After Gamespot gave Zelda: Twilight Princess a review score of 8.8, Nintendo lovers everywhere criticized the review and called Gamespot biased against the Wii. Today, Gamespot has released a response to all their critics. Instead of calming the backlash, Gamespot’s response will only inflame the argument. Find out for yourself why by reading below.
Matthew Rorie, the Game Guides Editor, released this response,
“It’s the same damn game we’ve all been playing for the last 15-odd years. Hey, guess what? You get to go into dungeons…and find items…and put together pieces of heart to make new heart containers. I haven’t gotten very far into it, but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Triforce is in the mix at some point.
There’s a difference between tradition and ossification, and Nintendo’s been content to let this series stay the same for too damn long. What’s more, in a lot of ways it’s actually getting to be pretty annoying.”
Read (Kotaku)
Tags: Business
N4G it / 
Stumble It!
49 Responses
monir
November 21st, 2006 at 12:54 am
1well i guess he’s right in a story sense, maybe this should be the last one. well its not like zelda is the only game on the wii or any other system anyways.
George Lester-Pearson
November 21st, 2006 at 1:09 am
2Although I am not sure if he is correct about the game or not, I am glad he is sticking to his review instead of simply apologizing.
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 1:11 am
3And Gears is soooo original … Bah … screw GS and their review system … they’ve lost credibility with me … especially the dude who actually reviewed the game …
amjiva
November 21st, 2006 at 1:17 am
4Whatever. We have 10’s and 9.5, 9.6 & 9.7’s down the line. One dude says 8.8.
It really isn’t that this new Zelda is the same as all the others, it is that this guy doesn’t like Zelda games period. Otherwise, the fact that there are elements similar in all Zelda games would be seen as positive by him.
amjiva
November 21st, 2006 at 1:20 am
5And it’s not like they just released a Zelda game a few months ago, or even a year ago. It’s been years since a Zelda game. So wtf is this guy complaining about?
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 1:23 am
6Actually I heard some people trying to defend the reviewer saying he had given a previous Zelda a 10 … I need to do some research to confirm this though. But like you say “Whatever”. I’ll look at all the other reviews of which they all say 90% or better. It is really ludicrous that GS is the ONLY PLACE that gave Zelda less than 90% out of TWENTY reviews … if anyone can say with a straight face that there is not some bias going on then more power to them.
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 1:29 am
7WOW!!! Surprisingly enough the review was written by the same person who gave Ocarina of Time N64 a perfect 10. Hmmm either MS/Epic bribed him to give a lower score hoping it would drag the average review score down low enough to give Gears the edge overall for best game this year. I wouldn’t put that past Mark Rein.
The other possibility is that he was expecting so very much that he felt disappointed and took that out on TP which is reflected in his score. So really it has to be one or the other. Personally I go with my first thought.
Kevin Cortez
November 21st, 2006 at 1:30 am
8Hey now…I liked OoT, I hated the other Zelda games. That’s really all there is too it. And I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t enjoy Twilight Princess all that much. At all. Not that I’m anti-Zelda, but I don’t see anything I want in TP. It’s all a matter of opinion. Don’t blame the entire website over having horrible reviews, blame the one writer.
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 1:36 am
9“Don’t blame the entire website over having horrible reviews, blame the one writer.”
I thought I was blaming him … but heck he is part of the GS staff and they could have just as easily pulled this review and let someone else more objectively review this game.
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 1:55 am
10It is good to see someone really gets what is going on here. As I said MS owns him … PERIOD.
Flame sucks
November 21st, 2006 at 5:14 am
11You guys just need to chill about reviews. If you like it you like it, if you don’t you don’t. Reviews may hurt game sales if they’re 7 or below but I’m sure few people are going to say “Oh its an 8.8…I’m not going to buy it.”
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 5:26 am
12That’s not the point of what we are saying. But if you don’t see it then go with how you feel … but please don’t try and tell me how I should chill about this issue. I don’t chill about anything that is just plain wrong. If we all did that nothing would ever get done … and though this is a small thing in the overall picture of making changes that will shape the world … it is the principle that counts. At least for me.
monir
November 21st, 2006 at 5:27 am
13well i doubt anyone cares what he gave TP since every other review was great.
