590°

Halo 4 shows why review scores need to go

A picture is worth a thousand (angry) words.

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games.on.net
creeping judas4186d ago

Should change title to "console exclusives show why review scores need to go"? This type of idiocy is not just exclusive to Halo 4.

DragonKnight4186d ago

Two things. 1. If you think this kind of behaviour isn't present from the PC community, you're naive and incorrect. 2. May not be exclusive to Halo, but it is definitely most prevalent with Halo.

StanLee4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

The problem isn't reviews but their consistency. You have 65 total reviews for Halo 4 and 3 of those reviews are well outside the consensus. People should legitimately question those reviews because they're well outside of the prevailing opinions of the game. The EGM reviewer is an example of a reviewer who clearly wanted the game to be something else and that's a legitimate concern and he should be taken to task for it. The review who gave the game 1 out of 5 stars review was so filled with vitriol, he offered no objectivity. Reviewers like these need to be called out! Another problem is metacritic. The reviews used for their scores also aren't consistent. They should use those publications and sites listed by the Game Critics awards and only those reviews. Let's be honest, some of these reviewer you don't hear about until they make an asinine review of a huge title. And that's the point!

Jobesy4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

@StanLee, the problem with taking out low scores because some think a site is looking for hits or they're fanboys is that you would logically have to look into taking the 10/10 reviews out as well for the same reasons. You can't tell me that there aren't Halo, COD, BF fanboys who will score a game perfect no matter what. So see this applies to both ends of the spectrum, but obviously nobody whines about high scores unless it's a COD or Mario game getting them. Then all this free pass bs starts coming up.

darthv724186d ago

that is completely understandable. I would find it more respectable to the gaming industry if such sites that give 10's are looked into the same as those who give only 1 or 2 or other low scores.

You have to figure that this whole thing grew so substantially over the last several years. Anyone is anyone can proclaim themselves a game site and sign up for all kinds of swag but does that really mean they are legit in their cause?

We could very well take out the questionable site reviews that gave the game low AND high scores and we should be left with the ones that matter most. So now how do we regulate these so called fan sites and keep only the reputable ones?

And scores shouldnt mean anything but in some ways it does. Like you see a game get an 8 and think oh yeah it must be pretty good. But then to take a high profile game and tank the score you have to think WTF was that reviewer playing if it just doesnt mesh with the general consensus.

I am reminded a few years back when bitter gamers tanked scores for games like gears, uncharted, killzone, halo 3 all out of spite. Throwing in spoiler after spoiler in doing so. Those are the very same people that will go on to proclaim themselves to be a gaming site later on and WANT their bitterness to be reflected in tanking a good game with a bad score.

It happens and it is such a negative reflection on the real legit game sites and gamers out there.

Strakken4186d ago

This is the most intelligent group of comments i've seen in a long time.

MrBeatdown4186d ago

@StanLee

Expecting all reviews to be consistent is the equivalent to expecting all opinions of a game to be consistent.

Halo sells around 10 million. There's 60-70 million 360s out there. For every person that liked Halo Reach enough to buy it, there's five or six that didn't even bother with it. No game suits everyone's taste and preferences.

Reviews are nothing more than opinions. To suggest that everyone's opinion needs to remain consistent is just ridiculous.

Maybe we should be questioning the near universal praise big name games get, instead of questioning the few that go against the pack. Plenty of people don't like Call of Duty or GTA4, despite reviews being overwhelmingly positive, especially in GTA's case (98 average on Metacritic).

You mention the EGM review. I didn't read it (or any review of Halo 4 for that matter), but you mention that the reviewer expected it to be something else. What's wrong with that? Would you prefer "I don't like it, but this Halo game is supposed to be Halo-y, and this is Halo-y, and even though I think it's just "good", I'm going to call it excellent... 10/10"? Should they have let a Halo fan review the game, even if a large portion of readers aren't Halo fans? Should they review it from the perspective of a non-Halo fan? There is no "right" way to review a game, so there is no "right" opinion either.

If you disagreed with the popular opinion of a well-reviewed game, I'm sure you would think that was perfectly acceptable. I would. So why insist that all reviews agree with other reviews, when they are nothing more than opinions based on gaming preferences?

