[Riposte]

I like how Play says Skyrim has fast travel, that's why it's better? Except for the part that Skyrim has shitty combat, and barely works on the PS3 still, for fuck's sake. Yeah, super enjoyable.

Wait a second. So Play is a playstation magazine right? He's talking about the PS3 version of Skyrim. Hahaha, that's awesome.

[Plywood]

Playstation Magazine (FR) - 18/20 + Excellent combat system + Long and epic adventure - Character design - Some technical issue

wat

[Dresden]

I like how Play says Skyrim has fast travel, that's why it's better? Except for the part that Skyrim has shitty combat, and barely works on the PS3 still, for fuck's sake. Yeah, super enjoyable.

And Fast Travel is in the game.

The guy is full of shit.

[Jigsaw]

Wait a second. So Play is a playstation magazine right? He's talking about the PS3 version of Skyrim. Hahaha, that's awesome.

what exactly is wrong with the ps3 version of skyrim as of now?

[Ridley327]

No, I was being serious. I was joking about you getting out of town though. You can stay in town.

Oh, well, in that case!

Yeah, Play US died a very quiet death amidst the relaunch of Diehard Gamefan. I think shidoshi mentioned that Halverson pulled one of his "why should I pay my staff?" stunts.

[Elginer]

what exactly is wrong with the ps3 version of skyrim as of now?

A lot. A whole hell of a lot. If you decide you love the game and invest a lot of time into it, expect the performance of the game to actually get worse due to memory issues.

[Derrick01]

What is the consensus on superior version? One of the things preventing me from buying day one.

Doesn't seem to be very different from the demo. 360 has appalling amounts of screen tearing but runs around 27-30 fps, ps3 has 0 screen tearing but runs around 23-25 fps.

Comes down to which problem annoys you more.

[Y2Kev]

The thing that worries me about the Play review is they are almost repeating my philosophy verbatim about difficulty, and they're using it in contrast with Demon/Dark Souls (good difficulty) and Dragon's Dogma (bad difficulty). Even though the review is particularly poorly written, that strikes a note with me because it's not particularly difficult to point something like this out. It should always - ALWAYS - be your fault you die, never the game's. I have always strongly disagreed with the assertion that Dark Souls/Demon Souls has some random deaths that you can't avoid, with the exception of a few bosses. Almost always if you fail, it's because you haven't properly applied your skills or you were impatient. I hope to hear more about how the game works out, but as always it's GAFers that will determine whether I get this, since actual game publication reviews are LOL at this point in trustworthiness.

I think this is something easy to express but it's such a difficult experience to really verify. How many shitty Demon's Souls reviewers/players blamed the game for deaths that were purely their fault?

The Souls games have hit such a critical mass that nobody in the media tries to pull any punches with them anymore. Tough to judge.

[maquiladora]

A lot. A whole hell of a lot. If you decide you love the game and invest a lot of time into it, expect the performance of the game to actually get worse due to memory issues.

For me anyway, that issue was resolved with a patch a while ago.

[Gr1mLock]

Sweet. I really liked the demo but knowing capcom the reason the game has technical issues is cause the sequel is already locked on disc.

[Synless]

I was pretty excited for this, but after the demo, I will wait for a price drop. It just wasn't a good enough looking or running game for me to get day one, lack of online co-op hurt too.

[Criminal Upper]

Sweet. I really liked the demo but knowing capcom the reason the game has technical issues is cause the sequel is already locked on disc.

owned

[2&2]

Sweet. I really liked the demo but knowing capcom the reason the game has technical issues is cause the sequel is already locked on disc.

Clever new joke.

[sprsk]

Play's gripes about the combat sound very similar to the kind of thing I see reviewers say about Monster Hunter (except the AI part).

I believe much like Monster Hunter, player skill will be the main factor on whether not you enjoy the game.

[Wildesy]

Play can go fuck itself with that added recommendation to go play Skyrim instead.

Why? Skyrim seems about as close an alternative to DD as you can get. If the reviewer thinks it is better (significantly in this case), what's the problem with recommending it instead?

[Lavalamp1138]

I'm surprised OXM gave it a 6. The guy who was doing those preview videos seemed to really be enjoying the game. He's probably not the one who wrote the review, but I'd have preferred to hear his final impressions.

[Riposte]

I'm surprised OXM gave it a 6. The guy who was doing those preview videos seemed to really be enjoying the game. He's probably not the one who wrote the review, but I'd have preferred to hear his final impressions.

That was OXM UK, different publications.

[linko9]

:( I am suck of playing games with terrible stories.

You will be sucked.

I always expected this game to get very mixed reviews, but these are actually much more on the positive side than I expected.

[Pranay_]

I'm surprised OXM gave it a 6. The guy who was doing those preview videos seemed to really be enjoying the game. He's probably not the one who wrote the review, but I'd have preferred to hear his final impressions.

It isnt that oxm.

It was uk oxm who was giving the preview videos

[UrbanRats]

Play can go fuck itself with that added recommendation to go play Skyrim instead.

