Support NeoGAF

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

It seems that a surprise is being generated by the new launch of a Nintendo Game.

But what strikes me the most is the ineptitude of the current Video Game Reviewers.

And it's not the first time it's happened...



How the hell can you rate a video game with 8, 9 if the game has major technical problems?

https://latam.ign.com/pokemon-scarlet/89588/review/pokemon-scarlet-y-pokemon-violet-review

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-scarlet-violet-review-a-braviary-new-world/1900-6417994/

https://vandal.elespanol.com/analisis/switch/pokemon-escarlata-y-purpura/115404#p-83

https://pt.ign.com/pokemon-scarlet-e-violet/119321/review/pokemon-violet-e-scarlet-analise

It is a great fraud of these people.

Thank goodness I never relied on the rated of these gaming sites.

 

[Thief1987]

How you can call something running at 360p in 2022 an "impossible port"? Same shilling vibe.

 

[reksveks]

Guys, people have different tastes and focuses.

If you care about performance, then find a reviewer that focuses on that etc.

 

[Saber]

Guys, people have different tastes and focuses.

If you care about performance, then find a reviewer that focuses on that etc.

A review should take into account all this factors, including performance. This not about taste, its about lack of profissionalism and quality control.

 

[reksveks]

A review should take into account all this factors, including performance. This not about taste, its about lack of profissionalism and quality control.

Reviews arent objective, they are always subjective and the focus that a reviewer places on performance is inherently personally.

If you care about performance, go find someone who is interested in that and stop giving a fuck/getting annoyed by other people personal taste.

All four articles in question mention the performance but the individual reviewers clearly care as much as others.

PS I give no fuck about pokemon, and haven't done since the 2nd gen.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Well in this game's case the tech performance seems to be weighing a good deal into the reviews as a whole since the MC is "just" around 77 or so which, for a major release, isn't a great score to have on the aggregate.

I still think Halo Infinite and Elden Ring are the two biggest cases of egregiously generous review scores (in light of early technical performance issues of the latter, increasingly terrible technical & content consistency issues with the former (not to mention missing content)) in recent memory. Realistically, both games scored higher MC averages than they deserved, yet no scores have been updated for the former and for the latter, technical issues as a merit to factor in was severely minimized.

It sure would be wild if the next big major release with huge technical issues suddenly has none of those weighed against it in reviews because it falls into a certain favor of critics who think it can be used for building a narrative, now would it ...

 

[Isa]

As long as they mention and go over the technical faults I don't mind personally, since for me if the underlying gameplay is fun then the tradeoff is worth it. Granted I'd rather have a top quality product across the board. As long as the technical faults aren't critical like crashes and save problems then I'm not too worried. Anything worse and its too severe an issue. I own collector's edition games that I could never get to run thanks to severe bugs(Privateer 2 on pc for example, am able to play now thanks to GoG) for over what, 15-20+ years.

I get you, it sucks and shouldn't really be an issue in this day and age. Some people don't want to spend their hard earned money on products in this state. That's fine. Obviously Gamefreak has some serious issues considering their wealth and IP, lack of real R&D and overstretching themselves. One day it'll bite them in the ass. Maybe. Probably not.

 

[Saber]

Reviews arent objective, they are always subjective and the focus that a reviewer places on performance is inherently personally.

If you care about performance, go find someone who is interested in that and stop giving a fuck/getting annoyed by other people personal taste.

You are only proving my point. Lack of profissionalism.
A reviewer should work the best informing their public about the game and score it accordly. If you ever work in your life you should know that you need need to step aside from your personal opinions/taste and work for the people who expect you to be honest about a paid product.
Game journalism, pretty much like you, lack the seriousness to conduct the job. If what they provide its just an opinion, then what they do its not different from what a random person say on internet.

 

[Vlodril]

Media are and have been for some time pr firms.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

You can have a legendary game with technical issues. Now I’m not calling Scarlet/Violet that good, but I’m saying the overall experience matters. Sometimes a game can do something so well, it makes up for the flaws and that game can get a perfect 10.


There’s a big problem with the review industry itself, and also with how people interpret reviews. You can’t just look at the number, and the reviewer needs context. Is this being evaluated as a Pokémon fan? They may be more likely to give a lenient score ignoring things another reviewer might be more critical of. This needs to be included in the review, so people know what they are getting into. But that also requires some willingness to read the review itself and consider your own viewpoint and how that the reviewer’s thoughts may or may not resonate with you. That review might be a bad fit for you.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Because the switch ain't competing with PS/Xbox or else.....

