Why do professional game reviews never discuss glitches or bugs?

[GisherJohn24]

Shouldn't that be part of all reviews? IF there is a bug, I would love to hear about it from someone who supposedly played it for hours and hours. Why not mention it ya know?

[SolidSquid]

Quote: Originally Posted by GisherJohn24

Shouldn't that be part of all reviews? IF there is a bug, I would love to hear about it from someone who supposedly played it for hours and hours. Why not mention it ya know?

It's bad for business. You call out publishers you no longer get review copies or flown down to try the game early

[edgevoice]

Quote: Originally Posted by GisherJohn24

Shouldn't that be part of all reviews? IF there is a bug, I would love to hear about it from someone who supposedly played it for hours and hours. Why not mention it ya know?

That's a great question John. Quite frankly, it appears as if everyone is in a hurry to write a review, rather than take the time to dive in to the game more completely. Madden is a very complex game. Offline modes, online modes, player progression, custom playbooks, etc... I have yet to see a review that completely addresses everything. Also, most early release gameplay was head to head matches, so you didn't get an early look at how the cpu ai played. I gather far more information about the game from folks here than anywhere else and am thankful for that.

[GisherJohn24]

Quote: Originally Posted by edgevoice

That's a great question John. Quite frankly, it appears as if everyone is in a hurry to write a review, rather than take the time to dive in to the game more completely. Madden is a very complex game. Offline modes, online modes, player progression, custom playbooks, etc... I have yet to see a review that completely addresses everything. Also, most early release gameplay was head to head matches, so you didn't get an early look at how the cpu ai played. I gather far more information about the game from folks here than anywhere else and am thankful for that.

Thanks for responding. That said, that's why I wonder if they're playing the game extensively, and if they are, they notice the bugs, and just don't feel the need to mention it. I don't see why reviewers would have an agenda, the game is already out. Glitches don't keep me from buying games, but I might delay a purchase knowing if there's a gamebreaking bug...

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by edgevoice

That's a great question John. Quite frankly, it appears as if everyone is in a hurry to write a review, rather than take the time to dive in to the game more completely. Madden is a very complex game. Offline modes, online modes, player progression, custom playbooks, etc... I have yet to see a review that completely addresses everything. Also, most early release gameplay was head to head matches, so you didn't get an early look at how the cpu ai played. I gather far more information about the game from folks here than anywhere else and am thankful for that.

Yep. This is a big part of it.

All video game review outlets are competing for clicks and eyeballs, and by getting a review out sooner than their competitors a single site earns first dibs on the potential audience for a game. As a result of this collective pressure, all reviewers have less total time to spend with a game to explore all nooks and crannies before their publish deadline arrives.

Only when you get reviewers completely independent from the system, such as Jim Sterling whose independent gaming outlet The Jimquisition is completely supported by Patreon (full disclosure: I am one of Jim Sterling's supporters), can reviewers escape this pressure to release their opinions ASAP. This affords the reviewer the opportunity to really dive into a game, expose all its warts, and form a more thorough and nuanced opinion about the thing.

[edgevoice]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Yep. This is a big part of it. All video game review outlets are competing for clicks and eyeballs, and by getting a review out sooner than their competitors a single site earns first dibs on the potential audience for a game. As a result of this collective pressure, all reviewers have less total time to spend with a game to explore all nooks and crannies before their publish deadline arrives. Only when you get reviewers completely independent from the system, such as Jim Sterling whose independent gaming outlet The Jimquisition is completely supported by Patreon (full disclosure: I am one of Jim Sterling's supporters), can reviewers escape this pressure to release their opinions ASAP. This affords the reviewer the opportunity to really dive into a game, expose all its warts, and form a more thorough and nuanced opinion about the thing.

Thanks for that info Chris. Let's face it, while social media has it's place, it puts more and more pressure on everybody to be first with everything. Thoroughness be damned by golly!!

[Black Bruce Wayne]

That's what we're here for

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[numberFour4ever]

Like test driving a new car, most of the time the inadequacies don't show themselves until you've driven it around for a while.