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[Kumiko Nikaido]

Didn't see these posted yet, so here goes:

The cover

Review scores

Multiplatform

* Catwoman: B-

PlayStation 2

* Asterix & Obelix: B+
* Spy Fiction: B
* Headhunter: Redemption: C+
* Star Ocean: Till the End of Time: B
* Astro Boy: C+
* Silent Hill 4: The Room: B
* Ghosthunter: B+
* Gradius V: B+
* Viewtiful Joe: A-

Xbox

* Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders: A
* Sudeki: B

GameCube

* Amazing Island: C-
* Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow: A-

Sports:

PlayStation 2

* Athens 2004: B-
* ESPN NFL 2K5: A

Xbox

* ESPN NFL 2K5: A

GC Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow gets an A- and Catwoman a B-? *Shakes head* :\

 

[etiolate]

* Catwoman: B-

That and the cover of the mag does not exactly scream out credibility to me.

 

[shoplifter]

Catwoman: B-

 

[Prince of Space]

Catwoman: B-
Spy Fiction: B

Only in Play...

 

[Wario64]

 

[Dave Long]

Wow... I mean, Catwoman is not THAT bad but it's no B. Not at all. I played it from beginning to end. It's the poster child for a game that has some really good ideas (the fighting system which never really gets utilized in any meaningful way and the sheer fun of swinging around with the fluid animation) but is completely destroyed by the controls, camera, terrible level design for the swinging/climbing stuff which punishes the hell out of you and the obviously rushed production.

Catwoman COULD have been great. Instead it's pretty much unrecommendable to anyone. No idea how that rates a B-.

 

[Ghost]

KUF > Viewtiful Joe & Pandora Tomorrow

 

[Solid]

* Silent Hill 4: The Room: B

Wow, I guess it ain't so bad that some people want it to be.

 

[levious]

Wow... I mean, Catwoman is not THAT bad but it's no B. Not at all. I played it from beginning to end. It's the poster child for a game that has some really good ideas (the fighting system which never really gets utilized in any meaningful way and the sheer fun of swinging around with the fluid animation) but is completely destroyed by the controls, camera, terrible level design for the swinging/climbing stuff which punishes the hell out of you and the obviously rushed production.

Catwoman COULD have been great. Instead it's pretty much unrecommendable to anyone. No idea how that rates a B-.

from the review, he really seemed to love the swinging mechanics.

 

[nubbe]

Bloody Rayne is hwat

 

[Shompola]

headhunter only a C+
????????????? bleh

 

[dark10x]

Wow, I guess it ain't so bad that some people want it to be.

Well, PLAY doesn't exactly have a ton of credibility...but other mags (besides EGM) have been putting it in that range as well...

 

[Raise Havok]

Star Ocean 3 > Catwoman

 

[djtiesto]

Yeah, SO3 and Gradius V getting a B and a B+ respectively, while Catwoman and Sudeki get Bs... hmmm.....

 

[sonycowboy]

This mag has the absolute worst reviews ever. They're just all over the place and have no consistency.

Their ratings (roll the dice)
-------------------
Great Game = Great
Great Game = Good
Great Game = Bad
Good Game = Great
Good Game = Good
Good Game = Bad
Bad Game = Great
Bad Game = Good
Bad Game = Bad

They have a huge spread for Kingdom under Fire and call it one of the best Xbox games ever, but since they've said that for games that were crap, it's a meaningless statement.

It might be great, but I'll have to see what other reviewers give it.

 

[Silverbolt]

They have a huge spread for Kingdom under Fire and call it one of the best Xbox games ever, but since they've said that for games that were crap, it's a meaningless statement.

Can you tell us what they liked about Kingdom Under Fire? I've been looking forward to this game for a loooong time. Anything about the length, replay value, or Live play? Thanks.

 

[FortNinety]

Why are people so shocked? This is Play being Gamefan again.

 

[Soul4ger]

PLAY is a waste. Halverson wet himself over the PSP design at E3, and criticized Nintendo for making the DS look like a toy. Then they unveil the new DS, and this month the article about it says something like, "They've improved the look after stumbling out of the game, but there are still too many questions to make this worth serious consideration right now!" Meanwhile, he's jerking off to Sony's handheld, which of course is a complete non-enigma. The guy writes a bunch of horseshit, I don't know how anyone can read the magazine and take it serious.

