• Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

Final predictions?

  • 100

    Votes: 28 3.0%
  • 95-99

    Votes: 204 21.5%
  • 90-94

    Votes: 519 54.8%
  • 85-89

    Votes: 153 16.2%
  • 80-84

    Votes: 25 2.6%
  • 75-79

    Votes: 8 0.8%
  • <75

    Votes: 10 1.1%

  • Total voters
    947
  • Poll closed .
Oct 25, 2017
2,899
Ontario
A pandemic that is affecting the entire world is the most illogical thing to bring into a game review and have it affect the review, unless that game is somehow relating to real world events, in which case it makes sense to talk about it, and how it handles such events.

Writers are the worst

this is deeply embarrassing behavior and y'all need to rethink your priorities

have some compassion, numbers on a website are the last thing to be holding up as important at the moment
 

Chumunga64

Member
Jun 22, 2018
14,235
User Banned (5 Days): Antagonizing other members
Why? Games do not exist in a vacuum, they exist as moments of culture within wider society. There was a time while reviewing Alyx where, late in the night, it hit me that I needed to call my mother and tell her she was no longer allowed to see her grandchild. I cried into the VR headset, and had to give myself a moment of "What the fuck am I doing here?" before progressing forward. Reflecting that in your examination of the art makes perfect sense. You have plenty of extremely positive reviews from people who didn't have that hangup. Grow up.

I just died laughing at the mental image of a man crying while wearing a VR headset. Thank you
 

Deleted member 51789

User requested account closure
Banned
Jan 9, 2019
3,705
It's their right, as is the right of people on this forum to disagree. Goes both ways.

This is where I'm at. Using your unrelated emotional state to damage a game's review score seems unprofessional, IMO. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter nor will anyone care, though.
If there wasn't a score, I doubt many of the people here would have a problem with the reviewer bringing up Covid-19.

Also, who cares about the score anyway? It's not as if it's drastically lower than the rest - 8/10 is still very good - and the reviewer had other issues which people seem to be disregarding.

I'm getting shades of when Eurogamer gave Uncharted 3 an 8/10 and some people went spare because of it...
 

Mendrox

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
9,439
And you're suggesting that people that review games should be emotionless robots.

Reviews are opinions. Opinions are formed through life experiences. Life experiences are unique to everyone.

This is what it means to be human.

I would be fired if I take my personal feelings into reviews. I want to know what is good about the product and not what is currently happening too. If someone is unable to review it currently they should be honest and just not do it. Ugh. I don't care about this review and haven't read one yet and surely won't, but it's not a great look for me in this case. Products are reviewed on the product alone.
 

Karak

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,088
Are you talking about HL:Alyx? If so output will depend on your rig. For SteamVR if the game can't hit the target Hz it's set at, it will half the framerate and interpolate it up to target. So if it's set to 120hz but can't hit it, it will go down to 60 (at 90hz it will bounce down to 45 etc). All the headsets do some form of this interpolation though I think Index is the only one currently that can switch the target.
Right that's what others were reporting. The person said that someone indicated it was 60hertz. Which it is not locked at and my testing software that checks that was not indicating it.
 

samred

Amico fun conversationalist
Member
Nov 4, 2017
2,584
Seattle, WA
All people reviewing all games will bring in their real-world biases and the best reviews (in my opinion) recognise these exist and explore them in relation to what they're talking about.

It's a tricky needle to thread, how much of our real-life issues we bring in. For example, my review is already freakishly long, so I removed an anecdote about the game being a respite from the pandemic news swirl in my home city of Seattle. HL:A is so immersive that I could strap in, play for 2-3 hour chunks, and let go. My anxiety manifests in physical symptoms (chest pressure, coughing), and going into HL:A made those go away. I felt like I'd made that kind of point with other anecdotes and praise, so I cut it.
 

I KILL PXLS

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,521
Ah the old personal bias debate for reviews. A tale as old as time. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this one personally, it's just a matter of what you want out of a review. Do you want a straight up analysis of a game in a vacuum unclouded by personal biases beyond maybe comparisons to other games, or do you want to hear the emotional response the game elicited that will be influenced by their personal experiences? I can see a case for both and I can see how both could go wrong (or right). In the end, you should just pay attention to the reviewers or outlets that align with your tastes and not worry about the rest because they're more or less irrelevant to you.

Alright, I'm bailing. Enjoy the game.
Anyone legit giving you grief for that is an idiot.
 
Last edited:

DarthBuzzard

Banned
Jul 17, 2018
5,122
If you're fine with bringing up current world events that are relevant to a game, and given that headcrabs 100% are a pandemic in-universe to Half-Life, what exactly are you whining about then.
A post-apocalyptic world with an alien race of super-soldiers and mutant aliens is barely related to a real world pandemic. Mention it if you truly want to as a passing remark, but it just doesn't make sense to say the game is worsened (at this time) because of said pandemic, and your own playthrough will be worsened as well.
 
