Poll: Is Yahtzee serious?

[Erttheking]

This is something I have been thinking about for some time now, Yahtzee has stated to hate a lot of games and when I try to remember it all I recall him hating, third person shooters, first person shooters, real time strategies, RPGs JRPGs and just about everything the Wii churned out, and that's just off of the top of my head. I've seen a couple of people say that he's in character during his reveiws while others say they're his honest opinion and frankly I'm a little lost here. If he is in character I can't help but notice that he practically never breaks it on this website and quite a few people has begun to despise him. On the other hand if he isn't in character it's rather jarring that he honestly hates so many of the games out there and truly beleives them to be bland and unoriginal.

I get the feeling there is no right or wrong anwser to this so what do you think?

 

[Wuggy]

I think Yahtzee has stated something like that "Comedy is a great medium to deliver actual points", or some such. I don't remember (or can be arsed to find) the actual quote. So there, make of that what you want.

 

[Fanta Grape]

He has his honest opinions and them says them in a comedic manner which may be a hyperbolic representation of what he believes. So ... yes.

 

[GrindBass]

I'd say serious, but exaggerated for comedic purposes.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

He's not a reviewer, he's a critic. A reviewer will take a balanced look at a game and deliver an unbiased report. A critic will examine a game and pick up on all its flaws, glossing over the good and emphasizing the bad.

Yahtzee exaggerates for comic effect, but he's pretty on the ball when it comes to finding a game's weak spots.

 

[The Dutchess]

He's giving his opinion albeit in a fun/over the top fashion. So yes, sorry, he really does hate that game you love

 

[Mxrz]

He has his opinions same as everyone else, and he certainly isn't alone in his 'hate.' So he bashed some game you liked then? Yeah it happens. Deal with it. But if people despise him, then I'm not sure why they'd come to this site since he's pretty much the main attraction.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Bearing in mind that he has had to play a new game every week for the last 2 years or something, his honest opinion about games might be a bit different from most people.

But, he's british, he's obliged to be snarky.

 

[Supertegwyn]

I doubt he hates as many games as he days he does, but I believe his opinions are his own. He does exaggerate however.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Uh, honestly? Neither.

This is probably best illustrated by the logical contradictions that arise if you take everything he says seriously.

For instance, watch his review of Mario Galaxy... Then see if you can spot the fact that it's on his list of 'games to play when I actually have some spare time' (or something like that.)

See, there's a difference between a game he has seriously said he can't stand, and a game which he heavily criticizes, but actually, at the end of the day, still likes enough to want to play it in his spare time.

The problem is, based on the tone of his reviews and writing it's incredibly difficult to work out most of the time which is which.

So... Yes, he is serious about his complaints, but you have to be very careful not to assume that he hates a game or genre entirely based solely on what he's complained about at some point.

 

[smeghead25]

He uses comedic metaphors and exaggeration to point out the flaws in games while only briefly touching upon the good points. He doesn't hate the GAMES, though he might dislike aspects of them. What he hates is the dumbass design choices and mechanics that are thrown in simply because everyone else is doing it.

The best example I can think of right now is Resistance 3. I loved the game personally, and it sounds like he enjoyed it to an extent. The mechanics such as health packs, the weapon wheel, and the story driven mechanics style of the gameplay he liked. He didn't like the dreary brown colours of half the levels and the good plot without sufficient emotion from the characters. It didn't gel. They thought they could get away with it just because it was a game.

So yes, he is serious when he critiques the aspects of each game. But he also exaggerates because it's entertaining and he gets paid to do it, and he makes horrible metaphors because it works. He's said before that there are more than enough proper reviews out there you can access. If you want a proper review, go there.

Basically, just because it appears he hates a game, doesn't mean it's bad. I find that every complaint he levels at a game is completely 100% true.

And yet I still love the Kane & Lynch games. GO figure.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

This is something I have been thinking about for some time now, Yahtzee has stated to hate a lot of games and when I try to remember it all I recall him hating, third person shooters, first person shooters, real time strategies, RPGs JRPGs and just about everything the Wii churned out, and that's just off of the top of my head. I've seen a couple of people say that he's in character during his reviews while others say they're his honest opinion and frankly I'm a little lost here. If he is in character I can't help but notice that he practically never breaks it on this website and quite a few people has begun to despise him. On the other hand if he isn't in character it's rather jarring that he honestly hates so many of the games out there and truly believes them to be bland and unoriginal.

I get the feeling there is no right or wrong answer to this so what do you think?

He is a comic that depends on cynicism in his routines. He's opened a video-game based bar in Australia, and if he really hated every type of game, he wouldn't review or critic them for a living.

He hates aspects of games. For example, he like heath kits and other old school shooter related stuff, not cover-based combat and regenerating heath. It's all hyperbole

 

[Frankster]

Think the persona might be exagerated but it's a reflection of his true opinions for sure.

As for the validity of said opinions, few of us watch yahtzee because the guy is a videogame guru but because he is a funny man that usually presents his views in a comedic manner.
Those that take his opinion seriously though...Well they are the reason we can't have nice things xD

 

[Trippy Turtle]

He is serious but pointing out a games flaws doesn't make him hate it. Also his goal is to entertain. He will probably over exaggerate things but he doesn't outright lie.

 

[Radoh]

He takes the flaws of games and magnifies them, so yeah he's serious in the sense that certain aspects of games really irritate him, but he does blow everything out of proportion just for a good laugh.

Like he once said, he likes the idea of being a professional troll.

 

[Exterminas]

Why wouldn't he be serious?

I think the problem stems from people on the internet having a too black/whitish view on things. Yahtzee doesn't "hate" games. He points out things he dislikes and uses colorful language for that.

This is not the same as hatred!

Therefore I have no trouble thinking that these are really his opnions. You just have to get past the vibrant presentation and all you have is a guy like you and me, who likes some things and dislikes others.

 

[Erttheking]

Like he once said, he likes the idea of being a professional troll.

Not quite sure how to take that. Then again, things would make a bit more sense.

 

[Nitrozzy7]

Every game he has reviewed, wasn't very enjoyable for me. Except of those who praises and Battlefield. Coincidence? no. This is why I trust his reviews and I sometimes quote him.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

He takes valid points, and blows them out of proportion for comedic effect.