Phew, i was almost taking them seriously, for a moment.
Aside from that, nice reviews, good.

[Gr1mLock]

Clever new joke.

Thank you. Observational Retort.

[Trojita]

Much like the main character's chest cavity, this RPG ultimately feels hollow, with no real heart.

An excellent action-RPG. The pawns are interesting AI-companions. The story is nothing special, though.

So it is like Skyrim then?

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Hmmm, the reviews aren't through the roof like I thought (or hoped) it would be.

It still looks like a game I would enjoy.

I'll wait to see more reviews on it from the main sites.

[Jac_Solar]

Well said. It sounds like the Play reviewer expects the game to cater to his specific wants and needs. I'm especially excited about the pre-leveled enemies. Scaling enemies prevent me from feeling any sense of progression. I'm now looking foward to Dragons Dogma.

Yup.

Exploring an open game world and finding some very dangerous mobs that send you packing gives you a goal of sorts -- to return with more power! :p

The static level system tends to be in most MMO's, but MMO's nowadays have little to no atmosphere -- people will be farming world bosses in WoW for fun, or some cool cats hanging out, spamming l33t in general, or trade, or whatever, so it's not as if a region with a WB, or a monster of sorts adds any of that potential 'atmosphere' to the game. "You best not travel out yonder after the sun sets down, for that is when the creature awakens from its slumber!" or something to that effect, in addition to some background lore/story on the creature, and whenever you'd cross that area ingame you'd be extra cautious.. :)

It's still a great system that hasn't really been explored in open world games on the HD consoles though. A game with a static level system that is part of the world, and properly supported with lore / story could do wonders for atmosphere.

[AgentP]

So it is like Skyrim then?

But with a vital element Skyrim is missing, a real combat system.

[dragonflys545]

Lack of a Co-op mode will probably the only reason why I'll wait for a price drop on this game.

[The_Hitcher89]

Yup. Exploring an open game world and finding some very dangerous mobs that send you packing gives you a goal of sorts -- to return with more power! :p The static level system tends to be in most MMO's, but MMO's nowadays have little to no atmosphere -- people will be farming world bosses in WoW for fun, or some cool cats hanging out, spamming l33t in general, or trade, or whatever, so it's not as if a region with a WB, or a monster of sorts adds any of that potential 'atmosphere' to the game. "You best not travel out yonder after the sun sets down, for that is when the creature awakens from its slumber!" or something to that effect, in addition to some background lore/story on the creature, and whenever you'd cross that area ingame you'd be extra cautious.. :) It's still a great system that hasn't really been explored in open world games on the HD consoles though. A game with a static level system that is part of the world, and properly supported with lore / story could do wonders for atmosphere.

It would be amazing if you could make notes on the World Map in open-world RPGs. A few times in Skyrim I came across chests that I couldn't open, and it seems like this game's equivalent will be enemies that I cannot defeat. It would be nice to make a note of it in-game. Hopefully there'll be a notes section in the manual :P

[Endo Punk]

Damn, the reviews are all over the place. Isn't this Capcom's most expensive project to date? I hope this doesn't turn into an ultra bomba for them.

I don't have any ill will towards this game but it would be sweet karma because Capcom threw DMC under the bus to get this project going.

[Dragonzord]

PS3 magazines scoring it higher than xbox ones.

Superior version confirmed ;)

[Blunt]

Play - 48% 'play Skyrim instead'

This man danced with his review copy of Skyrim too I bet.

[slade]

Didn't like the demo and hope the game bombs so Capcom realizes that shoving crappy AI partners down my throat helps no-one.

[The_Hitcher89]

Didn't like the demo and hope the game bombs so Capcom realizes that shoving crappy AI partners down my throat helps no-one.

They'll probably help me and hundreds of thousands of others...

[Derrick01]

Didn't like the demo and hope the game bombs so Capcom realizes that shoving crappy AI partners down my throat helps no-one.

They were pretty useful to me. I don't recall what the sword guy was doing but my main pawn kept trying to launch me on to the griffon and the mage was healing us when it was needed, giving me fire arrows/daggers at times and doing other various mage stuff. They were better than most AI companions in games.

[redhot_]

Didn't like the demo and hope the game bombs so Capcom realizes that shoving crappy AI partners down my throat helps no-one.

Wait, what? The pawns in the demo were all doing what they were supposed to for me. Think I only had to revive a pawn once out of the half dozen times I played it.

Only crappy thing was how they wouldn't shut up lol.

[Baconsammy]

Each time I've played the demo I've seen messages on screen letting me know that loot/herbs were being picked up during the fight. That's not good AI. That's stupid. Hopefully that's not in the final.

[Lucent]

They'll probably help me and hundreds of thousands of others...

They always helped me in the demo. Not sure what he's talking about. >_>

Also

Dragon's Dogma lOTl DOA 'cuz LOL no Co-op

=/

Note: Was just making a joke. This was disappointing, but it doesn't effect my decision to buy it day one in the least.

