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[TheJoRu]

No real reason for all these re-reviews and stuff.

A re-review to reflect major changes to a game since the original review was written is not a real reason?

Granted, there needs to be a limit where the media outlet just has to say "this is the review we're going with, and that's final", you can't reevaluate something forever, but I see nothing wrong with re-reviews in principal if there's justification to doing one.

I'm not sure there's enough justification here, we'll have to see.

 

[Red Hood]

$60.

Slightly less in Europe though.

Pretty sure it's €40 here, it seems the US is going to pay more for a change?

 

[EatinOlives]

Sounds like they're launching an unfinished game to me.

Yeah.

Sounds like Nintendo fans can't use the "Nintendo always launches finished games, no relying on patches" boast anymore.

 

[Ray Down]

Do we really know what the single player really consist of?

Like how long are the level or even if there's a story?

 

[ConceptX]

Splatoon, or any game/publisher/developer, shouldn't get a free pass to be reviewed when it's had content added after release that makes the game complete.

If its released with a lack of content, it should be reviewed as such.

I read reviews more to see the problems of the game at launch, if they exist, to decide on when I'm purchasing it, rather than the good points from someone else's perspective.

Re-reviews seem rather redundant, review what is delivered to you and that's that.

(As for online parts though, day one and only day one impressions, are also just as useless and more hours should be put in over the first few weeks)

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Yeah.

Sounds like Nintendo fans can't use the "Nintendo always launches finished games, no relying on patches" boast anymore.

Where were you when Nintendo announced Tournament Mode for Smash 4, a feature that had been in since Melee, as free DLC coming at a later time (and isn't even out yet)? Did you make this post in the 50 Facts Smash Direct thread?

How about the Dota 2 release thread?

 

[Toxi]

Postpone the review until all which is intended as playable in the standard game is available for play.

These are video game reviews. They demand a protracted and nuanced approach so that the critiques and opinions stated in them are fully substantiated. The alternative of reviewing the game with what's only playable at launch turns the work into a rushed product of its own and serves little purpose beyond a glorified advertisement with a veneer of objectivity on the surface, and who really wants that?

The majority of game sales generally happen in the first few weeks after release. Getting a review out during that time of peak interest is good for the review outlets and good for the majority of potential customers.

The only party that benefits from not having reviews for the day 1 product are the people who ship incomplete games.

 

[maxcriden]

Pretty sure it's €40 here, it seems the US is going to pay more for a change?

I think it's 50 euro minus a 10% loyalty discount for eShop buyers for the first couple weeks.

#SplatoonDirect - In Europe, the digital version of Splatoon will be €39.99/£34.99. Downloading the demo gives you 10% discount until June 4
— Daan Koopman (@NintenDaan) May 7, 2015

(via GoNintendo)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding though and it's an additional 10% off the 40 euro?

 

[Timeaisis]

Same with literally every online game -- wait a few weeks and then give an opinion. Day one reviews of online games are completely useless to many.

 

[Archaix]

Yeah.

Sounds like Nintendo fans can't use the "Nintendo always launches finished games, no relying on patches" boast anymore.

Well, you know that famous Miyamoto quote. "A delayed game is eventually good, fuck it, release this one now, we have literally nothing on this system"

 

[Wreck-It Ralph]

They're rolling it out like a badly run F2P game and charging people $60 for it. You'd need to have Nintendo Stockholm Syndrome to actually like it.

No, I don't have Nintendo Stockholm Syndrome, and screw you for saying as much. I just don't get outraged as easily as you.

A badly run F2P game would be charging for the content that's coming for free. I don't see the comparison.

I just don't see what the issue is.

If they delayed it until the fall to include everything with it, you'd be paying the same price for the exact same content. Why is it so horrible that they're releasing it a little early and gradually rolling out more maps and modes?

Do you people get pissed off that episodic games don't release all at once? Do you get pissed off that Killer Instinct doesn't release its characters all at one? Because that's exactly what this is. Don't think of it like you're paying $60 for what's on the disc. Think of it like you're paying $60 for a game and its season pass.

 

[Hatchtag]

Do we really know what the single player really consist of?

Like how long are the level or even if there's a story?

There's at least 28 of them with one collectible in each.
As for length, one of them is only about 2 minutes long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMwgLk_0VPA&feature=youtu.be

I'm really hoping there's more levels and that others are longer.

 

[NotLiquid]

Do we really know what the single player really consist of?

Like how long are the level or even if there's a story?

The story of the game is no different than your average Mario game. Octarians have kidnapped Zapfish which power the Inkling world and you need to get them back. You fight increasingly larger bosses along the way.

