I liked what I saw in previews and I generally enjoy TPS so I am still happy with my pre-order. I am not sure why people pre-ordered a game that one opinion would sway them on and cause them to curse their decision. If you have such little conviction for a game then you probably shouldn't be pre-ordering in the first place and you certainly shouldn't be bitching about your poor decision-making skills in that case
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The Bureau: X-COM Declassified |OT| It's all about Taction
- Thread starter Pops Maellard
- Start date
Alcoholikaust
Member
A well written review that goes into actual specific details about the games problems as opposed to the derivative PR pap that most reviews are.
bingo. well said.
cleveridea
Member
well thats what happens when you embargo reviews, people become paranoid. the last 2K game I remember was spec ops and didnt that get a HUGE price drop within a week? These little known, non brand/license type games tend to plummet quickly if they flop especially pc games.
saints row IV allowed reviews awhile back and made people comfortable
in addition, this game looks like a tiny fraction of what was originally promised years ago. its a small subset of the original vision. personally it still looks like a game I want to play, just not as much as the original vision.
All games have embargo day of release or day before... SR4 is the exception.
phantomspiker
Member
We have one review saying it's good and one saying it's bad. The Bureau is also competing against two other big titles this week, both have already had their embargoes lifted.
I can definitely see why this is worrisome to some people.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Destructiods review was fine. Even reading it, I still think the game sounds like something I'd be into. So it's good to see someone who didn't enjoy it and their side. I'll still be picking it up, but thanks for the thoughts Jim.
cleveridea
Member
yeah I mean I am not sure about other people, but so many games get reduced in price so quickly you end up feeling robbed paying full price at launch unless its something you are really into and gotta have or want to support the develop (eg dark arisen was day one)
I was waiting on dead space 3 to drop to pay $20 for it (most I thought it was worth) and ended up getting it for 17c indie bundle lol
I was waiting on dead space 3 to drop to pay $20 for it (most I thought it was worth) and ended up getting it for 17c indie bundle lol
CosmicQueso
Member
Worrisome, sure. But wanting to immediately cancel pre-orders?
Someone mentioned it above, but if one review can put someone in a panic, they shouldn't pre-order anyways. But since the pre order offer came with free copies of the X-Com catalog and Enemy Unknown they bit. Can't have it both ways, people. You can't pre-order to get all the bonus goods then bail out when one review hits.
They shouldn't, because I've been on the internet a long time, but people always surprise me on stuff like this.
This just in: The Bureau doesn't have the emotional punch or gameplay focus of Gears of War and so it deserves a crucifixion. Thanks Jim Sterling. You cleared that one right up for me.
This is the anti-Gears of War for those that have become tired of the standard third person shooter formula.
I stopped taking Sterling seriously years ago and all of you would do well to do the same. I can only entertain Yahtzee caricatures for so long before my patience wears thin.
This is the anti-Gears of War for those that have become tired of the standard third person shooter formula.
I stopped taking Sterling seriously years ago and all of you would do well to do the same. I can only entertain Yahtzee caricatures for so long before my patience wears thin.
phantomspiker
Member
This is a good point.
cleveridea
Member
The thing that really put me off in the review wasnt his lack of interest in story and gameplay structure (sounds fine to me) its that he basically said the unit AI and pathfinding was slow and near broken
for example, your allies walking into open areas instead of taking available cover, and having to move the movement cursor based on walking that unit (eg cant just move over a wall, it has to follow a literal walk path for the unit)
it sounded like you have to micromanage your units to an unacceptable degree, thats my interpretation of it
will pick this game up since I like the game concept (as cut down from original vision as possible), but waiting on a price drop since I have a feeling it may be a little too micro-managy for my tastes.
for example, your allies walking into open areas instead of taking available cover, and having to move the movement cursor based on walking that unit (eg cant just move over a wall, it has to follow a literal walk path for the unit)
it sounded like you have to micromanage your units to an unacceptable degree, thats my interpretation of it
will pick this game up since I like the game concept (as cut down from original vision as possible), but waiting on a price drop since I have a feeling it may be a little too micro-managy for my tastes.
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
This basically.
Maxwood
Oh rock of ages, do not crumble, love is breathing still. Oh lady moon shine down, a little people magic if you will.
Your opinions don't suit me so nobody should take you seriously.
Yes, that makes perfect sense.
...
But OT! Very interested in this title, premise sound pretty great. Too bad the XCom's name attached to it, though. Feels a bit silly.
It's quite a bit more than that. It's this genre of super cynical review writing that has grown tiresome. A game should be reviewed on what it is rather than what it is expected to be based on the reviewers own personal taste.
The Bureau's lack of identity to Sterling is based on his own inability to understand what the game is.
So you're completely ignoring that giant chunk of the review that focuses on how awful it controls and how bad the AI is and are instead focusing on his complaints about the story?
Confirmation bias much?
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
Was the reviews for this REALLY that bad?
I have the PS3 version pre-ordered. I wonder if I should dump it!
I have the PS3 version pre-ordered. I wonder if I should dump it!
phantomspiker
Member
It's only one review.
SkyTurnsRed
Banned
He made it quite clear what he didn't like about the actual game. Awful controls, bad AI, lackluster story. Are you sure you aren't in some sort of bizarre denial of possible buyer's remorse? I mean, your avatar IS from the game.
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
Need more reviews. Not fair to brush the game off after one negative review.
I wouldn't really worry too much about Sterling's reviews. I remember after I read that Vanquish review of his, then played it, I was left wondering who pissed in his coffee the day he reviewed it because after playing the game his review just seemed so off base to the point it felt like we were playing different games.
