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The Escapist : Zero Punctuation Game Reviews

dazftw · 2008-01-17 04:13:57

They say we should give the man a sticky, I think we should aswell! If we cant do this heres a handly link to subscribe to the videos so you will get a email when the new one is put up! His Hompepage His Essays His Games Subscribe The Escapist : Zero Punctuation The Darkness(demo) Fable: The Lost Chapters After getting the…

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#812 14-05-2009 11:13AM

L31mr0d

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Otacon wrote: »

He has complained many times about generic sequels, unoriginal premises and Japanese games in general. When he then slates a game that, if anything, displays none of these faults, and possibly stunts the game exposure and sales even further, I just can't understand why he did this.

If he'd played this game and loved it we'd be applauding him for giving this underrated game extra exposure and backing, rather than just pimping the high profile games. But because he honestly didn't like it and said so we are calling foul.

I find this dichotomy ridiculous, on one hand we howl when the likes of Gerstmann was fired and had his review edited to show a more favourable opinion. But then on the other hand we want reviewers to always give good reviews of cult hit games, and if they don't like it to not say anything at all.

At least he reviewed it. Regardless of whether you think it's bad exposure, it's exposure none the less. I'd actually forgotten about this game and have since re-added it to my rental queue because this review reminded me of it.

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#813 14-05-2009 11:56AM

Otacon

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L31mr0d wrote: »

If he'd played this game and loved it we'd be applauding him for giving this underrated game extra exposure and backing, rather than just pimping the high profile games. But because he honestly didn't like it and said so we are calling foul.

What I disagree with is not his opinion of the game but rather how he arrived at it.

It is fairly obvious that he didn't actually played this game, based on the information given in the review. Of course Gerstmann got plaudits. That was because he honestly reviewed it and got pinged for it. I would compare this more to the recent Eurogamer review of that... game!? The MMO. As we don't know the details, I can't say for sure, but it does look like the guy didn't play the game near enough to form an informed opinion on it.

Anyway, I don't think he reviewed it to actually give his opinion on it. He reviewed it to make a funny video... which wasn't all that funny anyway, compared to his earlier work.

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#814 14-05-2009 12:02PM

Retr0gamer

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I agree. Yahtzee probably just saw the anime artstyle, decided it was a JRPG and lambasted it for having stereotypical JRPG failings which it didn't have and isn't even a JRPG anyway. If he had given the game a good go maybe he wouldn't have liked it but it's obvious from all the errors in the review he never gave it a chance and just glanced over it for pointers on where to pick fun at it.

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#815 14-05-2009 12:14PM

L31mr0d

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Otacon wrote: »

What I disagree with is not his opinion of the game but rather how he arrived at it.

I don't think a lot of reviewers complete games if they find them crap, I don't agree with this, but then I don't judge whether I'm going to play a game because 1 guy in a review didn't like it. I know retr0, who is pimping VC has no qualms with telling people a game is crap and should be avoided even if he's never actually played it, let alone completed it.

Like AVGN, he's a comedian first, game reviewer second. I will agree he has not been especially funny of late, but I think this is more to do with his shtick getting old. Like noodler said, his vids are all about shock, and by now most of us don't find his stringing of expletives together funny. Plus his anime jokes and stereotypes are wearing pretty thin at this stage.

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#816 14-05-2009 12:31PM

Retr0gamer

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But on the other hand he didn't even have to finish it to find out he was wrong about these things, he could have found it out in about 4 hours of play. wouldn't be surprised if he only played the pretty poor demo. And i'd never say a game was crap if I hadn't played it unless it was an old game of legendary crapness like night trap or virtual hylide

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#817 14-05-2009 12:55PM

Otacon

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L31mr0d wrote: »

I don't think a lot of reviewers complete games if they find them crap, I don't agree with this, but then I don't judge whether I'm going to play a game because 1 guy in a review didn't like it. I know retr0, who is pimping VC has no qualms with telling people a game is crap and should be avoided even if he's never actually played it, let alone completed it.

I don't believe a reviewer has to necessarily finish a game to have an informed opinion on it. Many reviews focus on the gameplay features and the initial narrative and IMO that is enough to give a pretty well-thought out opinion on a game. I mean, if a game is sh!t up until the final chapter and then becomes good, most people will have given up by then so a poor review is warranted.

