Killzone 2 reviews and the rush to be first

Destructoid writes:

"There's no denying that games media is a competitive business. The blogs and the big sites all scrabble to be "first" with news, fall over each other to have exclusive details, and generally act like vultures, fighting over whatever scraps of game-themed newsmeat they can get their beaks sunk into.

It's an element of games media I'm glad I don't have to worry about anymore now that I am only obligated to work on reviews for Destructoid (all my news posts are extracurricular). However, as more and more blogs turn up and reviews become an increasing cause of sensation, controversy and validation among the gamer community, the same desperate, rather pathetic, scrabble to be "first" with one's own opinions seems to be infecting the reviews sector with alarming frequency."

[PirateThom]

And yet, it's only for a PS3 game that this has become an issue to sites that normally don't care.

[Trollimite]

so much truth in your statement

[callahan09]

What exclusive review did Killzone 2 even get? Two days ago there were 0 reviews, now there are like 75 reviews. There were no exclusives, it was just a bum-rush out of the gate, as soon as Sony said "Reviews are cool for print now" they all got printed.

[callahan09]

I never read 1up's review of Warhawk, but if THAT'S the case, WOW they're ridiculous. Warhawk is one of the most addictive, most balanced, most well-designed & fun online multiplayer games of all time (it's my personal favorite, but I know a lot of people would have a strong argument for Halo or Counterstrike or something else). 40 dollars for Warhawk was a steal, and now it's only 30. I will never completely stop playing Warhawk unless they come out with a sequel that is every bit as good and better.

[GWAVE]

Again, Killzone 2 is the first that journalists bring this up with. Interesting. I agree that having an "exclusive" review might call into question the site's validity, but there are other thing that might call a review score's validity into question. Things like...oh, and I'm just pulling things out of a hat...$800 swag bags?

[Unicron]

Indeed. Why are exclusive reviews being called into question NOW? All of a sudden the media is going to be ethical? I don't get it.

I thought the media wasn't biased? I thought it was all one big fake conspiracy? What's that? Shady deals DO go on? The media DOES have things to hide and DO have incentives/reasons for "exclusive" first reviews such as score limits? No! Not possible! Only Sony would give out an $800 Killzone 2 swag bag including free copies of Halo 3 Legendary Edition and Halo 3 Edition Xbox 360's!

Oops.

Oh Gwave, you and I are indeed on the same page.

In all seriousness, this is NOTHING new, and happens with EVERY SINGLE BIG RELEASE. To start calling out KZ2, while ignoring the same situation with Halo 3, Gears 2, MGS4, LBP, etc is just absurd and yet more inconsistency on the part of the media. Call out ALL reviewers for doing it, or call out none, but at least be consistent.

And no, I do not condone "exclusive" reviews nabbed with incentives to back them up. Shady dealings.

[BRG9000]

This is not even close to the first time this has come up. Almost every major gaming podcast muses on this regularly when they talk about the games they're playing for review, and I've seen articles about this on at least IGN and 1up before. This topic tends to come up at the release of every major game.

Chill.

[TruthBTold]

"This is something even GameSpot said was improper, and when GameSpot's saying it, you know you probably shouldn't be doing it."

I would trust Kotaku and Gamespot if they did this so called "deep review" with every single game they reviewed. Truth be told, this is the first time I have seen them want to be so careful with a game review. There are good web sites that have good and professional journalist and there are the ones that are just full of fanboys who don't act professional but rather bias and childish. I get what this article is referring to but using Kotaku and Gamespot as an example of trustworthy and professional web sites doesn't give the writer the support he was looking for.

[rucky]

Destructoid's alright and so far from what i've seen they've put out some pretty well written reviews but I totally agree, they should have never mentioned Gamespot and Kotaku as examples to support their propaganda. That's like promoting sportsmanship and having Mike Tyson back you up.

[TruthBTold]

But having the writer use some of the worst websites as an example of who we as gamers should listen to just makes him look either ignorant or look just as bad as them by promoting them as an example of what he considers "good journalist". As a gamer I really wish we had more websites that did their articles based on their passion for games and not attention or ridiculous fanboyism.

[ALIEN]

After reading the whole article, i have to say that what gamespot said, makes sense.

[labaronx]

There are tons of Sony reps who are there just playing these games so the reviewers can actually have "substance" for there reviews instead of just saying well Gears 2 multiplayer runs on xbox live so you know its flawless 5 stars, while an actual problem exist and it takes a month to fix. Can you say double standard?

