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[SlasherJPC]

Figured some folks would find this interesting seeing as lots of people wait to see how a game scores before digging in. Both IGN and Jim Sterling, along with myself and other sites can confirm there are still no review copies that have gone out to most outlets. Likely you'll see streams and people getting it early in retail before the sites post anything about it.

 

[Klyka]

There are hundreds of videos of the preview versions on Youtube, all of them with hours and hours of footage of the campaign.

I am pretty sure people can use that to paint themselves a picture of the game.

 

[Roto13]

Is Dying Light another Destiny where you really need an active community to judge it at all anyway, or another Assassin's Creed: Unity where they're holding back reviews because they have no faith in the game?

 

[BakkaGames]

Yep. We have a preview build for the game and the PR guy told me it'll only be updated to the final game a few days before the actual release.

 

[JayEH]

A sign of a quality game.

 

[-MD-]

Is Dying Light another Destiny where you really need an active community to judge it at all anyway, or another Assassin's Creed: Unity where they're holding back reviews because they have no faith in the game?

Probably neither, there is tons of footage on youtube and it looks pretty good.

 

[Flarin]

Looks like a wait and see situation. Will hold out for impressions.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

A sign of a quality game.

indeed

 

[thelastcrusader]

Maybe they want to boost sales by making reviewers buying their own copies instead of throwing away profits! I wouldn't blame them then. It bothers me that reviewers don't have to buy shit

 

[Bricky]

With all the footage on Youtube, I don't really get why they are doing this.

Not a good sign.

 

[cheststrongwell]

This is some bullshit, but I usually wait at least two weeks to buy games anyway.

 

[UnluckyKate]

3 reasons to boycott this game :

- release day embargo
- mp lock behind pre order
- disgusting pre order incentive, locking away content if you pre order later

This and the fact the game suffers from HEAVY clipping and pop in very close up to the player in every recent gameplay video... This isn't looking too good at all

 

[JohngPR]

Release date embargo reviews don't raise a red flag for me since a lot of devs do that. Not giving reviewers the game until release date? Red flag.

 

[ekgrey]

i have very high hopes for this one, but i am pretty much done with pre-ordering and day 1 purchases anyway, so i've no problem waiting for impressions of final code. since i'll be playing on PC if/when i do, i'm really hoping for a good port.

edit: given how many are doing Let's Plays already as noted, i'm inclined to think this has less to do with them having little faith in the game and more to do with rushing to get some last minute tweaks in. still maybe a bad sign as far as early patching goes, but i don't think it's gonna be a DOA title.

 

[geordiemp]

Probably neither, there is tons of footage on youtube and it looks pretty good.

I am of the opinion now that if devs and pubs KNOW their game is good and without lots of bugs, they will show it off early.

Heck if the game is amazing then release a demo

 

[maquiladora]

-_-

 

[Neuromancer]

I'm jumping in anyway. Wish me luck!

 

[Lrrr]

Holding back review copies doesn't show confidence in your game.

I'm jumping in anyway. Wish me luck!

Good luck! I'll be there with you.

 

[ubersticky]

How does this game play? Lots of fetch missions?

 

[shacklesmcgee]

Why don't publishers understand this shows they are really unconfident in their game and are basically trying to bamboozle people?

 

[bryanee]

There isn't an embargo though according to what I read earlier in the week. I believe it was in one of the DL threads here.

 

[Klyka]

Again, there is endless footage of the game on Youtube.
Literally the first hours of the campaign are on Youtube being played by countless Youtubers who got early preview copies.

Unless the release version suddenly turns everything you can see there into shit,I don't see how a review is in any way meaningful to this game.

 

[AsfaeksBR]

The only game I remember that jad a Release-Day Review Embargo was XCOM: Enemy Unknown. But overall, it's not such a good sign...

 

[Chobel]

I guess they don't have faith in their game.

 

[bananafactory]

Coupled with their attempt to get you to preorder for that invasion mode and things don't look great.

Still cautiously optimistic because everything I've seen looked quite good.

 

[Mildudon]

Looks like I'll just wait a little see how this plays out.

 

[Flarin]

3 reasons to boycott this game :

- release day embargo
- mp lock behind pre order
- disgusting pre order incentive, locking away content if you pre order later

This and the fact the game suffers from HEAVY clipping and pop in very close up to the player in every recent gameplay video... This isn't looking too good at all

Wait, WHAT!? What about co-op? You have to pre-order for that too?

 

[Lrrr]

How does this game play? Lots of fetch missions?

Essentially it's Dead Island 2 (or 3).

 

[Xav]

The guys who made Dead Island are potentially making a bad game?

I for one am SHOCKED.

 

[BakkaGames]

i have very high hopes for this one, but i am pretty much done with pre-ordering and day 1 purchases anyway, so i've no problem waiting for impressions of final code. since i'll be playing on PC if/when i do, i'm really hoping for a good port.

