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[dfi]

I apologize if this has been posted- gameinformer review

http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/31E8D82A-BEE0-4C1C-9B54-F3551F222C6D.htm


Another solid review

They also complain about the controls... Not a good sign...

 

[schuelma]

They also complain about the controls... Not a good sign...

Their biggest problem seems to be with performing the uber tricks. They were far more positive towards the controls than 1up or GamePro.

 

[Link316]

2.5 from Gamepro, more complaints about the controls

Pros: Buried under the bad controls lies a decent enough action-sports game.
Cons: The controls are awful.

 

[skip]

Do you have some links handy for some older wii games that you have reviewed? That would help.

Now with that said, I have yet to play the game, so I'll wait for final judgment, but this review sounds REALLY familiar to other reviews I have heard about other wii games that I have zero problems with controll on.

It's striking to me the review difference on alot of wii games.

wii sports (6.5): http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3155351&sec=REVIEWS

excite truck (7.0): http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3155352&sec=REVIEWS

I also did a small EGM review on warioware (7.5)

in all three cases, I liked how the motion controls were incorporated into the games, and criticisms were based on other aspects of the design.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

...But they do exactly what you're saying, all over the place. Don't be another victim of not knowing what trolling actually means. Heck, just the other day a certain ex-1up employee was complaining about how awkward FPS games feel on PS3 without rumble... in a Resistance thread! I see it all the time. Why would one stop complaining about something that is not fixed? There's another thread about it on the front page, related to the possibility of getting rumble some day by some company. Why? Because it hasn't been fixed yet.

It doesn't matter that it ever will be fixed, the fact is it's a problem and it's not changing so it's still worthy of bitching about. You, like every other mature adult, can decide when it is viable to tone it out. And don't give me anything about being able to put a mod on ignore if I'm your trouble - I haven't put a single person on ignore EVER, and I always skip posts that are unappealing to me. If you lack that self-control, your problem, but we do not censor legitimate criticisms around here. ESPECIALLY when they are on subject, which dark10x's was whether you appreciate it or not.

And as long as these problems exist on Wii, PS3 or 360... people will always, always keep complaining about them. And deservedly so. PS3's price ain't changed and it doesn't have rumble, and Wii still has shitty power and sound capabilities. Learn to live with it, and learn when to tone it out if you don't like it.



The inquisition has arrived. There are those who assume motion control must be superior by its mere existence. If you do not adapt correctly, you are simply one of those individuals who are biased toward analog control. There's no necessary reason why one would form a "anti-waggle" alliance, after all, if a game is motion controlled that's it analog is automatically beat. And if you claim it would be better in a specific case, hoo-boy... you've really shown where your priorities are, Mr.

Amir0x, you are a troll. Not because you voice a contrary opinion, but because you choose to do it in every thread that even vaguely references something you don't disagree with. You go out of your way to complain, which is pretty much the definition of a troll.

 

[chibcicylist]

thing is "old school" reviewers have played this series with both types of controls, so at least they have a point of reference on which controls work better for this game as oppose to someone who's just playing this game for the first time with the Wiimote

That's the problem. For some, it's a good perspective. For others, better could simply mean the status quo.

 

[schuelma]

wii sports (6.5): http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3155351&sec=REVIEWS

excite truck (7.0): http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3155352&sec=REVIEWS

I also did a small EGM review on warioware (7.5)

in all three cases, I liked how the motion controls were incorporated into the games, and criticisms were based on other aspects of the design.

I'd say those reviews should put to rest the notion that you are anti motion sensing.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

They also complain about the controls... Not a good sign...

Though interestingly, they praise an aspect of the controls - the nunchuk/board movement - that skip seemed to have an issue with. It seems that the consistent complaint is in the trick controls, or more specifically, the Ubertrick controls.

 

[typhonsentra]

Wow, those scores are all over the place.

 

[ghostlyjoe]

I think that, for the future, all Wii game scores should be determined by playing darts ... preferably with a Wiimote (for greater randomness).