[Max Power]

i guess the hit you just got from me will not be repeated when your review comes out, because most likely i will have the game by then, and i will have the demo for days/weeks by then, and your review will mean nothing to me.

[Graphics Whore]

I must say it's a startling discovery you have found that just happens to be *coincedently* the perfect time for Killzone 2 reviews.

[labaronx]

Before I go any further the way the servers were not up to the task upon Socom's release was completely sony's fault. However these three so called nobel sites of Kotaku, Destructoid, and Gamespot didnt hesitate to condemn the game and Sony. the only site that gave Socom the the score it deserved was 1up which did a second review bringing the game from a C to a B+. Everyone else was like we dont rereview. Talk about BS.

[Helghast Slayer]

I've said it once and i'll say it again. After this Killzone2 review fiasco i expect every future fps to have Co-op, graphics beyond average(as stated by gamespot) and it has to reinvent the genre.

If it fails to do these things that where brought up in Killzone2 reviews then i expect them to score it 8.5 at best knowing killzone2 will probably still look and play better than any other fps console game the rest of this gen.

I'm looking at you Fear2, Bioshock2, Halo3 expansion and future Halo titles and many more. If they are given a pass i'll personally bomb every reviewers head quarters lol. Seriously.

[ALIEN]

Can't wait to see what gamespot and kotuku have to say.

[James Vanderbeek]

every website has like a huge count down on when there review is going to come out.. i dont see any sites saying anything about that.. why all the hate and picking on the ps3??

[labaronx]

be patient with there reviews of Halo ODST or Call of Duty MW2. These guy are so lame it's not even funny. "We cant judge the game yet because there isnt enough people on multiplayer" but all of the big sites didnt have a problem with it. Right.

[Bathyj]

So does anyone else think, if this game was on XB we wouldn't be having this discussion?

The only words out of their mouth would be "10".

Also, anyone else think the Metascore would be about 97 if this was an XB exclusive?

[BLUR111]

It's funny when a "fanboy" calls something or someone biased.

[ALIEN]

your right, dude? When a ps3 game is about to drop, u see every fxxking game website coming up with all this stories, talkn about how the game is not a "HALO-KILLER" these days anything that comes out on a SONY console have to be a "halo-killer" to be a great game. Im not hating on HALO or anything. I like halo, but the media needs to stop with the "halo-killer" thing, because it's getting to a limit that it's startin to piss people off(like myself). Halo need no killer and KZ2 doesn't need to kill halo to be a great game like halo.

[Imallvol7]

I think everyone is over the term Halo killer. Halo is special and will always be what it is and you can't beat it. I just recently got re-addicted to Halo again. That doesn't mean Killzone 2 isn't awesome. The Beta absolutely blew me away and it has the best online play since Halo 2 and 3 and Socom 2.

[Monty_The_Great]

so this is a review telling me I shouldn't listen to other reviews because they aren't as trust worthy? F'in Destructoid. This means I should listen to them because they are "going against the grain?" Why can't they just review the game and stop thinking that they are bigger than the game?

[jakinov]

if u listen to the podcast JEff Haynes says he's beaten Killzone 2 like 10 times or something I forgot but it was high. It's in their latest Beyond podcast somewhere in the beggining.

[Imallvol7]

It's only PS3 games where all these articles happen . . . People just want hits, rushing review, etc.

Will the media ever get over PS3 bias?

Just yesterday I heard a reviewer start his Killzone 2 Review with "PS3 fans finally have something besides MGS4 to play."

Seriously?

[Johnny Rotten]

Not too bad of an article, but you also have to realize that this games been previewed countless times, it's been in beta for a while, and game sites received 2 different copies to review over a month ago(that I know of).

For people to put out reviews the day an embargo is lifted is no different than any other day. no?

[rgun]

scrabble...

[rhood022]

uh..I don't even know where to begin with this article...

[MassErect2]

There are only 37 reviews so far in Metacritic. Most popular next-gen games reach at least 80 reviews. I can guarantee everybody that Killzone 2 metascore will be below 90 (exactly like it happened before to Resistance 2) when the rest of the reviews get released. Just don't cry when you see this game in B territory, where it belongs. ;)

Peace.

