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OXM UK PWNED!!! (Headhunter related)

S

segasonic

Member
Dear Official Xbox Magazine (UK),


As a fiercely independent games developer, we totally respect the right of
reviewers to make harsh but heartfelt criticism of games released to the
public. But like all rights, this comes with responsibilities.

Foremost of these must surely be factual accuracy. In your review of
Headhunter Redemption (Issue 34, October 2004), you claim that cut scenes
"can't be skipped... Grrr!" This is incorrect: all cut scenes in the game
are skippable. Grrr, indeed.

More mysteriously, you conclude your review by stating that "the odd bike
chase succeeds in breaking up the on-foot action." There are no biking
sequences in Headhunter Redemption: a fact that would be apparent to anyone
who had actually played the game.

Naturally we would prefer everyone to appreciate our game as much as many
other reviewers have done, but we will always try to learn from
well-informed criticism. It is far harder to accept ill-informed,
unprofessional journalism.

Perhaps in future you could show us, other developers and your readers this
simple courtesy: if you can't be bothered to play a game, don't bother to
review it.

John Kroknes
Philip Lawrence

Amuze.
Click to expand...

http://forum.officialxboxmagazine.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=17714
 
K

Koshiro

Member
See thing is, I'd have thought the error saying there were bike sections was actually a good error, because they damn well should be there. Now there is nothing to seperate this from "Sneaking Game X".
 
S

segasonic

Member
Koshiro said:
See thing is, I'd have thought the error saying there were bike sections was actually a good error, because they damn well should be there. Now there is nothing to seperate this from "Sneaking Game X".
Click to expand...
It's an action game this time. No more sneaking.
 
S

segasonic

Member
More ownage from that thread

This was posted by the author of the review:

funkymonkey wrote:
I'll reply to this thread to set the record straight.

The review score HH: Redemption received was an honest reflection of the quality of the game.

As for factual inaccuracies, things seem to have been taken out of context.
I stated that cut-scenes couldn't be skipped becasuse, in the review code we were sent, no amount of Start / A / any button pushing could skip the cutscenes.

And as for mentioning the bike sections, again I was referring to the cutscenes.
Click to expand...

He later on deleted his post, but it was already quoted and replied to by this guy:


sirgruffil wrote:

Fair enough (maybe) on the cut scene skipping. But I've played the game end to end (and read the whole of the review), and I can tell you that there are no 'bike chases' or anything like it in the cut scenes. The most you see is Jack's bike pull up outside a building. Besides, saying that "the odd bike chase succeeds in breaking up the on-foot action" clearly implies game play, especially in the closing paragraph of a review that has gone out of its way to criticise the cut scenes.

At the very least it's sloppy writing - but we all really know that the author is just trying to cover his ass, having been found out for a fraud.
Click to expand...

:D
 
D

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
OMG this can't be true... because it's hilarious... and BAD.... did the reviewer just replay the first game?
 
W

Wario64

works for Gamestop (lol)
Haha, that's just great

I heard the sequel isn't that great though so I don't really care about the game itself
 
G

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
I'll reply to this thread to set the record straight.

The review score HH: Redemption received was an honest reflection of the quality of the game.

As for factual inaccuracies, things seem to have been taken out of context.
I stated that cut-scenes couldn't be skipped becasuse, in the review code we were sent, no amount of Start / A / any button pushing could skip the cutscenes.

And as for mentioning the bike sections, again I was referring to the cutscenes.
Click to expand...

hmmm...im gonna say he never played the game.

Good old Future Publishing.
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
DJ Brannon said:
What Acclaim loses, Future Publising aquires I gather?
Click to expand...
This happens everywhere and all the time.

Gaming "journalism" is the saddest on the planet. I'm sure knitting magazines have more knowledgable experts in their editorial teams. How I long for a magazine I can flip through without being annoyed by factual errors on every page... :(
 
D

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
http://www.amuze.com/hh2.html

Official Xbox Magazine - 5.8/10 (Oct 2004, Issue 34)

“The odd bike chase succeeds in breaking up the on-foot action but, at the end of the day, still can’t bring Headhunter the Redemption its title promises.”

NOTE: HH:R features no bike chases either in game play or cut scenes.


LOL
 
B

BlackClouds

Member
If only Sega would back them up by boycotting their magazine from here on out. Make those bastards pay for the game at retail. Especially if they continue to give out 5.8 reviews which do nothing but hurt their games.
 
T

Truelize

Steroid Distributor
That is freakin hilarious.
Kinda like how none of the reviewers that game Driv3r a high rating had played it. This is getting pretty popular.
 