 

[Amir0x]

Amir0x, you are a troll. Not because you voice a contrary opinion, but because you choose to do it in every thread that even vaguely references something you don't disagree with. You go out of your way to complain, which is pretty much the definition of a troll.

No, I go out of my way to complain because almost everything these days happens to be worth complaining about. If the industry didn't currently suck so damn hard, there would be far less complaining from me. I hardly complained at all last generation. Loved my Gamecube, loved my PS2, loved my Xbox! Why is it different now? Because Amir0x has decided 'it's time to be a troll'? No because every last one of the companies has made colossally ridiculous ****ing mistakes that have caused huge hurdles to my enjoyment of each of their systems. That's their problem! The definition of a troll is someone who provokes arguments for attention, and while there's a thin line there, and I do like playing devil's advocate, it is most certainly not for attention. It is because I want things changed, and here is the only outlet I have to mention it. And I will do so until such time comes when the things I consider problems are fixed.

As will EVERYONE ELSE for everything else. When someone likes something, they mention it in a hundred threads. God knows how many times moku has said he loves X, Y and Z. It's the same thing, only opposite. Sorry you don't like it, Deacon, but as I said - learn when to tone it out, or don't. Your prerogative.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

If the industry didn't currently suck so damn hard, there would be far less complaining from me.

I like you Ami, but fark you're a pessimist.

 

[Amir0x]

I like you Ami, but fark you're a pessimist.

Being pessimistic is the expectation that bad shit will happen... in this case the bad shit already happened, and the industry is already a crapshoot! :lol

 

[plagiarize]

one thing you guys have to give skip credit for is that he's actually here talking to us and in this thread taking shit for it.

i never see jeff gerstmann around these parts...

i've got another shocking statement... maybe the review scores are all over the place because the controls *HORROR* aren't for everyone!

or do we still think that reviewers are all pod people who have the same exact opinion of things genetically ingrained into them when they are spawned?

 

[dfi]

Though interestingly, they praise an aspect of the controls - the nunchuk/board movement - that skip seemed to have an issue with. It seems that the consistent complaint is in the trick controls, or more specifically, the Ubertrick controls.

yeah personally, the non ubertrick controls seem like they would be a lot of fun. But then again, I never really played the previous ssx games.

 

[Amir0x]

one thing you guys have to give skip credit for is that he's actually here talking to us and in this thread taking shit for it.

i never see jeff gerstmann around these parts...

i've got another shocking statement... maybe the review scores are all over the place because the controls *HORROR* aren't for everyone!

or do we still think that reviewers are all pod people who have the same exact opinion of things genetically ingrained into them when they are spawned?

Game Informer says the controls aren't for everyone as well.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Being pessimistic is the expectation that bad shit will happen... in this case the bad shit already happened, and the industry is already a crapshoot! :lol

According to you. You know there a some people who love gaming right now.

Just saying, not trying to change your mind or anything.

 

[Amir0x]

According to you. You know there a some people who love gaming right now.

Just saying, not trying to change your mind or anything.

Shhhh, or else we'll get an essay on Lapsed Gamers from you-know-who!

Seriously though, of course it's my perspective. I didn't think I really had to explain that.

 

[plagiarize]

Game Informer says the controls aren't for everyone as well.

and the thing is, i hope people realise that isn't a criticism... it's a disclaimer. what i mean is, while controls that ARE for everyone are obviously better than controls that *aren't* for everyone, it's not something that people who like the controls will think the review should have lost points for.

review scores. eh. more trouble than they're worth i tells you.

 

[Branduil]

.

 

[Amir0x]

i think it's a silly thing to say because there really are no controls that exist that are for everyone. Not one game out there, not even pong

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Shhhh, or else we'll get an essay on Lapsed Gamers from you-know-who!

Seriously though, of course it's my perspective. I didn't think I really had to explain that.

i'll always love you

 

[Amir0x]

i'll always love you

Hey, I love everyone too. Technically. That's why I don't ignore anyone, there's always something people have to say I find compelling to respond to. Almost always! I'm just a negative nancy.