[spandexxking]

There are only 37 reviews so far in Metacritic. Most popular next-gen games reach at least 80 reviews. I can guarantee everybody that Killzone 2 metascore will be below 90 (exactly like it happened before to Resistance 2) when the rest of the reviews get released. Just don't cry when you see this game in B territory, where it belongs./sarcasm

Peace.

FIXED

[Pixel_Addict]

Suddenly when Gamespot has something to say about a PS3 blockbuster, we should all listen to a fallen game site? Funny how a disgraced site like Gamespot suddenly get credit for their Jesus Christ pose. Jim, you and your bias co-workers are not saving the world or healing diseases, you review games, and even among gamers you have little importance.

So do us all a favor get over yourselves, because nothing you twats can do will stop the juggernaut that is Killzone 2.

[BrianC6234]

I guess this is what we'll be seeing from reviews now. They weren't out right away so it isn't that it took them too long but other sites wanted to be first. Why talk about that? It just makes the reviewer look petty. Give your worthless review and move on. It's not like everyone is waiting for their review to decide if we should buy the game.

[gametheory]

Gamespot, Edge, Destructoid and ripten.

[Sarcasm]

Nothing's a problem, unless it's a PS3 exclusive.

- Co-op
- Online stability
- Story
- Innovation
- Price
- Graphics
- Gameplay
- "Exclusive" Reviews

But when it's a 360 exclusive, the whole media celebrates like it's the second coming. All those issues I listed get a free pass. With excuses like

"Halo 3 it's where the multiplayer that counts 10/10!"
"Oh Bioshock is a single player story, no need for multiplayer or co-op 10/10!"
"Fable 2's online isn't what is promised, but the single player is really really good and long. GOTY 10/10!"
"Gears of War 2 is bigger, better, and more badass than Jesus. Who cares about the story or broken multiplayer, 10/10!!!"

And I cant believe people still think the general media "isn't biased"

[jmd749]

all of a sudden with KZ2, destructoad wants to be very fair and very thorough with their reviews. they're just prepping themselves to give KZ2 an undeservedly poor score. it's truly disgusting what gaming has come to with these biased sites that can't base a game's score on it's merits but rather the system it's on. pathetic

[Redlight]

How long is your list of 'They hate teh PS3!' sites going to get?

Lucky Obama has a Wii, if the man had a 360 you guys would be blaming the CIA for the failure of Home.

At what point will you look at what you're posting and, in a moment of revelation, see what a load of stupid whiny crap it really is?

[Oner]

At the same point you realize that games like

1) Halo 3 didn't deserve it's high scores
2) Gears 2 WAS (and still is) broken in it's multiplayer yet it gets a pass
3) Sites like Gamesradar where trying to pass off a 10 minute PREVIEW for KZ2 as proper for a score of 5/10
4) COD4 being short and NOT having co-op yet all these sites gave it a pass
5) How IGN can give GTA4 a 10 for graphics yet KZ2 a 9.5!
6) How Epic and Bungie can get away with press/review Bullshots @ 2922 x 2880 pixel resolutions that a 360 can in no way produce but yet Sony shows a TARGET RENDER (that they NEVER lied about) and they get lambasted for 2 years over it.

I can go on but all you have to do is READ ALL THE OTHER INFO RIGHT IN THIS THREAD to get a perfectly clear description of what IS going on and HAS been for quite a while. So just because YOU think it is not happening does not make it true. The proof is right there in front of your face a hundred times over...your own bias doesn't allow you to see this rationally.

[DeZimatoR]

Coincidence? I don't think so.

I do think the fact that Sony keeps on launching high quality exclusive games and is still in the game bothers MANY people who are waiting for them to fail to jump on their back.

Its sad really, when you think about it, cause those same people had a blast the two previous gens playing on Sony consoles.

Ah well...'gamers have changed' right? :p

[rob6021]

I'm not against Killzone 2, I really want to play this game, but do you think it's possible in receiving a review copy of the game, these websites signed in contract they weren't allowed post their review if they scored it below 9/10, until a later specified date. However the review copies seem to be all over the place, so if this were the case someone probably would have leaked this info. I remember something about EA doing this with madden scores before.

[atreyu_-]

Were there articals like this after GTA4 or HALO cus there should have been.

[Jager]

And Yet, neither Gamespot, or Destructoid waited for Gears of War 2 to launch so they could give an accurate review of its broken, glitched fest multiplayer.