TechTv reviews Fo:BoS

[Brother None]

I thought I'd seen it all, and the trailing reviews of Interplay's Piece of Shit were uninteresting and repetitive, but then I stumbled upon a piece of reporting *so* bad, that I felt I had to make a newspost of it. This guy investigated the subject so poorly it makes him sound like he's talking out of an end most of us use for other purposes. Get this:

<blockquote>Luck has not been with "Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel" from the beginning, but as you'll observe on tonight's "X-Play," every dog -- and postapocalyptic action RPG -- has its day.

Numerous setbacks -- including lawsuits, the closing of development houses, and the official cancellation of the series that inspired the game -- have plagued the production of this title, one of the last surviving vestiges of Interplay's formerly mighty Black Isle Studios division.</blockquote>

Eh? The Fallout series are dead under Interplay's rule, but they were never "officially cancelled". And the production of Fallout:Brotherhood of Steel is "one of the last surviving vestiges of (...) Black Isle Studios"? What?! And I can't remember the lawsuits or closing of development houses hindering BoS, though they did sadly hinder other, greater and unfinished games. The review is filled with more of those beauties.

Mr. Genius gives the game a score of 6/10. He does take the effort to point out that repetitive button-mashing quests don't make for a fun game, good on him, but the rest is bad. Be sure to catch the show on tv

Link: review

 

[flatlinedeath666]

I remember reading something about a Lawsuit in another magazine, and I even asked about it on the POS forums.

Anyhow, my favorite line from the review is:

"Casual enthusiasts will be stoked, even if legions of loyal "Fallout" fans are left in the cold. But why is a previously PC-specific franchise receiving a console-only send-off? Maybe its designers worked with radiation for too long. "

Maybe radiation over-exposure is IPLY's problem?

 

[Basil Zen]

IPLY's suing for the rights to Baldur's Gate III.

 

[Executioner]

Why, so they can run it into the ground too?

IPLY just makes me sick...

 

[DJ Slamák]

Why, so they can run it into the ground too?

IPLY just makes me sick...

More likely because Baldur's Gate 3 was about 80% finished at BIS and then canceled last summer because of the license.

Although, I don't think I'd like to see what a complete dev team change and a 9-month hiatus have done to the game...

 

[Mad Max RW]

Here's a new one http://scifi.com/sfw/current/games.html

I don't post these things because they bore the fuck out of me. Maybe you can harp on how they give all the credit to Black Isle.

 

[Murdoch]

I think you're being a little harsh Kharn. The guy who reviews it says many things that while not entirely accurate do ring true. Overall I think he does the review tongue in cheek and should be commended for his viewpoint.

1.

Numerous setbacks -- including lawsuits, the closing of development houses, and the official cancellation of the series that inspired the game -- have plagued the production of this title, one of the last surviving vestiges of Interplay's formerly mighty Black Isle Studios division

This statement the gist of the way things went down, and while no lawsuits have affected Fallout directly he is referring to Blackisle in general. And yes, while Blackisle nor the series hasn't been officially canceled we all know it has been in spirit and finance, so he is saying the truth without the Iplay bullshit. How does this warrant our criticism and not commendation?

2.

Your journey starts out promisingly in the town of Carbon, but it rapidly runs into a few snags. Much as you'll love seeing the kickback effects from emptying a homemade rifle into mutant warriors' bellies or mauling giant scorpion bosses with massive sledgehammers, melee is extremely repetitive. Unfortunately, it's the aspect of play most emphasized in the mission design.

Statements of this vein seem to be par for the reviewing course, and are after all just what we as a community think of it. This statement of mine of course does not pretend to encompass everyone's point of view, but rather an averaged one, and by my estimation.

3.

Warts aside, "Brotherhood of Steel" is entertaining. When you play it in bite-size sessions, you'll appreciate wading into a sea of overgrown beetles or phosphorescent foes, spiked baseball bat swinging. Despite a few design shortfalls, the gameplay succeeds admirably, as does its presentation. Casual enthusiasts will be stoked, even if legions of loyal "Fallout" fans are left in the cold. But why is a previously PC-specific franchise receiving a console-only send-off? Maybe its designers worked with radiation for too long.

This one is the most important quote in the whole article and I think does an admirable job of summarizing in the same way what many other reviewers have said. It also does so in a satirical manner that sort of winks at the background story and strife surrounding FO:BOS and Blackisle. Its reference to leaving us loyal fans in the cold is great too, as it acknowledge's our point of view.

Overall I think you're being too harsh. Life is a compromise, and I think he did so with style. Discuss.