As has been said, it is obvious he spent little or no time with this game. I have pity on those who will dismiss this game based, partly or solely, on his review.

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#818 14-05-2009 01:27PM

L31mr0d

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Retr0gamer wrote: »

And i'd never say a game was crap if I hadn't played it

*cough*

Otacon wrote: »

As has been said, it is obvious he spent little or no time with this game. I have pity on those who will dismiss this game based, partly or solely, on his review.

Well I suppose if someone is stupid enough to rule out ever playing a game on the comedic ramblings of ZP they probably would never of appreciated the deeply emotional narrative and involved and unique gameplay of Valkyrie Chronicles anyway :pac:

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#819 14-05-2009 02:27PM

Retr0gamer

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I was basing that on the universal panning that sonic unleashed got. I've played a bit of it since and think it suffers from the same problems as the rest of the new games, it focuses on being fast at the sake of playing well missing the point completely and then completely ruins it with ridiculous collectathon mechanics.

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#820 14-05-2009 03:17PM

Azza

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Retro you go to far....Night Trap was awesome!

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#821 14-05-2009 03:30PM

Retr0gamer

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The night trap song was awesome, the game wasn't.

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#822 14-05-2009 03:40PM

Azza

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Lies its twice as good as Shadow of the Colossus and Panzer Dragoon put together!

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#823 14-05-2009 03:50PM

Retr0gamer

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I'll admit the art style was amazing. I couldn't believe how they created video using pixels the size of duplo blocks and the storytelling on par with the best literature had to offer, but I'm not sure it congealed as a cohesive whole. In otherwords why were the vampires using novelty grabber hands to molest teenagers.

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#824 14-05-2009 04:29PM

Azza

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They where not vampires, they where orgers or something....don't you know anything. Orgers had no pointed teeth, unlike vampires so they had to use that blood sucking grabber device!

I mean come on you have to admit to the brillaince of the catapulting bed trap device!

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#825 14-05-2009 04:45PM

Retr0gamer

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I had one made for my house right after I'd seen it.

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#826 14-05-2009 05:14PM

Jazzy

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i knew it was only a matter of time before yahtzee turned his attention to boards and retr0gamer

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#827 14-05-2009 05:19PM

Retr0gamer

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He's losing his touch and knows, his only hope is getting comedy by winding up me :pac:

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#828 14-05-2009 07:35PM

noodler

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By the way, I have never played a SRPG which is what I believe the genre of the game is but for me it was alot more like a rts, say Command and Conquer, than a FF.

Albeit with a vastly superior story to a command and conquer.

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#829 14-05-2009 08:10PM

Bubs101

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I thought it was one of his funnier reviews in recent times tbh

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#830 20-05-2009 06:45PM

5uspect

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Velvet Assassin this week

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#831 20-05-2009 06:50PM

Mr E

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Hyperbollillionth is a great word.

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#832 20-05-2009 10:28PM

BlitzKrieg

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i lolled at the community service comment at the end!

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#833 20-05-2009 10:40PM

Retr0gamer

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Boomerang **** up, nice

Leave VC alone though

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#834 21-05-2009 11:31AM

Jack Sheehan

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Hehe, axis community service

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#835 27-05-2009 05:10PM

pixelburp

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This weeks is ... ahem ...Duke Nukem Forever?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/748-Duke-Nukem-Forever

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#836 27-05-2009 05:21PM

Jack Sheehan

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Ha! That was great.

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#837 27-05-2009 05:29PM

Retr0gamer

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Monkey jokes make me laugh.

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#838 27-05-2009 06:02PM

BlitzKrieg

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made me laugh anyway.

Is it weird that I want to play the game where you bake a cake on the moon.

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#839 27-05-2009 07:21PM

DarkJager

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BlitzKrieg wrote: »

made me laugh anyway.

Is it weird that I want to play the game where you bake a cake on the moon.

*cough cough* Purble Palace *cough cough*

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#840 27-05-2009 07:29PM

Mr E

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Hmm... If you were an ex-3D Realms staffer, how would you feel about that review?

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#841 27-05-2009 07:31PM

Seifer

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Mr E wrote: »

Hmm... If you were an ex-3D Realms staffer, how would you feel about that review?

If it's accurate then they probably wouldn't get it...

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