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[hey_it's_that_dog]

So there needs to be a skill threshold for reviews?

I don't know, but I wouldn't want a review of an automobile from someone who can barely drive.

The skill threshold doesn't have to be high, but a supposed expert should actually be an expert. If video game reviewers have no special claim to expertise, then the idea of professional gaming outlets is literally forfeit.

 

[Dimmle]

beyond that, if its just a preview video, for facebook, made by Polygon, its still by a person playing the game fucking horribly and its a terrible, innacurate showing of it for it

How is it inaccurate? Are viewers going to assume you can't move your gun?

 

[Raging Spaniard]

That gif looks like it's someones first time picking up a controller. They can't even control both sticks at once.

yay hyperbole

 

[Giever]

Why? Just because they suck at the controls means they can't add input on the visuals, or sound, or story (not that I expect one in Doom), or dozen other elements that go into a game? Like I said, the only cause of concern for this is if this specific reviewer writes about how the controls behave badly when it's them not doing well that is the issue.

Ideally you want someone familiar with/decent at the genre in question to review a particular game. You wouldn't want someone awful at puzzle games to review The Witness, for instance, because they would probably not be able to get very far and criticize it for being far too difficult (a sentiment that, while not invalid, wouldn't map onto the actual opinions most people who are probably interested in The Witness would have, so the review wouldn't be particularly valuable for those people as a means to gauge their interest).

People are welcome to share their opinions on a game regardless of pretty much anything, but it's totally fair to be concerned about a review by someone that appears to be unequipped to handle the content in question. In this case, though, we don't even know if the person we see playing it is actually the one doing the review, so *shrugs*

 

[Sylas]

they should release some sort of statement

say its a facebook livestream which by some weird reason is played by the same person manning the stream or some shit

like he was one handed most of the time, idk, benefit of the doubt

why upload it to their official channel as a first look at Doom with just "Doom is back and we played the first 30 mins!"

this is awful both for them and the game as coverage

They did say the person playing the game in the First 30 Minutes video is not reviewing the game. And once more, the facebook livestream and the youtube videos are being played by 2 different people on different consoles.

I do think it's strange but so long as the person reviewing it doesn't fail to control the game properly and then bash the game for having poor controls, it's w/e. Just a bad look more than anything.

 

[Htown]

yay hyperbole

you should watch the video

 

[Soodanim]

Said it on twitter and here also in another thread but good grief i was shocked seeing this like who is holding the controller and playing like they never touched a shooter before let stand a fast shooter? Didn't last more than 1 minute in that video had to turn it off.

Compared to this from the nvidia showcase it is night and day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anrvBD4aTGY&index=2&list=LLhYw7fXuNh2TZvDF-vUyo4Q

That footage made me interested in the game. The OP gif in and of itself did no justice to the game, but I suppose the thread wasn't about the game itself.

 

[Air Zombie Meat]

It does look like someone playing one handed. Maybe they were juggling the game with something else?

 

[Revolutionary]

So there needs to be a skill threshold for reviews?

There are several reviewers for each website. If you're incapable of manipulating two sticks at the same time in an FPS then PERHAPS he should pass it off to someone who can.

 

[MilkBeard]

I don't think anyone is really saying you should be exceptional or necessarily even 'good' at video games to be able to review them, but at the same time if I'm reading a car review I'm going to also assume the person writing it knows how to drive.

A car reviewer is a different situation...the reason being, for example, if the reviewer does not know how to drive stick, he can cause damage to the vehicle itself. A game only requires that you know how to press buttons and move thumbsticks in sequence. And, simply looking at that gif, he still killed the monster despite his poor skill.

 

[Ban Puncher]

They play games as well as they write articles.

 

[HMD]

So there needs to be a skill threshold for previews?

Like, kinda who cares if someone plays badly in preview or review footage?

Absolutely, previews should come from competent players, I wanna see how the game performs in its best form, I don't wanna watch people struggling with controls and things I and many other players don't suffer from. I'd get it if it was coming from a game enthusiast that doesn't have full functionally of their hands, or suffer from other disabilities, and it's why I'm reserving my judgement on the Polygon video. but if that wasn't the case then using that footage is just unprofessional by Polygon.

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

How is it inaccurate? Are viewers going to assume you can't move your gun?

Because seeing people sucking at something doesn't make it look cool. That's why sites like Twitch exist; it's fun to see people that can push a game to its limits and show what it is really capable of.