 

[Brother None]

Overall I think you're being too harsh. Life is a compromise, and I think he did so with style. Discuss.

No I'm not

End of discussion

I've had quite enough compromises and bullshit shoved down my throat with all these "reasoneable reviews"

Screw 'em

 

[Odin]

What's with the pink helmet? You starting to play for the other team ?

 

[Malky]

Starting...?

Where've you been, Odin?

 

[Pope Viper]

Wow.

It's amazing what kind of discussions you can stumble into around here.

 

[Brother None]

What's with the pink helmet? You starting to play for the other team ?

Kiyaaah!

Samurai kill you!

There, changed

Malky, STFU

 

[Murdoch]

No I'm not
End of discussion
I've had quite enough compromises and bullshit shoved down my throat with all these "reasoneable reviews"
Screw 'em

I think someone is on the rag this week. I hope you don't wonder why many people view NMA as full of zealots. I just wish a more open mind would prevail here once in a while.

 

[Brother None]

No I'm not
End of discussion
I've had quite enough compromises and bullshit shoved down my throat with all these "reasoneable reviews"
Screw 'em

I think someone is on the rag this week. I hope you don't wonder why many people view NMA as full of zealots. I just wish a more open mind would prevail here once in a while.

Heh. Honestly, Murdoch, I like you, but have you been reading all the BoS reviews going around? Or for that matter, have you been paying attention to my attitude towards Fallout:BoS? Comparatively, I'm probably the lightest newsposter on the subject around, I crack down on it less than even Odin. It really is extremely unfair and insulting of you to point at me for the reason or part of the reason people call NMA zealotic.

If you take a while to re-read, you will notice I do commend him, if only lightly, on noticing the obvious flaw of the game being pure button-mashing

However, this is a (presumably) professional game reviewer we're talking about. It is his job to make sure he gets all his facts straight. Obviously, he hasn't. And then you waltz in telling me I'm being unfair for pointing out the fact that his investigating skills (not even his review, but his investigation) are terrible?

But, ok, let me reply to your points:

This statement the gist of the way things went down, and while no lawsuits have affected Fallout directly he is referring to Blackisle in general. And yes, while Blackisle nor the series hasn't been officially canceled we all know it has been in spirit and finance, so he is saying the truth without the Iplay bullshit. How does this warrant our criticism and not commendation?

The above would be true...if he were talking about Fallout 3

He's talking about Fallout:BoS. "this title" is PoS, not VB

BIS is in no way tied to the production of Fallout:BoS. Even Interplay admits that it doesn't go much further than "dialogue between developers".

I think you misread; he's calling Fallout:BoS "one of the last surviving vestiges of Interplay's formerly mighty Black Isle Studios division". How can you even remotely justify this?

And it is simply incorrect to claim Fallout 3 has been officially cancelled, like it or not.

Statements of this vein seem to be par for the reviewing course, and are after all just what we as a community think of it. This statement of mine of course does not pretend to encompass everyone's point of view, but rather an averaged one, and by my estimation.

Doesn't give the review much strength, does it, to say exactly the same as a lot of the rest of the reviewers? And even so, that's not the part of the article I'm cracking down on.

This one is the most important quote in the whole article and I think does an admirable job of summarizing in the same way what many other reviewers have said. It also does so in a satirical manner that sort of winks at the background story and strife surrounding FO:BOS and Blackisle. Its reference to leaving us loyal fans in the cold is great too, as it acknowledge's our point of view.

Well great, so he summarizes what everyone else says. In most countries that's plagiarism. But that aside, I don't see how it adds anything important. Like I noted in the begin of my newspost; Fallout:BoS reviews are getting repetitive at best.

And I don't think you're seeing what he's saying right

Casual enthusiasts will be stoked, even if legions of loyal "Fallout" fans are left in the cold.

Casual console players will be stoked, so fuck the legions of loyal "Fallout" fans.

Why do you assume his comment towards the Fallout fans is positive even though the largest chunk of his review seems to be fairly positive towards the game Fallout fans loathe so much. Where does he protest again the existence of this game in any form? Notice how before that sentence he notes how the game is basically a success. So why would he then, after admitting that, send of his admiration to the people that hate the game? He simply acknowledges the disgruntlement exists, but if you'll pay attention he does that ealier in the review:

Now the product finally ships, albeit to great scrutiny from a chagrined public. For our part, despite repetitive quests and save-game annoyances, we enjoyed bashing the mutant denizens of this brave and ugly new world.

Does that sound like a compliment towards the Fallout fans (the "chagrined public") to you?

