, video game media are now champions of justice who are speaking truth to power. They will remain that way until the consensus no longer agrees with my preferences about some major thing, at which point they'll be pathetic corporate puppets again.
Easy come, easy go.
Easy come, easy go.
GifGafIsTheBestGaf
Member
pretty much this, if anything BF4 feedback did it for me (not that i care for reviews when i make a decision anyways)
i played the alpha and betas, im enjoying the game so im ok
heck i wont trust a review of an online game ever if they do it days before release
I never really distrusted game reviews and I don't really base my purchases on them (usually gameplay videos and impressions on here/other sites, then reviews if I'm still on edge or just want to see the possible bad stuff), but I will say it was surprising. I definitely didn't see this coming. I was expecting mid-high 80s, not mid-low 70s, possibly even high 60s.
Funkyhamster
Member
Yes, honestly. I was convinced that any game with Destiny's level of manufactured hype would be guaranteed an 80+ Metacritic, so it's nice to see that belief disproven.
Jonneh3003
Banned
I tend to try most games during their launch week, if I don't like them I can sell them and make little to no financial loss. Even though I myself do reviews - I don't take anyones opinions into account when purchasing a game
I love destiny and it probably the most time I ever spend time on my Xbox one. That being said I did learn one thing from destiny and that is don't judge a game until you play it. Before the alpha and beta I had doubts about the game but it sold me on it and I couldn't be more happy with the final product.
To answer op question is the games media didn't hype it but the game itself did (beta and alpha) then it was all word of mouth by consumers after that.
To answer op question is the games media didn't hype it but the game itself did (beta and alpha) then it was all word of mouth by consumers after that.
PaulKersey
Member
Less so. I am loving Destiny a great deal.
Leafhopper
Banned
That boat left long before Destiny for me.
And it wasn't even the media's fault for once in this case. Bungie was so full of the selves with the marketing for this game.
And it wasn't even the media's fault for once in this case. Bungie was so full of the selves with the marketing for this game.
HaterIsHating
Member
more?!
No, seriously, after 2014 I will never ever trust reviews again:
Titanfall
Watch_Dogs
Destinity
Come on.. so far 2014 was a terrible year, the only publisher that didn't disappoint me so far was Nintendo, and we all now where Nintendo stands right now
No, seriously, after 2014 I will never ever trust reviews again:
Titanfall
Watch_Dogs
Destinity
Come on.. so far 2014 was a terrible year, the only publisher that didn't disappoint me so far was Nintendo, and we all now where Nintendo stands right now
piratethingy
Self professed bad raider
No, I've always trusted them to do their jobs, which are to hype games and get people excited. They should love games. They should be optimistic about games by default.
I don't understand the people who want serious journalistic approaches to the games media. Do you just want to read press releases directly from publishers? Forget that. I'm an adult and I can judge potential buying decisions for myself by watching videos of gameplay and reading impressions, the games media is and should be filled with cheerleaders for games.
I don't understand the people who want serious journalistic approaches to the games media. Do you just want to read press releases directly from publishers? Forget that. I'm an adult and I can judge potential buying decisions for myself by watching videos of gameplay and reading impressions, the games media is and should be filled with cheerleaders for games.
Ovek
7Member7
No, they only reviewed it "properly" because Activision and Bungie gave them all the middle finger.
Tons of folks loved the public beta and purchased the game based on direct experience rather than media hype. I think the real question should be how useful the media is if nobody cares what they have to say. I can pretty much guarantee that this title will be big for awhile no matter what reviewers say.
Succinct Verbosity
Member
Pretty much. I haven't seen such a disconnect from internet opinion and popular opinion in a long time.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
I think I'm much better off doing what I've been doing, which is not following the videogames that interest me.
I'm not bothering to watch any previews and I'm not reading what the developers are saying. I'm not getting myself hyped up for anything, because you usually find yourself disappointed for allowing your anticipation to reach very lofty levels.
I'm not bothering to watch any previews and I'm not reading what the developers are saying. I'm not getting myself hyped up for anything, because you usually find yourself disappointed for allowing your anticipation to reach very lofty levels.
NEOPARADIGM
Banned
Thinking back on it, there was only a 2-3 year period where I cared about gaming media in the first place, and that was years ago already.
If it's part of the hobby for you to follow gaming media, more power to you, but to use it as a guide for purchasing decisions, that's just silly.
