Review BoA sucks, says PC Gamer

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Blades of Avernum; Spiderweb Software

I got <b>PC Gamer</b> to see that <a href=http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=5107>BG3 info</a> and noticed a short <a href=http://www.avernum.com/blades/index.html>Blades of Avernum</a> review, trashing "rehashed gameplay, leveling mechanics, and inventory management". The final verdict is <b>50%</b>. Here is a snipet:
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<blockquote>The one <u>potentially</u> cool feature is the ability to alter the plot by the choices you make. For instance, you may be sent out to vanquish some rebels, but after hearing their plight, you can choose to join them. Still, without an engaging, cohesive take backing it up, ita ll feels flat and lifeless</blockquote>
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Potentially? POTENTIALLY cool feature?!!! Fucking morons!
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[Jed]

Still, without an engaging, cohesive take backing it up, ita ll feels flat and lifeless.

That's a euphemistic way of saying "without 3d graphics and particle effects, I can't enjoy this no matter how good the gameplay is."

 

[Mr. Teatime]

Let them masturbate over NWN 2.
Though I do think Spiderweb should update its graphics, the resolution is terrible.

 

[littleboy]

I am sorry but the graphics do suck. It looks like freeware from 6 years ago.

 

[Jed]

I am sorry but the graphics do suck. It looks like freeware from 6 years ago.

And this affects the gameplay how?

 

[Whipporowill]

Fuck the establishment. How on earth could BoA have gotten 50%? Did they let some FPS-head review this? An intern that didn't get to play all the l337 stuff? No matter what you make of the graphics, the game is worth a lot more - at least a 75%. I would have rated it as approx 80ish% myself

 

[Vault Dweller]

I love that "potentially cool" line. It's like they are clearly confused by gameplay affecting choices, not used to them, and don't know what to make of them.

 

[plin]

Considering the gameplay and graphics was the same (rehashed) as the other avernum games, I'd have to agree with PC gamer on their score. Though the "potential" comment was stupid.

 

[Whipporowill]

If the guy had played the Blades of Exile series it'd been rehashed, otherwise how would he know? And if he'd played the other I don't see him giving it 50. There's a freaking editor included in the game for once...

 

[plin]

If the guy had played the Blades of Exile series it'd been rehashed, otherwise how would he know? And if he'd played the other I don't see him giving it 50. There's a freaking editor included in the game for once...

Games usually aren't rated on editers. Unless I'm missing something, but I don't believe they ever added to the score because of the morrowind or silent storm editor. Or the arcanum editor.

 

[Whipporowill]

Or the NWN editor...

 

[Seven]

Considering the gameplay and graphics was the same (rehashed) as the other avernum games, I'd have to agree with PC gamer on their score. Though the "potential" comment was stupid.

Yeah, that's why the Infinity engine games were always rated sooo high even after what 4... 5 years of use. Yeah right, dated gameplay and graphics will always doom a game to a low score.

 

[mr. lamat]

he's using fifteen year-old graphics, and in that regard 50% is generous. the plot twists are 'potentially' a good idea, letdown by the fact there are better graphics found on cellphone screensavers.

if vogel hires a decent artist and modeler, he could honestly be a force in the market. right now, he's just charging money for some seriously amateur goods and the review is pretty fair in context.

 

[Vault Dweller]

The author claims to be a huge fan and supporter of Spiderweb games and feels that the game wasn't as good as Geneforge 2 (80% score).

All of the scenarios are hindered by a lackluster story and horrible attempts at humor...that made me groan... bla-bla-bla....weak narrative...bla-bla...technology is horribly dated....bla...The full games includes all the tools you need to build your own scenarios, which in theory could extend the life of the game, but it's tough to imagine Blades generating much of a modding community...

Yeah, huge fan of Spiderweb ....

 

[Vault Dweller]

he's using fifteen year-old graphics...

Because that works for him and keeps the download under 15MB.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

By association, Pacman is the worst game ever, a piece of amateurish code that only a so-called elite would deem as classical.

