Who Are You?

In Response to “BioShock: Review” from The Escapist Forum: I would strongly disagree that the first 20 minutes are the best 20 minutes of gaming ever. While a clever intro and very atmospheric other games are also learning how to put in a great beginning (The Darkness).

Good review, I’m about 6-7 hours in I reckon and enjoying it very much. I’d play more except Blue Dragon seems to have grabbed my attention somewhat.

– Chinster

Everyone talks about this game as if it’s some kind of messiah for the next-gen consoles, a beacon of light under which the new era is ushered after a two year false start. Coming away from it, I realize that it was probably the best game I’ve played all year, but I can’t help but feel a little empty after the experience.

The game is masterfully told and is the closest thing to a movie (or real life) a game has gotten since a Metal Gear game. My point is that if a game that does everything right is unable to really change anything on an evolutionary (which is admittedly yet to be seen) or even personal level, is there really anything more meaningful here than hardwire and pixels. I will say this though; the first time I killed a big daddy, I knew from the moment I saw the little sister crying by it’s corpse that there was no way I could kill that kid.

– Buckydude

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In Response to “Zero Punctuation : BioShock” from The Escapist Forum: I wish I could say this “review” was funny, or that it was even a “review”. The game was originally going to be a successor to the System Shock Series, but later turned into a “spiritual successor”. The game stole from both the original games. Why would that matter ? A revamp of a game like System Shock 2 , the most underrated FPS in history that maybe 5 people including myself in the Western Hemisphere even bought. The fact that people now know what it is and want to jump on its bandwagon to bitch or praise , they can all suck my hairy balls.

The fact that you state no real review of the use of the weapons that perform better than any other game out now that tries to use similar ones, but only stammer on the fact that you think it copies System Shock 2 , when it was originally supposed to be a successor of the game, shows that you are a jackass trying to push his opinion with propaganda tactics.

This “review” makes no sense and would be like anyone attacking Super Mario Bros 3 for being like Super Mario Bros 1 or Metroid 1 being like Metroid 2 or Castlevania 1 being like Castlevania 2. The whole thing was terrible and uninformative. I read a better review that knew that the game was a successor from an article in Stuff Magazine. That’s just sad. Both the fact that I read it, and that this couldn’t compete with it.

– randomguy

I guess I’m in the minority at least on this board, but I actually liked the ‘easier’ difficulty of Bioshock. I also hate to say it, but I also prefer the game’s relative lack of complexity to Deus Ex. Maybe it’s just because I’m getting old, but I don’t have patience for really complicated games anymore. I want really interesting games that are fun and intuitive to play, and Bioshock delivers in those departments. If a game is too hard and I die every 2 seconds and have to reload or do a lot over again – I get bored of it and will never in a million years finish it. Games can be interesting and fun without being really punishing.

If I were marooned on an island and could only take one game with me – Bioshock, SS2, or Deus Ex – Bioshock would probably be my *last* choice because of its relative lack of depth of gameplay… but it’s like video game candy – delicious, goes down easy, gone fast.

– cliffjeff

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In Response to “Everyone’s a Critic” from Then Escapist Forum: This site used to be good, way back before people like Sean Sands, Russ Pitts and Michael Zenke started posting crap like this.

Don’t you think people can tell the difference between flaming and reviewing? Don’t you think people have read all the recent articles about corrupt and pampered reviewers? Don’t you think people get fed up with “proffeshunals” who keep telling them that blue is the new red or that piss is the new crap? I sure have, and I sure do. and as a result, I no longer want to be told what to like by these pampered, self-rightous, but oh so “proffeshunal” reviewers.

– Big Brother

Unfortunately, with the average user review, it’s a bit like a one night stand. A blindfolded one night stand. At least with professional reviewers, I can form a bit of a long-term relationship, get to know their likes and dislikes, see what we have in common, and where we agree and disagree on games (or movies). I come to trust them, and certainly it is within their power to violate that trust, but that’s why it’s called trust.

– Geoffrey42

Among the many problems it is assumed that I have, not the least of which so far have been incompetence and a complete lack of integrity, I think my most serious is that I just don’t share the cynical view that everyone’s in on screwing readers/listeners over. I’ve seen far more and far worse bias come from the “average Joe” than most paid reviewers, I’d even suggest it as common practice, and on the other side I’ve seen the process “professionals” put themselves through in offering their critiques. Aside from the fact-checking and professional editing, the ones I know take great pains to give a fair and accurate assesment of the product they are reviewing, because, as it turns out, they are gamers just like you. If anything, the too often knee-jerk assumption that a difference of opinion on a review must mean that said reviewer is “on the take” only strengthens my resolve that the reviewers are the reliable ones.

– Sean Sands