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Assassin's Creed... WTF!?!

Gameplayer and Official PlayStation Magazine Writer Mark Serrels has explored some of the oddities in review scores for Assassin's Creed.

"Basically: Assassin's Creed. Review scores below 9. Treat with extreme prejudice."

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gameplayer.com.au

SlappingOysters - contributor
Published: 774 days 4 hours ago | Article | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360

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thereapersson - 774 days 4 hours ago

1 - Yep, sounds about right

And it's not just AC, but many other games released nowadays.

Journalism blows in this day and age....

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SlappyMcTaint - 773 days 22 hours ago

1.1 -

Too bad nobody did this concerning the R&C scores...

I guess since the 360 is involved, more people take notice

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socomnick - 773 days 21 hours ago

1.2 -

I bought ac yesterday and wish i had not its a 7 out of 10 in my book.

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Daves - 774 days 4 hours ago

2 -

Well said Mark... nothing more to add.

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ericnellie - 774 days 4 hours ago

3 - Wow --

This guys made a lot of sense;) The reviews threw me off...some gave it 5/5 some gave it 7/10, 8/10, 6/10....they were all over the place! He's motivated me to say "what the hell" and pick it up:)

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sonarus - 774 days ago

3.1 -

play it and make your own review. After playing i see why there is discrepancy. It had a lot of weight on its shoulders but simply didnt live up to the hype. I also think the controls are a little over simplified. I would give it an 8 but far too many were dissapointed with the game to give it a 9

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allforcalisto - 774 days 4 hours ago

4 -

well said.

its sad cause these reviews will impact negatively on AC scores. word of mouth from the internetz to the playground will sour from the game especially 360 users, who'll probablu just get Mass effect now

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Saint Sony - 774 days 4 hours ago

5 -

Giving undeserved ratings (high or low) is todays hip thing to do.

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kingboy - 774 days 4 hours ago

6 - scr@w reviews

That`s why Demos are the way to go nowadays

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SlappingOysters - 774 days 4 hours ago

7 -

except demoes are just waht the publisher wants you to see of the game.

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Madbrain - 774 days 2 hours ago

7.1 - Good comment but

I prefer a small demo with only one level more than 10-15 written reviews from few @ssholes

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mariusmal - 773 days 5 hours ago

7.2 - to the guy above

yeah. i agree that the demos are the way to go. but they suffer from the same sickness of moovie trailers. how many times did you watch a trailer and tought that the movie was kick ass and went to see it ? then you came out and found that the trailer contained the only 2 minutes of good footage in the all damn movie ? the demos are the same sometimes. i was going to skip overlord because of the mixed reviews.. played the demo and got addicted. bought and it its a so so game... but not worth 60 euros.

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Sarkamen - 774 days 3 hours ago

8 -

Bah, even if that's enough to hook you then that's good enough to buy it in my opinion. Even if they just show off the best parts.

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MK_Red - 774 days 3 hours ago

9 -

Superb find and article
"when average run of the mill games Tony Hawk’s are getting higher reviews than a revolutionary game like Assassin’s Creed because ‘the missions were a bit repetitive’, something is seriously wrong."
Some wrong indeed.

"I sincerely hope you guys will enjoy Tom Clancy’s Advanced Brain Training Shooting Hero 6 – because there’s a good chance it’s all you’ll be getting from Ubi in the near future. "
Sad and true.
Reviewers just love Tony Hawks and EA games (Fifa 08 gettins 9s and 8s), not new IPs that at least try new things...

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DARK WITNESS - 774 days 3 hours ago

9.1 - so true

this is one game that should get all our support. There has been much worse out this year, yet they have scored better.

And we wonder where all the creativity in gaming has gone. We have killed it by demanding nothing more then the same old crap, crap 2, crap 3, crap 4 and then a remake of crap 1 again in a spacial tin box.

its sad.

i hope this game does well, from the little i played i thought it was amazing.

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socomnick - 773 days 21 hours ago

9.2 -

I dont know what version of ac you played but the version I played was garbage. The lack of variety is annoying. Wish there was a bow and arrow or something.

