Poll: Yahtzee... don't forget the good stuff!

[TheMasterGL16]

Ok, so here's my thought, I've been watching Yahtzee for a long time now (every episode to be exact.) Now am I the only one who has noticed he seems more interested in ripping a game apart now. I know, I know, he's always been harsh on games that?s what makes him funny. But he used to always have a good bit about what he LIKED about the game. It just seems like he's stopped doing that.

Take for example the Batman review. He SAID he liked the game and all that... but... after watching I found it to know WHY he thought the game. I use Yahtzee?s reviews to know what games I would like to play. It?s become less like a review to reveal how he felt about the game and if he feels it?s worth buying. And more like a series of inside jokes to the people who have played the game.

I guess what I'm saying is don't make an ok game sound terrible and a great game sound just ok. I mean you obviously REALLY liked batman, you said it was in the running for your game of the year. So why not spend MORE of the review talking about what you liked. Sure you can add some ***** slaps to it, that?s why we watch. But don?t forget to highlight the good stuff if there is good stuff to highlight.

Here's the formula you used to have that I'd like to see again.
Game = ok, spend half the time bashing, half the time congratulating.
Game = bad, spend more time bashing and less time congratulating.
Game = good, spend more time congratulating and less bashing.

I'd like to see a show of hands. Who agrees with me?

Let's get enough people talking here that Yahtzee HIMSELF posts!!!

 

[Gxas]

Yahtzee won't post. I think he's become stale myself. The "shock" of watching him for the first time is gone and I can basically predict what he will say.

More Unforgotten Realms please.

 

[gutterball17]

Yeah. I know. But they dropped URealms. I can't even tell you how pissed I was when that happened.

 

[Internet Kraken]

I use Yahtzee?s reviews to know what games I would like to play.

You really shouldn't. Yahtzee is horribly opinionated. He is not a reliable source for information about a game. Since his web series is more about comedy that's not really a problem. But you should never trust only his opinion on a game.

And no, Yahtzee should not be more positive. Him being so negative about a game is what makes it funny.

 

[secretshadow90]

Me and my friends have been saying the exact same thing for a while. I would actually like to hear what Yahtzee thinks is good in a game. I await the day where he jabs forks in his eyes (for reference: Orange Box review).

 

[KillSmiley]

Yahtzee's whole raison d'etre (pretention!) is ripping games apart. I think he laid that out pretty well in the SSBB mailbag video. He's a humorist, not a proper reviewer, and there's nothing funny about liking a game. I think you might be one of the few people who takes his advice seriously.

Also, the fact that you can tell the difference between "Yahtzee attacks a crap game because it's crap" and "Yahtzee attacks a good game because it's his schtick" suggests to me that you don't need him to be explicit about it.

 

[Dragon_of_red]

Herees a hint, its comedy, not a full review, if you want a review, go to the review section, dont just use yahtzee's oppinion.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but yeah, it is just comedy.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

I think of Yahtzee less of a reviewer and more of a critic

 

[Loop Stricken]

You really shouldn't. Yahtzee is horribly opinionated. He is not a reliable source for information about a game. Since his web series is more about comedy that's not really a problem. But you should never trust only his opinion on a game.

I believe he says as much himself.

 

[Bebosis]

I personally would like to see what he has to say about what he thought was good about a game but i have to agree with some of the other posts it is just comedy not a review. He just uses the game as a basis for it. Its how most comedians do it. Most people find ripping on bad stuff funny.

 

[Dave Rain]

Yahtzee says everything that's bad about a good game so that you don't eat the "it's the greates game of... whatever" crap.

Batman is good, yes, but not as good people say.

So, Yahtzee's job is to tell us why our games suck.

And about the iside jokes, that's the best about Zero Punctuation. You play a game and laugh about this parts.

 

[RatRace123]

I think of Yahtzee less of a reviewer and more of a critic

This
And as such he is better when he's being critical.

 

[Srkkl]

Well I wouldn't really watch his reviews for actual insight on the scale of "if I would like this game or not" more for entertainment.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Besides, his 'review' of Assassin's Creed 2 basically boils down to "It's not perfect and it's a sequel yah boo sucks".

 

[NotHisRealName]

I actually find it humorous that people presume to know what Yahtzee does and doesn't do - especially regarding this web site.

I've kinda met him in person (was an extra in a Game Damage skit), and have watched all the Zero Punctuation clips, and know him enough to say I don't know him at all - outside of his ZP character.

For all anyone knows, he does view these forums and posts under an alias.

Then again, maybe the thought of interacting with half the people in these forums makes him want to gnaw his own head off to prevent the possibility of that ever happening.

I don't know... and neither do you.

(Next people are going to start calling Rebecca Mayes a game reviewer, too.)

 

[Chewster]

No, I don't think he should start to highlight to good elements of these games. If I wanted that I'd turn to IGN or Gamespot or one of the other practically infinite game review sites that seem to have the entirety of the gaming industry's balls in their mouth perpetually.

His being a critic, as in, one who is critical, often means he is nitpicky, but a voice like this is needed in the gaming industry since it seems as though we are inevitably sliding further and further into the Hollywoodland way of making games (i.e. nothing original, as that is not safe and therefore potentially not profitable) and all "reviewers" seem too distracted by sparkling graphics to care, in my experience.

If the industry is to improve (which really, call my a cynic, but I don't think it will since we as gamers and consumers don't seem to demand better of them, and I've been at this gaming thing for the better part of almost two decades now) then we must remain ever critical of what it is they are doing, even if it comes across as cynical or nitpicky or pessimistic or whatever else.

This is, naturally, not to say that I agree with all of his reviews or even points made, but his voice is still relatively fresh compared to the rest of the industry payola ass-kissing that permeates gaming "journalism". Until we demand better of this industry, stuff like this is going to be a necessary evil, even if no one in the industry seems to give that much of a care. And at the very least, it's worth a cheap laugh or two.

 

[NotHisRealName]

I think of Yahtzee less of a reviewer and more of a critic

This
And as such he is better when he's being critical.

I third that comment. Critic, not reviewer.

 

[Pimppeter2]

I use Yahtzee?s reviews to know what games I would like to play. It?s become less like a review to reveal how he felt about the game and if he feels it?s worth buying.

This is were you went wrong. Really, thats a load of bullshit.

Yahtzee is entertainment, not a serious reviewer.