 

[almondblight]

Games usually aren't rated on editers. Unless I'm missing something, but I don't believe they ever added to the score because of the morrowind or silent storm editor. Or the arcanum editor.

Umm...except that was the whole friggin' point of the game. BoA isn't supposed to be "4 new random Avernum scenarios", it's supposed to be an RPG creation tool. The 4 scenarios that were thrown in were supposed to be extra, the whole point of Blades is that it is an editor (and will play fan made scenarios). I mean, hell, look at how many came out for BoE.

And as to being amatuerish...depends on what you mean by that. I for one don't really think of boring combat with good graphics to be professional. Sure, the graphics could use a bump, but the game is only $25 ($15 if you have BoE), it's shareware, and it's well made. Much more usable than many of the commercial alternatives.

Anyways, for some reason I doubt the reviewer played much of the game before writing the review, he probably based the "potentially cool" feature mor on what he heard than on what he played (hence him not saying whether or not it was cool, just that it was potentially cool).

 

[almondblight]

...The full games includes all the tools you need to build your own scenarios, which in theory could extend the life of the game, but it's tough to imagine Blades generating much of a modding community....

Oh god, I guess he's just a moron...

 

[Seven]

By association, Pacman is the worst game ever, a piece of amateurish code that only a so-called elite would deem as classical.

Don't you know graphics are everything...

 

[plin]

Games usually aren't rated on editers. Unless I'm missing something, but I don't believe they ever added to the score because of the morrowind or silent storm editor. Or the arcanum editor.

Umm...except that was the whole friggin' point of the game. BoA isn't supposed to be "4 new random Avernum scenarios", it's supposed to be an RPG creation tool. The 4 scenarios that were thrown in were supposed to be extra, the whole point of Blades is that it is an editor (and will play fan made scenarios). I mean, hell, look at how many came out for BoE.

And as to being amatuerish...depends on what you mean by that. I for one don't really think of boring combat with good graphics to be professional. Sure, the graphics could use a bump, but the game is only $25 ($15 if you have BoE), it's shareware, and it's well made. Much more usable than many of the commercial alternatives.

Anyways, for some reason I doubt the reviewer played much of the game before writing the review, he probably based the "potentially cool" feature mor on what he heard than on what he played (hence him not saying whether or not it was cool, just that it was potentially cool).

I believe it's called PC Gamer, not PC Game Editor. They were rating the game not the editor. And about NWN like someone else said, of cource they weren't honest about that review, so who cares how much dick sucking they gave to it and it's editor, NWN is out of this shareware game's league.

And Jeff should be glad they actually put another game of his game in the magazine, regardless of the score, I'm sure he could use the plug.

edit: oh welsy, I'm tired. I'm done. Bye.

 

[almondblight]

Umm...so should RPG maker be based on the included games then? If they didn't want to include the score for the editor, they shouldn't have reviewed something that's main selling point WAS THE EDITOR. It's like them giving minesweeper a crappy review, saying it's not worth the $1200 price tag, and "oh yeah, you get a computer too but we don't review computers." Lunacy.

 

[Spazmo]

Shit, the above comments are making our NWN review look really, really bad.

 

[J.E. Sawyer]

That's a euphemistic way of saying "without 3d graphics and particle effects, I can't enjoy this no matter how good the gameplay is."

Or maybe it's a way of saying that offering choices that don't really affect anything means that those choices are pointless in the grand scheme of things. I haven't played BoA, but that sounds like what's he's suggesting.

 

[Spazmo]

I'd say joining the rebels you're sent to destroy kinda matters to the plot. Just a little bit.

 

[fnordcircle]

Or maybe it's a way of saying that offering choices that don't really affect anything means that those choices are pointless in the grand scheme of things. I haven't played BoA, but that sounds like what's he's suggesting.

That's the whole point as to what people are upset about since your choices do matter in this game.

I'd be interested to see what comments this reviewer had about the impact of choices in Deus Ex: Invisible War.

Now there's a game where your choices really matter!