Do some sites give games to good grades?

[subcalvin]

One of the reasons I have always read the reviews on this site is because I have a tendancy to agree with them, the fact that the GR staff have a healthy dose of irony helps as well.

But somehow I feel that many of the bigger sites give away good grades like candy at Halloween.
Games like GRAW 2 and Dreamfall received 8.7 great, and 8.1 great, respectively. But they both received a C+ (Slightly better then average, needs improvement) from GR.
I played both these games before reading reviews, and I feel that GR was spot on with both but, and Gamespot was way of mark.
I loved the First longest journey game, I played it in the original Norwegian (I don’t live to far from the fine people at Funcom) The game was pure genius, fun, entertaining, challenging, exciting and had a great story.

By the way, I have noticed on some forums that there seems to be a slight mix up in the translation of the names. The old lady that tells the story of the first game is April in the Norwegian version (the original) but something else in the English. Crow (or ravn/raven as he is called in Norwegian) calls her April.

But I digress, my point is about Dreamfall and GRAW 2. Dreamfall had a great story with good voice acting, but other then that there is nothing to it. The game experience is dull, it is totally devoid of challenges.
You go from one place to another and talk with people, and every now and then you have to solve a obvious and easy puzzle. The stealth and combat system is also crap, this might sound like digression since I am not reviewing the game (maybe later) bare with me, aren’t these “minorâ€

 

[LinksOcarina]

Most sites have a range of 8 as the average, instead of 7 which is SHOULD be. IGN, for example, usually rates their games between 7-8.5, which is average.

Thats the problem though. They put the standards to high, where here a simple letter says it all.

 

[AcidTrip]

Also, a C+ doesn't mean it's a bad game. From my understanding of the ratings here (and how it translates to the 10.0 scale), is that a C+ would be akin to a 7.5-.9. I see no problem with that, and just because the grade is a C, doesn't mean there isn't anything worth enjoying in the game.

However if it goes into the Realm of D, then... well... avoid at all costs.

 

[subcalvin]

I think they call a six average over at gamespot, not completely sure, but I know they say average after the grade. Behind the 8 it says great, if it was average they could have said so.
It might be that they loved the story of Dreamfall to much (but this goes for many games)

Any of you guys played The longest journey games?

 

[FrozenBacon]

GR was way off the mark with SWG. The reviewer was just bitter at the fact that he couldn't speak to people with his wookie. He even talked about how you could only play one character per galaxy and how you need to be careful in choosing your profession when you could easily change your skills at any time.

Anyway, yea, some sites do give high grades out like it is candy. Especially IGN, it appears their reviewers don't even know they can rate a game below 7. I played Dreamfall and while I do love the game, if I was a reviewer I probably would've gave it an average score. It is not much more than an interactive book.

 

[subcalvin]

It is possible that SWG has changed since the review, I am not sure if you played it right off the bat. I havent played it, but I am willing to bet that several patches have been released which may have changed this.

 

[FrozenBacon]

Yeah I did start playing later on, a few months after the first jedi was unlocked. But I am pretty sure you was able to change your skills any time from the start.

I did exaggerate a bit with my last post, though. I dunno if it was the fact that I was tired, or what, but I don't think Duke was that far off the mark with SWG. I'd just nudge the grade up from a C+ to a B-.