 

[reksveks]

You are only proving my point. Lack of profissionalism.
A reviewer should work the best informing their public about the game and score it accordly. If you ever work in your life you should know that you need need to step aside from your personal opinions/taste and work for the people who expect you to be honest about a paid product.

It's not about professionalism. It's about the purpose of media reviews. Some people aren't going to reviews for a tick box exercises and how does even work with something as subjective as story and story telling.

Also what are you talking about 'if you ever work in your life'.

Off to play a game instead of subjecting myself to this torture.

 

[Saber]

It's not about professionalism. It's about the purpose of media reviews.

It is. Its a job, they are being paid for that. Also, the purpose of reviews is to inform people about the product.

 

[reksveks]

It is. Its a job, they are being paid for that. Also, the purpose of reviews is to inform people about the product.

Last comment, they all mentioned it in their reviews but what it did to their individual score is an unknown.

Also inform what, via what lense and how does one prioritise each factor of a product.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

in other news, game "journalism" is trash.

 

[PonyStation4]

Last comment, they all mentioned it in their reviews but what it did to their individual score is an unknown.

Also inform what, via what lense and how does one prioritise each factor of a product.

The gamespot review clearly glosses over it. Says don't expect 60 fps and they didn't experience any slowdowns. If they were during an actual review they would have said something like "the game runs under 30 fps, but I didn't experience any major slow downs as others are experiencing." What they said was unprofessional and is why people think reviewers are told to give positive reviews to certain games.

 

[Bragr]

Gamers' opinions are worse than journalists' opinions.

 

[Fuz]

Gamers' opinions are worse than journalists' opinions.

Spoiler

 

[badblue]

If what they provide its just an opinion, then what they do its not different from what a random person say on internet.

It's not, That's literally what a review is. One person's opinion. They just happen to get paid for it.

 

[reksveks]

The gamespot review clearly glosses over it. Says don't expect 60 fps and they didn't experience any slowdowns. If they were during an actual review they would have said something like "the game runs under 30 fps, but I didn't experience any major slow downs as others are experiencing." What they said was unprofessional and is why people think reviewers are told to give positive reviews to certain games.

While the Pokemon and key characters are well-rendered, not much else is. Textures are missing, objects in the distance are pixelated and jittery, Pokemon and NPCs are constantly popping in and out due to poor draw distances, and battles on uneven terrain will frequently cause the camera to clip through the ground.

Between Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Bayonetta 3, the Switch has really shown its age this year, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feel as though they are being crushed by the hardware. Pokemon Legends: Arceus had its fair share of visual shortcomings, but not to this extent. Whether you play handheld or docked, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are difficult on the eyes.

From the review

 

[PonyStation4]

While the Pokemon and key characters are well-rendered, not much else is. Textures are missing, objects in the distance are pixelated and jittery, Pokemon and NPCs are constantly popping in and out due to poor draw distances, and battles on uneven terrain will frequently cause the camera to clip through the ground.

Between Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Bayonetta 3, the Switch has really shown its age this year, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feel as though they are being crushed by the hardware. Pokemon Legends: Arceus had its fair share of visual shortcomings, but not to this extent. Whether you play handheld or docked, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are difficult on the eyes.

From the review

The only section about performance there is the part where they excuse it for the Switch being old. As you showed, they glossed over the performance by saying it doesn't run 60fps

This is the same website that gave Pokemon Sword/Shield a 9/10

 

[hemo memo]

Guys, people have different tastes and focuses.

If you care about performance, then find a reviewer that focuses on that etc.

We are not talking about a random user. We are talking about “supposedly” a person reviewing games as a day to day job. They should focus on all angles. Especially when the bad performance affect gameplay unless they got out of their way just to not mention how awful the performance is. The game performance is abysmal and shouldn’t be ignored.

 

[Hot5pur]

Guys, people have different tastes and focuses.

If you care about performance, then find a reviewer that focuses on that etc.

Read that as sarcasm at first, then I saw it was serious.

The technical issues seem severe. It's like buying a car that barely runs but looks good on the outside, and someone telling you "it's just a matter of taste what you focus on".
A critical part of a game is that it works the way it was intended to work, and these glitches are certainly not that and will detract from most people's enjoyment.

 

[reksveks]

The only section about performance there is the part where they excuse it for the Switch being old. As you showed, they glossed over the performance by saying it doesn't run 60fps

What's the first paragraph about? You don't count that about the technical performance cause it ain't related to frame rate?

They have informed users of the issues that the game has.

All of these reviews mention the technical issues of the game.

 

[Spaceman292]

If a game is fun then a game is fun. You can't quantify that.

 

[reksveks]

these glitches are certainly not that and will detract from most people's enjoyment.

