what are some reviewers smoking here?

**bultje112** · 12-31-2011, 06:36 AM

I mean I was checking some reviews like formula 1 for sega cd and it got a 1/10 wtf!! seriously this was the best f1 game until grand prix 2 came out for the pc. it was a wet dream for formula 1 fans and first true simulation as good as it could get back then. a 8 or 9/10 in my book and so in those of many more. but a 1/10 I can't believe it almost. did the guy understand absolutely NOTHING of the game? and it seems so so why bother posting your review.

also dune a 6/10 and especially the things said like a lack of gameplay made my pants drop to the floor

**Barone** · 12-31-2011, 06:48 AM

Calm down...

The abysmal Genesis port of Shadow Of The Beast II got a 7 (colors are horrid, sfx are shitty, several backgrounds lacking...)! Maybe the infite superior Sega CD version will receive a 14?

If you take a look into some crappy EA sports games for the Genesis you'll have a heart-attack! Some NHL titles received 8 and 9 with all their choppy gameplay, washed out colors and awful sfx... A great game and quality product like F1:Beyond The Limits received a 1! While the crappy Mario Andretti Racing receive a decent score...
There's a lot of non-sense going with several scores... Some reviewers will give an extremely overhyped score based on esoteric criteria or personal preferences due to childhood memories. Others will give a floor score due to their lack of skills for playing the game or just pure hate, so why review the damn game in the first place?

Don't try to compare the scores, don't even try to understand them or you'll become nuts!

**bultje112** · 12-31-2011, 07:52 AM

Thank you. I'm somehwat new to this site but a huge fan of sega. that's why I couldn't understand these scores that were assumably given by fans of the systems and thus the games and if you don't understand a game or you suck at it then don't review it. I had the same anger back in the day with shenmue reviews.

I also see now that citizen x got a 5/10 which I think is one of the best games out there for the system. I won't bother looking at the ratings anymore.

**Christuserloeser** · 12-31-2011, 09:44 AM

The ratings here are all over the place. I take it you haven't seen the Thunder Blade review yet.... I also love the Streets of Rage 1 review (6/10). Oh, and Columns.

**old man** · 12-31-2011, 09:56 AM

In the old site there was a way for the readers to post their own score on games. Sadly that doesn't seem to be available anymore. It gave one sided reviews a nice balance.

**shinobimusashi** · 12-31-2011, 10:05 AM

This one smokes a lot of herb, but nothing else. I promise.

NHL 94/95/96 are great games in my opinion. Easily worth at least an 8, and I don't even like hockey(I didn't write those reviews though).

You can still leave reader scores/comments on review pages, but you have to register a seperate account for the main site. It's really easy. The forums, and the main site are seperate(for security reasons, we did almost lose everything to hack last year.). A main site that is seperate from its forums is a small sacrifice we have to make in order to have the all time greatest video game fan site in the history of teh internets.

As many review scores that there are that are wack, there are just as many that hit the hammer right on the head of the nail. Sega-16 is home to the best reviews for Genesis games in my opinion, despite the small handfull of stinkers.

**Barone** · 12-31-2011, 10:29 AM

The original Pong is a great game. However it does not deserve a 8 if it's running in Genesis hardware, that's how I see it.

A 8 or 9 for a game that runs choppy, looks bad and sounds awful is a mistake IMO.

It's interesting to see how forgiving the scores usually are toward sports games here... Just compare it with the platformers' scores, for an example. Looks like that people will always remember about Sonic games to judge any other mascot platformer but they will easily forget much better produced sports games, like NBA Jam, to prize cheap EA crap.
The score of FIFA games here are waaaaaaaaaay too high, but, again, just my opinion.

**shinobimusashi** · 12-31-2011, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by agostinhobaroners

The original Pong is a great game. However it does not deserve a 8 if it's running in Genesis hardware, that's how I see it.

A 8 or 9 for a game that runs choppy, looks bad and sounds awful is a mistake IMO.

What about if the game is just fun to play? Does it really have to look, and sound like gold?

It's interesting to see how forgiving the scores usually are toward sports games here... Just compare it with the platformers' scores, for an example. Looks like that people will always remember about Sonic games to judge any other mascot platformer but they will easily forget much better produced sports games, like NBA Jam, to prize cheap EA crap.
The score of FIFA games here are waaaaaaaaaay too high, but, again, just my opinion.