I'm sure there are reviews for every game that are just the result of some moron with an agenda, and should rightfully be questioned, but to simply expect consistency when no game is for everyone, and look upon all reviews that don't align with everyone else's with suspicion is ridiculous. Maybe the problem is the exact opposite. Too much consistency. Some don't like GTA. Some don't like Call of Duty. Some don't like Bioshock, Metal Gear, etc. You're never going to find total consistency in taste and opinion from gamers. Why expect it, and more importantly, accept it, from reviews?

UnwanteDreamz4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

Problem is gamers only react to this when it happens to a game they like.

Gamer Karma

Next time someone cries foul, get behind them or accept differing opinions.

BTW
Opinions are neither legitimate or illegitimate. Opinions are personal beliefs that do not have to be based in fact but usually are.

The only thing you have to do to review this game (give your opinion) is play it. People are the ones who decide what it's worth to them but that doesn't invalidate the opinion.

I think we all would have more fun if we cared less about review scores.

EDIT
Well put Mr Beatdown

TheBlackSmoke4185d ago

All of this talk is pointless because you are all trying to make points based on opinions.

You have an opinion on a collection of opinions and those opinions are only valid based on metacritics opinion on what sites deserve their opinion to be featured.

Also lets not forget that Metacritic works with a weighted average system meaning "bigger sites" have their scores multiplied. In the case of halo 4 with all the big sites kissing its ass hardcore it has no excuse for a sub 90 average when it has so many advantages in Metacritics broken scoring system. It just demonstrates how much the credibility of the big sites are a joke.

Yeah that 2 out of 10 is harsh but its weight is not enough to drag Halo below 90 on it own. its seems most of the other sites find this game good but not amazing and that reflects in its metascore.

For every person who wants to get rid of the low scores, because it is somehow a "fact" that this is a great game, well you should also want those 10/10 removed because its also a "fact" that its not perfect either.

knowyourstuff4185d ago

Perhaps if people just used their brains and didn't judge games based on numerical rating scores that don't always scale well to a 100 point scale the way they convert on Metacritic.

Metacritic doesn't take every site's opinion, if they did a lot of scores of games would be drastically different, some more positive or negative. What people need to realize is there will always be turds in the punchbowl who will piss all over something really great, regardless of which platform you find it on.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4185d ago
IAMERROR4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

Review scores need to go? No, Metacritic (you know the site every gamer likes to reference) needs quality control. Reviews with lil substance and absurd criticisms for the soul purpose of getting views should not be counted. Well that's just my opinion

Nes_Daze4186d ago

Happens in movie industry as well, if a critic doesn't like a director, boom, 3/10. It's pathetic really.

otherZinc4186d ago

Played Halo 4 this morning after Midnight launch:

Metacritic needs make some adjustments to some hit seeking sites!

Game is the Truth!

Hellsvacancy4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

Wow, we should change the "rules" to accomodate a 360 exclusive, its so hilarious, all the excuses people are coming out with to defend there game (rightly so)

Yet if it was a PS3 title, it wouldnt matter, we just have to put up with up negativity, have done so this whole gen

Cry babies, just go play your game rather than add more wood to the fire

MetalProxy4186d ago

well said and all to true

Dms20124186d ago

Actually, you seem to be the one crying. Are you serious? There is always outrage if a Ps3 exclusive gets a low score, remember Uncharted 3? Killzone 2 and 3? Yeah, I thought so.

BitbyDeath4186d ago

Gotta agree there, if it were a PS3 exclusive usually the opposite articles come out stating it's a failure.

wishingW3L4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

this guy deserves the bubble.

Not too long ago Uncharted 3 got a 5 and PS3 fans had to accept it and move on and there were articles criticizing PS3 fans for trying to defend the game from that 5. Now we have Halo 4 on a similar situation and people, the media and even some devs are defending it... Double standards much?

SilentNegotiator4186d ago

@dms

When has a Playstation fan ever called for the elimination of scores after one or two lower ones?

Ult iMate4185d ago (Edited 4185d ago )

@Hellsvacancy
Just to prove your words
http://n4g.com/news/1115795...
http://n4g.com/news/1116151...

