I'll give Southpeak credit where it's due. We've torn many of their games to shreds, but not once have they ever complained, demanded a re-review, or thrown bitter accusations at us. That said, one of our more positive reviews, Section 8, caused the publisher some concern and they looked into the main problem I had with the game -- the lack of an online community.
Southpeak said that people were playing Section 8 and that, contrary to my review, servers were quite healthy. Developer TimeGate Studios was collecting data for me to prove this claim, but then stumbled upon an issue that apparently explains why I couldn't get into a decent game.
"TimeGate investigated the issues you were having and we attribute the experience you had of low-player multiplayer games to a bug where the matchmaking system favored placement of players into empty/near empty servers," explains the developer. "TimeGate has worked feverishly to make sure that all players are getting the full multiplayer madness they deserve. Currently, things are looking great, with servers normally running at near capacity, and tests showing that over 95% of players looking for a large match are getting in with groups of 14+ players on server. Apologies to any early players that had issues."
I am now going to use this situation as an opportunity to declare that Destructoid reviews help to fix games. Had we not brought up the multiplayer issues in our review, this problem may never have been discovered. Yes, we are now basically game developers and our words can alter the course of the industry. Only our JOURNALISM can make videogames better.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
5:00 PM on 09.12.2009
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Southpeak is what I'd consider a "middle-ground" company, so it's really nice to see that they care.
I'd actually say the beta game browser was far better but I'm guessing someone twisted Timegate's arm on this matter.
I'm gonna guess and say Jim's review wasn't the only review they read or responded to. Just a guess.
I have seen on some sites, VoodooExtreme comes to mind where game co. would ask to wait for a review to be published until a patch was released a few days time. I disagree with this practice as I'm sure most gamers would. You review a game as it is released. What's the difference of reviewing a game a day later or 2 months later? The game should be done when it is released.
It's a very murky water, and one with no real right or wrong answer. My personal policy is that a review is based on the "as is" product we're given, and if there is a patch, we notify the readers in a new post without altering the original review. I think that's the best course of action.
The waters aren't really that murky. It's more or less how much integrity is in that water.
But yeah. Yay. A Southpeak game that doesn't suck now sucks a little less.
"My personal policy is that a review is based on the 'as is' product we're given, and if there is a patch, we notify the readers in a new post without altering the original review. I think that's the best course of action."
That's mine as well. Re-scoring a product, I feel, makes it "ok" for developers to rush out an unfinished product to the public. Additionally, gamers without online capabilities for patches are left in the dust.
"Additionally, gamers without online capabilities for patches are left in the dust."
Except that this particular patch fixes a problem only encountered online..
Agreed. I think a review should cover what the person who gets the game on release day will experience, because those are the people that will be first to benefit from what they read.
@Jim
For what it's worth I also think this is the best course of action. On top of what Magnalon said and what I wrote in reply to The Juda above, it makes the score given "worth" that little bit more by ensuring concistency, but like you said, there is no real right or wrong answer.
Honestly, we're just happy that we were able to fix the issue. That's really the most important thing here. It's not about re-reviewing the game. Jim has already reviewed the game, and we understand that. We respect journalists' opinions and integrity because it's the right thing to do, and we're glad when we can improve things based on them. So thanks again, Jim! :)
enough said
''Hehehe I like this guy. I picture him having to wipe the spittle from his monitor while typing all of this.
Sorry you did not like our shit-hydra, Jim Sterling, we made it just for you :(. At least you handled it with integrity and calm professionalism. I would have just started yelling at the Internet.''
Word yo.
There is a right and wrong. There is a "this is how the game was released" and there is a "this should not released". Games shouldn't rely on an update to make them acceptable. Reviews should be based on how games are accepted by the media unless there are given, specified, exceptions. If Phantom EFX suddenly released a patch that made Darkest of Days fun, would Jim post it? Fuck no. He revels in his own shit too much. And the same should be for game companies. Release what you should release.
What? I was talking about my general policy. Of course this particular instance wouldn't apply for offline gamers...
I wasn't suggesting that Southpeak would ask for a re-review, I just saw the potential of this story to change people's opinions on your game, and put forward mine on the issue it raised, becuase "honest" reviews are hard to come by these days. Companies acting on points made in reviews is a brilliant move, and I hope that more developers pick up the habit. Thanks for the reply, I never expected to get a response from someone involved haha.
I think in some circumstances it is fair for a review to change. For example iff a gamebreaking bug is missed during testing and present in the review copy of a game, but fixed on a release-day patch, it makes sense to cut the developer some slack and change the review of the game, because it no longer represents what the first consumers will experience. I agree with Jim's statement that it's very murky waters, but I respect your opinion and can relate to it in a way.
Sorry for the double post, internet is crazy slow tonight.
Would that hold true for a review copy or a retail review copy? Pre-release I can see it for sure, but when game co.'s send out retail review copies and then say "oh wait...we have a patch" there's a difference.
You bet your fucking ass!
Hell yes. Destructoid FTW. First the industry, then...
The world.
Games I need you to save:
Too Human
Assassin's Creed
Team Fortress 2(360, I need those updates.)
Perfect Dark Zero
Fallout 3
Silly me.
All they need to do now to win my heart is ramp up the quality control.
*thumbs up* =D