S

Sho Nuff

Banned
Writing UK Mag reviews is easy, just use a lot of British words:

"Totally cracking action game! Ace graphics and mint sound! If you don't flip your biscuits over this game you're bullocks!" etc etc

Don't forget to remove the commas for authentic "Queen's English" feel
 
P

Project Midway

Member
Sho Nuff said:
"Totally cracking action game! Ace graphics and mint sound! If you don't flip your biscuits over this game you're bullocks!" etc etc
Click to expand...
Hey thats awesome. You were like Jaz Rignall from some old C+VG.
 
S

segasonic

Member
Koshiro said:
Does it work? Or is it just mindless bang bang bang?
Click to expand...
Works well enogh for me, you just have to learn how to use cover. You're screwed in open space because of the targetting system.

It's not just action though there's lots of (cool) puzzles too.


What I don't like so much:

-no more bike sequences
-no more hilarious news shows
-dark / morbid setting
 
C

COCKLES

being watched
Sho Nuff said:
Writing UK Mag reviews is easy, just use a lot of British words:

"Totally cracking action game! Ace graphics and mint sound! If you don't flip your biscuits over this game you're bullocks!" etc etc

Don't forget to remove the commas for authentic "Queen's English" feel
Click to expand...

Haha. So true. :(
 
M

MC Safety

Member
I guess we're going to have to take the whole dragon-flying and punching Hitler in the stomach portions out of our Headhunter review for Xbox Nation #20.
 
K

Koshiro

Member
segasonic said:
Works well enogh for me, you just have to learn how to use cover. You're screwed in open space because of the targetting system.

It's not just action though there's lots of (cool) puzzles too.


What I don't like so much:

-no more bike sequences
-no more hilarious news shows
-dark / morbid setting
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feedback man, more interested in what GA regulars have to say about games than I do reviews (hah). Morbid setting, gah, I really can't see that working for Headhunter, but ok, it's a different game.

Thanks again.
 
L

Lyte Edge

All I got for the Vernal Equinox was this stupid tag
Segasonic, you LIKE the new Headhunter? I've only just briefly tried it out, but the controls turned me off right away, and it's missing all the stuff that made the original Headhunter an entertaining game.
 
W

WarPig

Member
Redemption's pretty blah, IMO.

No game in this day and age should be able to get away with a puzzle that makes you hunt for a valve handle.

DFS.
 
D

D2M15

DAFFY DEUS EGGS
Disco Stu said:
I guess we're going to have to take the whole dragon-flying and punching Hitler in the stomach portions out of our Headhunter review for Xbox Nation #20.
Click to expand...

Those were totally the best parts. Don't tell me I imagined them, or that game's 10 hours of my life I'll never get back.
 
W

WarPig

Member
D2M15 said:
Those were totally the best parts. Don't tell me I imagined them, or that game's 10 hours of my life I'll never get back.
Click to expand...

Sorry, you don't actually get to punch Hitler in the stomach in Headhunter. You may get to punch some chick who calls herself Che, but that's a pretty poor substitute.

DFS.
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
Lyte Edge said:
Segasonic, you LIKE the new Headhunter? I've only just briefly tried it out, but the controls turned me off right away, and it's missing all the stuff that made the original Headhunter an entertaining game.
Click to expand...
You have to give it more of a shot than that. Everyone hates it at first, but if you enjoy dark sci-fi settings you'll probably enjoy it more and get annoyed by the controls less as you go along.

I know, it's a cliche everyone pulls when defending a shitty game, but in this case it's true!
 
W

WarPig

Member
I dunno. In my case, as soon as the controls stopped bothering me, the wonky AI and the lame puzzles kicked in.

I say again: VALVE HANDLE JIHAD! DEATH TO THE INFIDEL!

DFS.
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
I wouldn't count on the valve handle being entirely serious. Considering Amuze's love for satire and parody, and the fact that there's a pretty big and blatant RE parody in the game, I'm sure it was tongue in cheek.

It's hard to know with these guys. I could even bet on the crap controls being an RE parody in itself (if I was stoned enough).

(No, I'm not really giving it that much credit. I just liked the RE parody.)
 
W

WarPig

Member
If the intent was satirical, it was lost on me, although in retrospect that might have been what they were going for ^_^ God knows RE could use a little mockery now and again...

DFS.
 
B

Bebpo

Banned
WarPig said:
I dunno. In my case, as soon as the controls stopped bothering me, the wonky AI and the lame puzzles kicked in.

I say again: VALVE HANDLE JIHAD! DEATH TO THE INFIDEL!

DFS.
Click to expand...

RIDDICK also had the valve handle searching... I understand the pain :(
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
Onimusha 3 also hade a valve handle search (spanning a massive two rooms, but still), and that's one of the GOTY's!
 
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