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kingme71 - 774 days 3 hours ago

10 -

Just because it is revolutionary it has to score high? A game at its core needs to entertain. I give kudos to Ubisoft for taking a chance on something new, more developers should do that, but you can be revolutionary AND entertain too.

I haven't played AC so I can't say if it is a 7 or a 10 or somewhere in between, but from this argument the high ratings should have been mailed in by reviewers before they even opened the box?

Maybe Ubisoft just created a great game engine and the game on top of it was bland. Are we scoring the engine, the game or both?

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Leathersoup - 774 days 1 hour ago

10.1 - I agree with the blogger...

This game has a lot more going for it than the reviewers are letting on. Everyone is too busy blowing Mario(I have no idea why) right now to give this game serious consideration.

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solar - 774 days 3 hours ago

11 -

the internet is a great thing. say u only got 1 magazine and that person reviews a game like say...AC a 6. if u trusted that reviewer, u probably wouldnt pick it up. now we get a broad range of reviewers we can compare, and weed out the idiots nd make a better decision for ourselves. 2/5 for SMG? o.O

i own AC and its more than what the low reviews have cut it down for. plus i agree that reviewers trying to hit a deadline rushed thru the game and couldnt enjoy the game for alll it has offered me so far. on that note...bring on uncharted today :)

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vasilisk - 774 days 3 hours ago

12 -

I find the biggest problem to be elsewhere
Reviewers rate the game according to their expectations, not according to how really good a game is. So if a game is overhyped like AC, when the so-called reviewer finds it to be an 8-8.5/10 then most of the times he gets furious and gives it a 6 or maybe a 7 if he's in a good mood. He can't appreciate the game for what it is but rather feels disappointed with it and rates it even lower than it should really be. Do you think that if anyone never heard of the game AC, and just showed up to the reviewer's office I bet that then he would find it nearly perfect. Even the most respected sites fall under this trap.
Examples:
IGN conan 6.7
IGN Heavenly Sword 7
How can this be even remotely possible? Both 6-7 hours game but otherwise miles apart in terms of gameplay, storyline, graphics and so on. The problem is that they expected too much out of HS and when it didn't deliver they gave it a 7 due to disappointment only. They didn't expect anything good from Conan so they could be objective about it. But the truth is that the actual difference between the 2 games is much much bigger than 0.3.
And this is just only one example out of many for every console out there right now. So just don't trust everything you read go rent the game and find out for yourself. I played AC for 6-7 hours and it's around 8.5-9 for me. It's not perfect but it's fun. Remember, it's what seems fun and good for you may not be fun for the guy that's playing it under a deadline for a magazine. For example Mass Effect might be the way to go for you. I find all the talking a little bit boring and maybe I'm wrong. After all if we all liked the same things we would all be playing one or two types of games

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Mwaan - 774 days ago

12.1 - You need more bubbles

You made an excellent point without any prejudice towards a particular console. Conan is a 7 while Heavenly sword is definately a 9. Nowadays, reviewers want to take minor flaws and drag the game through the mud simply because it didn't live up to their expectations. I read all the reviews to Heavenly Sword and couldn't find legitament complaints. 6-7 hours is standard length for an action game and they're all repetitive if you do the same moves over and over. What do reviewers want devs to do? Postpone the game for 2 years so they can add 3 extra hours of gameplay and a few extra combos? After playing Assassin's Creed, I can honestly say I haven't been this impressed with a game since Gears of War. Assassin's Creed is nothing less than a 9. Period.

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SlappingOysters - 773 days 18 hours ago

12.2 - but....

Be aware that most reviewers, certainly on-staff reviewers (as opposed to freelancers) have been playing games in some capacity for months before it comes to review time. This includes many builds of preview code, shindigs like E3, dev interviews. Rushing for a deadline is part of the publishing world and I think that you professional journos have had months to see if a game is reaching its goals before being able to confirm or deny it successes in the final product

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jlytle1234 - 774 days 3 hours ago

13 -

the game is designed to take your time to play. you cant rush through it or youll miss the experience. give this game a chance and remember its not about moving in the shadows stealth. its moving in plain sight stealth.