 

[Rhanitan]

Not sure why it matters if someone is bad at a game. They can review it if they want and that review could be good for other people who might suck at controlling this type of game.

It's like saying most of the people who reviewed star fox zero should have mastered the controls before being allowed to review the game.

Unless a games metacritic is so important to you, you shouldn't mind different perspectives in different reviews.

 

[Uraizen]

So there needs to be a skill threshold for reviews?

Yes, but that's just my opinion. I would love to see gameplay footage of the person who reviewed the game alongside the review.

 

[valkillmore]

They're obviously journalists first.

 

[lucebuce12]

They play games as well as they write articles.

Awwww man, I laughed harder than I should at this.

 

[Salsa]

How is it inaccurate? Are viewers going to assume you can't move your gun?

this is below a certain basic standard. i looks like some sort of hindrance that goes beyond the game's controls specifically: thats a clear issue in presenting it

this is the type of game that puts a big emphasis on gunplay and flow, you cant appreciate this if you're watching a person who cant shoot and move at the same time, something that 90 percent of the people who are interested in this game are capable of doing

id get your argument if I hadnt seen the video and was just told it was someone playing badly: its worse than that

 

[akidnamededdy]

yay hyperbole

Spoken like someone who didn't actually watch it.

 

[GlamFM]

Because seeing people sucking at something doesn't make it look cool. That's why sites like Twitch exist; it's fun to see people that can push a game to its limits and show what it is really capable of.

So wait - Press is now responsible to make games look good?

Like advertise them?

Maybe get paid from publishers for it?

 

[Sylas]

Not sure why it matters if someone is bad at a game. They can review it if they want and that review could be good for other people who might suck at controlling this type of game.

It's like saying most of the people who reviewed star fox zero should have mastered the controls before being allowed to review the game.

Unless a games metacritic is so important to you, you shouldn't mind different perspectives in different reviews.

Well, no. This example ain't great because Star Fox didn't control like anything else has. Meanwhile DOOM seems to control like every other FPS out there. It was useful information to know that Star Fox controlled strangely because it actually, factually did.

 

[sora87]

So there needs to be a skill threshold for reviews?

Of course there does. You need to competent at games to review their mechanics and other things.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Sounds like me playing with a mouse and keyboard, haha.

If this person is the reviewer then this is somewhat alarming, and hilarious. If this person playing is not reviewing the game, then it is merely funny.

I mean it's OK to be bad at games. I'm bad at a lot of games too. Though of course I don't post videos of my playing online, and if I did, it'd be to showcase how bad I am for the potential entertainment of others, maybe.

So I just don't understand why they uploaded this video. If it's just to give early impressions of the game, why not pick a more competent player? This is embarrassing.

Maybe they were playing the PC version without aim assist but with a gamepad?

Like I often do? I am useless with m/kb and I hate it, I play all FPS with a controller, even on PC. I never use aim assist.

Nothing wrong with the video. Playing on the Kinect can be a little tricky for FPS.

LOL

 

[Dimmle]

Because seeing people sucking at something doesn't make it look cool.

Right, so there are plenty of other outlets to indulge in. Members of the games press aren't obligated to make a game look cool. That's not their function. They're hired for their writing ability in most cases, not their gaming chops.

Also, if it's been confirmed that this guy isn't reviewing the game, safe to say the Metascore is safe from sabotage, which is what I'm assuming this thread is about.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

People are welcome to share their opinions on a game regardless of pretty much anything, but it's totally fair to be concerned about a review by someone that appears to be unequipped to handle the content in question.

That depends entirely on the content of the review in my opinion. If my review focuses on addressing visual or narrative elements then I'm uncertain why my experience with a genre would matter so long as I was able to progress through it. If I want to know how the game feels to a pro-gamer™ then I'll specifically seek a review from one.

 

[Goodacre0081]

i think i need a pie chart explaining this

 

[Aikidoka]

Maybe it's already been covered, but my first thought is just that the player mistakenly thought there was a respite and decided to pick up their drink or something. Happens to me all the time.

 

[LycanXIII]

Yes it was https://www.facebook.com/polygon/videos/1187674131245213/

This is not a review. This is just some gameplay.

Start of the video the guy says he's playing the PC version and around 15 minutes in says he's using a controller to play. Also, different video from the one posted in the OP.

 

[RichGS]

Whilst I don't think that reviewers have to be masters of a game to review them effectively, that video is just painful to watch.

Really, why would you upload that? I'd be too ashamed to upload a video of myself playing a game that badly.