[ironcreed]

More reviews: Xbox World (UK) - 8.5 There's no sense of danger in modern games. Dying has become a minor setback, rather than something to be feared. That's why Dragon's Dogma is so inspiring. Its enormous world is rife with danger, and death lurks around every corner. It's an adventure in the truest sense of the word, rich with mystery and peril. There's something weirdly intoxicating about this constant fear of dying. When you venture into a new area of the map, you're filled with trepidation about what beasties may be lurking in the bushes, but will be compelled to keep going. Your curiosity and desire to discover loot, or a path to a new area, or a quest, makes you risk everything by venturing into uncharted territory. This makes Dragon's Dogma one of the most hardcore, rewarding and authentic role-playing experiences on consoles. But the difficulty can be more than a little trying at times, and we found ourserlves regularly quitting out of frustration. Verdict: Big, challenging, and imaginative, but its hardcore nature won't appeal to everyone. If you have a lot of time, and patience, this is one of 360's best RPGs.

All I need to hear.

[Lucent]

All I need to hear.

That's what I thought. It always puts me off when I'm not afraid of going into a battle.

[ironcreed]

That's what I thought. It always puts me off when I'm not afraid of going into a battle.

Precisely... as you get bored, lol.

[TucoBenedictoPacifico]

Combat itself - the main draw of the game - is seriously all over the place. Clunky is the main word that springs to mind, with a lack of easily defined targeting hodling back most character types and a general sense you don't have the control you require to take on opponents in the tactical manner Dragon's Dogma expects of you. In theory it should be wonderful and strategic, seeing each character type work to their strengths. In practice it will boil down to headless chickens running and flailing, getting KO'd and necessitating being revived by a player character too scared of going anywhere near that Cyclops that can kill them in one hit. It isn't exactly exciting. Difficulty is not by itself a Bad Thing. Back to the Dark Souls comparisons - that's a game that gets difficulty. You fail, it's your fault. Dragon's Dogma seems to have read the first part of that statement: you just fail. Unavoidable, random strikes out of nowhere; no ability to dodge as standard; no blocking at all for certain character classes; huge, non-signposted difficulty spikes that see the player taken out in one hit; AI companions who seem happier to pick flowers than actually help; the lack of logic in a world where you can revive team-mates but they can't revive you - the list goes on. Verdict: A clunky, confused mess of a game that simply doesn't know what it wants to be. There's comfort in how compulsive it can be, but that factor doesn't magically turn Dragon's Dogma into anything other than a flawed, dull and unfair experience.

I'm usually way more incline to listen to harsh criticism than cheap praises, when it comes to reviews from the gaming press, but reading this I can't help but remember similar complaints about games like Risen:
"Waah, it's totally unfair, I can die at any moment playing this game and no one is putting a glowing sign pointing the risk!".

I'm definitely more interested in this title now.
Too bad Capcom just stated that they are not planning a PC version, but I can wait.

[Teknoman]

Bringing this up again...does the final version have widescreen bars, or is there an option to increase screen size?

[ironcreed]

"Waah, it's totally unfair, I can die at any moment playing this game and no one is putting a glowing sign pointing the risk!".

The abridged version:

- It's not Skyrim, Dark Souls or Shadow of the Colossus, but wishes it was
- It does not have co-op
- I hate the gameplay because there is no lock-on
- I die too much because I am not leveled enough and hate the game, so I don't want to spend the time required to be rewarded with growth
- I can't fast travel whenever I want
- Play Skyrim instead

48%

[Lucent]

Bringing this up again...does the final version have widescreen bars, or is there an option to increase screen size?

I thought I heard that it was done because the game is sub-HD or something. Someone asked this on Amazon, too.

[ezekial45]

Do we have an idea on what kind of loot is in the game? I'm not expecting randomly generated loot like Diablo, but is there at least a large variety in the types of weapons you can find? If there are only like 8 or so variations of each weapon, then I'm going to be disappointed.

[Fix The Scientist]

I think harsh video game reviews are usually more insightful than overly positive ones, that guy is allowed his opinion.. He has actually played the full game unlike any of us, so who are we to call him out? Anyway i only have to pay half price for this so i'm not too bothered if there are a few flaws.

[Augemitbutter]

Play can go fuck itself with that added recommendation to go play Skyrim instead.

thanks for the warning. not gonna click that shitty site now.

[Rygar 8 Bit]

Play:
DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH

sounds about right

[Frankie Williamson]

Any PC version reviews yet?

Oh yeah...

:(

[burgerdog]

Bringing this up again...does the final version have widescreen bars, or is there an option to increase screen size?

They're not going away unless there's an option in the final build that no one is talking about.

[whalleywhat]

I think harsh video game reviews are usually more insightful than overly positive ones, that guy is allowed his opinion.. He has actually played the full game unlike any of us, so who are we to call him out? Anyway i only have to pay half price for this so i'm not too bothered if there are a few flaws.

I would agree with this except that he says "Play Skyrim instead." Kind of destroys any credibility the review might have.