Oct 26, 2017
16,409
Mushroom Kingdom
Mentioning as a personal remark is one thing. Negatively affecting the game in the review and then saying you will be negatively impacted in the same way (No, I won't, thank you author) is an entirely different situation.

People aren't even talking about how the author has suggested we're all going to have a worse time playing Alyx because of the pandemic, not just him.

Well, the pandemic isn't the only reason it got marked down if any. Seems like its just a mention in the review and the reviewer stated the other issues they found with the game.

Its funny because people were saying earlier that the "bad" reviews are going to dock it for VR legs - like reviewers aren't allowed to. The reality is, its clearly an issue with a sizeable population of people that want/will play the game and should continue to be mentioned accordingly.
 

jviggy43

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
18,184
I just died laughing at the mental image of a man crying while wearing a VR headset. Thank you
The responses to that post from this community are fucking disgusting. This is now the second journalist who is a community member here who has been dog piled for sharing their opinion in less than a week. Idk why they even post here with shit like this.
 

Spider-Man

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,353
Contagion is a film from 2011. If Contagion released today, there would be plenty of VentureBeat-esque reviews for it.

That isn't my point. It is the fact people are home due to this virus and watching a movie about one that is even worse.

People want to be entertained now more than ever and a movie about a virus is what people want to see on Netflix right now in an entire Nation.
 
Oct 25, 2017
19,165
I would be fired if I take my personal feelings into reviews. I want to know what is good about the product and not what is currently happening too. If someone is unable to review it currently they should be honest and just not do it. Ugh. I don't care about this review and haven't read one yet and surely won't, but it's not a great look for me in this case. Products are reviewed on the product alone.
High tier stupid comment tbh
---
I'm glad gamers just refuse to grow up and have a fundamental disconnect with what media critique is.
 

FelixFFM

Member
Nov 7, 2017
345
To those who say "The state of the world should not affect a review".

Imagine if you were to release a movie today that was as sexist, racist and homophobic as was tolerated 40 years ago. Do you think it would have the same reviews?
Exactly. You can't review cultural products in a vacuum. Also, he made it clear that he isn't very much into horror games to begin with and he said the game is too grim and scary to be as fun as HL2 for him. The pandemic is just an aggravating factor.
 

Deleted member 51789

User requested account closure
Banned
Jan 9, 2019
3,705
It's a tricky needle to thread, how much of our real-life issues we bring in. For example, my review is already freakishly long, so I removed an anecdote about the game being a respite from the pandemic news swirl in my home city of Seattle. HL:A is so immersive that I could strap in, play for 2-3 hour chunks, and let go. My anxiety manifests in physical symptoms (chest pressure, coughing), and going into HL:A made those go away. I felt like I'd made that kind of point with other anecdotes and praise, so I cut it.
That sounds absolutely fair, not every element will be able to be explored without the need for clarity, editing and the like.

I just bristle at the idea that there are some saying that it's completely the wrong approach to do so when biases are inevitable
 
Oct 26, 2017
16,409
Mushroom Kingdom
I just died laughing at the mental image of a man crying while wearing a VR headset. Thank you

Go call and check in on your parents and grandparents.

The responses to that post from this community are fucking disgusting. This is now the second journalist who is a community member here who has been dog piled for sharing their opinion in less than a week. Idk why they even post here with shit like this.

Its absolutely embarrassing.
 

PspLikeANut

Free
Member
May 20, 2018
2,598
Nice reviews.... wish I had someway to play though....only have a ps vr... Plus my current pc is shit
 

Filipus

Prophet of Regret
Avenger
Dec 7, 2017
5,131
I think it will end up like 92-93
Glad they are pushing the medium forward. I still haven't bit the bullet on VR but I'm very tempted.
 

MillionIII

Banned
Sep 11, 2018
6,816
Valve is back baby
tenor.gif
 

Lobster Roll

signature-less, now and forever
Member
Sep 24, 2019
34,314
Well, the pandemic isn't the only reason it got marked down if any. Seems like its just a mention in the review and the reviewer stated the other issues they found with the game.

Its funny because people were saying earlier that the "bad" reviews are going to dock it for VR legs - like reviewers aren't allowed to. The reality is, its clearly an issue with a sizeable population of people that want/will play the game and should continue to be mentioned accordingly.
Yeah but it's the current low score, so people are going to find their reasons to invalidate the review itself.
 

TheClaw7667

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,704
Most users here didn't seem to have a problem with reviews for Animal Crossing: New Horizons speaking of the current world situation when it was used to put AC in a positive light.
That's because those reviews affected the Metacritic score for Animal Crossing positively whereas this one review is having a negative affect on Alyx's MC score. No one would care about this review if not for the Metacritic score being so "important".

This is why I dislike aggregate review sites.
 

Glio

Member
Oct 27, 2017
24,497
Spain
I would be fired if I take my personal feelings into reviews. I want to know what is good about the product and not what is currently happening too. If someone is unable to review it currently they should be honest and just not do it. Ugh. I don't care about this review and haven't read one yet and surely won't, but it's not a great look for me in this case. Products are reviewed on the product alone.
Videogames aren't a "product", they are a work of art that makes you have feelings.
 

