Dragon Age 2 - Reviews at GameCritics and Kotaku

It might not be as good or feels completely different than the first one but come on, 2.5/10 that's exaggerated.
The game deserves at least an 8.
 
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sakichop said:
I don't agree with 2.5 out of 10. I'm only about 10 hrs in and i'd give it a 5 right now.I will say it's nice to see a score match the review, if you agree with the score or not you have to admit it matches his review. Too many reviews read like a 4 or 5 score then some how a 7,8 or 9 pops up at the end.

I posted in another thread and was told that a 7 for a triple a title is actually a bad score. If that's true than a 2.5 is way to low but, on an actual 1 to 10 scale I don't believe a 2.5 is totally crazy. A little low in my opinion but not crazy, especially if you agree with everything in his review. (which i'm waiting till I finish to decide)
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If a 7 is bad it highlights that there is something wrong with how scored reviews work. In the Netherlands we have a school system where a seven is decent. Heck, even if for all courses you scored a six, you'd pass the grade.

I think the 2.5 was in part a 'protest' to the 8.5+ scores of many reviews.

On the other hand it highlights the difference between Origins and 2 instead of comparing it to all other games. While I haven't played it, I doubt I would score it quite as low when comparing it to other games. But if I would compare it to it's predecessor, the things that were lost may give me an empty feeling that would justify 2.5.

Another reason I find the score interesting is the build-in expectation the Bioware label brings which almost always seems to say "add 3.0 points" while for a game of a similar quality from a no-name developer those bonus points would not be applied.

I think many reviewers have begun to think that any change is good. They rely on PR to tell them why, but they don't seem to put any effort into seeing if the changes have any negative trade-off. Escpecially with sequels these would be things a review should focus on.

As said earlier in the thread, finally it comes down to preferences. How much weight you give your reasonings shouldn't matter as much a the reasonings itself.
 
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From what I've seen, this game is 5/10 at worst and 7/10 at best - depending on personal preference.

Everything below or above - I'd personally consider emotionally biased.

Not that reviews aren't emotionally biased, because aren't they all - but there is the question of degree.
 
Nerevarine said:
EA: "Still too complex! More streamlining!! TWO Awesome Buttons!!!" ;)
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Given the fact that they seemed to have used exactly the WRONG conclusions, I fear that you might actually be right ...
 
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Ok, we all know 2.5 is too harsh. But all those 8/10 or what are WAY too much.

You know, these days I am getting more and more disillusioned with game reviews, and I seriously start to suspect a lot are just paid for.

Bioware just knew, EVERYONE would buy a new Dragon Age game, everyone and everyone's mom would buy a new Bioware RPG. And it worked. So for the sheer lazyness and the audacity to sell THIS I think in a way they deserve that 2.5 spanking EVERY BIT!
 
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elikal said:
and I seriously start to suspect a lot are just paid for.
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This is already well known - publishers have shown a willingness to flex muscle with advertising $$ and since the downturn started in late '07 game sites have really felt the pinch and increasingly caved to pressure to give positive number scores even if they don't match the text. Non-paying publishers help balance things so they can claim their 'meta-meta-score' is still the same.

But again we have devolved to playing with the numbers ... rather than the REVIEWS!
 
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This is just like handing back papers to school kids. Slap a grade (score) on the thing and they wont look at the comments (the review).:p

AFAIK the behaviour is pretty well documented by research.
 
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elikal said:
Ok, we all know 2.5 is too harsh. But all those 8/10 or what are WAY too much.

You know, these days I am getting more and more disillusioned with game reviews, and I seriously start to suspect a lot are just paid for.

Bioware just knew, EVERYONE would buy a new Dragon Age game, everyone and everyone's mom would buy a new Bioware RPG. And it worked. So for the sheer lazyness and the audacity to sell THIS I think in a way they deserve that 2.5 spanking EVERY BIT!
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I'm curious, why is 8 waaay to much? Thats what I would give it, or 8.5 means a good game, not great. I'm not sure when it became a completely broken and terrible game?
 
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Something tells me you're not going to like my review, Rune.
 
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rune_74 said:
I'm curious, why is 8 waaay to much? Thats what I would give it, or 8.5 means a good game, not great. I'm not sure when it became a completely broken and terrible game?
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That's the problem with numeric score, not everybody have the same "scale" or definition for each value.

Example: the recent DA2 review on Destructoid. They gave the game a 7, but with the score explanation I actually agree with it (and for some others that 7 would be a 8 or 9).

I prefer "scoring" on the fun factor, which is really what people should look for when it come to play games, but not everybody like the same things.
 
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VDweller said:
Something tells me you're not going to like my review, Rune.
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Or mine for that matter, but since I already tipped my hand ith my 'day one impressions' I think I've already pretty much said as uch. :)
 
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elikal said:
Bioware just knew, EVERYONE would buy a new Dragon Age game, everyone and everyone's mom would buy a new Bioware RPG. And it worked.
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I did not buy this bad clone of an rpg-game.
 
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txa1265 said:
Or mine for that matter, but since I already tipped my hand ith my 'day one impressions' I think I've already pretty much said as uch. :)
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As long as you understand that your review is opinion, not fact you can have any review you want.
 
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