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 5:30 am
14True … but still they should retract that and let someone who doesn’t have such an obvious 360 bias do the review and then if that person reaches the same conclusion I could live with that. Pick someone who has a Wii bias this time around and we can average the two scores.
Flame sucks
November 21st, 2006 at 5:48 am
15Okayyy…sure.
Flame sucks
November 21st, 2006 at 6:24 am
16Oh and it kinda is what you are saying. If people didn’t care about the review being an 8.8 so much then obviously we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
No hard feelings, Anuban. Maybe “chill” wasn’t the right word I was looking for.
Anuban
November 21st, 2006 at 7:41 am
17Of course not … we just had a difference of opinion … it’s all good as long as it doesn’t become personal or no racial slurs are thrown around.
Rock on Flame. 
Zac
November 21st, 2006 at 11:05 am
18“I haven’t gotten very far into it”
Then why the hell is he REVIEWING it?
It’s like a movie reviewer saying “I watched the preview, I know what the movie it like”.
Jeff
November 21st, 2006 at 3:35 pm
19Same damn game? Saving the princess while collectin’ coins and shroomin’ up never got old. why change the formula?
lionzub
November 21st, 2006 at 7:56 pm
20Greatest quote ever. Everyone with brains is thinking it, and that guy is the only one saying it through a largely read medium.
STD
November 22nd, 2006 at 5:26 am
21You guys are really taking this fanboy’s opinion seriously(I’m talking about the guy who reviewed Zelda)? Every one can tell he is baised and will prefer Microsoft games. Someone more unbaised should have reviewed the game. Gamespot knew this dude was biased and should have let someone else review the game.
Zac
November 22nd, 2006 at 12:22 pm
22“Greatest quote ever. Everyone with brains is thinking it, and that guy is the only one saying it through a largely read medium.”
Naah. You’re wrong.
lionzub
November 22nd, 2006 at 8:18 pm
23@Zac - I’m right through my own eyes and therefore could never be wrong. Furthermore, you’re an idiot. A reviewer could never complete a game for a review.
If you actually ever played a game before you would know that you can pretty much be able to write about the main aspects to the game without actually completing it. The story (it starts at the beginning), the gameplay (which is the same throughout a game), the replay value (is there stuff besides a story single player), the sound and music (same through-out the game in terms of quality), and graphics (yes it matters, and yes the new Zelda game looks like shit).
That’s how he can review it without being “very far” into the game. Whatever “very far” means too.
lionzub
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:00 pm
24Oops, the idiot thing game out wrong - damn fingers, please ignore it. Sorry. You’re not an idiot.
Quartecks
November 23rd, 2006 at 2:59 am
25I was slightly disapointed with it at the beginning as well. But let me assure anyone that once you are able to roam Hyrule field once again it feels like a whole new game.
Flame sucks
November 23rd, 2006 at 6:49 am
26The new Zelda graphics look like shit?
I agree’nt
Anuban
November 23rd, 2006 at 7:04 am
27Whatever happened to gameplay > graphics? Someone please answer that for me.
Zac
November 23rd, 2006 at 2:40 pm
28Hmm ok.
But “REVIEWING” A game… should be done at LEAST HALF WAY through it. You can’t judge a book by it’s front cover. You can’t even judge it by it’s first 2-3 chapters sometimes. Look at The FellowShip Of The Ring… It takes AGES to get into. If someone reviewed the whole story based on that one introductory section, they’d be wholly mistaken. It’s the same thing with games. You can’t judge it unless you’re at least halfway. In Majora’s mask, some of the most beautiful parts of the game were in the second half. In a lot of games, the gameplay CHANGES in later stages. INCLUDING Zelda, where you find new and better items and find more people, get new abilities etc. If you judged Zelda from the first dungeon alone, you’d be forced into thinking that what you’ve seen is all the game has to offer. Obviously this guy has done that.
In reply to what you’ve said:
“The story (it starts at the beginning)” - How can you judge a story that’s only been half told?
“the gameplay (which is the same throughout a game)” - This is wrong because the gameplay grows on itself through out the game. You cannot judge what you havn’t witnessed.
“the replay value (is there stuff besides a story single player)” - Replay value does not refer to only multiplayer. Ocarina of time had great replay value. I finished it at LEAST 3 times. And I’m very sure that a lot of people here and everywhere have finished it at least once. Also 70 hours of gameplay is enough to get you what you payed for even if there isn’t a multiplayer option.