Also, there are hidden collectibles in each level that pertain to some kind of unlock, or lore.

 

[MisterR]

$60 for a full single player campaign, 5 maps, 2 online modes, and it essentially comes with a free season pass that other companies would've charged $30 or more for.

Your post is like buying a season of an episodic game and then complaining that you only got the first episode right off the bat.

This is disingenuous. Most multiplayer shooters release with at least twice that number of maps and many more modes. So that "free season pass" is really just adding content that would be available at launch for most shooters.

 

[thefro]

Review the game on merit, not potential. Nothing says you're a mouthpiece for marketing like laying out their DLC strategy like this morning's Nintendo Direct in a review for a shipping game. Nintendo's already held at least two press events this year... think one was the other day ... With all the paintball guns and cupcakes, they want to convince the press that it's good.

If they've promised free updates over a 3 month window to add more content, shouldn't that be mentioned in the review? It'd be different if they were paid DLC packs but these are updates to the base game that (in theory) should address some criticisms of lack of content.

If someone wants to rip the game for what's there at launch and say "wait until August to get it if you're interested", then that's a perfectly valid opinion. But they need to provide context that these updates are planned.

I would also at least add a note to the review once the August update comes out saying it actually released, etc, or "Nintendo delayed it to 2016 for reasons".

 

[jts]

I think it's 50 euro minus a 10% loyalty discount for eShop buyers for the first couple weeks.



(via GoNintendo)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding though and it's an additional 10% off the 40 euro?

It's €40, 35 with the discount.

 

[CambriaRising]

Same way they review any other game at launch.

 

[Fantastical]

This is disingenuous. Most multiplayer shooters release with at least twice that number of maps and many more modes. So that "free season pass" is really just adding content that would be available at launch for most shooters.

Yeah the number of maps/modes is shockingly low for a primarily multiplayer shooter. Yes, I know about the single player campaign, but I'm not convinced it's going to be very engaging or long.

 

[Wreck-It Ralph]

Oh, and jumping off my Killer Instinct comparison in my last post:

How did reviewers review Killer Instinct? Did they release a new review every time a new character came out? Because that would be ridiculous. Did they review the incomplete game? Because that would also be ridiculous. Or did they wait until all the characters were out to review it? Because that would also be ridiculous.

 

[Supermanisdead]

Unless I missed something, we don't know anything about future DLC (unless we're counting amiibo). Every download announced is an update.

DLC doesn't mean stuff that costs money. The game isn't going to launch with all the maps or the modes. We'll have to wait like 3 months to get it in full basically. Not to mention all the content locked behind Amiibos is some of the worst kind of paid DLC.

 

[jts]

If the additional content is free, would I rather wait 3 more months for them to finish that and include it?

Uh... fuck no. Not at all, but especially for a game I'll get for €35.

People are free to wait and buy the "full game" by then. I don't see the issue.

 

[TSM]

I think the fact they are charging the full $60 in NA is going to cause there to be a lot less acceptance of the bare bones multiplayer on day 1. It'll be the difference between lower priced with a lot of future support and full priced with missing content to be provided in future updates. Being that this is the format they have chosen to release the game in gouging NA customers is probably going to bite them in the ass.

 

[Wreck-It Ralph]

This is disingenuous. Most multiplayer shooters release with at least twice that number of maps and many more modes. So that "free season pass" is really just adding content that would be available at launch for most shooters.

If they delayed it until the fall to include everything with it, you'd be paying the same price for the exact same content. Why is it so horrible that they're releasing it a little early and gradually rolling out more maps and modes?

Do you people get pissed off that episodic games don't release all at once? Do you get pissed off that Killer Instinct doesn't release its characters all at one? Because that's exactly what this is.

.

 

[maxcriden]

It's €40, 35 with the discount.

Ah, I see. Thank you!

I'm pretty surprised this is $60 in NA given Nintendo's aggressive pricing for recent Wii U releases. I hope the SP is pretty substantial because that's where most of my interest lies, but I realize I'm probably in the minority on that. I understand plenty of genre-similar games are equally priced but I still expected based on recent Wii U game pricing that this would be $50 with an Amiibo included and $40 just on its own.

 

[Ray Down]

There's at least 28 of them with one collectible in each.
As for length, one of them is only about 2 minutes long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMwgLk_0VPA&feature=youtu.be

I'm really hoping there's more levels and that others are longer.

Yeah the content and length is really going decide value of the SP.

 

[Somnid]

This is disingenuous. Most multiplayer shooters release with at least twice that number of maps and many more modes. So that "free season pass" is really just adding content that would be available at launch for most shooters.