 

[plagiarize]

i think it's a silly thing to say because there really are no controls that exist that are for everyone. Not one game out there, not even pong

well there are certainly some that are more widely accepted than others.

 

[chibcicylist]

Anybody know when they actually started developing this game? Was it before or after Wii launch?

 

[Kifimbo]

Anybody know when they actually started developing this game? Was it before or after Wii launch?

After E3 (last summer).

 

[Bildi]

Holy crap this thread got busy since I was here last!

Unfortunately, I see virtually none of the discussion is for SSX Blur. If anyone wants to actually read or talk about the game, I'd suggest merqurycity.

 

[Amir0x]

well there are certainly some that are more widely accepted than others.

Naturally. But I mean, if I said... "Resident Evil 4 has controls that appeal to everyone", that's not something I think anyone can agree to. Even though many consider it one of the greatest games ever made!

 

[chibcicylist]

After E3 (last summer).

So in terms of developer time, does that make it a rush, a dirty rush, some decent effort put into it, or decent effort put into it. I'm new to this whole gaf thing.

 

[Amir0x]

So in terms of developer time, does that make it a rush, a dirty rush, some decent effort put into it, or decent effort put into it. I'm new to this whole gaf thing.

Well they re-used a lot of stuff from the old games, so with that amount of time it's probably borderline not-rush (by EA standards, mind you)

 

[Muppet345]

I think I'm going to subscribe to Gamefly. I can't trust reviews when it comes to Wii games. Half of them hate a game's control scheme and the other half love it. There, ironically, seems to be a learning curve when it comes to most Wii games. It's hard to differentiate from when the reviewer is simply a pussy and doesn't give the game enough of a shot (Tenkaichi 2) or when the controls are legitimately bad (Red Steel) .. both Sonic and SSX Blur are prone to this, and I dunno if I should buy one, both, or neither. :|

 

[kylej]

No, I go out of my way to complain because almost everything these days happens to be worth complaining about.

....

It is because I want things changed, and here is the only outlet I have to mention it. And I will do so until such time comes when the things I consider problems are fixed.

Well then get a damn blog so we don't have to hear about it in every thread.

 

[Mudhoney]

It's not surprising to me that reviews for Wii games are so varied. When you use motion controls in any kind of traditional game there is always a lot more variability in how to execute them in comparison to a traditional gamepad. Every player will do the motions slightly different, and it's takes a combination of the player practicing, and the developer making sure the software picks up what different players might try.

Which means, for me anyways, that when reviewers give a game a hard time about controls in a Wii game, I have to take it with a grain of salt since I'm pretty sure some reviews even said excite truck doesn't control well (not the case in my exerience). Maybe I'm giving developers too much slack here, but I think it's part of the player's responsibility when they play certain Wii games to take some time to learn what works and what doesn't before they judge a Wii game's controls. I'm guessing that is the difference when we see reviews differ so much from each other like Blur's reviews seem to.

 

[Jammy]

GamePro's reviews are horrible. There's two bigass pictures in each review accompanied with two small paragraphs and a "The Good and The Bad" mechanic. Not only that, but they rate on a 5 scale instead of 10.

 

[Amir0x]

Well then get a damn blog so we don't have to hear about it in every thread.

Doesn't work that way - for anyone. And everyone is constantly repeating their viewpoints, so we don't allow double standards. Sorry bro.

Anyway, SSX Blur wooo. I will rent this.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

i am just of the opinion that if you are goi ng to sacrifice graphics for controls....the control have to be better. With Games like SSX it seems the wiimote controls are not BETTER. the even took out tricks to make the controls work. According to the GT review.


I would hate to lose race because of unresponsive Wiimote controls.

 

[AniHawk]

So are people defending SSX Blur because it's an SSX game or because it's a Wii game.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

It's not surprising to me that reviews for Wii games are so varied. When you use motion controls in any kind of traditional game there is always a lot more variability in how to execute them in comparison to a traditional gamepad. Every player will do the motions slightly different, and it's takes a combination of the player practicing, and the developer making sure the software picks up what different players might try.

