Tag Archives: gamespot

Metacritic’s policy to accept a publication’s first review is coming back round to haunt Natural Selection 2. GameSpot reviews editor Kevin VanOrd recently banished the site’s original article due to a number of factual errors and silly mistakes. Unfortunately, Metacritic is refusing to replace the old score with GameSpot’s replacement verdict.

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For those who missed it, GameSpot’s put live on its YouTube channel the recording of its live stream last night between Giant Bomb‘s Jeff Gerstmann and GameSpot VP John Davison. The video talks about Gerstmann’s firing in 2007, the future of Giant Bomb and more after it was bought by GS parent company CBS Interactive yesterday. Get it below, with a full report here.

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Giant Bomb’s acquisition by Gamespot parent company CBS Interactive will not result in its closure or a change in editorial direction, founder Jeff Gerstmann has said.

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GameSpot parent CBS Interactive has bought popular US site Giant Bomb, its been announced.

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Kinect units started landing at US press outlets yesterday, and Gamespot’s first off the mark with some unmissable footage of six launch games being played. Hit the link right now.

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If true, oops. Gamespot’s apparently outed that Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 3, as well as Dead or Alive 5, will be at E3 next week.

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Gamespot’s claiming its UK network is now at 4.5 million unique users per month, GI reports.

The number’s taken from December.

Total page views for the period remained flat at just over 58 million. The figures includes all UK traffic to sister-sites GameFaqs and GameRankings.

“Videogaming is now one of the UK’s favourite pastimes with an all time high of 82 million games purchased in 2008 [according to ELSPA], and this is reflected in GameSpot UK’s growth”, said CBS UK boss Geoff Inns.

“We are delighted to re-confirm our number one spot among UK videogaming sites.”

Gamespot’s finally put its Killzone 2 review live – presumably it’s had enough time to play online to be sure – giving the shooter 9/10. Snip:

You’ll have to look to the inevitable Killzone 3 to find out if developer Guerilla can dig any diamonds out of this series’ rough narrative. Otherwise, Killzone 2 is an exceptional first-person shooter, not because it does anything particularly new, but because it does everything extraordinarily well. There’s certainly no doubting its graphical superiority, but though its moody visuals invite incessant superlatives, it’s the tight, electric action that will make this an off- and online haven.

The game releases today, as you’ll know unless you’re either blind or dead. Watch the Gamespot video review after the break.

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Gamespot’s decided to hold off with its Killzone 2 review in an effort to better play the game’s multiplayer component.

According to the site, all US reviews published so far have been based on a mere three hours of online play.

“We’ve decided not to rush a review to publication for several reasons,” said a spokesman in this blog post.

“The most important is Killzone 2′s multiplayer component. There have been three one-hour multiplayer sessions to date for members of the American press. However, Killzone 2′s online play is complex. It uses a class-based system with seven total classes, but these classes (among weapons, upgrades, and many other perks) are only unlocked once you have reached the appropriate level.

“In just over three hours of play, the two of us joining these sessions had yet to unlock a new class. It takes many, many hours of online play to unlock them, and it would be improper for us to review class-based multiplayer without actually experiencing the classes.”

IGN was given the US exclusive on Killzone 2′s review, giving the game 9.4/10 last Friday.

The general embargo on global reviews lifted yesterday.

There’s always one, isn’t there? Gamespot was late with its Gears of war 2 review homework yesterday, so the site can stand in front of the rest of the class and read its effort out loud. The Epic shooter’s worth 9/10, apparently. There a video review after the break.

Game’s out on Friday. Now sit down, Gamespot. And shut up.

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While the scores for Fallout 3 may have dazzled yesterday, Gamespot wasn’t shied off the truth. No sir. And, according to the site, the truth is that the PS3 version is technically “shockingly inferior” to both the 360 and PC games. Don’t mince those words, now.

From Gamespot’s review:

It’s a shame, in light of these impressive design elements, that the PlayStation 3 version is shockingly inferior to the others from a technical perspective. Although the Xbox 360 and PC versions display the occasional visual oddity and bland texture, these nitpicks are easy to overlook. Sadly, the jagged edges, washed-out lighting, and slightly diminished draw distance of the PS3 release aren’t so easy to dismiss. We also experienced a number of visual bugs on the PS3. Character faces disappeared several times, leaving only eyeballs and hair; limbs on robots went missing; some character models had an odd outline around them as if they were cel-shaded; and the day-to-night transition may cause odd streaks on the screen as you move the camera around. This version doesn’t even offer trophies, whereas the Xbox 360 and PC versions offer Xbox Live/Windows Live achievements.

“Whoops.”

Thanks, MaxConsole.

