Has Yahtzee ruined you?

[Bek359]

Was Yahtzee the guy who gave an incredibly bad review of The Expendables which is actually a decent movie? If so, I disagree with that completely.

Other than that opinion is opinion and he gets most of his views and cash by over exaggerating flaws in games he doesn't like. Or something like that...

That was Moviebob. Yahtzee does Zero Punctuation, and has a dim view of the medium of film in general.

 

[Imbechile]

No he didn't. Infact, I usually disagree with him

 

[Nazulu]

Nope. I've always been critical with all media. Actually, I became more like a critic after being severely disappointed with Brawl, but that wasn't because of Yahtzee, that was so I avoid hyping up for shit!

 

[Mikeyfell]

So, I am a huge fan of Zero Punctuation (seriously, who isn't) and I usually agree with Yathzee's views, at least in terms of what I look for in a game like good gameplay and story.

Recently however, I have been noticing that whenever I start a new game or pick up one I haven't played in a while, I start seeing flaws or annoyances that I wouldn't have noticed before. After watching ZP for the last 3 years I start seeing games the way Yahtzee would, finding all these flaws that wouldnt have mattered to me before. I dont really know if this is a good or bad thing though I find it harder to get into games i normally would have liked.

So, my fellow escapists, have any of you noticed this change in perception as well? Even without ZP's influence, have you ever changed how you view, play, and enjoy games?

EDIT: I don't think I was clear I meant that my initial analysis of games has been influenced by ZP, I don't make decisions based of what he says. I often disagree with him.

I think he covered this in his Mail Bag Showdown video

It's worth remembering that all reviews are subjective personal opinions, and if you personally like the game then they really shouldn't get to you. Unless, of course, there's a despicable little niggling doubt in the back of your mind that maybe you're not having as much fun as you've convinced your self you're having. Which doesn't go away no matter how many times you try to slap it down with the wet flannel of week excuses...

I agree with everything Yhatzee says (okay 99% of everything Yhatzee says I fucking LOVE Mirror's Edge) but that's mostly because I valued the same things he valued before he started reviewing games

I really don't think that the Zero P videos have honed your critical eye. I just think games are getting worse. after watching every ZP at least 500 times I still can't find anything wrong with Jak 2 or any of the other games in my top 10
but then I turn around and play a new game like say...."Legendary" for example and all the flaws annoying level design and the lack of ammo for the guns that work, and the fucking enemies that can kill before you know which direction they're coming from.
and then I turn around and play a well reviewed game like....Gears of War and find that doesn't have to many technical problems but it's major flaw sitting there staring me in the face is that it isn't fun. and with out the immersion element of "FUN" the flaws just stick out more

and all the games that can pull off "fun" are over before you know they started

I just picked up Enslaved (Rented it, I never buy a game with out playing it first. Gears of War taught me that} and it's really fucking good. I mean the platforming doesn't flow so well and the combat could get repetitive on me very soon but I just don't care because I'm having fun playing it.

do you have a specific example of a game you think Yahtzee made you judged harshly. Because if it's just "recent mainstream games" in general you can safely assume that they're all just shit.

 

[00slash00]

no. i learned very early to watch his videos for comedic value but never think of them as actual reviews. i mean hes right about some games but in general it seems pretty obvious that his goal is to not like the game (or at least act like he doesnt)

 

[dogenzakaminion]

snip

Now this does seem very reasonable. I don't have a specific example it's more just "games in general" but what I find is that I'll notice things like bad meny design or how bad driving physics make it chore to drive anywhere. A few years ago I would never have noticed and just gone on with the game. Then again, this could just be because of maturing taste and knowledge. It isn't that I just go with whatever he says (I LOVE Mirror's Edge too), but I think he's made me more cynical towards games.

Also, Im glad you like Enslaved. I cannot wait to get it

 

[Mikeyfell]

snip

Now this does seem very reasonable. I don't have a specific example it's more just "games in general" but what I find is that I'll notice things like bad meny design or how bad driving physics make it chore to drive anywhere. A few years ago I would never have noticed and just gone on with the game. Then again, this could just be because of maturing taste and knowledge. It isn't that I just go with whatever he says (I LOVE Mirror's Edge too), but I think he's made me more cynical towards games.