If you're uncertain about a game, bite the bullet and rent it first. If that's somehow not an option, utilize streams and let's plays. "Trusting" gaming media means about the same thing "trusting GAF" - there's always the chance your opinion won't match up with what people are saying anyway.
If it's part of the hobby for you to follow gaming media, more power to you, but to use it as a guide for purchasing decisions, that's just silly.
If you're uncertain about a game, bite the bullet and rent it first. If that's somehow not an option, utilize streams and let's plays. "Trusting" gaming media means about the same thing "trusting GAF" - there's always the chance your opinion won't match up with what people are saying anyway.
An average score for an exceptionally average game that's fun with friends. I guess they got it right this time. It's not a matter of me "trusting" the media but rather I don't really care about their opinions when I already know my specific tastes and criteria for quality.
So no, nothing's changed for me.
So no, nothing's changed for me.
HellofaMouse
Member
i never turst ANY review of ANY medium for a long long time now.
but i also stopped assuming reviewers all have malicious intentions or anything either. entertainment in general is so subjective that theres not much you can do besides giving hard facts and shutting up. not whilst being constructive anyway
but i also stopped assuming reviewers all have malicious intentions or anything either. entertainment in general is so subjective that theres not much you can do besides giving hard facts and shutting up. not whilst being constructive anyway
razgriz417
Member
This, I played the Alpha and beta, liked what I saw and bought it (convinced 2 others to get a ps4 to play together as well). While I haven't finished the campaign (story telling is terrible in this game), we are still having a blast doing strikes and playing in crucible. Reviews never came into the equation.
Very true. Giant Bomb is a great example.
They are in a position to give more accurate reviews with Destiny. It doesn't represent a change in the games media.
1. They don't have a deadline. They experience as much of the games content as they think is fair to construct a review. That means they aren't simply reviewing the game in the early honeymoon period, where it can do no wrong, and you are just happy to be playing it.
2. Their experience isn't isolated from the experience of non-reviewer players. There isn't a distance between impressions like you get with most pre-release reviews. "Trust us, we played it before you, and this is what we think" doesn't really work. That leads to more honesty.
1. They don't have a deadline. They experience as much of the games content as they think is fair to construct a review. That means they aren't simply reviewing the game in the early honeymoon period, where it can do no wrong, and you are just happy to be playing it.
2. Their experience isn't isolated from the experience of non-reviewer players. There isn't a distance between impressions like you get with most pre-release reviews. "Trust us, we played it before you, and this is what we think" doesn't really work. That leads to more honesty.
Every time I see complaints about bias in game reviews, my response is basically 'duh.' Game reviews are the point of view of (generally) one person, so of course they're going to have a slant.
Reviewers are people, they have their preferences, bugbears and so on, not machines where you insert a game and an algorithm pops out an optimal, uncolored review that perfectly sums up a game and delivers the exact correct score on a scale running from Big Rigs to Tetris.
Expressing a subjective preference that doesn't comport to yours is not, IMO, a problem. I know the sort of games I like and I take into account the words far more than the score.
If the reviewer has different tastes to me and says the game is awesome because it has a lot of 'x', and I don't like x, that just tells me that I should steer clear of the game, not that the reviewer is an idiot who's on the take. I just want to get a game I like; I don't need a validation of my preferences.
Even it scores are 'massaged' consciously or unconsciously due to outside influence, as long as the run down of what's in the game is basically accurate, I get what I need out of a review.
Reviewers are people, they have their preferences, bugbears and so on, not machines where you insert a game and an algorithm pops out an optimal, uncolored review that perfectly sums up a game and delivers the exact correct score on a scale running from Big Rigs to Tetris.
Expressing a subjective preference that doesn't comport to yours is not, IMO, a problem. I know the sort of games I like and I take into account the words far more than the score.
If the reviewer has different tastes to me and says the game is awesome because it has a lot of 'x', and I don't like x, that just tells me that I should steer clear of the game, not that the reviewer is an idiot who's on the take. I just want to get a game I like; I don't need a validation of my preferences.
Even it scores are 'massaged' consciously or unconsciously due to outside influence, as long as the run down of what's in the game is basically accurate, I get what I need out of a review.
It's more like the case where people only hear about the praise and don't bother to read anything else. Destiny has less amount of hype compare to Titanfall from media sites, but right now people thought it's overhype because it's recently.
We're going to have this discussion at least 2 times a year. Trust me. It was with Watch_Dog, it was with Titanfall, and it's now with Destiny.
