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Hype vs. truth: the role of gaming journalism

January 28, 2009 in Blog comments 18

Kombo's Matt Furtado has a rather interesting blog post online as of yesterday -- in it he reveals they are guilty, as are many gaming journalism publications, of hyping a game rather than just telling the truth, giving their unabashed opinion, and so forth.

Where do you think gaming journalism can improve?

Last year, we had a number of titles get hyped as the Games of Forever. Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, and Gears of War 2 were the top runners in this category. Were these necessarily bad games? No, none of them were bad titles, but they were hyped to be the second coming. I don't feel that any of those titles succeeded in delivering the hype they created. Even when reviewers noted the titles noticeable flaws, they simply overlooked them and continued to handout huge review scores. We are once again about to embark on an over hyped journey with Killzone 2, Resident Evil 5, and Street Fighter IV. The honest truth is none of us want to hate these games.
chautemoc via kombo.com »
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  • 0
    Stefan Jan 28, 09
    Metal Gear solid 4 was the second coming for a large majority of gamers.
    as was Gears Of War 2. i thoroughly enjoyed both titles, i dont think they were over hyped.
    • 1
      FinalFantasyFanaticc Jan 28, 09
      IMO, They may have been overhyped BUT, they both lived up to that hype both being amazing games.

      See, it works well when a game is hyped alot and is then GOOD aka MGS4 / GoW2 but when it goes BAD aka GTA IV, people are just downright dissapointed.
    • 1
      PacoDG Jan 28, 09
      I can't comment on MGS4, however with Gears of War 2, that game was overhyped to no end. People calling it the best looking game on consoles or what not.. the game looks only slightly better than the first Gears and was just not that much more fun. I await Left 4 Dead to overtake it on the Xbox Live Activity Charts next week.
      • 0
        GrEyCrEsT Mar 20, 09
        quote PacoDG
        I can't comment on MGS4, however with Gears of War 2, that game was overhyped to no end. People calling it the best looking game on consoles or what not.. the game looks only slightly better than the first Gears and was just not that much more fun. I await Left 4 Dead to overtake it on the Xbox Live Activity Charts next week.


        • it will probably not happen
        • 0
          PacoDG Mar 20, 09
          Yeah, I think when I said that I was very hopeful, now I see people have made up their minds. It is Halo Wars and GTAIV staying higher up on the charts, with Gears probably not leaving anytime soon either.
    • 0
      GrEyCrEsT Mar 20, 09
      quote stefan1888
      Metal Gear solid 4 was the second coming for a large majority of gamers.
      as was Gears Of War 2. i thoroughly enjoyed both titles, i dont think they were over hyped.


      • they are not the only one IMO
  • 0
    brett108 Jan 28, 09
    He should have mentioned Fable 2 in his over-hyped games list. I have yet to witness a phenomenon where so much was promised and so little was delivered, and delivered in the glitchiest way possible. Peter Molyneux needs a restraining order to keep him from promoting his next game. It would lead to RPG fans like myself to less disappointment in the end.
  • 3
    Daigoji_Gai Jan 28, 09
    What about the flipside: reviews from my peers that viciously blast a great game. Not digging what I am seeing right now with Afro Samurai - being bashed and it is simply awesome. *shrug* Maybe that is why I'm retired from writing...
    cynicism runs rampant, and I think a lot of great titles are blasted by my beloved peers.
    • 0
      chautemoc Jan 28, 09
      Retired? Egads!
      It can be a frustrating industry for sure, but you can't let the bad stuff get you down. Manifest your own ideals! Otherwise we're overrun by cynics and press whores and the like. Heh.
      • 0
        Daigoji_Gai Jan 28, 09
        Yeah - management now so that the young bucks can do their thing. So no more free games except for the odd jrpg, which is fine by me. Some of the guys here lack the patience for extended cutscenes before gameplay... e.g. Star Ocean PSP opening hour+ long sequence caused a 2-hour fight today. lol.
        • 0
          kspiess Jan 28, 09
          Hour plus long? No way! You can't be serious. That is heinous.
        • 0
          chautemoc Jan 28, 09
          I seem to be one of the few that loves the heavy cinematic approach in games -- Xenosaga is one of my favourite series', partly for that.
        • 0
          Daigoji_Gai Jan 29, 09
          Chaut, I actualyl love the heavy cinematic approach as well. Xenosaga - you know I still have yet to finish Part 3! *lowers head in shame*
  • 0
    Daigoji_Gai Jan 28, 09
    Yeah Kspiess, apparently the latest SO, has a ridiculously long opener, and on top of that, the default setting won't let you skip through dialogue you've already read, so you have to listen to everyone speak before you get to your first battle (where you can finally change your options.)

    Ok, so maybe I was wrong in defending it and especially for a portable it is a bit ridiculous. LOL.
  • 0
    kspiess Jan 28, 09
    Whew, that is pretty terrible IMHO. If I wanted to watch a movie, I'd watch a movie.
  • 1
    ShadowJ Jan 28, 09
    Finally! Someone who agrees with me, thank you Matt Furtado (even though you won't read this )

    The reason I say the above is because I have been trying to drill it into Fallout 3/Oblivion fans that although both games come from the same company and use the same engine, they should never be compared or one being bashed down due to the other.

    Don't get me wrong, in some occasions I can be biased, hell it's a human instinct. However I have always seen journalism...mainly product reviewing journalism to be a guide for consumers. You are pretty much saying "look this is what I have experienced, these are the good things, these are the bad things and this is what I think overall....but make your own mind up or read other reviews that may agree or disagree with me"

    As to the cutscenes. Hour long is well long...hopefully you don't have to see it everytime you launch the game. I love cutscenes...the first time through but if I constantly have to watch them every time I restart or like some games do where you die and restart again and still have to watch the cutscene...then no thank you.
  • 0
    Jagermax Jan 29, 09
    quote FinalFantasyFanaticc
    when it goes BAD aka GTA IV, people are just downright dissapointed.
    I'd never say GTA IV went bad. It comes down to personal opinion, I know heaps of people who completely love the game, just as much as other GTA's.
  • 0
    Goldva_X Jan 29, 09
    Lol, the line that is leaning towards his crotch says " Empty ".

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