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[Father_Brain]

http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3144161&did=1

7.5

It's by Jeremy Parish; if you didn't like his Katamari review, you probably won't like this one.

 

[wobedraggled]

I'm getting it regardless.

 

[bitwise]

hahah "HELP! I am bored"

i still want to check this game out.

 

[Letter to Elise]

The visual design is very appealing to me so I will pick this up when its sub-$20.

Short game or no, its mood suits me.

 

[Ark-AMN]

that's a very poor review, I mean in terms of the way its written. Reviews are supposed to be informative, not some kind of parody on the game.

 

[Zeo]

Nothing wrong with a 7.5, especially if that's what it gets around the board. That just means it isn't for everyone.

MMX8 got like 6.5's on GameSpot and stuff if I remember. And that's a great game.

 

[belgurdo]

that's a very poor review, I mean in terms of the way its written. Reviews are supposed to be informative, not some kind of parody on the game.

Jeremy Parish

.

 

[bobbyconover]

It's by Jeremy Parish; if you didn't like his Katamari review, you probably won't like this one.

I'd like it way more if it weren't called a "review." I respect the attempt to do something new and interesting, but I learned less about the game from this than I did from the preview video on Konami.co.jp... and that was in Japanese.

 

[Ironclad]

Another gimmick review eh? The Katamari one was cool but this one doesn't work very well. The review should be more informative. Also, I just noticed that he used the word subsistence in his review. Awesome.

I'll be picking up Lost in Blue at the same time that I pick up Trace Memory but I won't be picking up either one at launch. I've got plenty to play at the moment so I can hold off on these two. Still, I really want to play them.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

That was seriously one of the dumbest "reviews" I have ever read.

 

[teepo]

i like these reviews.

 

[GrimReaper]

I don't know why, but I can't see anything with Firefox.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I don't why, but I can't see anything with Firefox.

Thank God and move along.

 

[BorkBork]

Yeah I agree, it was a clever and pretty funny parody, but not the best review. Nothing really about graphics, gameplay, length, music in any detail, what gives? Only thing I could pick out is that it's similar to Harvest Moon. Which is a good thing, IMO.

 

[Infernal Monkey]

Can't wait till some real reviews hit the internet am I right.

 

[FiRez]

I don't know, but this is one of the few reviews that I read until the end and I don't even have a DS (To no sound harsh)

 

[Robobandit]

While it wasn't jam-packed with information about length, graphics or sound, it did give a good idea of the overall gameplay and some of the drawbacks of the game. Plus, it was actually clever.

 

[MarkRyan]

I'd like it way more if it weren't called a "review." I respect the attempt to do something new and interesting, but I learned less about the game from this than I did from the preview video on Konami.co.jp... and that was in Japanese.

You should learn more about a game from a preview. A review is opinion--I think it's neat that they did a review like this.

 

[Ark-AMN]

Jeremy Parish.

I don't know him, is this indicative of his review style?

The main things is, after reading that, I didn't get a good idea about his opinion on the game.

 

[Shard]

I don't know him, is this indicative of his review style?

The main things is, after reading that, I didn't get a good idea about his opinion on the game.

Not really, this Lost in Blue is the second in a pair of reviews that have been very experimental in structure.

 

[bobbyconover]

Not really, this Lost in Blue is the second in a pair of reviews that have been very experimental in structure.

Experimental for 1up maybe, but they're pretty much right in line with the kinds of stuff that he put up all the time on his old Toastyfrog site.

 

[Pachinko]

I like that review. Regardless of how much it tells you about the game it does get its point across, its a decent mildly addictive game that really isn't much fun due to having to do everything for the girl and the fact that you get fatigued way faster then you really should be. What more needs to be said? Parish is of the school of thought where you keep the opinion blunt and to the point so for those that don't want to bother reading the review and most people tend to skip to the score, he has a simple message at the bottom describing his thoughts.

 

[jgkspsx]

its a decent mildly addictive game that really isn't much fun due to having to do everything for the girl and the fact that you get fatigued way faster then you really should be.

... but he's starting to enjoy it anyway, which scares him.

I thought the review was a worthwhile review. Would have liked to know if the ending was anything, though, or if there was any feeling of completion.

 

[Shard]

Experimental for 1up maybe, but they're pretty much right in line with the kinds of stuff that he put up all the time on his old Toastyfrog site.

That is a good point.

 

[Keio]

New Games Journalism forever.

I like the review. And I'll get the game, because it seems refreshing.

 

[pilonv1]

Belongs on insert credit with the rest of the wankish "New Games Journalism" reviews.

