Overrated is a stupid term

[Racecarlock]

I realized that while reading this thread.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.395676-I-really-dont-believe-that-Half-Life-2-is-overrated-I-think-modern-Gamers-just-missed-the-boat

Because here's what it boils down to. What a lot of people in that thread are saying is "People like the game too much". And, really, why do you care? Why care what other people like? I mean, same goes for underrated too, because of course not everyone's going to like the same things you do. That's a dumb expectation. Both terms basically boil down to "Stop liking what I don't like!" only said with bigger words and shit.

Again, why? Why do we do this? Why claim this or that is overrated/underrated and shit when you have to consider the wildly different tastes of... well... humans? I mean, humans are different. Does that surprise you? I mean, you all have favorite games right? Well, what if I told you you were overrating all of your favorite games? How would you feel? And then what if I told you you were underrating all of my favorite games? I mean, in topics like the one above it's basically impossible to get an answer that isn't biased. Because everyone is biased. That's how humans are. I'm biased, your biased, we're all biased. Get over it. Because if someone is truly objective about everything then they have no opinions on anything. Which means they're either a robot or a banana.

One of my favorite games of all time is star wars rebel assault, but I'm not going to claim other people are underrating it. Because that's dumb. Same with overrating except it's reversed with games I don't really like.

 

[DoPo]

Like what you like, dont like what you dont like. If you have no opinion about something doesnt mean everyone else cant express theirs.

Let me get this straight, you're saying that everybody should be able to express their opinion, but when somebody's opinion is that they shouldn't, that's not allowed? Also, you do realise that by calling something "overrated", that's berating the opinions of others, too?

Too much meta, just too much meta.

 

[SlaveNumber23]

Overrated isn't a stupid term, its just another way of expressing your opinion: "this gets a lot of praise but I personally don't think its all that great" is condensed into just one word.

One of my favorite games of all time is star wars rebel assault, but I'm not going to claim other people are underrating it. Because that's dumb.

Why? Its dumb that you express that you have a differing opinion to others?

 

[Windcaler]

I realized that while reading this thread.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.395676-I-really-dont-believe-that-Half-Life-2-is-overrated-I-think-modern-Gamers-just-missed-the-boat

Because here's what it boils down to. What a lot of people in that thread are saying is "People like the game too much". And, really, why do you care? Why care what other people like? I mean, same goes for underrated too, because of course not everyone's going to like the same things you do. That's a dumb expectation. Both terms basically boil down to "Stop liking what I don't like!" only said with bigger words and shit.

Again, why? Why do we do this? Why claim this or that is overrated/underrated and shit when you have to consider the wildly different tastes of... well... humans? I mean, humans are different. Does that surprise you? I mean, you all have favorite games right? Well, what if I told you you were overrating all of your favorite games? How would you feel? And then what if I told you you were underrating all of my favorite games? I mean, in topics like the one above it's basically impossible to get an answer that isn't biased. Because everyone is biased. That's how humans are. I'm biased, your biased, we're all biased. Get over it. Because if someone is truly objective about everything then they have no opinions on anything. Which means they're either a robot or a banana.

One of my favorite games of all time is star wars rebel assault, but I'm not going to claim other people are underrating it. Because that's dumb. Same with overrating except it's reversed with games I don't really like.

Actually what it means is people praise the game more then they should. Very different definition then "people like it to much". HL2 is often proclaimed as revolutionary and I dont really agree with that. Did it play a part in the evolution of FPS games over the years? Sure. Was it revolutionary? In most aspects no. I dont think so.

Overrated is a term that has an important place in the english language when it comes to criticism but, like many words, people are using it wrong, including you

 

[Acton Hank]

People have the right to state whatever wrong or ignorant opinion they want, just don't expect me to to take you seriously if you disagree.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

The problem with the word that makes it annoying and whiny is that it purely subjective. It's like the person talking has so little desire to defend what they saying intellectually that they just use language in such a way that they can always just say that it is their opinion and that can't be argued with. This is a big problem with ratings, reviews and even academic criticism. It's all just a huge echo chamber that doesn't really want to engage with ugly details like what the thing means to the people who like it and what the people who made it were thinking when they made it.

 

[Legion]

People have the right to state whatever wrong or ignorant opinion they want, just don't expect me to to take you seriously if you disagree.

That is what it boils down to.

Everybody has the right to express their opinion. That doesn't mean you automatically have the right to have that opinion respected.