I blame WarPig. He should've killed Halverson when he had the chance.

 

[Ghost]

They have a huge spread for Kingdom under Fire and call it one of the best Xbox games ever, but since they've said that for games that were crap, it's a meaningless statement.

It might be great, but I'll have to see what other reviewers give it.

Someone just told me that theres an interview with Phantagram in that spread and they mention that Strident is alive....please confirm!?

 

[Kumiko Nikaido]

Someone just told me that theres an interview with Phantagram in that spread and they mention that Strident is alive....please confirm!?

Here's the excerpt from the interview: (with Dee Lee, producer of KUF)

Play: And lastly, because it looks similarly gorgeous, where is Strident? Is it being developed by the same team? Even if it must remain off the record, I just need to know that someday I'll play it

Dee Lee: Strident is alive. That's all I can say for now. But I guarantee that more information on this project will be revealed in the near future.

 

[Ghost]

w00t.

 

[Mr_Furious]

All of this bitching about Halverson/Play is getting old, people. You've obviously developed your own score for whatever game in question so who really gives a fuck if some other man or mag thinks differently. I don't know about you but reviews in ANY mag are little more than entertainment and don't ever shed any light on any game I'm even remotely interested in. I've learned to not give any credibility to any mag or reviewer because, frankly, my taste in games never conforms to the tastes of any one else 100%.

Give it a rest for once. You complainers have not shed any new light about Halverson/Gamefan/Gamer's Republic/Play for many years.

 

[Redbeard]

So what did he say about Kindgom Under Fire?

 

[wipeout364]

All of this bitching about Halverson/Play is getting old, people. You've obviously developed your own score for whatever game in question so who really gives a fuck if some other man or mag thinks differently. I don't know about you but reviews in ANY mag are little more than entertainment and don't ever shed any light on any game I'm even remotely interested in. I've learned to not give any credibility to any mag or reviewer because, frankly, my taste in games never conforms to the tastes of any one else 100%.

Give it a rest for once. You complainers have not shed any new light about Halverson/Gamefan/Gamer's Republic/Play for many years.

Listen Dave, Uh I mean Mr Furious, Don't take it personal OK, I mean if we didn't bitch about review scores that would be like 30% of the posts gone. Its all in good fun. So Dave, Uh I mean Mr Furious, don't worry we will all keep buying PLAY.

 

[Mr_Furious]

Aren't we clever but very very WRONG! Thanks for playing, though. I'm neither Dave nor a fan of his. I'm just sick of the same old bitching that's been going on about him for many years. It's old and like beating a dead horse every goddamn month, for the past 3, 4, 7 or 10 years.

Feel free to bitch about reviews all you want. It should be no different than any other thread. Making Dave the basis of the review bitch is so predictable at this point.

 

[Soul4ger]

Aren't we clever but very very WRONG! Thanks for playing, though. I'm neither Dave nor a fan of his. I'm just sick of the same old bitching that's been going on about him for many years. It's old and like beating a dead horse every goddamn month, for the past 3, 4, 7 or 10 years.

Feel free to bitch about reviews all you want. It should be no different than any other thread. Making Dave the basis of the review bitch is so predictable at this point.

Well, when we're talking about HIS magazine, it's bound to come up...

 

[God's Hand]

Aren't we clever but very very WRONG! Thanks for playing, though. I'm neither Dave nor a fan of his. I'm just sick of the same old bitching that's been going on about him for many years. It's old and like beating a dead horse every goddamn month, for the past 3, 4, 7 or 10 years.

Feel free to bitch about reviews all you want. It should be no different than any other thread. Making Dave the basis of the review bitch is so predictable at this point.

Hey Dave! 'Sup dawg?

 

[dorikyasu]

Sudeki: B

That pretty much sums it up for the Play mag's review credibility...

 

[op_ivy]

bah, screw the haters. play is one of the best (us) mags out there (that and xbn). the magazine has beautiful shots, art and articles. screw the reviews, if you need a review to tell you what to buy your lame. dave halverson 4 life

 

[op_ivy]

ahhhhh yeaaaaaaaaaaaa!