Draughn

Member
Oct 29, 2017
305
Redmond, WA
Ah cool, now we're questioning if the reviewer actually meant what they wrote.

Not at all. We are saying that Valve made the decision to release this game in this climate, and this can be the result. Someone played the game and had a negative (I don't think it impacted the score) experience because of the health crisis ongoing. Should Valve delayed it because of this? Are there really themes in this game related enough to warrant that? Or did you not enjoy it cause it was scary and sad and you don't want to be scary and sad when gaming right now?

If it's the second, I don't think it has a place in the review. If it's a thematic, story, or character relation issue, I think that's important to include and consider.
 

I KILL PXLS

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,521
Right that's what others were reporting. The person said that someone indicated it was 60hertz. Which it is not locked at and my testing software that checks that was not indicating it.
Oh if I'm tracing the convo back right, they were specifically talking about RE7 on PSVR which I believe runs at 60hz and interpolates up to 120. Though if you're saying that runs unlocked I'll defer to you.
 

BlacJack22

Alt Account
Banned
Feb 25, 2020
30
this is deeply embarrassing behavior and y'all need to rethink your priorities

have some compassion, numbers on a website are the last thing to be holding up as important at the moment

I really don't have a dog in this fight, but the review starts out specifically stating they wished they didn't have to play the game right now, as it seemed unimportant at this time. This would imply the only reason they posted this review right here and now is for numbers on a website (in this case hits). They could have easily postponed the review so the reviewer could handle their personal issues.

This comes down to this being a job, simple as that. I wish I could be quarantined like the a large portion of the country, but I sill have to come into work and I can't really afford to half ass my job simply because I don't want to be here.

All that being said, this is just a game review, so who cares. The arguments for both sides just seem silly. People defending it are just as yawn inducing as the people crying that it got an 8 over a 9. Move on, get your reviews from elsewhere if you don't like it. Start clicking on them more if you do.
 

Quad Lasers

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,542
A post-apocalyptic world with an alien race of super-soldiers and mutant aliens is barely related to a real world pandemic. Mention it if you truly want to as a passing remark, but it just doesn't make sense to say the game is worsened (at this time) because of said pandemic, and your own playthrough will be worsened as well.

It really is incredibly how people can't see themes unless it's literally taking a baseball to the back of their heads.

Headcrabs and zombies aren't analogous to a pandemic. The Combine aren't stand-ins for totalitarian fascism. They're just, duuuuhhhh....bad aliens.
 
Oct 27, 2017
17,973
What am I reading in here?

Leave your humanity at the door while playing games during a pandemic?
Don't write about being human while reviewing a game during a pandemic?
Don't have emotions while holding/wearing gaming gear because it would be too funny to imagine, no matter how the reviewer is feeling or the state of the world?

Disgusting, all of it.
 

marcbret87

Member
Apr 20, 2018
1,367
If the review text were exactly the same but they had given it a 9, I kinda doubt it would be a very contentious issue at all.

That's simply an assumption on your side. Personally speaking, the score doesn't bother me at all, but I do have qualms with a game depicting a fictional world being compared to our present day life.
 

Cess007

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,086
B.C., Mexico
The responses to that post from this community are fucking disgusting. This is now the second journalist who is a community member here who has been dog piled for sharing their opinion in less than a week. Idk why they even post here with shit like this.
Its absolutely embarrassing.

I don't know what reviews threads have that turn some people into assholes.

The funny thing, is that if the personal experience of the reviewer had prompted him to put a higher score, the same people mocking him now, will be more than OK with his personally opinion being reflected on the score.
 
Oct 28, 2017
16,773
As someone that has only experienced VR with move controllers and a dualshock, how exactly does PC VR handle controls for a game like this? Does it have motion controllers that also have analog sticks on them? I can't imagine it's difficult to have motion controllers that are better than the terrible Moves, but exactly how much better are they?
 

SunBroDave

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,144
Why? Games do not exist in a vacuum, they exist as moments of culture within wider society. There was a time while reviewing Alyx where, late in the night, it hit me that I needed to call my mother and tell her she was no longer allowed to see her grandchild. I cried into the VR headset, and had to give myself a moment of "What the fuck am I doing here?" before progressing forward. Reflecting that in your examination of the art makes perfect sense. You have plenty of extremely positive reviews from people who didn't have that hangup. Grow up.
In what way does coronavirus affect the craftsmanship of HL: Alyx?
 

ElephantShell

10,000,000
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,912
I don't know what reviews threads have that turn some people into assholes.

The funny thing, is that if the personal experience of the reviewer had prompted him to put a higher score, the same people mocking him now, will be more than OK with his personally opinion being reflected on the score.

"What an amazing game made even more visceral and emotionally affecting given the current situation in the world - 10/10"

Nobody would give a shit.