This thread is about the arbitrary score system the majority of websites use today. Namely, the 8-10 scale.
In theory, isn't 5 supposed to be average? Why is it that so many average games get 8's? Why is it that so many games are so damned fantastic they're deserving of 9's, sequels to said games at that?
Movies are rated in one of two ways. Thumbs up, or Stars. Simple. Effective.
What's with this complication of scores? Why not just assign a letter grade as more and more publications have been doing? It's quite similar to the star-grade system movies use, in fact. Not to mention we all know how an A+ makes us smile in school.
Some examples from 1up:
Mass Effect - A
Jumper: Griffin's Story - D+
Lost Planet: EC - B+
See how undisputed and simple this system is? What's more, to get the details on why you actually READ the damn review instead of being assaulted by mathematics!
/rant
I agree to some extent. Most websites and mags often seem to work under the assumption that average games deserve a 7 or 8 rather than a 5. I think it's largely down to two things:
1. Fear of upsetting advertisers (remember Gamespot's review of Kane and Lynch?) and
2. Fear of upsetting fans (remember Gamespot's review of Twilight Princess?).
But I don't think school grades would make a much better system. For example, all hell would still break lose if Brawl were to get A-, even if it did deserve it. Rather, the problem is reviewer's unnecessary use of "x point y" marks, e.g. 8.8. Why not just stick to simple integer numbers? It's unambiguous and clear. Does anyone here really make any distinction between a game rated 9.6 rather than 9.5?
Because games are more complicated then simply A.
If you hate the system so much then write your own reviews with your own system.
And quit bitching about the system, you don't have to read the reviews. They're only there to help you. First of all, 8 is not an 'average' it means the game is good. I'd say anything from 6-7 means the game is simply decent. Everything above that means the game is good and things are obviously done right.
It's a mixed bag. For every month we complain about a review score there's generally a score we totally agree with, so unless we want to say that reviews as a whole are unprofessional at doing their jobs, maybe we have to look at our motivations and see if the games we love are those that deserve a particularly high score.
Because games are more complicated then simply A.
If you hate the system so much then write your own reviews with your own system.
And quit bitching about the system, you don't have to read the reviews. They're only there to help you. First of all, 8 is not an 'average' it means the game is good. I'd say anything from 6-7 means the game is simply decent. Everything above that means the game is good and things are obviously done right.
Agreed. 
i read this as a critique on reviews in general, not Alex & Co. specifically,
and to that point i prefer a letter grade or thumbs up scale as well
I see it as that too. I just obviously, being a reviewer, have pretty strong feelings on this and don't see why people always complain about reviews.
They're people's opinions for Christ sakes! Of course you won't always agree with what's being said, but you have to take them as they are. Some people will like a game, others won't. Which is precisely why we have reviews, you can see why someone LIKED or DISLIKED the game. Then judge for yourself whether you like of dislike those things.
As for changing the rating system from 1-10 to the grade system. It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens, for me, and most big reviewers (IGN and the likes).
I have to agree with Alex on this one. I really like the 1-10 rating system and I'm not sure why it would be confusing to anyone. A site will normally post exactly what they numbers mean so your not left guessing. Trying to determine rating by letter grade just seems odd to me.
i like the number system...but i dont understand how a game review can say that a game was ok but not great because it had so many flaws, yet the reviewer still gives it a 7 or an 8...im not saying that all reviews are like this, but i tend to see it a lot. i think it would help if all reviewers were going on the same rating scale. how well does a game do on a 0-2 scale on certain features, then combine for an overall total.
I think 1-10 is good
decimals make things a little silly though
I agree. When a game gets a 7.5 people view it as "reasonably bad"
a thumbs up/down would be the way to go. either the reviewer recommends it or he doesnt. it actually makes people read the review or at least the conclusion of the review rather than going straight for the score. too many people/readers seem to depend on the numerical score. it reminds me of the halo 3 vs MP thread we had in this site while ago. people saying the game was better, or failed, because of 1/10th of a point.
I like how metacritic.com gets their numbers of the items they review. They compile all the scores they can get from whatever publication or online source and then do an average (I think everyone knows how to get an average). If you want more detail as to scoring from different sources, they have that also.
I think a thumbs up/down system is too simplistic. It leaves no middle ground for "average" games (e.g. games you could recommend to a fan of the genre), and it ignores the fact that some good games are better than others.
I think a thumbs up/down system is too simplistic. It leaves no middle ground for "average" games (e.g. games you could recommend to a fan of the genre), and it ignores the fact that some good games are better than others.
if that niche game got a 5 out of 10 (assuming 5 is average), how would the reader know with just the number alone that the game is for them? they have to read the review. what 1up is trying to do is force people to read the reviews and also not be part of metacritic or gamerankings compiled score. sites like that make what the author wrote become insignificant.
how do movie critics get away with a thumbs up/down rating? the movie genre is by far larger than that of video games.
how do movie critics get away with a thumbs up/down rating? the movie genre is by far larger than that of video games.
love the old ebert and roeper thumbs up for movies...sadly they cannot use it anymore (copyright) so they either recommend or dont recommend
that works for an 8 dollar movie, but probably not a 50-60 dollar game
Thats the thing about reviews: they're an OPINION. Which means they're subjective to the preferences of the reviewer in question. The things that make a game "good" to you, might not be as high on the priority list as the person who is writing. Its a crap shoot, and should be an expected risk you take. If you arent sure whether or not to buy it, rent it first and form your own opinion, or read video game forums and read first hand what people think and get more opinions before making a decision. Theres no fail proof way!
Thats the thing about reviews: they're an OPINION. Which means they're subjective to the preferences of the reviewer in question. The things that make a game "good" to you, might not be as high on the priority list as the person who is writing. Its a crap shoot, and should be an expected risk you take. If you arent sure whether or not to buy it, rent it first and form your own opinion, or read video game forums and read first hand what people think and get more opinions before making a decision. Theres no fail proof way!
Yes, yes, yes, and more goddamn yes! You madam, have hit the nail on the head. That's exactly what a review is for too, it's something for people to see someones opinion on how they liked the game. Which is why you should read more then one too.
Thats the thing about reviews: they're an OPINION. Which means they're subjective to the preferences of the reviewer in question. The things that make a game "good" to you, might not be as high on the priority list as the person who is writing. Its a crap shoot, and should be an expected risk you take. If you arent sure whether or not to buy it, rent it first and form your own opinion, or read video game forums and read first hand what people think and get more opinions before making a decision. Theres no fail proof way!
Yes, yes, yes, and more goddamn yes! You madam, have hit the nail on the head. That's exactly what a review is for too, it's something for people to see someones opinion on how they liked the game. Which is why you should read more then one too.
I agree that you should read more than one. You can not only spot differences in the subjectiveness of the reviewers, but you can also see what different reviewers prioritize. Know how theres two sides to every story, and how between the two you can find the middle ground that closely resembles the truth? Same goes for reviews.
but gft's metacritic.com is a valuable resource collecting all those reviews together for you, its a great site
i wouldnt take the averages as gospel but its a good starting point
