Yesterday, Tom Chick from Fidget (Sci-Fi's gaming extension)
posted a blot article naming names in the video games industry. He ran down his most overrated titles of 2008 and supported his list with a few sentences on why they were overrated. While there are a few that I am apt to agree with, there are definitely some that were included just to rally the troops on his site (and they have with more than 120 comments on the post). Let's go through his list and break down his arguments:
10) Civilization IV: Colonization
He says: "I've never won a single game of Colonization. But I've loved every game I've played. I don't imagine many people would feel the same."
I say: "Hmm, not sure how a game rated at 83 on MetaCritic (sure, that says nothing, but for the sake of argument here, we're using it) can really make an overrated game of 2008 list. It puts it squarely in the average game score, actually. Nevertheless, Civ games have always been catered toward a niche audience. So much so that Firaxis Games attempted (successfully, in my opinion) to bring it to the console audience with Civilization Revolution."
9) Left 4 Dead
He says: "It's a great showcase for zombies that can run and co-op gameplay, but it's as fast, slick, fun in groups, and gratifying as chasing a greased pig (take that however you will). Serious Sam and Robotron were pretty cool, too, while the thrill lasted."
I say: "Agreed on the first part of the statement. L4D is one of the best co-op games I have played and I'd take it a step forward and say it's one of the best games of the year. The equivalent games given don't make sense because neither had me screaming at a) my TV or b) at my brother who wandered off into the woods without me while 13 zombies nibbled on my spleen. Knocks on this game should be directed toward its length (only four chapters!?) or its depth of pain bringers (small lineup of weapons)."
8) Burnout: Paradise
He says: "A racing game largely devoid of meaningful physics or convenience, also known as Burnout: Drive All the Way Back to the Starting Line Because There's No "Re-Try Race" Option, Suckers!."
I say: "I don't even know where to start with this. Meaningful physics? What the hell? Perhaps someone hasn't taken his ride atop one of the game's cliffs and performed three consecutive flips and landed on all fours. It was the most enjoyable driving game of the year and Criterion, the game's developers, are still churning out more cars and islands for players to explore and destroy. What else could you possibly want?"
7) Spore
He says: "The developers have explained that Spore was essentially three products: a content creator, a game-ish sort of thing, and a way to share stuff. Unless you're interested in at least two of those three things, and if you're willing for at least one of them to be rather anemic, Spore will be a head-scratcher."
I say: "I actually agree with this one. From the hype to the eventual release of the product, this was billed as the next coming of 8-bit Christ. Not only was it boring out of the box, but after my idiot animals kept dying, I completely forgot about the 'game' until you mentioned it. Thanks a lot!"
6) Wii Fit
He says: "Wii fad."
I say: "Agreed on being overrated. I wouldn't necessarily call something that has sold 10 million copies total and is still selling half a million copies per week a fad, though."
5) Mass Effect
He says: "The long-in-the-tooth Bioware RPG formula applied to a generic sci-fi universe, with bouncing buggy driving/shooting sequences standing in for the exploration of alien worlds"
I say: "You could also say the same thing about Fallout 3 being Bethesda's generic first-person RPG formula from the Oblivion series. The reason why these companies do that is because it works. Fallout 3 is great, and so is Mass Effect. In terms of storyline, ME was one of the most intriguing of 2007 and its '08 PC port doesn't skip a beat."
4) Metal Gear Solid 4
He says: "For fans only. For everyone else, this is Kojima's long slow wank and you have to get to watch."
I say: "I wouldn't say it's for fans only. Fans of the series will definitely get a lot more out of it, but the combat and standalone story still resonate with gamers who jump into the series at this point, especially with the addition of the superb online multiplayer. The long cutscenes are definitely an investment of time and will turn many off, but, again, fans of the series (which has a pretty big fan base) would appreciate it much, much more."
3) Braid
He says: "This is not a game that moves and it's not very accessible. You need to have a stomach for old-school platformers and mental brick walls. Which is a shame, because the place Braid eventually goes is sublime."
I say: "Sure, Braid is a game I'm supposed to like, but I just ever did get into it. It's one of those games (I'd put the PSP's echochrome in the same category) that wouldv'e been higher on my list if it was available for a Microsoft portable console."
2) Little Big Planet
He says: "Awesome graphics! And those little sack people are so cute I could just eat them up! Now where's the game?"
I say: "Agreed here. There's lot of stuff to do and it does what it's supposed to do really well, but there's not enough game in the game."
1) Grand Theft Auto IV
He says: "One of the most amazing realizations of a real-world-ish place and one of my favorite games this year. Also the setting for a poorly told story and uninspired gameplay, and the subject of a system-shattering PC port."
I say: "Poorly told story? Uninspired gameplay? What the hell? There's a reason why this game is going to show up on many publications' top games of 2008 and why it's sold so many copies and why it's garnered universal acclaim from not only the gaming press, but from mainstream audiences as well. It's almost a mockery to put this as the most overrated of '08 and have the graphically and gameplay inferior Saints Row 2 as No. 2 on your best games of 2008."
Agree? Disagree? Wanna firebomb both of our Internet sites? Let's hear it in the comments.
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