First of all, who forgets NBA Jam? I just played an epic 4 player multi tap game on the Sega CD with my two brothers, and another friend over the holidays. I read about another epic game in the What Are You Playing Today thread here at Sega-16 recently. That game went into 7 overtimes iirc, unbelievable.

At the end of the day it just comes down to a matter of opinion. I don't like soccer, so I don't really like the FIFA games, but someone who really understands the sport, and appreciates it may have a different opinion. Everybody is different, and not everything is for everybody.

@bultje112

As for F1, feel free to write a Second Take. http://www.sega-16.com/submissions/contribute-articles/

**profholt82** · 12-31-2011, 11:22 AM

^You must spread some reputation around before giving it to shinobimusashi again.

**Barone** · 12-31-2011, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by shinobimusashi

What about if the game is just fun to play? Does it really have to look, and sound like gold?

Like gold? No. Like a 16-bit game, yes.

Originally Posted by shinobimusashi

First of all, who forgets NBA Jam? I just played an epic 4 player multi tap game on the Sega CD with my two brothers, and another friend over the holidays. I read about another epic game in the What Are You Playing Today thread here at Sega-16 recently. That game went into 7 overtimes iirc, unbelievable.

I wasn't talking about you or about what do you actually play. But, well, great playing choice...
I was just talking about how the judgement is different between the games genres in reviews.

Originally Posted by shinobimusashi

At the end of the day it just comes down to a matter of opinion. I don't like soccer, so I don't really like the FIFA games, but someone who really understands the sport, and appreciates it may have a different opinion. Everybody is different, and not everything is for everybody.

Sorry, but some examples show that it's not just like you said. By the way, I like soccer and I live in Brazil which is the country where the soccer is, by far, the #1 sport.

Well let's take a look at two different reviews from the same reviewer (Tom Lenting; I don't know who is he and I have no intention to flame the guy. Also there are many other examples from other reviewers but I had to choose one.).

He gave a 7 to International SuperStar Soccer Deluxe (a European and Brazilian release; original game from Konami but ported by the German company Factor 5) in 08/23/2007.
He gave an 8 to Fifa Soccer '95 (published by EA and developed by Extended Play Prod.) in 03/27/2008.

The scores, per si , are mind boggling if you ever saw those games running (you really don't need to be an expert to notice the abysmal difference):

ISSS Deluxe is far superior in terms of graphics, sounds, animation, colors, controls and in-game narration.
But let's assume that the reviewer have considered mainly the gameplay, then we have:
From his ISSS Deluxe review:

Even more, the game is a lot more accessible than FIFA ’95. The controls are easier to pick (you don’t really need to do the training mode), though it will take a time to figure out how to score a goal due to some insanely good goalkeepers. If you played ISS Deluxe, you do not want to return to FIFA ’95 – this game plays so much more fluidly.

Sounds like this game is better than FIFA '95...

ISS Deluxe isn’t as polished as FIFA Soccer ’95 and not as instantly accessible as Sensible Soccer. Nevertheless, it is one the best soccer games on the Mega Drive, with great arcade actions and a lot of fun. I would have definitely rated it with an “8″ if it wasn’t for the lack of a save feature, which makes me knock the score one point down; however, in my opinion it’s still the second-best soccer game on the Mega Drive, after Sensible Soccer.

FIFA '95 is more polished? By what stretch of imagination? If it is more polished why it sounds awful, plays choppy and looks ugly as hell in comparison?
WTF? The lack of save detracts one point from the score?
Ah, it's still the second best (after Sensible Soccer) in his opinion but the FIFA '95 got a higher score... Does NOT make any sense.

From his FIFA 95' review:

If you have the patience to practice for a little while, FIFA ’95 turns out to be very deep and involving. You can alter your strategy and line up in any possible way and it really effects the way your players are playing in a manner which was quite revolutionary for 1994/1995. In terms of options and presentation FIFA ’95 easily beats its main competitors; but Sensible Soccer is more suitable for non-soccer fans due to its more accessible gameplay.

The bold part is delusional. What does he understand for "presentation"? ISSS Deluxe's graphics, menus, huds, team cards, narration and everything else are FAR superior. There's also lots of tactics and other options in ISSS Deluxe that he seems to not know how to use.

IMO it is a good example of how non-sense some scores, even from the same reviewers, are.