The port is good, I can assure you that.

A GTX 970 with a i7 4770 had no problems running it all maxed out @ 1080/60

 

[Oni Link 666]

Pewdiepie gets the exclusive. Fuck off, gaming press.

 

[Xando]

Wait, WHAT!? What about co-op? You have to pre-order for that too?

Co-op is in as far as i know, only that "Be a Zombie" is DLC.

 

[Barakov]

The only game I remember that jad a Release-Day Review Embargo was XCOM: Enemy Unknown. But overall, it's not such a good sign...

I would say doubly so, given it's a Techland game.

 

[Y0j1mb0]

With all the footage on Youtube, I don't really get why they are doing this.

Not a good sign.

100% agree. As of late, I have stopped altogether getting any game on Day One. The flood of broken games is all too prevalent.

 

[SerTapTap]

Great sign. Also, them not even HAVING review copies is a worse sign than release day embargo. IF you get a game early with release date embargo you can at least get out an informed review on day one. If you get it on street date there are no informed reviews for (release date + time to fully evaluate game + time to write proper review + misc time humans do things that aren't writing/gaming)

Was this always this common? I don't recall release date embargos or worse being common for AAA retail games until around last year/late 2013

 

[ClaptoVaughn]

Maybe they want to boost sales by making reviewers buying their own copies instead of throwing away profits! I wouldn't blame them then. It bothers me that reviewers don't have to buy shit

Surely you jest.

However, there are a lot of videos of this game floating around, covering the first couple hours.

The only thing I'm waiting on is a proper PC optimization review, because I'm not always sure what versions people are playing in the Let's Plays and I haven't seen one that discussed performance.

 

[Flarin]

Co-op is in as far as i know, only that "Be a Zombie" is DLC.

Oh okay good. Was gonna say >_>

 

[antitrop]

Buying a Techland game on day 1 without reviews is like holding a razor blade against your arm.

 

[ironcreed]

There are hundreds of videos of the preview versions on Youtube, all of them with hours and hours of footage of the campaign.

I am pretty sure people can use that to paint themselves a picture of the game.

Yeah, I have watched a ton of it myself and that is what led to me caving on a pre-order. I was going to wait, but loved what I saw.

 

[UnluckyKate]

Wait, WHAT!? What about co-op? You have to pre-order for that too?

no not coop. But if you want to play as a zombie in competitive MP, you need to pre order or pay after

 

[Haunted]

Well, I like Techland, both Call of Juarez and Dead Island are fun games. But I'm not supporting shenanigans like this.

Where's all the footage on Youtube you guys mention from? Preview code on big sites? Youtube influencers getting the game early? (honest question, I didn't follow the game closely)


Knowing that outlets won't get code until release day will also be interesting to keep in mind when looking at which sites are running a day 1 review and which sites will wait.

 

[nelchaar]

UH OH...

 

[SlasherJPC]

I've never been one to cater my wants to playing a game based off reviews, but that being said, a lot of people do infact take reviews and their information to determine their buying purchases for the first few weeks of release. Perhaps they are mostly going the youtube route with pewdiepie, etc really pushing their game. Maybe it's a new thing these days? No idea. I'm supposed to review it for my site and I'm very neutral on the game from everything I've seen. Not pumped but not thinking it will be the worst thing ever. Guess will see.

 

[Schreckstoff]

Well the early impressions where rather negative or mediocre so just hold off buying day 1

 

[antitrop]

Well, I like Techland, both Call of Juarez and Dead Island are fun games. But I'm not supporting shenanigans like this.

Their games are more known to be technical messes at launch, subjective quality aside.

Their ironic name is one of the most endearing and comical things about them.

 

[Rogue_Ledr]

COME ON!

I am so tired of this release date embargo garbage.

I can still remember when it was standard practice to have nearly all reviews WELL in advance.

Not it is becoming the norm to have them on release date.

I am seriously thinking of skipping this one. I still have a TON of games on backlog from last year.

 

[kevin1025]

This isn't terrible news, but should leave those uncertain to wait a few days. The game looks great, after all.

 

[Saven]

Definitely isn't a good sign if they are holding them back until release.

 

[Neuromancer]

The way I see it is, my opinion of a game and its critical consensus are often wildly off anyway. And in the worst case scenario of the game being literally broken, I'll return it.

 

[Grady]

Again, there is endless footage of the game on Youtube.
Literally the first hours of the campaign are on Youtube being played by countless Youtubers who got early preview copies.

Unless the release version suddenly turns everything you can see there into shit,I don't see how a review is in any way meaningful to this game.

Not everyone wants to sit and watch hours of someone else play a game and possibly see spoilers just to justify a purchase. A review score will do just fine.