257
rate

MGS4 Reviewers not allowed to talk about Cutscene length and Installation?

June 01, 2008 in News comments 16

MTV recently posted a blog which mentioned restrictions Konami Digital Entertainment put on the reviewers of MGS 4. Usually only plot-related things are kept secret, but this time some technical things were included on the list, specifically the cutscene length and the installation size. No one knows why Konami wants to keep these things a secret, but MTV has a guess: "Such details wouldn’t have been plot spoilers, but perhaps the publisher was concerned that they would be viewed as negatives?"

While reporting MTV Multiplayer’s week-long series about game reviews I’ve heard from members of the gaming press about restrictions publishers place on game reviews. I’m familiar with some of these. It’s common for a publisher to specify plot details that they don’t want revealed in reviews.

What I heard about print reviews for “Metal Gear Solid 4” was different.

I’ve been told by two gaming media sources who asked to remain anonymous that Konami representatives had been asking print reviewers to keep some technical details out of their reviews, namely the length of the game’s cut-scenes and the size of the game’s installation on the PlayStation 3.

Such details wouldn’t have been plot spoilers, but perhaps the publisher was concerned that they would be viewed as negatives?

Konami representatives declined to comment to me about any of this, as did editors of a few major video game magazines.

Whether Konami really has put these limits on reviewers and if such limits are tolerable to game reviewers is something I can’t answer. It’s something worth keeping an eye on as print reviews of “MGS4″ start trickling out.
tyranitar24 via multiplayerblog.mtv.com »
Favourite this article Add source
| More
Report!
News story attached to:
Additional sources:
Images about this story:

Comments

Register as a member to subscribe comments.
  • 0
    redneonfish Jun 1, 08
    Tbqh, I don't care about gut scene length. For the most part the cut scenes are engaging and fun. Apart from MGS2's President scene >.>
    • 0
      Miss Razz Jun 1, 08
      Judging by the few reviews that do mention cutscenes, it seems alot of cutscenes are boring.
      (I think it was Eurogamer that said the final cutscene was especially dull ... which is a shame, since you'd think the final scene in the entire series would be a good one).
      • 0
        Cruxis Mana Jun 1, 08
        Eurogamer also gave both MGS2 and MGS3 8 out of 10 citing long, dull cutscene's, so I'm going to take their opinion with a pinch of salt.
        Okay. So MGS2 did have some long winded cutscene's but MGS3 definitely didn't.

        However, other sites have said that the ending suffers from " Return of the King " syndrome ...
        • 0
          Miss Razz Jun 2, 08
          All MGS games have longwided cutscenes. They're a big part of the series. It might not seem like a long time for MGS fans, but for newcomers it might not be so easy to sit through 10+ minute cutscenes (let alone 90+ minute cutscenes).

          I'd imagine it would be VERY easy for a newcomer to be put off the game due to the long cutscenes.
          At least, if reviews 'warn' people about the length of cutscenes, newbies can buy MGS4 and know what to expect. Not 'warning' people would just piss them off.
  • 0
    StarJet Jun 1, 08
    Cutscene length is probably because they fear that the'd be too long or something. *Shrugs* But installation details? That should rouse some suspicioun, eh?
  • 0
    Gutter_Tech Jun 1, 08
    i think thats ok they let reviewers view the game and can stipulate whatever the *bleep* the want. the more mystery the more newbies to the mgs series will be interested
  • 1
    Miss Razz Jun 1, 08
    I think it's idiotic that Konami (or any game company) is allowed to do this. If long cutscenes or installation size are a negative in the game, then a reviewer should be able to tell gamers about it. After all, that's what reviews are for - They tell us about the pros and cons of a game.

    Reviews end up being untruthful if they are restricted from detailing certain negatives.
    • 0
      Cruxis Mana Jun 1, 08
      Producers are doing this all the time now though. They can put up embargoes on negative reviews, they can create lists of items not to include in reviews ( as is the case ) and they can also allow certain reviewers to publish their reviews first, so long as they give the game a sometimes exaggerated score - Which is what IGN is currently doing at the moment.

      This is just how things work now. Plus Konami hasn't made an official statement on the matter, so its really just a rumour at the moment.
  • 1
    The Primagen Jun 1, 08
    Gothic girl is right, aren't reviews meant to tell us about the product? Thats like saying to someone:

    Ok, review everything about our game.. APART FROM THE BAD STUFF.
    • -1
      Final Blade Jun 1, 08
      Yes but lately their reviews are shit. I mean GTA4 to them were supposed to be the next Messiah for gaming at its release, and yet people found it 8.5.

      Tbqh I don't give a shit what the reviewers say about this game. They haven't been spot on lately with their reviews and quite honestly why people still listen to them is beyond belief.

      Don't listen to Pro Reviews only user reviews, sadly we won't get them til 11 days from now.
      • 1
        Miss Razz Jun 1, 08
        It's it funny that both Me and The Primagen get thumbed down as soon as you post here

        You complain about people abusing the Thumbs Down feature, yet posts with opposite opinions seem to 'mysteriously' get thumbed down as soon as you post.
        • -1
          Final Blade Jun 2, 08
          Actually I did cause reviews are shit. Yes its supposed to tell us about the games, but the fact is the reviews for games the last 6 months is horrific. It hasn't gotten anything right, which I used an example with GTA4.

          User reviews are more reliable than Pro reviews.
          I don't abuse the feature. Its for disagreeing which I do disagree with some of your posts lately. And I disagreed with primagen as well. See when I say abusing I mean people doing it without replying. I didn't feel necessary to post the same thing twice so I just replied to him, which was also for you.
          Think what you like, I had a reason for thumbing you down.

          Besides, Enhance doesn't think there is abusing going on with the thumbs. So no matter what you or I think about that matter is null and void.
  • 3
    Taker4ever Jun 1, 08
    Once the game is released, Konami cannot legally restrict what the reviewers can talk about. However, as these reviewers have been given the privilege of playing the game early, it is perfectly within Konami's rights to restrict what they can and cannot talk about.

    Best idea is to trust the post-release reviews over the pre-release ones, and that goes for every game.
    • 0
      Final Blade Jun 2, 08
      Thats exactly my point(your last statement). Thanks.
  • 2
    Donnelly Jun 1, 08
    The length of cutscenes won't put me off buying it, but that's not to say it's not a valid issue.
  • 0
    RabidChinaGirl Jun 1, 08
    What Konami did is just irresponsible of them, an injustice to consumers. I think that lengthy (and dull) cutscenes are important enough so that the reviewer should be allowed to include it in his or her article.

    People who don't care, well..they won't care, and they will buy the game regardless. But there are gamers who may not want a game like that; don't get me wrong, I love the MGS series and Snake is a babe, but the franchise does have a habit of making rather long and boring scenes you want to skip (I wouldn't skip them, though, because the story is so complex you might miss important details -- totally a Catch 22).

This news story is archived and is closed to comments now.