Is that Sterling's reputation? A surly, cynical game reviewer? I've known about him for a couple years but only recently started reading his reviews and watching his videos, so I'll plead ignorance here, but I have to say that I disagree completely with that assessment. I think he does a great job of expressing the absolute joy he experiences when playing a game. Even when he's reviewing games he doesn't enjoy - like, say, the lesser Warriors games, or Dream Team for recent examples- I get the sense that he's lamenting what could have been rather than gleefully tearing apart a game. I don't take his word for gospel (how could you when the man's favourite Alien movie is Alien 3?), but I'm still interested in what he has to say because he's among the most expressive reviewers I follow.
And I hope I disagree with him! I think this game looks cool, and I'm struggling internally trying to decide if I should pick this up tomorrow when I get Saints Row IV. Too many games, too little time.
Remachinate
Member
Yep, one controversial reviewer does not a consensus make, but it does make it harder to expect this game to be outstanding. Doesn't mean it won't be fun or worth picking up though, and I'm still planning on getting it tomorrow.
CarbonRevenge
Banned
I think Jim posted the review early for a few moments to bait us into bashing the review because of his episode on Dragons Crown and stuff like that. It HAS to be a bait.
Mr.Monitor
Member
This and even if I don't like it, the crazy package of preorder bonuses and GMG cash back makes it worth it regardless if Jim's right. For like 37 bucks I got The Bureau, the X-COM complete bundle, DLC for EU which I already had on Steam, and a Spec Ops copy to give to a friend. I don't see any reason to be upset about that.
Also this. Damn. Did anyone really expect this game to be mind blowing?
I'm under the impression there is a reason why we haven't heard much about this game. Because it isn't very good.
Alcoholikaust
Member
Now I remember that name.
Dude was trying to play the game like an actual shooter instead of an action game - then got mad about it.
lol
Or maybe it's because it's releasing during a busy week? Come on now guys, this isn't exactly the first game to have a review embargo, lol, and it's not like coverage has been totally dead. There's been several video previews out there showing off the gameplay over on Gamespot, IGN (iirc), and GiantBomb that were fairly in depth to the point it's not like anyone should be jumping in blind here. It's like Sterling's complaints about the controls. I find it hard to believe they're really *that* bad when everything we've seen on the game indicates it's a pretty straightforward radial interface that's been popular all over the place this gen mixed with your typical post-gears of war cover shooting. Granted I haven't actually played it yet to confirm, but nothing I've seen out of the hours of gameplay that's floating around out there seemed to indicate the game would struggle controlwise.
I suggest you watch the Giant Bomb quick look on the game. Seems like they had very little issue with any of that.
Everything seems like it works exactly as it should.
Neuromancer
Member
I haven't played the game yet but Sterling's review seems unfairly harsh based on what I've gleaned from previews and screenshots. Remember this is the same guy who said bad things about a game we all liked once before and set your expectation accordingly. Also he is known to comport himself in a silly and frivolous manner in his videos and therefore isn't deserving of the serious kind of respect we usually afford game reviewers.
SkyTurnsRed
Banned
You missed my point - you said that there was an issue with him not liking it based on his expectations, but in his review, he was quite thorough about the issues he had with it, which seemed to have very little to do with expectations.
I don't want this game to be bad, like anyone else. I hope that it just didn't click with him and that everyone else enjoys it. To say that he is wrong for putting more weight on the issues that he had than Giant Bomb, or to accuse him of reviewing the game based on expectations and not substance, is not really fair to him.
I'd argue that GAF feels the opposite about respecting game reviewers - my impression is that the GAF consensus is that reviewers are worthless corporate mouthpieces (though to me, I find that stance kind of ridiculous, save for inflated review scores).
Regardless of my opinion on his reviews, I think this is a little unfair to Sterling. Those parts of those videos are deliberately done that way for the sake of satire. Personally, I just find it really hard to put a lot of weight behind his reviews as he can be very inconsistent with his criticisms. One day he might fillet a Vanquish, blowing every little thing out of proportion, and then the next he might heap praise on a Silent Hill Downpour, a game with crippling performance issues and some really asinine design decisions.
Pops Maellard
Member
Not that I'm in any position to say this, but I'd rather this thread not turn into a debate about Jim Sterling's qualifications as a critic. I was/am as excited about this game as everyone else, but unfortunately all we can do now is wait it out. From personal experience, nothing sucks more than railing someone about a game before launch only to have it turn out objectively awful.
phantomspiker
Member
Unfortunately this is all we have to talk about until the game releases I think.
Gunna be a long 7 hours.
Intheflorsh
Banned
Miles Quaritch
Member
Hey, what happened to Karak's video review? I just sent the link to a bud and he said it's been removed.
What gives?
What gives?
phantomspiker
Member
I hope he doesn't get too much shit for that. Breaking the embargo probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal if the review was positive.
Alcoholikaust
Member
LAME- thats a great review too!!... hmm maybe got a force pull from 2k? Can they do this?
Karak
Member
Alcoholikaust
Member
good call dont get caught up in the shit storm-
Miles Quaritch
Member
Yes, it really was. Thankfully it'll be up again soon though.
Ah, thanks. I'll let him know.
Karak
Member
No problem.
Back on game talk for a second. Does anyone know if there have ever been planned XCOM books? I was in a discussion this morning with another reviewer about it and neither of us could remember. I would LOVE that!
Honestly if I were 2K I'd be pretty livid at them breaking the embargo with that review. It's pretty fucking damaging that on the day before release the only review from the press anyone's seen was a scathing review with a 4.5/10 slapped on the end. Hell, we've already had people in this very topic apparently attempt to cancel their preorders over it. If it had made it up on metacritic, leaving a 45% average it would pretty much destroy the game's rep before it even had a chance on the market.
Regardless of intent, 2K has every right to be extremely pissed off over this.
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