I wonder how that really impacts satisfaction overall though? Players tend to gravitate and play the same few favorite modes and maps. Didn't Titanfall have to trim certain playlists because the player counts were too sparse?

 

[Toxi]

If they've promised free updates over a 3 month window to add more content, shouldn't that be mentioned in the review?

Certainly, but you can't analyze their quality. Look at the reviews for Killer Instinct 2013. They mention that the game will be adding a few more characters and updates like arcade mode, but that's all they do because at the time of the review none of that was in the game. They had no idea how good the free updates would be and how much content they would add.

 

[privitsan02]

Yeah.

Sounds like Nintendo fans can't use the "Nintendo always launches finished games, no relying on patches" boast anymore.

Didn't people nearly eat DICE up a week ago regarding the amount of maps? I'm surprised at the lack of outrage. Game seems less relevant by today's standards each time I seem to hear about it. I see people complain and that being completely taken over by positive remarks about the title.

If any other developer released a game like this at full price, we'd be seeing hell on earth.

Best wishes.

 

[Red Hood]

I think it's 50 euro minus a 10% loyalty discount for eShop buyers for the first couple weeks.



(via GoNintendo)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding though and it's an additional 10% off the 40 euro?

Yes, it's an additional 10% off the € 40. I think it's known for a while now that the suggested retail price was going to be € 40 (same with Kirby and Yoshi if I remember correctly).

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Give impressions and do the review in August.

I couldn't disagree any more strongly. If they're selling the game then it should be reviewed as a final product and judged relative to competition in the marketplace. If it's lacking in content then reviews should reflect that, although we shall see if that's the case. For comparison Driveclub got a lot of shit for a supposed lack of content at launch; I wonder if the press will treat Splatoon in the same way.

 

[Ray Down]

Yeah the number of maps/modes is shockingly low for a primarily multiplayer shooter. Yes, I know about the single player campaign, but I'm not convinced it's going to be very engaging or long.

It could have that, although a lot of shooter are looked at for their valve in the mutiplayer competent.

 

[Toxi]

Oh, and jumping off my Killer Instinct comparison in my last post:

How did reviewers review Killer Instinct? Did they release a new review every time a new character came out? Because that would be ridiculous. Did they review the incomplete game? Because that would also be ridiculous. Or did they wait until all the characters were out to review it? Because that would also be ridiculous.

They reviewed the incomplete game. It's not ridiculous because the incomplete game was what was being sold. Same thing with Broken Age part 1. If a reviewer is supposed to inform consumers, then they must review what's on the shelf no matter what sort of content might be in the future.

 

[jwk94]

Sounds like they're launching an unfinished game to me.

Same. Review it as is then update the score one the full game is available at the end of summer.

 

[Hatchtag]

Oh, and jumping off my Killer Instinct comparison in my last post:

How did reviewers review Killer Instinct? Did they release a new review every time a new character came out? Because that would be ridiculous. Did they review the incomplete game? Because that would also be ridiculous. Or did they wait until all the characters were out to review it? Because that would also be ridiculous.

Killer Instinct told you up front it was free to play. It was announced as free to play, people expected it to be free to play since it was announced. Most episodic games and free to play games are announced like this.

Splatoon was not announced as free to play or as an episodic release. Most people assumed it would launch with a full game's worth of content. Now they are learning that it'll be launching with significantly less content than expected and are understandably a bit bummed out about that.

 

[Fantastical]

.

Time matters in multiplayer shooters. The community will be most active when this first launches. Yes, interest will be renewed when new maps hit, but it's not going to be the same as if they just released it all at the beginning.

I mean if you have interest in this game, you're going to want to buy it when it comes out and play it. It's just not preferable to have to wait for all the content.

EDIT: Also, didn't read your second sentence. Episodic games != multiplayer shooters.

 

[MisterR]

.

Wrong again. Episodic games can be bought as each episode comes out. You don't have to buy the season, if you don't want too. So if they gave you the option of paying $40 at lauch and then $20 for a season pass, or $60 at launch and then a free season pass, then your metaphor would be more accurate.

The fact of the matter is that this is a very bare bones multiplayer at launch. It should be dinged for that in reviews. Battlefield or COD launching with 5 maps and a couple modes would be destroyed.

 

[Oersted]

Oh, and jumping off my Killer Instinct comparison in my last post:

How did reviewers review Killer Instinct? Did they release a new review every time a new character came out? Because that would be ridiculous. Did they review the incomplete game? Because that would also be ridiculous. Or did they wait until all the characters were out to review it? Because that would also be ridiculous.