 

[skip]

Belongs on insert credit with the rest of the wankish "New Games Journalism" reviews.

I like it right where it is.

 

[Ghengis Cohen]

This review is insulting. Is video game journalism ever going to rise above being trite? (few exceptions granted) Or are we stuck with childish reviews and joke commentary?

 

[pilonv1]

I like it right where it is.

Obviously

 

[advancegrant]

did anyone pick up this game today?

 

[skip]

seriously though, and no malice intended...would you guys really prefer a typical "graphics are, sound is, these are the buttons to push" review over something like this (which still does a critical analysis, only with far more subtlety)?

edit -- and this isn't something that we're likely going to do with all reviews, most reviews, or even a significant portion of reviews. just whenever we get a good idea and when it's appropriate.

 

[demi]

seriously though, and no malice intended...would you guys really prefer a typical "graphics are, sound is, these are the buttons to push" review over something like this (which still does a critical analysis, only with far more subtlety)?

edit -- and this isn't something that we're likely going to do with all reviews, most reviews, or even a significant portion of reviews. just whenever we get a good idea and when it's appropriate.

:lol "ameliorates" :lol

 

[BorkBork]

seriously though, and no malice intended...would you guys really prefer a typical "graphics are, sound is, these are the buttons to push" review over something like this (which still does a critical analysis, only with far more subtlety)?

I have no problem with the style, like I said earlier, it's clever and funny, but it's lacking in substance. In a review, I expect there to be key discussion about graphics, sound, gameplay, and lasting appeal. This "review" has precious few to none of those things. Nothing about how it looks, how the gameplay mechanics is later on when the girl isn't stuck in the cave, music quality, how long a day is in the game, difficulty, if there are multiple endings or not etc. It's not rocket science. Just let people know. This game is getting so little attention already. A review that tells this little doesn't help it make an impression in a potential buyer.

 

[skip]

:lol "ameliorates" :lol

and we will continue to use $1 words!

 

[pilonv1]

I have no problems with these types of reviews alongside a standard review. I think they would compliment each other. However on it's own it doesn't hold up for me.

 

[skip]

fair points, thanks for the feedback. the whole philosophy is a work in progress, so we'll see.

demi - "philosophy" means "way of thinking about things."

 

[demi]

fair points, thanks for the feedback. the whole philosophy is a work in progress, so we'll see.

demi - "philosophy" means "way of thinking about things."

Dude, it just ameliorates things in the end.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

seriously though, and no malice intended...would you guys really prefer a typical "graphics are, sound is, these are the buttons to push" review over something like this (which still does a critical analysis, only with far more subtlety)?

edit -- and this isn't something that we're likely going to do with all reviews, most reviews, or even a significant portion of reviews. just whenever we get a good idea and when it's appropriate.

good lord, continue to switch it up a little. Not everything has to be in the "I'm a mindless moron, give me my buyers guide" format. There will be 6 more review postings on every farkin' game on gaf anyway.

 

[DrLazy]

I liked the review.

 

[Zeo]

http://ds.ign.com/articles/654/654550p1.html

6.8

And no silly review gimmicks!

Definitely isn't a game for everyone it seems.

EDIT: Meant to make a new thread, but that'd be silly anyway. heh

 

[Musashi Wins!]

6.8 hehehe...no gimmicks my ass! that's fer us!

another bargain bin game.

 

[Mifune]

Please, let's have more of these innovative video game reviews. They are normally the most boring things in the world to read (not to mention, write). A little humor and style is a good thing. There are plenty of other places to go for your standard graphics/sound/replayability breakdowns.

 

[Matlock]

I'd like it way more if it weren't called a "review." I respect the attempt to do something new and interesting, but I learned less about the game from this than I did from the preview video on Konami.co.jp... and that was in Japanese.

Agreed.

I read through, I thought "hey it's kind of like a blog!" Perused a bit more of the site, and more of the same. Can't say I like this editorial move one bit.

I remember when 1up used to have great design and writing, and most of you can remember how much I whored it out. But now, hey, the design is almost incomprehensible, and writers are allowed to go with such low-content high-concept ideas like this to completely fuck over anyone who wants to read a review to know how the game stacks up.

Did this pass for a review of Warrior Within on Penny-Arcade? No. Then why should it on a MAINSTREAM GAMING SITE?

It's a sad day when I can say I prefer IGN over a site, but it's damn near here.

 

[bobbyconover]

just whenever we get a good idea and when it's appropriate.