..and also any review of PS Vita game from IGN.

@SilentNegotiator
PS fans talk about flaws in overall score system from the begining of this generation. But only now, when Halo got low score, Xbox fan thought about it too.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4185d ago
smashcrashbash4186d ago (Edited 4186d ago )

I agree fully. Why because of some odd scores for HALO that suddenly review scores have to go? Ragnarok Odyssey has been getting a whole bunch of up and down scores with a ton of rubbish reasons why it is so low and now suddenly because people have a chip on their shoulder and think Halo should be perfect in every way and anyone that doesn't something is wrong with you suddenly 'review scores have to go'? I agree with 'console exclusives show why review scores need to go'. Trying to confine it to Halo alone is nonsense.

@ Jobesy. Very good point. People always act as if just because I don't knell at the alter of a game that they think is God I am trolling, looking for hits or a dumb fanboy. I tell people Super Mario Brothers Wii for example is the worst Mario I have ever played in my opinion and give reasons why but that always automatically makes me a 'dumb butt hurt Sony fanboy'

@ wishingW3L . Oh yeah that is the exact same thing. We said that review scores need to go because UC3 got a 5. But you guys want to get rid of all review scores because of a couple of bad Halo scores. Oh yeah you guys are so reasonable. 'Kill all review scores and all reviewers who gave it less. Hang them high because they didn't say your game is perfect'. That is mature and reasonable compared to anger over a 5./s Just like the Nintendo people sending the guy death threats because he didn't like Twilight Princess. Yeah you guy are such pictures of sanity.

Old McGroin4186d ago

"But you guys want to get rid of all review scores because of a couple of bad Halo scores. Oh yeah you guys are so reasonable. 'Kill all review scores and all reviewers who gave it less. Hang them high because they didn't say your game is perfect'. That is mature and reasonable compared to anger over a 5./s Just like the Nintendo people sending the guy death threats because he didn't like Twilight Princess. Yeah you guy are such pictures of sanity."

Wow. Can you link where every 360 owner has said they want to get rid of review scores please? I count only the title of this article and a few angry quotes in the article put together by one person, I missed the other few million examples of this that you have seen.

Ult iMate4185d ago

Too bad that I can only push agree once.
Take a bubble then.

4186d ago
badz1494185d ago

this is getting out of hands! out of 7 billion people in the world, having 3 people with different opinion than the others is having people crying for the change of the system!

I agree that the low score is standing out like a sore eye but he might have a very high expectation in the first place but on the other hand if you just allow people who really love Halo to review it, then you'll get high scores only because they will praise it no matter what especially now that it's pretty much confirmed that nothing much has been changed by 343! and with current trends of publishers sending valuable packages to reviewers and pay for ads of their upcoming games on big sites, reviews from big sites should not always taken too seriously too imo! it's not rare anymore for games to get high scores just to be bashed later on over a lot of things even from site who gave them high scores!

in my opinion, I don't agree that Halo should be more like CoD but it doesn't hurt for 343 to add some of their own touches to the game to make it feel fresh and their own but it looks like they decided to play it safe and aside from bumping up the graphic, not much else is altered according to reviews.

what I'm saying here is, if you love the game, GOOD! go write you own review on Metacritic as they allow it but just don't go crying if somebody else not having the same opinion as you!

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4185d ago
iamnsuperman4186d ago

Or gamers need to grow up. Sadly neither will change for the better

Perjoss4186d ago

Gamers really do need to grow up, has anyone seen the user reviews for Halo 4 on metacritic? It has over 250 negative reviews compared to 60 positive ones. Im fully aware that the user reviews mean nothing really, but its a sure sign that people need to grow out of this fanboy attitude bs.

DARK WITNESS4186d ago

The fans have not had a chance to post their reviews... they are too busy playing the game.

mcstorm4186d ago

I have to disagree. Gamers are not the ones complaining about it. The fan boys that have the issues. GT5 fan boys still go on about GT5 should of got a higher score than Forza or KZ should get higher than Halo. But its the same the other way round. About how forza scores are higher than GT5 or Halo is Higher than KZ games.

We live in a world of mine is better than your now and until people grow up then it will carry on like this.

