PGNX
Latest
BBPS calls out rewritten preview as review
Bits Bytes Pixels and Sprites is calling out PGNx media and writer Jose Liz for writing reviews based on previews. In the piece, Andrew Hayward of BBPS, says that the Spider-Man 3 "review" is based on a demo he saw with this writer while on an Activision junket. He believes the writer made up the review based on the preview information as evidence by lines like "These interactive cinematics provided some of the demo's (emphasis ours) biggest 'wow' moments such as struggling in the air against the Green Goblin (while playing as Peter) and jumping through lasers as Spider-Man." Oops, helps to double-check that stuff before posting. Coincidentally, the DS review by the same writer ends with, "We're very excited to review the full version when it is released in early May." Double d'oh!Hayward says, "The writer seemed like a really nice guy, but the more I interact with some of the writers at these independent gaming websites, the more I sense a general lack of knowledge pertaining to ethics and correctness in reporting." Of course, this statement would just be soaking in the juices of irony if Hayward had his airfare, hotel and other incidentals paid for by Activision as part of this junket.This certainly isn't the most high-ranking screw-up in recent memory (frankly we've never heard of PGNx Media), but it does make an interesting footnote in the world of preview and review game writing. In the eyes of a PR company though, it doesn't matter how the review is written, as long as the writer says good things about the game.
Metareview: Call of Duty [Update 1]
Just like the other WWII FPS game on the PSP, Call of Duty has been getting some spectacularly mixed reviews. Who to believe? Are the controls really that great? Are they really that terrible? Message boards across the internet have been producing quite a variety of responses. For once, the critics reviews may not actually inform anyone on the "correct" purchasing decision for this game. UGO (87/100) loves the incredibly generous auto-aim: "Call of Duty: Roads to Victory is one of the few must-own titles for the handheld. If you've ever gotten a kick out of picking up a gun and killing evil people in a video game, look no further." IGN (66/100) hated the controls and the gameplay: "The sluggish and somewhat delayed controls wouldn't be so bad if the gameplay accounted for it, but it doesn't." Gamespot (62/100) thinks the game feels more like a free mod than an actual game: "The poor AI, combined with frequent respawning of soldiers, makes it feel as if you're playing some sort of WWII-themed shooting gallery at times." Do any of our PSP Fanboy readers have this game? What do you think about this game?[Update 1: Added Gamespot's review.]
