Potential disappointment? I think the game will be brilliant but I can see it getting dinged for a lessened focus on dungeons and a huge focus on fetch quests and collectibles.
Embargo on Nintendo Switch console/games previews lift on February 23th / March 1st
- Thread starter LordKano
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Linkstrikesback
Member
Games don't really get 95+ scores any more if that's what you were expecting. High 80s is very good now, and arguably enough to still be a game of the gen contender for people. 90-95 is basically the cap for game scores now. I think GTA might have been the only game this gen so far to get >95 and I couldn't tell you what makes it worth those two extra points over other games.
Horizon is scoring around 9.4 average atm
LordOcidax
Member
It currently has an 88 on meta critic and an 88 on opencritic. But okay.
for the record an 88 is really good.
Seeing how it's Nintendo's biggest game ever and how many delays the game has seen I wouldn't say it's "insane" to expect the best Zelda of all time. Whatever that means.
Skyward Sword is better than Ocarina there I sadi it.
Frostman
Member
Most games scoring a 90+ this gen have been polished incredibly well, they don't excel in every way and they shouldn't need too.
There are the very few that aren't polished technically or fluid as far as gameplay goes, but they are absolutely one of the greatest in a given aspect.
LordOcidax
Member
Agree with you, Actually Nintendo have 3 games on that list. And Bayo 2 have 91 and the fps is not that great...
You're exaggerating the point we make, but the high end for games has undoubtedly moved down several points over the last few years. That's pretty much an objective fact.
And even GTAV isn't a very good example, as it was 3.5 years ago.
Flying Toaster
Member
Skyward Sword gets a lot of hate. I thought it was a unique game but I am a hardcore Metroid fan and get pissy when my Metroid gets messed with so I can see how Zelda fans could feel the way they do with SS.
The Switch launch is my most anticipated launch since Dreamcast. I am excited.
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
For the record, I've heard people say all across the web that the next Zelda game be it Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword or now this one will be the best in the series and possibly the best of all time for the past 10 years now. And every single time the game comes out, gets good reviews, hype dies down, and then it becomes the most controversial game in the series. It happened with the last two major Zelda games and there's a better chance of this happening to Breath of the Wild than being somehow better than A Link to the Past or Ocarina of Time which have held the title of "best in the series" for over two decades.
Now (and I'm going to bold this for those lacking reading comprehension) I am looking forward Breath of the Wild and am getting a Nintendo Switch at launch for this which is something I don't do for any console ever. However, let's be realistic, Zelda will be great but I feel like the hype for it is a bubble that's going to burst. You can't jump to conclusions based on a pre-selected gameplay meant to make the game look as great as possible and we still don't know enough about the game to determine if there's any mechanics that can possibly make or break it. But still BoTW will be good just probably not Ocarina of Time good. That's placing a lot expectations on a game who's only section people have mostly played so far is only 2% of the total game.
Now (and I'm going to bold this for those lacking reading comprehension) I am looking forward Breath of the Wild and am getting a Nintendo Switch at launch for this which is something I don't do for any console ever. However, let's be realistic, Zelda will be great but I feel like the hype for it is a bubble that's going to burst. You can't jump to conclusions based on a pre-selected gameplay meant to make the game look as great as possible and we still don't know enough about the game to determine if there's any mechanics that can possibly make or break it. But still BoTW will be good just probably not Ocarina of Time good. That's placing a lot expectations on a game who's only section people have mostly played so far is only 2% of the total game.
Sure, but it's Nintendo. They usually are very cautious as to what they show and what they don't show. I'd bet money there are still huge surprises left we have never thought of.
And the way they showed this game was genious. First they only show the open world and intricate mechanics and systems so everybody already likes that and then all of a sudden it's this huge cinematic experience.
I do wonder though what role Horizon plays in this. While it doesn't seem to be revolutionary in the gameplay department its strengths are story and tech. Zelda's strengths are neither of those and Nintendo is still in this weird spot from a decade ago when they go "You see that mountain there? You can go there!" and genuinely believe that will knock somebody's socks off.