Just for the 'wacky' games that don't really matter to most people, you mean? I have a feeling the format's only going to be used on unique and weird games, never on any mainstream blockbusters. There's just something about a zany game that brings out the wannabe artist/comedian in game reviewers -- I've lost count of how many "nu" style reviews of Katamari I've seen at this point, for example. Except that their job isn't to entertain us or to make us laugh, last I checked, at least not at the expense of actually-useful information.

The only reason I care at all in the case of Lost in Blue's review is because I was pretty much the ideal test subject for it. I found myself yesterday with around $50 in store credit to spare, on the fence about picking up Lost in Blue and looking for more information on the game, which I had heard very little about. I put it into Google and came up with the aforementioned Konami preview video, which helped a bit, but I was still undecided. Along came Jeremy's review, which I figured would be just the ticket -- I actually trust his opinions very much and tend to like his writing much more than, well, anyone else's. So, to me, the review was a bit of a failure in that it told me very little that I didn't already know, and answered none of the questions I had about the game. It seemed more like he was trying to piggy-back the uniqueness of the game and use it as a vehicle to show off his own creativity. I'm not a believer at all in the typical compartmentalized review format, and honestly could've done without the usual graphics/sound/which-buttons-to-push crap, but in this case the actually worthwhile text was stripped away to the point where very little usable information was left. You could condense the main points of the text down to about one to two sentences, max -- in fact, a couple people have already done so in this thread.

I feel bad for Jeremy. He seems totally overqualified for his job, and is probably growing restless writing the same old cookie-cutter style reviews day after day. I hate to sit here and demand that he stifle his creative urges, since he's obviously full of great ideas. It's just that this particular idea wasn't very helpful to me at all.

I still haven't figured out whether to pick up Lost in Blue.

 

[skip]

Just for the 'wacky' games that don't really matter to most people, you mean? I have a feeling the format's only going to be used on unique and weird games, never on any mainstream blockbusters. There's just something about a zany game that brings out the wannabe artist/comedian in game reviewers -- I've lost count of how many "nu" style reviews of Katamari I've seen at this point, for example. Except that their job isn't to entertain us or to make us laugh, last I checked, at least not at the expense of actually-useful information.

The only reason I care at all in the case of Lost in Blue's review is because I was pretty much the ideal test subject for it. I found myself yesterday with around $50 in store credit to spare, on the fence about picking up Lost in Blue and looking for more information on the game, which I had heard very little about. I put it into Google and came up with the aforementioned Konami preview video, which helped a bit, but I was still undecided. Along came Jeremy's review, which I figured would be just the ticket -- I actually trust his opinions very much and tend to like his writing much more than, well, anyone else's. So, to me, the review was a bit of a failure in that it told me very little that I didn't already know, and answered none of the questions I had about the game. It seemed more like he was trying to piggy-back the uniqueness of the game and use it as a vehicle to show off his own creativity. I'm not a believer at all in the typical compartmentalized review format, and honestly could've done without the usual graphics/sound/which-buttons-to-push crap, but in this case the actually worthwhile text was stripped away to the point where very little usable information was left. You could condense the main points of the text down to about one to two sentences, max -- in fact, a couple people have already done so in this thread.

I feel bad for Jeremy. He seems totally overqualified for his job, and is probably growing restless writing the same old cookie-cutter style reviews day after day. I hate to sit here and demand that he stifle his creative urges, since he's obviously full of great ideas. It's just that this particular idea wasn't very helpful to me at all.

I still haven't figured out whether to pick up Lost in Blue.

so you'd maybe be in favor of something like a "off the wall review" + "regular text" format? I can definitely see that. we've tried to do links to blogs with some reviews for a "for more information check this out" sort of thing, but it's hard to gauge the effectiveness of that.

but I can totally see where you're coming from. and seriously, it's not just the weird & wacky we're targeting, because we definitely don't want to shortchange something unique and under-the-radar.

 

[Matlock]

so you'd maybe be in favor of something like a "off the wall review" + "regular text" format? I can definitely see that. we've tried to do links to blogs with some reviews for a "for more information check this out" sort of thing, but it's hard to gauge the effectiveness of that.

By George, I think he's got it!

 

[Pachinko]

I think there should be a comprimise. Have someone perhaps even Mr. parish write an actual review along with the note describing his experience. It really seems a 50/50 toss up on who likes this and hates it really so I guess you have to please both crowds. Instead of ranting away like I am now that review just gets to the point and paints a picture about what playing lost in blue is like. Even the We love katamari review had the same info that most would fill up a paragraph or 4 with but it came across just as well to me.