No one know what score these reviewers would have given the game without bugs. This whole conversation is pointless

 

[ZiggyPop1991]

These comments proved my point when it comes to reviews and opinions. They are just that. Vote with your wallet and buy or skip. I do feel like flossing over the performance of a video game is wild. That should at least be the default thing you shouldn’t have to worry about. Opinions are just that. Opinions. I don’t take them into consideration because some can be biased, they’re subjective, and some even paid off.

There’s no excuse for the game to have such technical difficulties and graphics like that. Whether it was on the switch or not. Optimization is a thing. However, these will sell like hot cakes and I no longer blame the developers. Blame the consumers. Anyways. Enjoy the games.

 

[Strider Highwind]

My nieces wanted me to pick them up a couple copies for the two of them..Is it so bad that a 13 year old and 6 year old would be bothering my brother about the game not working right? That video looks rough

 

[ZiggyPop1991]

My nieces wanted me to pick them up a couple copies for the two of them..Is it so bad that a 13 year old and 6 year old would be bothering my brother about the game not working right? That video looks rough

I got it for my nephew. He’s 12 and very critical of things. He’s commented on the performance. But also stated he’s happy it’s an open world Pokémon game and has already put in six hours. I’m sure they’ll get over it when they see their favorite or new Pokémon.

 

[KingT731]

Well it really comes down to t he fact that there isn't a standard to reviews as they're just opinions. The majority of people are more then willing to overlook obvious flaws as long as it's "fun."

 

[reksveks]

These comments proved my point when it comes to reviews and opinions. They are just that. Vote with your wallet and buy or skip. I do feel like flossing over the performance of a video game is wild. That should at least be the default thing you shouldn’t have to worry about. Opinions are just that. Opinions. I don’t take them into consideration because some can be biased, they’re subjective, and some even paid off.

I agree, I would argue that all opinions especially around art are biased in one way or another

 

[Spukc]

It seems that a surprise is being generated by the new launch of a Nintendo Game.

But what strikes me the most is the ineptitude of the current Video Game Reviewers.

And it's not the first time it's happened...



How the hell can you rate a video game with 8, 9 if the game has major technical problems?

https://latam.ign.com/pokemon-scarlet/89588/review/pokemon-scarlet-y-pokemon-violet-review

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-scarlet-violet-review-a-braviary-new-world/1900-6417994/

https://vandal.elespanol.com/analisis/switch/pokemon-escarlata-y-purpura/115404#p-83

https://pt.ign.com/pokemon-scarlet-e-violet/119321/review/pokemon-violet-e-scarlet-analise

It is a great fraud of these people.

Thank goodness I never relied on the rated of these gaming sites.

i expected the game to be omega shit,
having a ton of fun with it actually

 

[Strider Highwind]

I got it for my nephew. He’s 12 and very critical of things. He’s commented on the performance. But also stated he’s happy it’s an open world Pokémon game and has already put in six hours. I’m sure they’ll get over it when they see their favorite or new Pokémon.

Thanks, yeah the oldest one listens to me too much and shes a bit of a nerd like me so I know she gone talk some trash about it lol. But ima get it for them today, appreciate you !

 

[Fess]

Media are and have been for some time pr firms.

Yeah publishers love to use reviews for PR before launch. Meanwhile almost all games are patched after launch and almost no review is updated after launch.
So it’s quite easy to see that the equation doesn’t add up today if reviews are made for the customers. Some reviews are okay but many aren’t, a game with bad performance on a review code can be fixed in a week after launch but the complaints about performance issues and a low score from bad tech will usually stay forever. And in some cases reviewers ignore tech issues because they assume they’ll be fixed at a day 1 patch, publishers might even have promised to fix it. Then they never get fixed.

The reality is that DF and NX tech analysis and user reviews and discussions are often better to use to learn how a game is after launch, some professional review might talk about a version that has never even reached the consumers.

 

[newtypepilot]

"reviews" from sites like IGN and gamespot are merely ads. They have been a joke for years and they should not be taken seriously at all.

 

[Punished Miku]

Technical problems, graphical problems should be mentioned and can factor into a score. However, they are one of the least important aspects of the game in my opinion.

Case in point: all I really remember people outside of the Bayonetta 3 OT talking about is the resolution / framerate. What seems to have been lost is that after about 20 minutes, you don't really focus on that at all and the game is jam packed with so much amazing content that you're just having a blast the entire time.

A review is going to just be someone's opinion. Read the text and see what they liked. If you just want to see technical aspects of the game then you don't even need a review. Just watch a gameplay video and see how it looks.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Now you understand that scores are useless.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Now you understand that scores are useless.