It's gonna be real interesting to see what happens.
Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 both have no scores below 90 on Metacritic. BotW can achieve something close to this if the rest of the game is as well designed as the Plateau is. If BotW manages to avoid collectathons, have consistently well designed shrines, and keep the story moving at a solid pace, it could avoid any mediocre/negative reviews.
Calm Mind
Member
Destructoid fucked up.
RIP
OrbitalBeard
Member
Destructoid, what are you doing. Yikes.
Destructoid fucked up.
Even more stupid considering we already know. This is on Amazon lol.
CharminUltra
Member
Destructoid done goofed, maybe
Kingpin Rogers
Member
Nintendoforce? Nah, gotta be biased.
They didn't have to tweet that either lol.
Jimmyfenix
Member
a site called Nintendoforce posting that.
i'm sure they have no bias at all
i'm sure they have no bias at all
fabricated backlash
Member
Good on Destructoid. This embargo is some of the most ridiculous shit I've ever seen. Like literally stupid.
Didn't Sony do something similarly ridiculous with the PS4Pro... I seem to remember a DF video of them holding the box...
Just beyond belief.
Didn't Sony do something similarly ridiculous with the PS4Pro... I seem to remember a DF video of them holding the box...
Just beyond belief.
Ocarina_117
Banned
On the topic of games barely cracking the 90 barrier on metacritic anymore.
I AM SO FUCKING GLAD FOR THIS.
Seriously, reviews of so many games last generation were ridiculously inflated. A decently hyped game was guaranteed to average 85 minimum. 90 + should be reserved to the bloodbornes, witcher 3s and bayonettas of this world.
I AM SO FUCKING GLAD FOR THIS.
Seriously, reviews of so many games last generation were ridiculously inflated. A decently hyped game was guaranteed to average 85 minimum. 90 + should be reserved to the bloodbornes, witcher 3s and bayonettas of this world.
OrbitalBeard
Member
It doesn't matter how stupid the embargo is. Destructoid agreed to it. Silly embargoes are the price you pay for review units.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Yes. This. Some of them get a bit weird, but they're usually sensible.
fabricated backlash
Member
What's sensible about only showing the box... that's something only some high as a kite marketing moron could come up with.
I can understand stipulations about showing gameplay, as delivery won't be 100% simultaneously, but only showing the box is just absolutely 100% marketing grown Bullshit.
Like instead of getting more glamour shots of your precious new hardware out in the wild, they act like a giant cock tease.
Again, I can see sticking to sensible embargoes, but this is ridiculous.
Absolutely. 360 PS3 era games were so horribly inflated in ratings. Like anything below a 9 was basically trash.
Jonneh3003
Banned
Oh lord, seems to be gone now.Destructoid fucked up.
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
Self-Destructoid
Not every outlet has received their review units yet. The embargo ensures someone like IGN doesn't get to post their unboxing and get all the clicks before the other outlets do.
OrbitalBeard
Member
I'm not claiming this particular embargo to be sensible, even though it doesn't seem to be all that crazy. Regardless, Destructoid agreed to it.
Milly Osworth
Member
You really cant figure it out?
Nintendo wants all the press to cover it on the 23rd, its that simple.
fabricated backlash
Member
Without having data it's hard for me to believe that unboxing videos would really generate that much traffic for smaller (read those getting the Units later) outlets.
Ah well, still seems silly to me.
Geez Luise, obviously I'm too stupid to understand marketing strategies. Silly me. Excuse me while I get my Dunce cap.
Not agreeing with a marketing stipulation isn't the same as not understanding it.
The embargo is stupid but that's what they agreed upon. They could have just waited to buy the Switch like a regular consumer and covered it without any restriction come 3rd of March. Of course they didn't so following an embargo is only fair. They know that.
I'm really curious to know how many sites exist with Nintendo in their name. I'd really love to know how people get the idea that yet another one of those sites is needed.
