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Knyte
2010 SLF Tag Champ*
Title: Curator Of The VGM
Joined: Nov 01 2006
Location: Here I am.
Posts: 6749
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From www.theinquirer.net:
SENIOR HACK working for the CNet affiliated gamer's website Gamespot apparently has been fired for panning a game marketed by a major advertiser.
Reportedly Gamespot Editorial Director Jeff Gerstmann was summarily fired because game publisher Eidos didn't like his negative review of its first-person shooter game Kane & Lynch: Dead Men.
Gerstmann's text review of the game gave it a score of only 6 out of 10, but it seems his video review was even more direct, criticising it for, among other failings, "impossible to like" characters, a "lazy script" and excessive profanity.
Gamespot's review guidelines state it has never "altered our verdict about any game due to advertiser pressure." Well, that rings rather hollow if they're going fire reviewers who don't always write nice things about every game, doesn't it?
Kyle Orland at Joystiq fairly well nails the issue, and we couldn't agree more. He writes:
"Readers should fairly expect there to be an inviolable firewall between advertising and editorial in journalism, and game journalism (yes, that includes "just reviews") is no different. ... Giving a [software] publisher the power to fire a senior editor is a line no outlet should be willing to cross."
If Gerstmann was really fired due to advertiser pressure, why should gamers trust the integrity of Gamespot's game reviews ever again?
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Char Aznable
Title: Char Classic™
Joined: Jul 24 2006
Location: Robot Boombox HQ
Posts: 7542
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Ever again? I never did in the first place. Usually, the only reviews I read are the reader reviews unless it's a game that I've been wanting and I want to get a look at it on a video review. But this is complete bullshit. Kane and Lynch did suck, and someone should not be fired because he told the truth. If I were this guy, I'd sue.
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TheRoboSleuth
Title: Sleuth Mark IV
Joined: Aug 08 2006
Location: The Gritty Future
Posts: 2739
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I never cared too much about reviews, and I lost every shred of respect for them when I almost lost the opportunity to get the game God Hand cause IGN gave it a 3 or so.
I've learned to have confidence that I know my own taste better than any loser on the internet. What, he went ot game enjoyment school?
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Syd Lexia
Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 24882
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When I'm trying to decide whether or not to get a game I'm not sure about, I'll use check out a meta site like GameRankings, then check out the GameFAQs user reviewers. If the game has a GR ranking of 80% or higher, or if most of the GF reviews are favorable, I'll usually end up getting it.
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Bouya
Title: Delinquent
Joined: Aug 15 2007
Location: Suzuran
Posts: 1443
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| Knyte wrote: |
| why should gamers trust the integrity of Gamespot's game reviews to begin with? |
Fixed to save time. :p
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MOGHARR
Title: The Original CandyWafer
Joined: Apr 05 2007
Location: Under Jolly Roger
Posts: 2718
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I usually don't bother with reviews. Most of the time I head over to Wikipedia to check out what the gameplay's like, etc.
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"Well I don`t judge most things by graphics, reality has amazing graphics, and I don`t like it, that`s why I play video games." Laminated Sky on Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker |
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Tebor
Moderator
Title: Master of the Universe
Joined: Aug 22 2005
Location: Gotham City
Posts: 6088
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Since I only buy like 3 games a year and they're all either licensed properties or sequels, I only read EGM reviews cause it warrants my subscription.
And no critic should be censored, unless all they do is hate stuff.
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"If you will not tell me, I will hurt people!!!" -Nuclear Man
"Do you hear? The alpha and the omega. Death and rebirth. And as you die, so will I be reborn!" - Skeletor
8341 unread forum updates since I left (2/7/14)... Uh-oh. |
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Murdar Machene
New Member
Title: bimmy
Joined: Nov 06 2005
Location: the black warriors turf
Posts: 3207
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| Tebor wrote: |
| And no critic should be censored, unless all they do is hate stuff. |
Wrong.
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Tebor
Moderator
Title: Master of the Universe
Joined: Aug 22 2005
Location: Gotham City
Posts: 6088
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And on the Shermomator this film ranks an absolute 0, brrrrrrrrrrrr....
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"If you will not tell me, I will hurt people!!!" -Nuclear Man
"Do you hear? The alpha and the omega. Death and rebirth. And as you die, so will I be reborn!" - Skeletor
8341 unread forum updates since I left (2/7/14)... Uh-oh. |
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Tebor
Moderator
Title: Master of the Universe
Joined: Aug 22 2005
Location: Gotham City
Posts: 6088
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Speaking of Kane & Lynch... Army of Two looks just like it.
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"If you will not tell me, I will hurt people!!!" -Nuclear Man
"Do you hear? The alpha and the omega. Death and rebirth. And as you die, so will I be reborn!" - Skeletor
8341 unread forum updates since I left (2/7/14)... Uh-oh. |
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Black Zarak
Title: Big Coffin Hunter
Joined: Feb 01 2006
Location: Phyrexia
Posts: 4098
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| Tebor wrote: |
| Speaking of Kane & Lynch... Army of Two looks just like it. |
No way man! Those guys have masks which makes it totally different!
"Oh, a sarcasm detector, that's a really useful invention..."
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REVIEWS, LEGOS, NONSENSE Check out Zarak's Barracks!
"Let that be a lesson to you, your family and everyone you've ever known..."
"Thanks to denial, I'm immortal!" |
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Mr. Grimes
Joined: Jan 30 2008
Location: Hastings World, NE
Posts: 113
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Eidos should have just sent the reviewer MORE cash before reviewing the article. Maybe they'll remember that next time...
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Avian
Joined: Jul 16 2006
Location: 22 Acacia Avenue
Posts: 324
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I read reviews on Gamespot, but I tend to put more faith in the Reader's reviews.
This is the main reason I haven't picked up Assassin's Creed......the official Gamespot review makes it sound awesome, but many of the reader reviews seem to have a more lukewarm opinion of it.
I suppose I could just rent it and see, but meh....
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"Wolfman's got nards!"
You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance!
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Murdar Machene
New Member
Title: bimmy
Joined: Nov 06 2005
Location: the black warriors turf
Posts: 3207
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God forbid you actually play a game for yourself and form your own opinion, you might actually have to make a decision on your own.
Case in point: Gamepro gave the original GTA all 2.0's out of 5, with their shitty ranking system. GTA 1 was fucking awesome.
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