Is not the reviews. Is the expectations.

 

[PonyStation4]

Technical problems, graphical problems should be mentioned and can factor into a score. However, they are one of the least important aspects of the game in my opinion.

Case in point: all I really remember people outside of the Bayonetta 3 OT talking about is the resolution / framerate. What seems to have been lost is that after about 20 minutes, you don't really focus on that at all and the game is jam packed with so much amazing content that you're just having a blast the entire time.

A review is going to just be someone's opinion. Read the text and see what they liked. If you just want to see technical aspects of the game then you don't even need a review. Just watch a gameplay video and see how it looks.

We're talking about a game that's full of bugs and glitches that need you to restart your Switch to clear the RAM

 

[Punished Miku]

We're talking about a game that's full of bugs and glitches that need you to restart your Switch to clear the RAM

If that's true, that's pretty bad lol. I wasn't aware of all that.

I saw people losing it on this site over Arceus, but I actually really enjoyed it despite how ugly it can be. Didn't have any glitches.

 

[diffusionx]

Hate to be the “looks like a PS2 game” guy but you can’t convince me that this game looks better than Dragon Quest XIII

 

[NightmareFarm]

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the ultimate proof that reviews are invalid and corrupted by paid shills.

 

[Thief1987]

Dragon Quest XIII

How is it going in 2035?

 

[hemo memo]

If a game is fun then a game is fun. You can't quantify that.

Yes and I can make calls on a phone with a broken screen. We are talking about a performance that severely hinders that “fun”. It is something that should not be ignored.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Pokemon died once they switched to 3D. All the people begging for a 3D game since Ruby/Sapphire... This is what you wanted and what you get.

Playing B2/W2 instead myself.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Suddenly technical issues not weighing down on a game's score are a problem? Curious how they're not when the game is the buzz of the town and a GOTY candidate.

Pokémon is currently sub-80 Metascore, which would be an absolute disaster if this were a Sony or From Software game.
The game seems good, in spite of the unjustifiable technical issues that many reviewers are highlighting like they should.
What would you score this? A 6? A 5? A 4, even? Technical issues should not weigh that much on the score of a good, fun game, except if they're game-breaking. Otherwise, Souls games would never have become the success they are.

Why are people caring about scores for Pokémon, anyway? It's one of those games for which scores are absolutely irrelevant in your decision to buy.

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

It seems that a surprise is being generated by the new launch of a Nintendo Game.

But what strikes me the most is the ineptitude of the current Video Game Reviewers.

And it's not the first time it's happened...



How the hell can you rate a video game with 8, 9 if the game has major technical problems?

https://latam.ign.com/pokemon-scarlet/89588/review/pokemon-scarlet-y-pokemon-violet-review

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-scarlet-violet-review-a-braviary-new-world/1900-6417994/

https://vandal.elespanol.com/analisis/switch/pokemon-escarlata-y-purpura/115404#p-83

https://pt.ign.com/pokemon-scarlet-e-violet/119321/review/pokemon-violet-e-scarlet-analise

It is a great fraud of these people.

Thank goodness I never relied on the rated of these gaming sites.

Its gotten really bad i agree they’re frauds. Games media should be calling out companies whenever they put out a bad product or engage in yet another anti gamer policy yet they don’t...ever.

 

[Majukun]

major technical problems are not a deal breaker for me, as long as they don't make the game unbreakable.
like, fallout 3 and new bvegas were ridded by bug and glitches at lunch, yet you never saw someone say they could not get an high score 'cause of that.

this being say, with all the money the franchise moves, we should expect more polish, but nintendo (i know, pokèmon company is not technically nintendo but it is) wabts to maximize profits until the series crashes

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

While the Pokemon and key characters are well-rendered, not much else is. Textures are missing, objects in the distance are pixelated and jittery, Pokemon and NPCs are constantly popping in and out due to poor draw distances, and battles on uneven terrain will frequently cause the camera to clip through the ground.

Between Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Bayonetta 3, the Switch has really shown its age this year, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feel as though they are being crushed by the hardware. Pokemon Legends: Arceus had its fair share of visual shortcomings, but not to this extent. Whether you play handheld or docked, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are difficult on the eyes.

From the review

Xenoblade 3? That game is impressive on Switch

 

[mcjmetroid]

If that's true, that's pretty bad lol. I wasn't aware of all that.

I saw people losing it on this site over Arceus, but I actually really enjoyed it despite how ugly it can be. Didn't have any glitches.

Ya no this isn't the usual complaints for a Pokemon game.
This one is a step too far. Buggy glitchy and constant frame rate problems.

Araceus for what it ran a lot smoother.