Review it how it gets released at launch. Update if the changes were significant enough.
Review it how it gets released at launch, but also with the ongoing additions in mind.

Both ways habe been used in the cases of Killer Instinct, Driveclub among others, and thats the way it should be done.

Time matters in multiplayer shooters. The community will be most active when this first launches. Yes, interest will be renewed when new maps hit, but it's not going to be the same as if they just released it all at the beginning.

I mean if you have interest in this game, you're going to want to buy it when it comes out and play it. It's just not preferable to have to wait for all the content.

Destiny gains more and more users.

 

[Crayolan]

There's at least 28 of them with one collectible in each.
As for length, one of them is only about 2 minutes long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMwgLk_0VPA&feature=youtu.be

I'm really hoping there's more levels and that others are longer.

It's gonna be like a 3 hour campaign, isn't it.

Sucks, since it looks really good.

 

[Vena]

As usual, 1st post is right.

And frankly, waiting months to launch basic features like groups and private lobbies is a dumb strategy. Not to even mention the modes locked behind fucking amiibos, making it the worst day one DLC scheme ever.

You can make groups, what you can't do is do matchmaking with said groups, it just makes randomized teams... and there's no mode behind the Amiibo.

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

I'm all in favor of reviews changing as the content comes in. More articles on these gaming sites wouldn't hurt them as is and gaming is changing for better or worse. I don't see why reviews shouldn't follow.

Games just being complete from day one are quickly becoming the minority.

 

[TheJoRu]

It's gonna be like a 3 hour campaign, isn't it.

Sucks, since it looks really good.

Let's wait for reviews, shall we?

 

[-Horizon-]

Review based on whatever is available the day of. No going back and redoing reviews.

 

[AzaK]

They should play what's available and give their thoughts accordingly.

This. If they feel there is not enough content then say it. If they feel it's perfectly adequate then say that. Not too hard. Just don't review on vapourware.

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

Give it a 1 out of 10

 

[GuitarAtomik]

No, I don't have Nintendo Stockholm Syndrome, and screw you for saying as much. I just don't get outraged as easily as you.

A badly run F2P game would be charging for the content that's coming for free. I don't see the comparison.

I just don't see what the issue is.

If they delayed it until the fall to include everything with it, you'd be paying the same price for the exact same content. Why is it so horrible that they're releasing it a little early and gradually rolling out more maps and modes?

Do you people get pissed off that episodic games don't release all at once? Do you get pissed off that Killer Instinct doesn't release its characters all at one? Because that's exactly what this is. Don't think of it like you're paying $60 for what's on the disc. Think of it like you're paying $60 for a game and its season pass.

To be fair, Killer Instinct starts out as free, then lets you buy the characters separately or all together. You can go all in season pass style and pay for the entire season up front, but you don't have to.

 

[ninjabat]

Go all in. Reviews in progress across the board.

 

[NoFaceNico]

No exceptions! Titanfall and Driveclub got judged for their lack of online content in their reviews and Splatoon is no exception to this criticism.

I didn't play Driveclub but as I remember it's problems were related to servers not being overloaded and unable to keep up with so many players and.... oh... wait... um... Don't worry guys!!! I think the Splatoon launch will go off without a hitch!!!

I think they normally would but the Wii U being the Wii U kind of forces Nintendo's hand on these things

I keep bringing up Smash for Wii U but I honestly think that game would have been delayed on a console that was actually selling well. since it was a Wii U game they absolutely had to hit that November date which left them to leave stuff out to be patched in later.

This is the right answer.

Splatoon doesn't deserve any special treatment, lol. It's like Nintendo fans are creating excuses for the review scores before it even comes out. I'm not saying you in particular, but in general you can sort of get that feeling already.

And hey, it isn't just Nintendo fans that do that--let us not forget the Uncharted 2 era.

I'm starting to get the hang of NeoGAF and learning to avoid the threads with titles like "Where should Kojima go next?? Nintendo feels like a good place, right?" or "Is the WiiU a great console of this generation or the greatest console of this generation?"

Judge what you play, not what is promised.

This should be a religious commandment.

 

[Fantastical]

Destiny gains more and more users.

More and more concurrent users? Honestly don't know.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

What did they do with GTA Online? It's similar to that if I'm not mistaken.

They mostly reviewed GTA5 as a game without mp. No strike against it for going back to having no online, or they figured it would only make the total game better. I wasn't really surprised, gta can get away with a lot.

 

[Armadilo]

A Game similar to Splatoon is Garden Warfare and it has 8 Maps and had 8 game modes and cost $30 if I remember correctly, People should wait before buying this game especially since Garden Warfare dropped in price really fast