I have never got a game because the score is high or low. I buy a game because I want it not because the reviews are good or because a fan boy says its the best game ever.

two of the biggest game names ever GTA and COD are bought by a lot of people and get a high score but I don't buy them not because they are over rated games or because I think they are poor games. Its because I don't like them and cant get into them. Its the same with my phone I don't own a Android or Iphone because I don't like them. We have different choices in life for the fact we are all different.

eferreira4186d ago

why can't people accept a low score from a couple of people. Uncharted 3 got a couple low scores but that didn't stop me from buying it. Buy what you want.

hellvaguy4186d ago

Because its not a legitmate low score. Its fanboys that have never played the game giving it a 0/10 to ruin the final average score.

And that gate swings both ways, like you mentioned with Uncharted. All the popular games exclusive to one system face this same fate.

DarkRenzokuken4186d ago

I make my own evaluation of a game then read back reviews to see if I agree with them. As I am training to be a journalist I want to make sure I create solid reviews not some biased review like IGN reviews.

Kurt Russell4185d ago

Your opinion on IGN is biased.

JKelloggs4186d ago

Reviews need to go? Okay, reviews are someones opinion of a game, we as an individual have our each and own different opinion of something, people just need to grow up if they get all mardy because of a low review score, not the reviewers.

Ult iMate4185d ago (Edited 4185d ago )

Opinions are opinions, and reviews are reviews. Do not muddle those two meanings. Too many poor reviewers get away with this lame demagogic excuse. Only poor reviewers don't see the differe between review and opinion. Or else every n4g comment that judge the game, giving it a score, should obligatory appear on metacritics under "review score".

jeeves864185d ago

Wrong, Ult iMate, and everyone who doesn't understand the meaning of a review.

In the most basic of terms, a review is an elaborate opinion of a game. You cannot write a review without offering your opinion. A review without an opinion is a description of a game.

I don't understand how people don't grasp this.

There is a difference, however, between being an unfair douche and offering a legitimate, fair opinion on a game. You can tell the difference immediately, and that's the difference between a good review and a bad one, a good journalist and a hack.

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50°

Master Chief Became More Than A Machine In 343's Halo

In Halo 4, 5, and Infinite, Master Chief became a more nuanced, human character.

In spite of the Halo series’ struggles, 343 deserves praise for adding nuance and characterisation to the ever-beating heart of Halo - The Master Chief. Playing through Infinite, it's abundantly clear that the events of the current and previous trilogies have irrevocably changed the iconic hero. He’s no longer the ‘blank slate’ that was previously presented by Bungie. He’s a fatigued, damaged and fallible protagonist, and one who is meandering through currents of grief, while reveling in his newfound agency. Giving the Chief a compelling and meaningful voice was no small feat, and 343 should be proud of that victory.

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
kingnick405d ago

This article completely misses part of the appeal of the original iteration of character in the original game trilogy. It was the Chief and Cortana vs an entire alien collective. The blank slate Bungie displayed in their games was genius, he was an mysterious hero a wide audience could identify with because he wasn't as clearly defined as most characters.

The books added a lot of lore and backstory but most Halo players just want a fun game with exposition that doesn't get in the way of gameplay, it's why the Cortana level in Halo 3 was derided.

Not every character has to be a damaged soyboy, a soldier has to suck it up and do his duty.

BandarHub404d ago

A lot of people give the 343 version of Master Chief a lot of slack.
But Fundamentally he is still the same character, he just has a couple more dialogues. He has not changed in terms of attitude.
"Not every character has to be a damaged soyboy, a soldier has to suck it up and do his duty."
And that's what he has done at the end of the day, he did his duty. Watch his partner die, and was ready to destroy the weapon in Halo infinite....he is still the same soilder that everyone remembers

Halo Infintes one was a nice balance between both.

slate91404d ago

Chief and the halo franchise became a joke under 343

Sciurus_vulgaris404d ago

The 343i Master Chief has is based on the books. However, in Halo 4-Infinite, the Master Chief overtime become. gradually becomes more willing to show some emotion.

Obscure_Observer404d ago

"However, in Halo 4-Infinite, the Master Chief overtime become. gradually becomes more willing to show some emotion."