Haha, no. The few I go to for well written and well reasoned reviews haven't changed any. For the most part I don't pay attention to scores but I like to read some reviews for additional insight. Some reviewers though I know aren't worth paying attention to regardless of how closely their tastes seem to match mine on scores.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
For the moment I'm thinking the biggest thing to take away from Destiny, the public, and the press, is that here we have a perfect lesson in game industry hype.
Despite the fact that there was a highly publicized beta, a lot of people - including evidently the press - really seemed to have bought into the insane marketing. This time, the reaction of the press and the average gamer happens to align.
The AAA tier of the game industry is predicated on making you think every single game is a revolution that will change life on Earth. The message is: if you're not there on day 1 at the midnight launch, with the ultimate collector's edition pre-ordered, you will literally die. Be excited - your life may depend on it.
Activision had so much riding on this huge investment they cranked up the usual efforts to 11. We seem to be experiencing the result of a marketing failure to win over reality.
Despite the fact that there was a highly publicized beta, a lot of people - including evidently the press - really seemed to have bought into the insane marketing. This time, the reaction of the press and the average gamer happens to align.
The AAA tier of the game industry is predicated on making you think every single game is a revolution that will change life on Earth. The message is: if you're not there on day 1 at the midnight launch, with the ultimate collector's edition pre-ordered, you will literally die. Be excited - your life may depend on it.
Activision had so much riding on this huge investment they cranked up the usual efforts to 11. We seem to be experiencing the result of a marketing failure to win over reality.
ThePowerofX
Banned
I'm more interested in the inconsistent nature of game reviews. Titanfall and Destiny are 2 case examples.
Both titles had unrealistic levels of hype. So much hot air. Mainstream journalists were quick to stick a pin in Destiny (with some going way too far). But Titanfall was treated in a different manner. Like a balloon filled with helium, many game journos suspended their critical thinking skills, inhaled deeply and screeched OMG MOST AMAZING GAME EVER!!1!
Some outlets unmistakably lack integrity, like Polygon. But elsewhere, are we looking at some kind of herd mentality? Over correcting for earlier mistakes?
Both titles had unrealistic levels of hype. So much hot air. Mainstream journalists were quick to stick a pin in Destiny (with some going way too far). But Titanfall was treated in a different manner. Like a balloon filled with helium, many game journos suspended their critical thinking skills, inhaled deeply and screeched OMG MOST AMAZING GAME EVER!!1!
Some outlets unmistakably lack integrity, like Polygon. But elsewhere, are we looking at some kind of herd mentality? Over correcting for earlier mistakes?
Delusibeta
Banned
After the circlejerk over Titanfall, Watch Dogs and Call of Duty, nope. I suspect this will prove to be this year's Resident Evil 6 in that it's an AAA game that is critically panned (relative to other AAA games) to try to prove that they aren't all massive suckers for AAA games. They will then award all other AAA games released this year a minimum 8.5.
Titanfall is a really good game that suffers from a real lack of content. I think reviewers were fair in pointing out that yeah, Titanfall needs more modes and a better, more varied progression system.
Fatalmephisto
Member
I never had trusted the media.
Nocturno999
Member
I trust a few sites and people like Sterling and Vanord but I also check for player's impressions and footage before making a decision.
The problem with Destiny is that it's design flaws are so important and obvious, not to mention how overhyped the game was, that any overly positive score can really damage a site's reputation.
The problem with Destiny is that it's design flaws are so important and obvious, not to mention how overhyped the game was, that any overly positive score can really damage a site's reputation.
Savantcore
Unconfirmed Member
The game media got me excited about it in the first place
It's good to see AAA games getting bombed by critics when it's appropriate but I feel that the responsibility of the media extends to honest previews as well. In that regard the media didn't change, they still hyped it through the roof.
But ultimately in this whole Destiny fiasco, the media is the least to blame. The media will cover whatever gets heavily promoted at tradr shows and what gets the biggest reception from gamers. The gamers especially here on GAF lapped up the Destiny hype bandwagon and believed every word coming from Bungie's mouth. Gamers are the ones who caused the game to make 500 million along with the marketing of Activision.
But ultimately in this whole Destiny fiasco, the media is the least to blame. The media will cover whatever gets heavily promoted at tradr shows and what gets the biggest reception from gamers. The gamers especially here on GAF lapped up the Destiny hype bandwagon and believed every word coming from Bungie's mouth. Gamers are the ones who caused the game to make 500 million along with the marketing of Activision.