Also, Im glad you like Enslaved. I cannot wait to get it

cynicism is ultimately a positive force
it never hurts to be skeptical

Enslaved is really fun...I'm kind of hoping Yahtzee reviews it on Wednesday
it's one of those games where the story and game-play melt together seamlessly
it's linear but that's a welcome change from all the bad sandbox games out there

 

[minarri]

For me, it's kind of like something Yahtzee mentioned in the SSBB mailbag showdown episode: stuff he says only bothers me if I already had a niggling doubt in the back of my mind that I'd been trying to ignore.

See generally I try really hard to like the games I buy, since I don't want to feel like I've wasted my money. But when something that had been bugging me is brought up by Yahtzee then it almost feels like I can no longer pretend it's just a figment of my imagination.

 

[CheckD3]

It has a bit for me, but honestly, is it really a bad thing? Extra Credits is starting to effect me too, but is it a bad thing to want to try and get better games? A good game is like a relationship that works, sure it has it's flaws, but you're able to look past that and see the wonderful (and fun) side of it, if the bad stuff is too prominent then maybe you're not having as much fun as you thought you would

I will use Yahtzee's recommendations on games when not sure about the game and it being on sale, and so far it's been pretty good ^^

 

[magicaxis]

I watch him because he is hilarious, and then disregard his advice. If we did what he said, we all would have bought no more than 5 games in the last three years.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Quite the opposite. Since I started watching his reviews, I find I've enjoyed games more. Yahtzee's funny, but he's also a nitpicker, and all it's done is made me more aware of when I nitpick.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Nope. His Mirror's Edge review is pure trash (although still funny), and if I can't see three quarters of the problems in such a "DESPERATELY FLAWED FECAL WATERSLIDE", then I'm clearly not massively influenced by his critiquing.

Yeah, Mirror's Edge was great. Just really, really, really frickin' short. I got it for cheap though, and I have very few complaints about it.

 

[Jack Dookie]

Not really. The reason why is a quote he made in his "Mailbag Showdown" video.

"It's important to remember that all reviews are subjective personal opinions, and if you personally enjoyed a game, then they really shouldn't get to you."

That's all that needs saying, really.

Totally agree here.

 

[Dogstile]

Not in the slightest. I'm as likely to go blow ten bucks on a game thats likely to be shit as I always was.

So very likely.

 

[Russian_Assassin]

In the mailbag showdown episode he said:

It's worth remembering that all reviews are subjective personal opinions, and if you personally enjoy the game then they shouldn't really get to you. Unless of course there's a despicable little niggling doubt in the back of your mind, that maybe you're not having as much fun as you've convinced yourself you're having, which doesn't go away no matter how many times you try to slap it down with the wet flannel of weak excuses

Which I find really fitting in this situation. If I like a game I like it. Period! If Yahtzee decided to take a crap all over the Kingdom Hearts franchise (and I have good reasons to believe he would) I wouldn't stop liking it. I would laugh at his jokes and that would be it.

 

[Phantomess]

I usually buy the games that I know that I'm going to like, but I really wish that I'd listened to his advice about Scribblenauts...

 

[YoBadMama]

Kinda, I find flaws more often, but that doesn't extremely change my opinion on a game.

 

[GinraiPrime]

Yahtzee has never changed my opinions on games. He's helped me with particular genres that I'm not usually accustomed to but in general I form my own opinions on what I like when it comes to games. What I like about Yahtzee is how, unlike most game critics on alot of the big sites like IGN and Gametrailers, he doesn't follow the crowd and agree that something is good just because everyone else says it is. He says what he wants and it makes him stand out which is a good thing. Too many gaming trends of today usually only go with something because of;

a) power-armoured space marines
b) cover-based gameplay
c) regenerating health
d) the focus on realism

and last but not least

e) too much of a focus on multiplayer

Now theres nothing wrong with most of these in general but since its virtually what everyone is doing now it quickly gets stale and repetitive. Yahtzee points these flaws out and he's one of the few critics to actually have an opinion, thats the important thing. Its ironic how people can blab about "freedom of speech" when alot of them are afraid to say what they think and instead follow others like a flock of sheep. So no, Yahtzee hasen't ruined me, only helped reinforce some opinions I already had.