 

[Soul4ger]

bah, screw the haters. play is one of the best (us) mags out there (that and xbn). the magazine has beautiful shots, art and articles. screw the reviews, if you need a review to tell you what to buy your lame. dave halverson 4 life

You can't provoke me.

 

[op_ivy]

You can't provoke me.

best shit ever. a hair better then sex

 

[Drinky Crow]

hahahaha, play magazine.

 

[seismologist]

* Headhunter: Redemption: C+

* Astro Boy: C+

* Amazing Island: C-

man, Sega is really getting hammered.

 

[jiggle]

I like this magazine. Best paper stock ever. Makes all the screens look so pretty.

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

Too bad a lot of Play's feature stories are like reworded regurgitations of what Game Informer ran in previous months exclusively.

It seems like as platformers have become less than the trend the magazine has struggled to find a new niche with reviews, and so rather than occasionally hyping something genuinely cool(I remember learning about some awesome games from Gamefan) they are hyping total crap just because it has a cute jumping man in the lead(especially if it's on xbox), although they've broadened their scope since now any game with a curvaceous female lead seems to also get a 'free pass'(even RPGs!).

Also, they cover a lot of pop culture stuff aside from gaming-- anime and DVD releases and CDs. Yet, I don't think their writers are savy pop culture commentators. They are gaming enthusiests, sure, but I actually find that whenever EGM comments on pop culture or drops some reference they do it with more panache than either GI or Play.

 

[Norse]

That pretty much sums it up for the Play mag's review credibility...

Avg Ratio: 75%
Based On 43 Media Outlets

right here


No 75% isnt a B, but its not far from one.....plenty of those 43 sites gave it 8's as well so its not that far fetched. Play just seems to agree with those that scored it an 8. I havent played it yet, so I don't really know.


I get a few mags at home these days just because they are free. I wouldnt say any of the magazine reviews are any better than the others...I do find EGM magazine the most pathedic though. Just don't appear to be trustworthy in the reviews....always seems to be a motive. Be it good or bad.

 

[impirius]

Can't... stop... laughing

That should become a new standard.

 

[Mr_Furious]

Well, when we're talking about HIS magazine, it's bound to come up...

Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and ...

Hey Dave! 'Sup dawg?

Hey Ass! 'Sup dawg? (one insult deserves another)

 

[Soul4ger]

Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and ...

As long as the magazine keeps coming up, yes. There are some people, despite what you might think, that read this magazine and take what its writers say seriously. And while you may've come to terms with that, I still haven't. So leave me alone.

 

[Mr_Furious]

As long as the magazine keeps coming up, yes. There are some people, despite what you might think, that read this magazine and take what its writers say seriously. And while you may've come to terms with that, I still haven't. So leave me alone.

If anyone takes what any video game journalist (turn used loosely) says seriously then they have problems. If you want to be left alone, get off GAF. It's a "forum". Look up the definition.

 

[MarkMacD]

If anyone takes what any video game journalist (turn used loosely) says seriously then they have problems. If you want to be left alone, get off GAF. It's a "forum". Look up the definition.

And yet you are the one suggesting people not discuss certain things?

 

[Soul4ger]

If anyone takes what any video game journalist (turn used loosely) says seriously then they have problems. If you want to be left alone, get off GAF. It's a "forum". Look up the definition.

... Oh my God, I was kidding about the second part. You might be too 1337 to take videogame journalism seriously, but a large range of average people do, simply because they don't know any better.

You're exactly right, this is a forum. And as long as there are threads about this, we're allowed to express anger about Dave Halverson. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, you don't have to look at them, or come on the board at all. It's a "forum." Look up the definition.

 

[TekunoRobby]

I ignore the reviews in Play (read them but don't take them seriously) and I enjoy the rest of the magazine. It's not bad at all, some nice captures once in a while too.

 

[Mr_Furious]

And yet you are the one suggesting people not discuss certain things?