“the sound and music (same through-out the game in terms of quality)” - In terms of quality? What are you talking about? The bitrate? Or the quality of composition? If it’s the latter then, how can you judge an album of music by it’s first 1-2 tracks? Most GOOD albums will have a beginning middle and end, where it builds up to a climax. Shame to all those who judge an introduction.
“and graphics (yes it matters, and yes the new Zelda game looks like shit).” - Already we can see that people disagree with you.. So it seems your opinion about the graphics is only your opinion.
REally.. If the game was so “bad”, then multiple reviews would have proven that. But this one seems to be the odd one out. And everything that I’ve read about this topic points to the reason WHY this review is the odd one out - the reviewer.
Perhaps the reviewers from the other sites/magazines/etc played more of the game than Matthew Rorie.
Anuban
November 23rd, 2006 at 4:44 pm
29Wow Zac … remind me to never get into a big debate with you.
That was very well stated btw … I would have to agree with pretty much everything you said … given the genre … now if this was an FPS then the gameplay would be stagnant for the most part and your opponent would be more on target. As for replay value … that has a lot to do with how much you enjoy the game and finding all the collectibles and also playing the game on multiple modes of difficulty and using different costumes with differetn powers if the game has that.
Of course I am referring to GoW and how I played through that game at least 10 full times … only once on Normal and then from then on Hard … God mode I attempted but it takes to much patience. For me this definitely proved that this was the ultimate game. I didn’t even play the Hulk UD game all the way through more than 5 times and that is my fav character.
lionzub
November 23rd, 2006 at 7:32 pm
30“How can you judge a story that’s only been half told?”
- Very easily actually. By playing the first few hours of the game you are introduced to a lot of story elements during the introduction. One can base the review on how well it is pieced together, or not pieced together, whether or not the story is compelling enough to get you to continue through the game. Think about Resident Evil 4 and how well they introduced the story in that game. You don’t need to complete the whole friggin game to know that a story where you have to save a princess is redundant.
“This is wrong because the gameplay grows on itself through out the game. You cannot judge what you havn’t witnessed.”
- No, I am right again. You failed to read my last statement properly. “Gameplay grows on itself through out the game” that doesn’t make any sense. When you play the game in the beginning you obviously have the same elements to interact with the game. Moving your character, interacting with objects and NPCs, camera angles, how you attack enemies (if attacking is involved), using inventory, switching menus and so on. These gameplay factors don’t “grow”, perhaps later in the game you are able to attack more and walk faster, but it doesn’t mean that if the gameplay is bad at the start that it will be amazing be near the end.
Replay value does not refer to only multiplayer. Ocarina of time had great replay value. I finished it at LEAST 3 times.
- Sounds like you have too much time on your hands. I never said it only referred to multiplayer, you just assumed because I only gave one example. When you assume you make an ass of you and … well just you.
“the sound and music (same through-out the game in terms of quality)
Anuban
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:41 pm
31But I can’t agree with your last statement lion … yes all the publications did say the graphics may be GC like but they all praised the artistic beauty of the game and as evidenced by 99% of the reviewers the overall package (which has alot to do with gameplay) is a superior game to just about any other game on the market … irregardless of the platform (HD 360 and PS3 or super PC rig). So it will still appear as if the vast majority of those who have played it find that the gameplay and the story far outweigh the last gen (but very pretty) graphics. True you are not the only one who has the opinion but the greater majority (especially the reviewers) are at odds with your position. As for your other points I’ll leave them between you and Zac. His rebuttal should be quite interesting.
lionzub
November 24th, 2006 at 3:19 am
32Well frankly I’ve said all that I needed to say, and he has said all he needed to say. There is nothing really more we can argue about. Anything more is just “flogging a dead horse” as the saying goes.
If he/she does rebuttal I probably won’t bother to read it because it might be as illogical like his last comment.
I think a lot of reviewers sugar coated their reviews because they didn’t want the backlash. Who knows though.
As long as some people enjoy the game, that is all that matters really in the end.
Quartecks
November 26th, 2006 at 2:14 am
33What about Halo? You point a gun and shoot in each one, so I guess Halo 3 must suck. Mario Galaxy? you jump and collect coins, it sucks too. How about Windows Vista?… On second thought that one might be a bad example of originality.
