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IGN is now reviewing (and giving a score to) early access games - Grounded

Codes 208

Member

What the hell is this? The game is in Early Access. It's basically a playable Alpha/Beta, and IGN gives it a score (6).

What's next? Reviewing and scoring alpha builds of games that developers give to the outlet to preview?
Early access or not it’s still open to the public as a purchasable title. For once I can actually see IGN’s reason for this and there are a few other scores reviews as well. Gamespot and pcgamer also have reviews out as well. (Spoilers: gamespot also have it a 6)
 

ManaByte

Member
It's a game they are bothering to charge $29.99 for..

Reviews exist to help consumers make purchasing decisions.. so how is it inappropriate to review a game someone put up for sale?
Early access or not it’s still open to the public as a purchasable title. For once I can actually see IGN’s reason for this and there are a few other scores reviews as well. Gamespot and pcgamer also have reviews out as well. (Spoilers: gamespot also have it a 6)

1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?
1) And they are all fair game for review
2) Neat. There's also a point in the game where they put the price $29.99 on the screen and you push the "buy" button.
C) None of this is an argument against what we said.
IV) Ants
 
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GHG

Gold Member
This isn't a new thing, early access games have been given reviews and scores for a while now.

If they want to charge money for these things then they need to be open to reviews and criticism.

The aim is to provide meaningful feedback so that the game can eventually be worth the amount that is being charged.
 

MiguelItUp

Member
As much as I think it's silly, there are people curious to know if an Early Access title is worth their time and money. So for those people, I guess this makes sense. I guess I see no problem with it as long as they mention and go through with updating the score upon release.

If I could say anything I'd say maybe leave the scoring for when the game is actually released?
 

DJTHEGREY

Member
They should just call it a preview review. Maybe it's an attempt to shine some light on a game that at can be great in the future.
 
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Codes 208

Member
1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?
Most early access games on steam are generally smaller titles or freebie indie titles, which this isn’t. It’s a first party MS title made by Obsidian so there’s a lot buzz around it.

secondly, if they’re charging people for it, yes I feel reviews are warranted. And keep in mind they’ll likely give another review to the finished product as well to demonstrate the growth from early access to finished product.
With that logic only games that will never receive a patch again should be reviewed.
Also this, I feel like sea of thieves should be re-reviewed because at launch the game definitely felt more like an early access title.
 

Golgo 13

The Man With The Golden Dong
I played this game for 5 minutes, realized it sucked ass, and deleted it immediately. 6 is generous.
 

Agent X

Member
What the hell is this? The game is in Early Access. It's basically a playable Alpha/Beta, and IGN gives it a score (6).

You know, I would've agreed with you, until several others here pointed out that this is being sold for $29.99.

1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?

It doesn't matter. The game is being presented as a purchasable product. It's fair to compare it to the standards of other contemporary games that are also selling for the same price.

I fear that "early access" is another aspect of the modern video game market that's ripe for abuse. Developers and publishers might use "early access" as a shield that they can hide behind, to avoid media criticism for releasing buggy or unfinished products.
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Ideally they'd update their score when the game is updated.

And sites like metacritic would pull in that updated score to protect the feelings of fanboys.
 
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If it's a game people can buy right now, then there's nothing wrong with releasing a review for it. Just update the score or do another review once it's out.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?
Cool.

I have an investment property going up. Already put down $80,000. Supposedly finished next year.

I'm going to visit the site one day and complain to the builder about how bad it is seeing a big plot of dirt and some shitty scaffolding.

Cant wait to make a laundry list 50 pages long about how bad it is and all the missing features so far.

That'll teach em.
 
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Great Hair

Banned
1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?

They did that with NMS 2015? giving it a 5? and years later an 8? Why is this an issue? If a product in its current state is "bad", shouldn't these "journos" mention that in their "preview, review"?

It does not give the developer an excuse for a terrible job. How else are they going to improve it? without any form of critique?

Early Access is just an euphemism for GaaS, SaaS .. an attempt to ease the pain, cost of development, by getting few millions earlier from an unfinished cr-ppy product.

Wasn't Ark "taht dino survival cr-p" sold for $80 on the PS4 as an early access game, a complete broken shit show which led to some anger, refunds issues? Or was it on the Xbone?
 

Skifi28

Member
Cool.

I have an investment property going up. Already put down $80,000. Supposedly finished next year.

I'm going to visit the site one day and complain to the builder about how bad it is seeing a big plot of dirt and some shitty scaffolding.

Cant wait to make a laundry list 50 pages long about how bad it is and all the missing features so far.

That'll teach em.

Wat
 

Compsiox

Banned
I'm not against reviewing Early Access titles but in this case I'm sure it's to further fuel some console warring for clicks.
 
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Vawn

Banned
Microsoft is currently selling (and charging full-price) for an "early-access game".

Damn right it should be reviewed. That's a major way people make purchasing decisions.

If your game isn't ready to be reviewed, don't release it and charge money for it. This seems pretty obvious stuff to me.

Game Spot reviewed it too (6/10).
 
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Vawn

Banned
Ideally they'd update their score when the game is updated.

And sites like metacritic would pull in that updated score to protect the feelings of fanboys.

Ideally, but they definitely do not owe them to do so. Once they decided to charge for it, they've released the game, no matter if they say it's unfinished or not.
 

THEAP99

Banned
Gamespot also gave it a 6/10.

they shouldn’t be releasing an incomplete game if they’re crying about it the scores it get. We need less early access junk anyways, it’s a cancer consuming multiplayer games
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Good fuck EARLY ACCESS games...

Ask money for your shit?
GET RATED

fuck

off

FnP8.gif
 
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1. Early Access games have been a thing on Steam for a LONG TIME now.
2. There's literally a point in the game where Obsidian puts a screen up saying HEY THIS GAME ISN'T FINISHED YET AND WE'RE WORKING ON MORE CONTENT ENJOY! How do you give a score to an unfinished game?
By charging money for it. Now if they released it as an alpha/beta then it's different. You are charging money for it therefore it's fair game. While reviews in general are shit, they at least serve a purpose to many which to be inform them on a purchasing decision.
 
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Roberts

Member
I would never give a score for something this unfinished, because how the hell do you rate it? I imagine the only things that are not going to be much better or change at launch are graphics and overall gameplay mechanics. Those two are actually excellent and I think deserve more than 6 out of 10. Anyway, the game has a huge potential to be something special.
 

Vawn

Banned
GUYS, GUYS, HEAR ME OUT

ALL GAMES NOWADAYS ARE EARLY ACCESS, YOU KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE THEY ALL NEED 74564365890498735692323 PATCHES AFTER RELEASE SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE FUN

Not most Nintendo and PlayStation first-party games.
 

What the hell is this? The game is in Early Access. It's basically a playable Alpha/Beta, and IGN gives it a score (6).

What's next? Reviewing and scoring alpha builds of games that developers give to the outlet to preview?
mainstream sites do what they have to do, ya know? advertisement deals and all that jazz...

in the meantime, grounded not only is a bestseller on steam, but customer reviews are great ("very positive" to be exact)

so thank god ign and gamespot are here to protect the customerrrr

steam-reviews-grounded.jpg
 
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