Which means, for me anyways, that when reviewers give a game a hard time about controls in a Wii game, I have to take it with a grain of salt since I'm pretty sure some reviews even said excite truck doesn't control well (not the case in my exerience). Maybe I'm giving developers too much slack here, but I think it's part of the player's responsibility when they play certain Wii games to take some time to learn what works and what doesn't before they judge a Wii game's controls. I'm guessing that is the difference when we see reviews differ so much from each other like Blur's reviews seem to.

Good points. I do disagree a little on you placing too much responsibility on the player, though. As with a fighting game, there will be some time & skill involved in learning the correct motion (read: button combo) for a particular command, but developers have a responsibility to ensure that a wide variety of motions can be "read" and not force players to perform an exact movement each time. Some Wii games have already been guilty of forcing players to make a very specific motion and it proves very frustrating, especially when coupled with vague instructions.

 

[Kifimbo]

About the Ubertricks: at the launch party, people from EA Montreal were doing them easily, to the point where I had the impression it was too easy. And they were doing it with gloves. And it was COLD. So I'm surprised to read that Ubertricks are hard to do.

 

[chibcicylist]

It's not surprising to me that reviews for Wii games are so varied. When you use motion controls in any kind of traditional game there is always a lot more variability in how to execute them in comparison to a traditional gamepad. Every player will do the motions slightly different, and it's takes a combination of the player practicing, and the developer making sure the software picks up what different players might try.

Which means, for me anyways, that when reviewers give a game a hard time about controls in a Wii game, I have to take it with a grain of salt since I'm pretty sure some reviews even said excite truck doesn't control well (not the case in my exerience). Maybe I'm giving developers too much slack here, but I think it's part of the player's responsibility when they play certain Wii games to take some time to learn what works and what doesn't before they judge a Wii game's controls. I'm guessing that is the difference when we see reviews differ so much from each other like Blur's reviews seem to.

I can't wait till a 1:1 Wii game comes out like what many people are asking.

 

[PantherLotus]

For updated OP:

Reviews
Game Daily - 8/10
Game Informer - 8.5
1up - 5.5/10
Gamespot - n/a
IGN - n/a

Control Reviews:

...But I've been skeptical about how the console will handle lower-body games, like soccer and snowboarding. Some recent play-time with Wii-only SSX Blur made me look forward to at least snowboarding; the controls felt more fluid than a gamepad. In my limited time with Blur, all of the movements -- even heart drawing and flicking up to jump -- added to the experience.

(insert comment about being relieved by the graphics)

My other relief was that the controls felt natural and fun, making turns by gently rolling the Nunchuk in my left hand. I was supposed to push the analog stick for additional, subtle corrections, but it never seemed to do anything; EA said that it works best for correcting position on rails or other tiny changes. I thought I was too cool to twitch the Nunchuk up to jump -- I told myself that I would just push A -- but the Nunchuk jumps felt intuitive. I was a flailing Wii dork in moments.

The gist of what we are saying is that SSX Blur is a joy to control. It is instantly accessible to jump onto your snowboard and speed down the game's massive tracks. Like other SSX games, it is possible to make some truly huge jumps, which are complemented nicely by the game's massive draw distance. Tricks are impossibly easy to pull off, and it feels great to stick a landing after doing twelve backflips and a nose grab right in succession. The greatest thing about the way SSX Blur controls is that it genuinely does not feel like the designers were trying to fit the old SSX control mechanics onto the Wiimote, instead they redesigned those mechanics with the new controller in mind. It all ends up feeling very natural and intuitive, things that we are always looking for in our Wii games.