 

[Santar]

To be perfectly fair, I can understand the imps being a bit of pain for controller users. They do move around a lot, and speedily. Players familiar with arena shooters (oh, how many hours I lost to ztn3tourney1), may feel compelled to chuckle, but it's not every day that you see an FPS on consoles that sees the AI make an effort to dodge the player rather than rush it.

Yeah the imps do move around quite a bit and can even be a bit of a pain at times using a mouse.
I addition the aiming on IDtech games on consoles feels a bit weird and stiff compared to most other console shooters. It can be hard to aim right. I noticed this a bit myself when playing the alpha on PS4 and it has been mentioned about Wolfenstein the new order too.

 

[Salsa]

Right, so there are plenty of other outlets to indulge in. Members of the games press aren't obligated to make a game look cool. That's not their function. They're hired for their writing ability in most cases, not their gaming chops.

the car analogy is the more accurate one here

I dont want an F1 driver reviewing a car, I want someone who can at least drive

this doesnt look like someone who plays games

 

[OverBlood 3]

The guy arguing that the video posted is the same one as the facebook video is incorrect. They're different. Whoever is playing in the facebook video is playing the game perfectly well.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

So wait - Press is now responsible to make games look good?

Like advertise them?

Maybe get paid from publishers for it?

Press should show off a game's possibility space accurately. Whether the viewer thinks it looks cool is up to them.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Oh by the way what's with the massive screen tearing? Is it just the video capture, is it my youtube acting up, or is that in the game?

That depends entirely on the content of the review in my opinion. If my review focuses on addressing visual or narrative elements

...

We are still talking about DOOM here, right?

 

[SerTapTap]

People should be allowed and encouraged to play whatever they want. They should also review whatever they want. I want reviews from total novices as well as pros. The whole point of reviews is to get a wide variety of perspectives on a game. Gamers should not be so obsessed with forming a critical narrative about a game.

If reviews are going to be from total novices they're going to need to be clearly denoted. Usually the MOST experienced person with (genre) gets to review those games for that team, not the opposite. And for good reason.

"This game is bad because I'm bad at FPS and it's an FPS" isn't really useful information to anyone.

Yeah the imps do move around quite a bit and can even be a bit of a pain at times using a mouse.
I addition the aiming on IDtech games on consoles feels a bit weird and stiff compared to most other console shooters. IT can be hard to aim right. I noticed this a bit myself when playing the alpha on PS4 and it has been mentioned about Wolfenstein the new order too.

The user isn't "not aiming right". The user is either aiming or moving, almost never both at once. That's someone who is not familiar with the controller they're using, at all.

 

[Yazzees]

The hate for Polygon can get pretty obnoxious, especially as of a couple years ago after that one thing, but jesus christ that person legitimately is playing like it's their first time controlling an fps.

 

[matrixman92]

Pretty sure you get the shotgun before going in that room, strange that they switched back to pistol

 

[JDB]

So there needs to be a skill threshold for reviews?

Yes?

How else are you accurately supposed to judge a game if you can barely even move, let alone fully understand the mechanics?

 

[mullet2000]

True, although as stated this person isn't reviewing the game. It's just a video showing off the game. And most 'skilled' gamers can tell that the player isn't quite controlling it well.

Most of the reviewers, even at Polygon, play games for a living. Their skill level is only something to take into account, but it doesn't mean that someone can't review a game simply because they aren't as good as what is considered 'skilled.'

We have a wide variety of reviewers from many different outlets. It's good to have a variety of perspective. Many people who play games aren't quite as hardcore about the hobby as we are. This is just a perspective, and I think it's better to consider these points instead of shitting on it after watching a 10 second clip.

I don't think your overall point is wrong. As I said, I think having different perspectives is cool. Edit: Like the poster just below me points out, getting Conan O'Brian's opinion on games is hilarious to me, because I understand his position and that he doesn't play games at all outside of those 'review' segments.

However, I also think playing a game this poorly has an effect on how much weight I can but on that reviewer/commentator's opinion (I realize that in this specific case the person isn't reviewing the game, but generally speaking) in their final analysis/review/opinion on the game. This video isn't really framed as "hey we had my friend who never plays games give DOOM a shot for an hour!", it represents Polygon when it's posted.

By no means am I saying every reviewer has to be able to beat Ninja Gaiden Black on the highest difficulty to review games, but honestly in this video I just see a weird lack of ability to control the game at all, which is a bad look for a large/professional website. It's just kind of eyebrow raising.