Which is awesome! I love how Master Chief become more John and less soldier.

Sciurus_vulgaris404d ago

I didn’t even notice my typos,lol

50°

Halo's Identity Problem Began With an Admirable Mess

It’s a law of nature that eventually, every long-running game franchise will have a particular entry that gets dinged for straying too far from what made it so fun in the first place. Your Super Mario Sunshine, your Dragon Age II, Assassin’s Creed III, and so on. Whether or not that opinion changes more favorably over time, the initial specter of negativity will forever hover it. Microsoft’s Halo is no exception, except that negative specter hasn’t hovered over one particular game, but one whole studio.

The3faces525d ago

True Halo 4 was a sign of 343i's incompetence and the decline of Halo.

180°

10 Years Later, Halo 4 Proves Itself a Disappointing Omen for Halo Infinite

Halo 4 released 10 years ago today, and its disappointing reception was just an omen of things to come with 343 Industries at the helm.

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gamerant.com
Sonyslave3533d ago (Edited 533d ago )

Halo 4 and infinite have a 87 on metacritic and five a 84🤣. 343i need contents and everything else will play it self out.

ChasterMies533d ago

Halo 4, 5, and Infinite reviews are good examples of the pressure on review sites to score everything between 8-10 out of 10.

ChubbyBlade532d ago

As if reviews scores are any indication of a franchises health.

Halo has been in shambles for YEARS

-Foxtrot533d ago

Halo 4-6 are like the Star Wars sequel trilogy

They all just seem like a brand new games with small connections to the last one but no solid arc connecting them, you’re just told stuff that happened off screen in between the games and nothing makes sense

It’s like they didn’t plan a new trilogy out

CoNn3rB533d ago

That's actually a pretty good way to sum it up

LucasRuinedChildhood533d ago (Edited 533d ago )

I would argue that the new Star Wars trilogy is still better. lol

Most Halo fans would kill for the equivalent of The Force Awakens at this stage (a competent rehash of what came before it). Halo Infinite tried to be that but was undercooked and failed. Halo 4 wasn't that either - they started messing with the formula straight away although the story was okay.

There was nothing particularly compelling about Halo 5's story besides the fake plot they advertised. The Last Jedi is a divisive movie but as RedLetterMedia would say, it was "sporadically interesting" because it tried some new things and set up things that could have been great (like Kylo teaming up with Rey after backstabbing Snoke). That conversation with Yoda is great and it felt like the real Yoda, not that CGI thing in the prequels.
- "Skywalker, still looking to the horizon. Never here, now, hmm? The need in front of your nose."
- "The greatest teacher, failure is ... Luke, we are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters."
- "That library contained nothing that the girl Rey does not already possess." (because she already took them, haha).

The Rise Of Skywalker is the only one where loads of stuff happens off screen ("Palpatine has returned") in between and nothing makes sense because ... they just needed a main villain and 100 star destroyers to blow up. They could have done something much better.

MrChow666533d ago

no, all disney star wars sucks also disney marvel and everything godamn disney touches

533d ago Replies(3)
Yui_Suzumiya533d ago

Um, didn't Halo 4 have the best campaign out of the new Trilogy? Lol

ChubbyBlade532d ago

Yep and even then it wasn’t very good.

Levii_92533d ago

I'm getting a good gaming laptop soon and i'm finally going to play through the Halo franchise again plus Infinite but i never played Halo 4 before .. can anyone tell me how's the campaign in comparison to the games before it and compared to Halo 5 ?

Stanjara533d ago

Halo 4 campaign great, multi bad.
Halo 5 campaign trash, multi good.

Best Cortana halo 4.

ChubbyBlade532d ago (Edited 532d ago )

Halo 4 was when they started turning it into a “modern” game. Aka taking tips from CoD.

The older titles were sandbox based with weapons that all filled a niche and vehicles that did the same. Open levels with multiple ways to approach in different spots with different weapons etc.

Halo 4/5 doesn’t have that. It’s a linear shooter and nothing else. The story is alright but that’s about it. If it wasn’t a halo game, it would be ok but because it is a halo game, it’s outshone by the previous games.

It’s a hell of a lot better than 5 though. I found infinite pretty meh

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