The problem, though, is that the "middle ground" no longer exists. Prewinding a spin before a jump, then deftly moving from trick to trick, quickly linking spins and grabs...creating something as you're airborne -- which is usually second nature to a seasoned SSX player -- is now much more convoluted. Even performing übertricks is a frustrating and unreliable endeavor -- you're required to "draw" overly complex lines in midair, but the Wii hardly ever recognizes what you're doing. The "second-nature" feeling isn't something that's possible with the Wii Remote -- the shoulder and face buttons of a traditional controller provide a quicker and more direct interface with a trick system that's designed for multiple grab and spin changes per big air. (Why EA didn't support the Wii's "classic controller" is an interesting oversight.) SSX's interface is something that we're all so very used to after four iterations: The flow of the game is why we keep coming back, and as novel as it is (and something that, despite the mixed results, was still worth investigating), motion-based control is disruptive to the flow. The real moral here is if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The biggest change to Blur is the new control scheme. You’ll use the nunchuk to steer down the mountain, and these carving controls are actually intuitive and smooth. The rest of the control scheme takes a little more getting used to. There is no prewinding in this game; you flick the Wii remote in the direction you want to spin and hold the Z button while flicking the nunchuk in different directions to perform the grabs. It sounds confusing, but after a couple minutes it doesn’t feel that bad. The one real problem I have with this game is that the ubertrick system doesn’t work nearly as well as it should. The new controls do add something new to the series, but almost the entire time I pined for something more traditional.

Explaining SSX Blur's control scheme is like trying to give a brief primer on quantum physics, but here goes. With the default settings, swing the Nunchuk to make wide turns, use the C-Stick for tighter turns, the C-button to pivot 90-degrees, and the Z-button to activate grabs during aerials. Flicking the Wii Remote performs spins and flips while the A-button activates jumps and "Ubertricks," and the B button packs snowballs you can throw at collectibles and opponents.

There's a fine line between complexity and impenetrability, but SSX Blur has crossed over to the wrong side of the track, effectively locking players out of the experience. The Nunchuk's sensitivity makes it difficult to execute smooth turns, while the free-floating Wii Remote often has you veering out of bounds or screw-attacking wildly through the air because of an unintentional wrist flinch. The Ubertricks are even worse; you're required to draw ridiculous precision patterns in a split-second of airtime.

===============

:lol :lol

How some reviews can be so far apart is amazing. I can't wait to try this game for myself and put all these into perspective. I will definitely report back. But before I do, you must know that I am highly skeptical of anyone that uses "HIGHLY COMPLEX PRECISION SHAPES" and "HEART DRAWING" in the same review.

After seeing the video reviews, especially the controls one (IGN I think?), I simply don't buy the several reviewers crying foul about the trick system. However, I can't say either way without playing it myself, like so many of you bastards would do.

I am a huge fan of the series an you will know my review is legit and honest. Can't wait!*






*I'll need to find a Wii, of course.

 

[Muppet345]

The 1up review sounds pretty bitter. I'll be renting anyway.

 

[japtor]

Hopefully we'll see a new SSX on the 360 as well (beautiful visuals + 5.1 + online play).

Do it, EA!

and with the power of next gen, itll probably be 30 fps!

you're familiar with the classic controls, so naturally you're going to do worse with the new controls, for a time at least.

it happened with me in madden. the controls were a bitch to get used to at first, but after a few days i was fine with it (not that it couldnt use some tweaking here and there). i think just unlearning the old controls was harder than learning the new ones.

i havent played ssx so im not too concerned about having to adjust out of old ways. also i found monkey snowboarding to be easy to control, so i figure the steering part shouldnt be a problem at least.

Not only that, but they rate on a 5 scale instead of 10.

you act like thats a bad thing. (ignore that they use .5s, effectively making it a 10 point scale, or that most 10 point scales use .1s, making them 100 point scales).

3 point scales are decent too, or even better, the binary scale, 0 or 1 ftw.

 

[ghostlyjoe]

My brother and I were playing Project Gotham Racing over the weekend (picked it up for $2.50 at a used record store), and I suck at it. It's wonky. I found myself flying into the walls on every turn, going into deadspins around every corner and basically just making an ass of myself. My first thought was "This is NOTHING like Burnout!