As a comparison, I would also raise an eyebrow to a book reviewer who couldn't understand the basic themes in, oh, Heart of Darkness. Sure, there are a lot of readers that may not understand a lot of novels beyond the very literal level, either. but that's not what I'm going to a professional critic for - I can get that at looking at Amazon's reviews or, in terms of games, a random comment on a game's page on Steam.

It's just not a good look if you ask me. A website that frames itself the way Polygon does kind of needs to convey to the reader (me) that their opinions are coming from an informed or capable place, and gameplay like this makes me sit back and question that.

 

[partyphone]

a review is about someone's experience with a game and it's valuable to get many different points of view. it shouldn't be about finding the absolute objective review score for a game. not only is that a thing that cannot, will not and has never existed it would be a completely useless metric.

one of my favorite video game review type things has become the clueless gamer segments on conan. it's really interesting getting a layperson's perspective on games.

 

[xDUMPWEEDx]

They play games as well as they write articles.

 

[Smooth Operator]

So wait - Press is now responsible to make games look good?

Like advertise them?

Maybe get paid from publishers for it?

Nah, but how are we supposed to believe what they're writing if they can't even understand the basics ?

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

So wait - Press is now responsible to make games look good?

Like advertise them?

Maybe get paid from publishers for it?

They are responsible to give a good review. And if they make a good game look not good because they suck at it that's not a good review.

Right, so there are plenty of other outlets to indulge in. Members of the games press aren't obligated to make a game look cool. That's not their function. They're hired for their writing ability in most cases, not their gaming chops.

Yikes. If you're writing a review of a product, you need to know how to use it properly. This isn't like being a sports writer or something.

They play games as well as they write articles.

I laughed.

 

[Valkyr1983]

I mean

regarding this and your previous post:

I apologize by advance like 2 times in the OP, clarify that I dont know who's playing, genuinely ask if this is the person reviewing the game

and you still treat me like some bully who's mocking aloud like "lel look at this noob" and assuming I KNEW it was a facebook video?

wtf?

beyond that, if its just a preview video, for facebook, made by Polygon, its still by a person playing the game fucking horribly and its a terrible, innacurate showing of it for it

whats your problem?

So what if it's an inaccurate showing of the game, why do you care?

Do you work for ID?

 

[Eradicate]

It looks like the bad guy just gives up and launches his own head off!

 

[Zemm]

Looks like "Twitch plays Doom" instead of game enthusiast site.

haha that is exactly what it looks like

 

[Dimmle]

Press should show off a game's possibility space accurately. Whether the viewer thinks it looks cool is up to them.

I can agree with this sentiment, yeah. But what's the possibility space of a Doom game? A continuum with "shooting poorly" on one side and "shooting well" on the other?

 

[Salsa]

Also, if it's been confirmed that this guy isn't reviewing the game, safe to say the Metascore is safe from sabotage, which is what I'm assuming this thread is about.

shit man whats with this vendetta sentiment

the thread's about what the thread's about. where do I state otherwise? I ran into this thing and it caught my eye. given the response I wasnt in the wrong

do with it what you want. I think its fucking weird and never encountered something like it to this degree, is all

given Polygon not specifying anything about it in what ive found regarding who's playing it I only knew it came from them

 

[hatchx]

Polygon doesn't deserve our attention. They are the biggest joke in the game journalism world, they constantly get too much of GAF's attention, and imo should be a banned site.

 

[Sylas]

That depends entirely on the content of the review in my opinion. If my review focuses on addressing visual or narrative elements then I'm uncertain why my experience with a genre would matter so long as I was able to progress through it. If I want to know how the game feels to a pro-gamer™ then I'll specifically seek a review from one.

I do think this is an example of why games are fairly complex things to review. Many times it's hard to separate the way the visual elements, or narrative elements, from the gameplay itself. For example; The visual elements might clue in different gameplay mechanics and if you don't understand that mechanic, you might miss out on why that element is important.

Same with narrative--you might get a clue about a certain mechanic that's completely in-world and in-character, and if you can't connect those dots you'll likely find the narrative element lacking. The best example I can think of is The Witcher 3. If you paid attention to some key parts of the narrative, certain gameplay elements changed radically because you (and Gerry) were better informed.

Start of the video the guy says he's playing the PC version and around 15 minutes in says he's using a controller to play.

Not the same video as the one linked in the OP. GONNA KEEP REITERATIN' IT. SORRY GUYS.