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SabreMan - 774 days 2 hours ago

14 -

i totally agree reviews these days are severely flawed in so many ways, so is the insistence on AAA when what actually is AAA far to many maximum scores are issued these days. Not so long ago a 7 was classed as a good game this generation a 7 is frowned upon as a failure

As for Assassins Creed in a nutshell i'm loving it, the story is amongst the best i have experienced in a very long time in gaming terms

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Bonsai1214 - 773 days 23 hours ago

14.1 -

i completely agree. i remember the days when a 5/10 was "perfectly average." now it seems average has shifted up to 7..

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gw4k - 774 days 2 hours ago

15 - Awesome!

This game is incredible!

One problem is that the reviewers have been not only rushing through the game to get their reviews done but they have been playing preview copies for months.

The game is incredible and it is an incredible step ahead of most that is out right now.

This game is amazing plain and simple!

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SabreMan - 774 days 2 hours ago

15.1 -

i take it you like it then

seriously i agree the graphics are incredibly detailed, the story is fantastic which drags you into the game and holds your interest or it does for me. atm tho i can't drag myself away from Cod4 multiplayer but i will be taking my time with Assassins Creed and basking in it's obvious beauty

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R2-JD - 774 days 2 hours ago

16 - Great Blog!

I agree, well said.

It is very true that reviews are getting to be a joke. They say that it is repetitive, ummm, aren't all games out repetitive. You run you gun, you run you gun, or you drive around a track lap after lap. Come on. Get serious.

I used to listen to certain reviewers and base my purchase on those reviews, not anymore. I am now getting games that I want and am not basing them on reviews anymore. I have wanted Assassin's Creed for a long time and I got it and am loving it. I got Heavenly Sword and loved it! I got a lot of games that did not review well and enjoyed them. If I am uncertain of a game I will rent it and base my own opinions on it and decide if I will keep it or return it. It all comes down to what each person likes and shouldn't be based on an ever progressing useless group of reviewers that are either biased or payed-off or both.

JD

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hulk_bash1987 - 774 days 2 hours ago

17 -

Its called making up your own mind......try it some tym. Reviews are there to influence our purchase but ultimately its the consumers decision. I never put too much bank on reviews, i may check em out tym and agen but in the end i never really let myself be driven to buy or not buy a game based on them.

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sixaxis - 774 days 2 hours ago

18 - yeah

i totally agree with this article, theres shooters everywhere, no creativity at all, and when someone dares to be different, then most critics will do everything to make this game look bad. I still think that Assassins creed is very good game!!!

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deepio - 774 days 2 hours ago

19 -

It's a sad state of affairs that you can't put total faith in review scores these days.

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ReBurn - 773 days 18 hours ago

19.1 -

I don't know. I've never felt that it was ever a good idea to put complete faith in someone else's opinion. That's how people should see reviews. As opinion. Not as a buyers guide.

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kunark - 774 days 2 hours ago

20 -

i say they just fire all the reviewers and start from scrath again since it seems alot of them have'nt been doing a very well job as of lately.

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MK_Red - 774 days 1 hour ago

20.1 -

Agreed. A fresh start is needed. Now I see why that article about problem with review system was right...

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kingme71 - 774 days 2 hours ago

21 -

I agree with you on the set expectations. All the hype this game was getting.

On the length and having to rush through, that argument has been going around now, but I don't see how that can apply to just this game. How the heck does a reviewer review something like Oblivion which could take months if you fully explore it? There's so many games that have alot of added hours you could take if you weren't going through the just the core gameplay, that this argument could be raised for any and all of those.

I would think a solid reviewer should be able to resolve the core gameplay and infer how that might extend to the extra hours needed to fully take in the game.

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Topshelfcheese - 774 days 2 hours ago

22 -

I'm enjoying the game, but I would give it an 8/10 mostly for the fact that they make you play as that other guy. Those who have played the first bit of the game know what I'm talking about, and I found it to be really out of place and annoying, all I want to do is run around the cities and stab people in the neck.