Both Eurogamer and Gamespot have launched UK-only competitions for LittleBigPlanet.

It’s a design-a-level affair, with the winners getting their work in the game and a free PS3, among other stuff. Bargain.

There’s a level creation kit for you to download, so don’t panic about being the computer illiterate monkey you clearly are.

Follow the links fro more details.

Should you need any more indication that Crysis Warhead is worth the money, Gamespot’s posted a review score of 9/10. Snip:

Warhead’s single-player campaign should take you no more than six hours or so to complete, but not only does it invite multiple play-throughs, it costs only $30–and doesn’t require you to own the original. In other words, there is no reason why anyone with a capable PC shouldn’t play Crysis Warhead. It’s more focused, it’s more intense, and though it doesn’t provide as much of the sandbox feel as Crysis veterans would wish for, it still delivers on every other front. Play this game.

We’re properly sold. Full thing through the link.

Speaking to GamesRadar, Kane & Lynch director Jens Peter Kurup has spoken out about the effect of the now infamous Gamespot review of his game, saying that the team took it hard.

“GameSpot reviewed the game,” he said, “and [the team] didn’t like it one bit.

“I’m not quite sure why, but I remember that review hit the team like a hammer. You can just ‘absorb’ a bad score but there was something in the tone of that review that was tough on people, and on me.”

The 6/10 Gamespot review was written by Jeff Gerstmann, after which the writer was fired from the site, a move that created one of the unholiest internet shitstorms in gaming history.

“It’s a review that I would like to forget, but unfortunately the GameSpot review had its own wicked little life and Eidos, Gamespot and of course the game got entangled in what I guess is best described as a conspiracy theory. And if there’s anything the ‘net loves, it’s a good conspiracy,” Kurup added.

“It was surreal to sit in Copenhagen and watch the game get shredded in forums for reasons and feelings that didn’t all seem entirely based on the game itself.

“I know this might sound like a sissy song of “Boo-hoo! This isn’t fair” and other unproductive thoughts, but you asked me how I felt and I did feel like that for a couple of weeks after the GameSpot review. Pathetic I know, but in glimpses I still feel it, because when I meet somebody who hasn’t played the game, I can be fairly sure that his or her opinion is based on the GameSpot review. It just won’t go away.”

More through the link.

According to this GameDaily piece, Josh Larson – the exec often as being involved with the “removal” of Jeff Gerstmann from Gamespot last year – has left CNET and is now part of in-game ad firm Double Fusion.

More detail through there, should you care.

Gamespot’s posted what we’re pretty sure is the first impressions piece of Sega’s Sonic Unleashed. From the piece:

Based on what we saw we’re cautiously optimistic about Sonic Unleashed. Our hunger for a really good update of Sonic remains unsated, and it sounds as though the team understands that 2006′s franchise reboot didn’t do anyone any favors. We like the sense of speed the team is going for and the emphasis on just plowing through levels while bopping enemies and doing crazy leaps.

Have a read.

CBS has announced intentions to buy all outstanding CNET stock at a value of $1.8 billion.

“The core businesses of CNET Networks and CBS Interactive represent near perfect category symmetry in premium online content,” said Quincy Smith, president, CBS Interactive.

“Together we will have a terrific opportunity to not only grow our established businesses, but to build new attractive verticals of content as well. This is the beginning of an era for both CBS and CNET Networks.”

Gamespot will be included in the sale, obviously, as will GameFAQS, ZDNet, TV.com, mp3.com, CNET news.com, UrbanBaby, CHOW, Search.com, BNET and MySimon.

The deal will make CBS one of the top ten most popular internet publishers in the world.

Press release after the break.

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Gamespot’s given GTA IV a 10, only the fifth in its history. According to this Digg story, the others were Chrono Cross, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Soul Calibur and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3.

They should have given it a six. That would have been hilarious.

The internet, eh? No one’s safe. Alex Navarro, ex-Gamespot writer, was the recipient of a rather snippy email from Majesco after he gave Cooking Mama 2 6/10, which has magically found its way online. Read it on DSFanboy.

“With the first Cooking Mama reaching 1 million units in Europe and near of 1 million stateside, I began to worry that this might begin to go to our heads,” said the note’s anonymous author. “Majesco’s parking lot would be flooded with Bentley’s, Maybach’s and rare hybrid cars that run on pure ego… I tip my hat to you good sir for keeping us grounded.”

That score didn’t really work out too well for Gamespot, did it?

Gamespot’s offering and exclusive chance to get on the Age of Conan PvP beta weekend, running April 18-20. Find the details here. The site’s giving away 15,000 slots on the test, and you’ll need to be a registered Gamespot user to get involved.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures releases globally on May 20.