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
A lot of rules in life are silly.
It doesn't mean you should disobey them.
fabricated backlash
Member
I get it. I truly do. But I still won't fault Destructoid for breaking such a silly rule.
Now if they'd just go flat out showing every game they got, doing livestreams 24/7, I'd call them out. But this is just ridiculously minor in the grand scheme.
Besides we already got an unboxing video, even made by a Gaffer.
BlastProcessing
Member
Here is the sense. It's actually a courtesy to the outlets. Because of the limitations of logistics. Outlets aren't going to get their Switches at the same time. We saw how Europe got theirs before most of NA did. Also a few Switches will end up shipping slower because of the normal shipping snafus that crop up.
If there was no embargo, then the outlets who happened to be lucky enough to get their Switches first would have a huge advantage. They would get all of the media attention before other people even received theirs in the mail. That is not fair. So instead they build a few days long buffer so they can make sure that everyone got a working Switch before any coverage happens.
The embargo specifically mentions keeping the Switch in it's packaging because Nintendo understands that unboxing videos generate a ton of traffic these days. You might think that's silly, but outlets actual financial livelihoods are attached to things like unboxings and giving certain outlets an unfair advantage is not a desirable outcome.
The embargo is only for a few days. On Feb 23rd every outlet will have a fair chance to cover the Switch for their audience.
Beyond that, the embargos on reviews assure that outlets won't feel rushed to review the hardware and software. Because there is no rush to be first, they can all just set about doing their jobs in a timely manner.
So yeah, the entire thing is completely sensible. Nintendo is neither being high nor morons. you however, are overreacting and I sincerely hope it's for comic effect.
GinoFelino
Member
This should be OP quote for every embargo-related thread from now on.
Thank you.
casey_contra
Member
I told people on this thread I'd post my Zelda impressions from the Chicago event. Here they are, broken down minute-by-minute (kinda).
http://lazyshell.com/index.php/2017/02/20/20-minutes-with-the-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/
To make this a little more relevant to this thread... it'll be so nice to see "review" instead of "preview." But I'm more worried with Zelda spoilers than I usually am, probably because I truly want to be uninfluenced when I go into it.
http://lazyshell.com/index.php/2017/02/20/20-minutes-with-the-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/
To make this a little more relevant to this thread... it'll be so nice to see "review" instead of "preview." But I'm more worried with Zelda spoilers than I usually am, probably because I truly want to be uninfluenced when I go into it.
An embargo on showing the content of the Switch box when that information is already publicly available from several sources, including Nintendo is so damn stupid.
Also, reading through this thread I will avoid the Zelda review thread like plague. Having already a preview of what that would look like I'm certainly that's not something I want to ever read. I will read some reviews to find out about how good the story and the dungeons are and that's it. I couldn't care less about the score.
And I think there is really a need for a separate thread for Zelda's embargo, otherwise nothing else except Zelda metacritic and preemptive review analysis will happen in this thread.
Also, reading through this thread I will avoid the Zelda review thread like plague. Having already a preview of what that would look like I'm certainly that's not something I want to ever read. I will read some reviews to find out about how good the story and the dungeons are and that's it. I couldn't care less about the score.
And I think there is really a need for a separate thread for Zelda's embargo, otherwise nothing else except Zelda metacritic and preemptive review analysis will happen in this thread.
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
I cant believe yall actually read and partake in review threads lol. Read the review not the thread and most importantly, PLAY THE GAME.
MHWilliams
Member
Destructoid fucked up.
I was wondering if I had misread the embargo notes when I saw that. They're good folks though, so it was an honest mistake.
Dark Cloud
Member
This is all I needed to hear.
ASHES IN THE HOURGLASS
Banned
Give or take 10 points.
110 MC
OrbitalBeard
Member
Thanks for the impressions. I hope a day one patch addresses some of the performance issues while docked. I think that may be my only real concern with the game.
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