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Ubisoft: Reviews aren't everything photo

It seems that in this business, review scores aren't really all that important. Sure, they might influence a few sales, but some critically acclaimed works has failed to shift the units they deserve, while a load of real drek can make millions. Ubisoft knows this, and CFO Alain Martinez has claimed that a review score isn't everything.

"It's not ratings that mean everything, but we think quality and innovation are the key," claims Martinez. "To be honest, when Assassin's Creed launched and got 82 percent, we were desperate, and we thought we were going to die."

First of all, since when did an 82% mean anything bad? See, now this is why reviews aren't taken seriously by people -- the vast majority of them are utterly meaningless. When you're dishing out nines and tens like candy to the point where an 82% score average means "death," then there's something wrong with games media.

That absurdity aside, Martinez is right. He also points out how Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time garnered great reviews but failed to meet sales expectations. This is the fault of the market, something we discussed yesterday, as consumers fail to latch onto a game unless it's a sequel and encourage publishers to churn out safe, but utterly mediocre, garbage to people who are too stupid to make a new purchasing decision. 

So in closing -- f*ck 99% of game reviewers for dishing out high scores too easily, and f*ck the rest of us for not buying Sands of Time enough.


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25 comments | showing # 1 to 25

PenKaizen's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 10:58
PenKaizen
82% is a pretty good score anyway keeping in mind the game is as repetitive as fuck.
Actually hell with scores, you read reviews for opinions and issues about the game, a detailed evaluation would be much more effective than a ballpark score.
diablo8001's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 10:59
diablo8001
Hmmm, AC wasn't really a sequel. It was just overhyped. I think it has to do with the amount of people that game and follow gaming news and those that don't. IN any case, me loved SoT
falinter's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:03
falinter
I bought Sands of Time as hard as I possible could.

When I saw the commercial for it I was sold. No review told me to get it. Of course that was before the internet had me in its grasps and I saw TOO much information.

Ahh, the good old days.
Zeno's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:06
Zeno
Sands of Time was trash. No amount of time-bending gimmick can make mindless slash-em-up worthwhile.
zeroword's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:13
zeroword
I just wish the two sequels would work on the 360. Then I wouldn't have to hook up my original Xbox to play them. Stupid Microsoft and thier half ass backwards compatibility.
tgammet's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:17
tgammet
AC was a great game. My favorite of that year.
sickNasty's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:23
sickNasty
Agreed to that Zero.

I never got a chance to check out the previous PoP games beyond playing half of the first one. My original Xbox was one of the early models so the thing locks up on every game except Halo 2.

As Microsoft seems to be done with backwards compatibility, they need to work on getting those games as downloads. I'm pretty sure they'd sell better than Raze's Hell.
Narishma's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:30
Narishma
For those who haven't played The Sands of Time, you can get the PC version freely (ad supported) from here: http://www.gamershell.com/news_41340.html
TheBorbes's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:39
TheBorbes
can you spot the mistake in this sentence? hey might influence a few sales, but some critically acclaimed works has failed to shift the units they deserve.

Neither can destructoid! Okay I'll stop bein' a dick now.
The White Light's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 12:02
The White Light
While I understand what you're saying about inflated ratings, Jim, you have to admit that there's been a real flood of high quality games in the last couple years.
Kaspar's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 12:16
Kaspar
Next up:
Gamespot gives out 52 "10's" in one year, changing it's policy to hand them out once every 50 years.
gamadaya's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 12:24
gamadaya
I bought SoT twice. Is that not enough? I can buy it again if you want me to.
sogmasta's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 12:24
sogmasta
Hey don't f**k me guy. I'm a newb.

But you do make a great point. And here's an offbeat point to help yours. Anyone remember "Enter the Matrix"? Subpar to just horrible reviews. But due to movie/media super hype, it became one of the best selling games of the year.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 12:26
Holyetheline
Hell yeah.
Iron Dragon's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 12:38
Iron Dragon
Screw you Jim. I bought Sands of Time at full price. Was I supposed to buy it 3 times?
Coldbrand's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 13:30
Coldbrand
8.8
akathatoneguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 14:01
akathatoneguy
Well, you're obviously familiar with the three-way relationship between hype, reviews and game sales, so you should know why they were mortified at an 82%. The game had been hyped since before the PS3 even launched as the first true next-gen experience, and even though to many people it was a solid 8, this was a disappointment to many who expected the revelation that the game was hyped up to be.

Also, people are stupid if they don't buy games that you like? What if they don't like that type of game? Are YOU stupid because you buy Dynasty Warriors games that are rated in the 5's or 6's?

You can make your point without making huge generalizations, you know. You won't be as successful of a troll, but your points will be just as (if not more) valid.
aZZmodan's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 14:34
aZZmodan
Well, 8.2 is a great score, no doubt about that. And speaking of a game that was more of a 3.0 game with a 9.0 engine, it gets even greater.
But, to make a long story short, reviewers generally suck at reviewing.
DemonEyes23's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 21:13
DemonEyes23
8.2 is by now means bad but if you've only got cash for 1 game many people will try to pick ones that were better rated even though maybe they should be picking the one that is more in line with their particular taste. Valkyria chronicles only got an 86 but i've had more fun playing it than many higher rated titles.
BattyAdroit's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 21:38
BattyAdroit
Jim,

Totally in agreement.
akathatoneguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 23:43
akathatoneguy
@ DemonEyes23-

Good point. An 8.2 in November is like a 6.5 in July. With so many great games out that time of year, those who look at reviews have a lot of high 8's and 9's to choose from, if they are heavily influenced by reviews that is.
JustLikeBuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/12/2008 03:14
JustLikeBuck
It should have died. 82% for that Tetris clone was too good.
Riposte's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/12/2008 07:01
Riposte
You guys gave Mortal Kombat vs DC a 7 or 8 if I recall.

Uh..............
y2bj's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/12/2008 13:03
y2bj
Definitely have to agree with you. I write a video games section for AMP Magazine, and to me, 8 out of 10 is still a very solid score and means the game is worth buying, though it may have a few problems. I still consider 7 respectable. So yeah, since when did an 82 percent become a kiss of death? Sure 82 in holiday season compared to better games and people trying to buy only a few scores isn't going to help, but guess what, its not a perfect game and there were better things to buy. So maybe Ubisoft should be more concerned with the quality of the product that led to that score. Sure it is an innovative game, but has some fundamental flaws.

Prince of Persia at least survived the "low" sales. Beyond Good and Evil has taken years to get a sequel that I'm still skeptical will happen any time soon, and that has remained a critic favorite. It happens.
akathatoneguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/12/2008 13:09
akathatoneguy
@ y2bj-

Did you read the actual article? They also came to the conclusion in the end that there's no reason to be overly concerned about review scores. I don't remember them saying that the 82 average wasn't deserved, either.
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