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d4w751 - 774 days 1 hour ago

23 -

Its find it very interesting also that Assassins Creed is minimally better than Kane and Lynch. Even with all the flaws of AC the technical achievements of that game (free running, foward thinking controls etc.) should have created a greater gap score-wise. Its like these scores are forcing developers to stick to the tried and true formula of FPS, and not to challenge the status quote. Kind of sad really.

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solar - 774 days 1 hour ago

24 -

side note: are you guys going outta ur way to collect the flags? i got all but two in Maysuf, sent 3 templar soldiers to their graves and all the poor citizens saved. collecting all the flags is gonna take a loooong good time :)

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Vespertine - 774 days 1 hour ago

25 - I haven't played it yet

But I think reviewers are being a bit too harsh on this game. Everyone that I've asked, said the game is awesome.

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Altair-HD - 774 days 1 hour ago

26 -

You know what IGN ?????? You are EVIL !!!! pure EVIL . I agree with Vasilisk

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27 socsca | 774 days 1 hour ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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idontcare - 774 days ago

28 - please ..

...
rent this game first. maybe you'll be disappointed .. maybe not!

but, rent it first!

i'm the last one who bashes a game without playing it first and AC is just NOT FUN!

it's like a movie playing in front of your eyes and all you have to do is press a button. the world is huge but there's not a single thing that pushes you to do something else but the main missions.

sad but true. i also find it sad that all the people are complaining about reviews that really tell the truth about this game.

i got Ratchet yesterday and 20 minutes in Ratchet is 10x more fun than 3 hours in Assassins Creed - trust me.

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Danja - 774 days ago

29 -

I agree 100% and as the guy above say atleast rent first...but I will say everyone who was interested in this game from the begining should Buy it still...I think it's a very ambitious game which sets out to accomplish alot of things all at one time..and 95% of it accomplishes that goal..except for the repetitive missions..and the some times..easy A.I..but the story is amazing..the contrls are innovative..the platforming aspect is freakin amazing..just don't spend the entire first hour doing that or you'll get bored easily..lol..support great games..Assassins Creed is one of those...!!!

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THUNDERMARE - 774 days ago

30 -

He is the man, I like this article.
By discouraging something so innovative just because the mission was a little repetitive, we are slowly kill off innovation in the industry.
And all we got is remake of the same crap...

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moolox - 773 days 23 hours ago

31 - reviewer are trash and cost developers there job

Reviewers are just pushing there personal views on a game. IGN are classic as there 3 regions have review this. 6.7, 7.7 and 8.7???????

Consistant!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 people review it all different , why don't they get on a call and post a global 7.7??

All like diffent type of game I bet and could not program a washing machine

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ReBurn - 773 days 18 hours ago

31.1 -

Reviewers pushing their personal opinion? What do you think a review is?

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TheExecutive - 773 days 23 hours ago

32 -

Its the same with uncharted... gamepro gave a HIGHER score to Need for Speed. Sorry but thats just retarded. The bigger the game the better the opportunity to get hits on your website. Sad but true. Saying this, reviewers may be pushed in directions other than their real opinion.

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moolox - 773 days 23 hours ago

32.1 - Excellent point

What a scam that could have been a few sundays ago. Tell your advertiser what you are doing and post HALO3 1/10 and wait for the 8 billion hits and all the publicity on the forums then become a pro PS3 site and you are set for life.

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wangdiddy82 - 773 days 23 hours ago

33 - No Conan scored higher..

conan got a 7.5 and heavenly sword got a 7 from IGN.. LOL... .5 higher than heavenly sword..

I dont know how that happen because anyone in here who likes to play games will know heavenly sword is way way way and i mean way better than conan.. I was blown away by heavenly sword and i think it shouldnt have received anything lower than a 8...

When i played conan i laughed and laughed some more and stopped playing it after 15 mins..

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cpuchess - 773 days 23 hours ago

34 -

I haven't enjoyed a games as much as Assassin's Creed since Gears of War came out. This game doesn't deserve the bad ratings at all, the reviewers who give the bad ratings have some alternative agenda they are not talking about. IGN lost my respect when they gave their rating, now I know that reviewer didn't have a clue about what he was talking about

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