Zac
November 28th, 2006 at 7:58 am
34““How can you judge a story that’s only been half told?
The truthsayer
December 4th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
35rofl, it’s just bad man. The gamespot guy has an opinion: sees nothing new: gives it still a 8,8 (pretty high for a kiddy title) and all the wiiboys scream.. just because resistance: FoM had a higher rating (giggles)
lionzub
December 5th, 2006 at 1:17 am
36@Zac
Get off my internet. You’d make everyone in here stupid with your comments (providing they actually read them).
None of your points even came close to disproving mine. I would normally tell you to try again, but I think it hurts your brain too much.
Anuban
December 5th, 2006 at 1:26 am
37ROFL … can’t we all just get along and have our own thoughts about things … at least that is what I am constantly hearing.
Quartecks
December 5th, 2006 at 1:28 am
38Let’s all agree that who ever did this review is a moron, and work our way from there.
Zac
December 5th, 2006 at 2:49 am
39lol you idiot lionzub.
Why not reply if i’m invalid?
shadowfox
December 10th, 2006 at 11:33 am
40since you jeff responded to the critisism u made two points so clear to me:
1-u can make any movie, book, videogame a constructive review by just reading or watching only the intro.
2- microsoft can also buy people.
and again if your life is misirable its got nothing to do with the game.
Zac
December 10th, 2006 at 1:11 pm
41After playing this game for over 16 hours I can honestly say that it’s easily worth over 8.8, at LEAST 92. This reviewer is either out of his mind, extremely biased, or hasn’t played enough of the game to judge it (maybe about 3 minutes, because it’s interesting nearly the whole way through).
Anuban
December 10th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
42Man Zac … I guess I am in for a nice treat when I ger Z:TP and that is cool to know. I’m jonesing for my Wii.
Zac
December 10th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
43But then again… It’s only my opinion..
Anuban
December 10th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
44That’s cool … I respect your opinions even if there are some times I may not agree with them. In this case you know we are on the say team so it makes things easier for you I am certain.
Zac
December 10th, 2006 at 2:18 pm
45Nice post Anuban. Mosre people should post actual stats around here.
Anuban
December 10th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
46There is an article about this on the front page but I think most people brushed past it since it says NPD group. I just went and dug up something a bit more descriptive and really to the point. Thanks though.
lionzub
December 10th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
47“lol you idiot lionzub.
Why not reply if i’m invalid? ”
I already disproved your arguments. There is nothing more I could say that I haven’t said already. Stop whackin off to Zelda and let’s just agree to disagree.
Anuban
December 10th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
48Come on guys … if I can realize I was being an arrogant dumbass and really make an effort to change my ways and be more patient with people and less confrontational I know you can do the same. There is NO need to get personal or say mean spirited things. Just agree to disagree so things don’t get ugly. And why should they … we are all gamers regardless of what our personal opinions on a particular game or hardware or whatever may be. I know I was wrong in some instances … the way I behaved I should say so enough with the immature behavior … let’s be men and women here and if we can’t seem to agree just say so without calling eachother out of our respective names and making insults. I know WE ARE ALL BETTER than such ridiculously infantile behavior … God at least I hope we are. Let’s play nice from now on please … again if I can come to my senses (which are dull and stupid
) then I know you sharp savy gamers can do likewise. At least make the effort. That’s all I am saying.
Vukers
December 11th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
49Or maybe they purposely gave a bad review to drive extra traffic to the site.
When you click on Gamerankings, you quickly get bored of the same 100%/A reviews, praising the same things. But you see a 8.8, and you say to yourself, “I wonder why he gave such a low score”.
Traffic = more money from Advertisers regardless of why they are there.
RSS feed for comments on this post · TrackBack URI
Leave a reply
Recent comments on the site:
Most Commented Post
Twitter Search:
Follow us at Twitter
Subscribe to DigitalBattle.com
Archives
Recent posts:
Categories
Links
Our Other Blogs:
ScooteringUSA.com:
CarBuyersNotebook.com:
MobileWhack.com:
Cybertheater.com:
Meta
DigitalBattle.com is proudly powered by WordPress - BloggingPro theme by: Design Disease