I find nothing wrong with expressing how tired I am of the same people bitching about the same person every damn month just as they (you?) find nothing wrong with complaining about the person in question. My original intent was to suggest people to give it a rest or at least focus on complaining about the review(s). Funny thing is the people bitching about Dave's difference in opinion towards any game in question probably haven't played the game (or even read his review because they're too damn hateful to even pick up his pitiful little mag) and are blindly believing some other magazine's review or the general concenus of the game's suckiness.

... Oh my God, I was kidding about the second part. You might be too 1337 to take videogame journalism seriously, but a large range of average people do, simply because they don't know any better.

You're exactly right, this is a forum. And as long as there are threads about this, we're allowed to express anger about Dave Halverson. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, you don't have to look at them, or come on the board at all. It's a "forum." Look up the definition.

Sorry if your subtle attempt at humor went unnoticed by myself. My bad. No I am not elite and as for your last point, read what I replied to MarkMacD above (if you haven't already) as it would apply.

 

[Tellaerin]

As long as the magazine keeps coming up, yes. There are some people, despite what you might think, that read this magazine and take what its writers say seriously. And while you may've come to terms with that, I still haven't. So leave me alone.

The fact that people out there read Play for their reviews rather than some mag you consider 'reputable' is something you can't come to terms with? It's pretty sad that the idea of other people not automatically sharing your opinion is so inconceivable to you that you'd have to wrestle with yourself to accept it. Obviously there are people out there whose tastes in games are closer to those of Dave H. and crew than they are to your own, or those of the reviewers at the magazines you support. As inconceivable as it may be to you, some of them may even feel they got burned by the reviews in those other mags, and think that Halverson's the guy to steer them in the right direction--that is, to the games that they'll enjoy, even if you feel they suck. You're not doing yourself any good by getting bent out of shape over it, so stop stressing and let it go already.

 

[Soul4ger]

The fact that people out there read Play for their reviews rather than some mag you consider 'reputable' is something you can't come to terms with? It's pretty sad that the idea of other people not automatically sharing your opinion is so inconceivable to you that you'd have to wrestle with yourself to accept it. Obviously there are people out there whose tastes in games are closer to those of Dave H. and crew than they are to your own, or those of the reviewers at the magazines you support. As inconceivable as it may be to you, some of them may even feel they got burned by the reviews in those other mags, and think that Halverson's the guy to steer them in the right direction--that is, to the games that they'll enjoy, even if you feel they suck. You're not doing yourself any good by getting bent out of shape over it, so stop stressing and let it go already.

Oh my God, if you read my original post you'd REALIZE I WASN'T EVEN TALKING ABOUT HIS REVIEWS. Too ridiculous for words.

 

[Tellaerin]

Oh my God, if you read my original post you'd REALIZE I WASN'T EVEN TALKING ABOUT HIS REVIEWS. Too ridiculous for words.

My bad. Yet after going back to reread your original post, nothing changes. It doesn't matter whether you were TALKING ABOUT HIS REVIEWS (put down the megaphone, please) or just Halverson's take on the PSP vs. the DS, it's still an issue of his opinions not coinciding with yours, and you flipping out over it. And I think that's too ridiculous for words. So he's more enthusiastic about the PSP than the DS for whatever reason--so fucking what? Like I said, let it go.

 

[Soul4ger]

My bad. Yet after going back to reread your original post, nothing changes. It doesn't matter whether you were TALKING ABOUT HIS REVIEWS (put down the megaphone, please) or just Halverson's take on the PSP vs. the DS, it's still an issue of his opinions not coinciding with yours, and you flipping out over it. And I think that's too ridiculous for words. So he's more enthusiastic about the PSP than the DS for whatever reason--so fucking what? Like I said, let it go.

I can understand if a person is more enthusiastic for the DS or PSP, I can, but I take offense when the reasons he uses for it don't make sense. Of course, by that token, my point about readers taking him seriously shouldn't be taken into account, because if he's obviously contradicting himself than there's no problem, right? I guess I just don't have faith in people. I'll drop it here, it honestly doesn't mean that much to me, I was just pointing out how hypocritical his newest article on the handheld was.

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

You know, I actually have a few issues of Play around the apartment. After writing a critical post I just want to follow up with saying that I have enjoyed reading play when I picked it up more than Game Informer.