The last sentence also is slightly critical, I'll admit that, but it isn't extremely critical, is it, and most readers will read over it easily. Heck, for all you know, it's not even criticism, it's the statement of a fact "PC games get console send-off" followed by a radiation-joke. Calling people "exposed to radiation for too long" is not the same as saying "this was a stupid move"

It is strange that with the piles of insults Saint Proverbius and Roshambo have been unloading on this game, you pick one of my few posts to criticize as "an example of NMA zealotism". That don't strike me as particularly fair.

 

[Murdoch]

Oh I read your post many times in order to try and avoid misinterpreting you. Now I see that we have taken the review from completely different perspectives.

My perspective is that TechTV isn't that bad of a place. Many of their other game reviews have coincided with my opinion of the game. Plus, my general attitude toward TechTV is a positive one. They have bashed Microsoft, the RIAA and other efforts by the establishment to repress freedom (if you will). From this, I take the review at more of a face value than you did and from a larger contextual position.

Like your translation part. I didn't see it that way. I took it for what it was. What you did can be seen as bias. I also didn't take the review as being positive overall. Even the 6/10 score is about the lowest I've seen them give. And afterall sometimes I feel that mindless mutant bashing is a fun thing (Doom anyone?), I just wish it wasn't at Falllout's expense.

In respect to FO3 vs FO:BOS, you're right I did confuse those a little. But remember that Blackisle is still credited in the game.

In the end, I respect your opinion about everything Kharn, I just wish that NMA would give people who are not hardcore Fallout fans the benefit of the doubt once in a while. It would make this community seem less extreme and add credibility in the eyes of the public. Granted, not everyone here wants credibility in the public, but I think the best way to affect public opinion and get our message out that Iply is a giant fucktard is by being more moderate and instead calling them a bunch of money-grubbing assholes!

One more thing, I find you to be much more moderate than Saint Proverbius or god forbid Roshambo, consequently I hold you to a higher standard of impartiality. Maybe I was mistaken in that?

 

[Brother None]

My perspective is that TechTV isn't that bad of a place. Many of their other game reviews have coincided with my opinion of the game. Plus, my general attitude toward TechTV is a positive one. They have bashed Microsoft, the RIAA and other efforts by the establishment to repress freedom (if you will). From this, I take the review at more of a face value than you did and from a larger contextual position.

Hmmm, fair enough. But I was not criticising the review per se, I was criticising the fact that he had not gotten his facts straight. First time through the review, I laughed bout this. Issa funny.

And I'm not really interested in his opinion about Fo:BoS if he doesn't manage to support it with firm facts. If he doesn't get his facts straight, how can I trust his opinion, even if I agree with it?

What you did can be seen as bias.

So can your perception. Why is my perception bias, and yours not? Just because mine is negative? I don't think so.

In respect to FO3 vs FO:BOS, you're right I did confuse those a little. But remember that Blackisle is still credited in the game.

But it's an Interplay title, not a BIS title.

In the end, I respect your opinion about everything Kharn, I just wish that NMA would give people who are not hardcore Fallout fans the benefit of the doubt once in a while. It would make this community seem less extreme and add credibility in the eyes of the public. Granted, not everyone here wants credibility in the public, but I think the best way to affect public opinion and get our message out that Iply is a giant fucktard is by being more moderate and instead calling them a bunch of money-grubbing assholes!

One more thing, I find you to be much more moderate than Saint Proverbius or god forbid Roshambo, consequently I hold you to a higher standard of impartiality. Maybe I was mistaken in that?

Hmmm-hmmm

Problem is this: people aren't interesting in seeing balanced views. Balanced views smell of bought views. Why do you think Vault13 was one of the most popular and also one of the most negative sites around?

I generally don't agree with it, and do hold impartial views. If you read back into my newsposts you'll often find I don't express an opinion one way or the other. I don't criticise people's opinions about the game that much really, but I do keep the right to criticise someone who seems to have done fuck-all of research

 

[Roshambo]

TechTV is by far one of the more laughable "reviewers" out there, with definite bias. Most likely, the kid just looked up some games and tried to half-ass out the article, and it shows. I'm frankly getting quite tired of this kind of sloppy work that does nothing but put incorrect information in the kids' minds, kids who do look up to these knuckleheads as apparently these people were put on the TV for some reasons. To market whore is my first guess if they can't be bothered to do proper research. Apparently, in all forms of media, "journalistic integrity" means "not cracking under the pressure of having to pull some total shit out from your ass".

About all TechTV is good for is getting news of new games, if you like to live under a rock.

Also, when did "benefit of the doubt" become an excuse line for gross incompetence?