Actually what it means is people praise the game more then they should. Very different definition then "people like it to much". HL2 is often proclaimed as revolutionary and I dont really agree with that. Did it play a part in the evolution of FPS games over the years? Sure. Was it revolutionary? In most aspects no. I dont think so.

Overrated is a term that has an important place in the english language when it comes to criticism but, like many words, people are using it wrong, including you

You are using the word 'then' wrong. In the context that you are using, the word should be 'than'. 'Then' is used to imply a sense of time/order. 'Than' is used to compare.

I am going to the shops then going home.
I think Bioshock is better than Gears of War.

 

[Fasckira]

so "overrated" is...overrated?
*mind blown*

Quoted simply to allow others the delight to read it twice in this thread.

Would hardly say "overrated" is a stupid term in the slightest. The only time it becomes a bit misused is when people use it describe their own personal tastes as fact rather than in conjunction with a true public opinion.

 

[Beryl77]

Yeah, I don't really like the way people use it. They mostly just mean "Many like this game but I don't like it so much, so they shouldn't praise it so much".
They can of course use it how much they want, it just doesn't really tell me much and I think it's unnecessary, at least the way most use it.

 

[Rawne1980]

what if I told you you were overrating all of your favorite games? How would you feel?

I'd feel somewhat like this...

See, here is where I have a problem with a few people on this site and, well, a hell of a lot of people in the internet in general....

They care far too much about what other people think. Abuse one of their games or, heaven forbid, an Anime they love and prepare for an incoming shit storm.

Honestly, what does it matter what other people think?

Does it taint your enjoyment of Half Life 2 to know that some people find it shit?

I like a lot of games that some people find utter crap. If I cared what anyone else thought i'd be sat in a corner rocking, drooling down my chin and howling at the moon after reading write ups of some of them.

If people think Half Life 2 is over rated then let them, this thread won't change their minds.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Honestly, what does it matter what other people think?

Does it taint your enjoyment of Half Life 2 to know that some people find it shit?

It depends on if their arguments have any substance. If not then why not just tell them and not give a shit.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

What I don't like is when the sole argument is "it's overrated" and little else. It condenses so much information, criticism, and context into a single word, and doesn't give the reader much at all to go on. I don't ever use it, I've personally found it better to say "I didn't like this game, it wasn't my thing" than to say "it's overrated", essentially implying that your opinion is that all the reviewers and fans are drinking the kool-aid or missed the total suck that you did. It shifts the burden of explanation and justification for the failings away from the user of the word, maybe.

Damn, I use the Internet far too often if this is a point that I'm making : )

 

[Loonyyy]

It is a stupid term. It's basically, I disagree with the prevailing opinion, and will now state this in terms which describe the game rather than the opinions, and doesn't imply the subjectivity of all the measures involved.

Underrated is equally bad.

And really, it's meaningless. It's a criticism of the media, which is actually a critique of the audience response, and that says nothing about the stuff.

 

[SonicWaffle]

One of my favorite games of all time is star wars rebel assault, but I'm not going to claim other people are underrating it. Because that's dumb. Same with overrating except it's reversed with games I don't really like.

That isn't dumb. All 'underrated' and 'overrated' imply (technically) is that you think they are better/worse than they are generally perceived. You may be right because in many cases, general perception is based not on the thing itself but on what other people have said about that thing; for instance (PET PEEVE AHOY!) Aquaman is underrated, being both a badass and an interesting character who gets shafted in most media because he's become synonymous with "useless powers" to the point that nobody thinks about what he actually can do. However, all you're really doing is giving your opinion on the matter, so if you say something is under/overrated it doesn't change my opinion - all it does it let me know what you think.

 

[Zantos]

I think that people are using "This game is overrated" interchangeably with "The people I know are really tedious". If the people you know or the forums you are part of can't go for more than five minutes without the conversation turning back to how Half Life 2, or Baldurs Gate, or whatever is the greatest game ever made then it's going to get pretty annoying. However that isn't the game's fault, and people who don't hang around that sort of tedium aren't going to be seeing it from the same angle regardless of their opinions of it.

 

[TehCookie]

Didn't Half-Life 2 do something groundbreaking or something? Even if you don't like it at least recognize it's contribution to gaming. If it hasn't done anything (I don't know, it didn't interest me so I just ignored it), just ignore them. Besides, who can't recognize quality in a game even if it's not to their taste?