Of course, after quite a few hours, I was able to do rather well, but I still find the game very frustrating to control. The stick seems oversensitive, and I have a hard time making the small adjustments required to stay on course. Of course, I don't play many racers.

Cue my brother, who counts racers among his favorite and has played way more than his share of GT3 and others. He aced the first race without a hint of difficulty. He controlled his slides like a pro, and he racked up Kudos with ease.

So, do the controls suck? Do I suck? Or is it simply learning the conventions of the genre and adapting to the available control system? Hard to say with only several hours of experience, but I think my brother's performance proved to me that the problem isn't that the controls are broken, it's that I'm not yet at an advanced enough level to play the game well. Seems like common sense.

Now we have the Wiimote. It really changes the mechanics for all types of games, and sensitivity, as shown above, is a big issue in terms of how a game "feels" to you and, consequently, how you perform. That the Wiimote will have a learning curve seems obvious. That that learning curve will require longtime gamers to "unlearn" a few things before moving forward seems likely.

Now consider the reviewer. The average reviewer is like my brother: Plenty of experience in the genre in question and with games in general. No doubt, a reviewer who has had ample experience in racing games would have no problem adapting to PGR's control scheme, and the controls wouldn't at all impede his experience. Thus, the controls are a nonfactor in the review, and the game is scored based on its other merits. His review: "Fully satisfies fans of the genre and offers a great challenge and loads of unlockables, all in a pretty package."

Now put me in the reviewer's seat. I struggle with the controls, never quite feeling fully comfortable with them. In the end, the controls put up such an obstacle to my enjoyment, that they can't help but drag my opinion of the game down. My review: "Frustrating controls are sure to turn off novice players. I wish I was playing Burnout."

If you're a racing fan, who do you want reviewing your game?

The Wiimote poses two fundamental problems to game reviewers. One, it requires them to adapt to new mechanics (mechanics they have NO experience with) and immediately returns them to n00b status. Game reviewers, who aren't used to struggling with controls, are not pleased by this development, no doubt. That will show up in the review for sure.

Two, it requires them to forget the conventions. Unlike my brother, who has played many racing games and could immediately adapt to PGR, a reviewer is more like me, the Burnout fan. I wanted PGR to be Burnout, and it wasn't, so I had to change my expectations to approach the game on its own terms. Likewise, Wii reviewers are faced with the challenge of deconstructing their own expectations and approaching Wii games on their own merits. That's not easy to do, and it will take time for people to adapt.

That's not to say that these games are unapproachable by longtime gamers or that a novice will play better than a hardcore gamer. But I do offer the suggestion that, when a novice struggles with controls, it doesn't seem unusual. Novices struggle with every game at first. They also don't have to unlearn what they've learned, they don't have to retrain their hands for an entirely new control scheme. It's also not true that every hardcore gamer or reviewer will struggle, but as gaming is a skill-based endeavour, people will learn and adapt at different rates, and some people's talents will be more in line with the skill set than others'.

All of this serves to muddle the picture of the controls and the games themselves. Thus, we get impressions ranging from "perfect" to "broken" controls, and the scores are wildly divergent. Things will settle down, and there will be greater consensus on Wii games, as time passes.

 

[Bildi]

I am a huge fan of the series an you will know my review is legit and honest. Can't wait!*

*I'll need to find a Wii, of course.

I have to wait until the 15th (PAL version). Hopefully some reports come in before then but my general feeling is that some reviewers are just completely useless. Only if the particular review complained about about memorising and executing monster tricks in SSX3 could I take their Uber Trick criticisms seriously.

1Up thought On Tour was just more of the same as SSX 3 (when it was a huge step backwards) so taking their opinion on SSX seriously is pretty difficult. If you were serious about SSX, you generally changed the control method in On Tour so that you could do board presses properly (hence do combos) with the trade-off being less available tricks. The control system was utterly broken compared to previous SSXs. Not to mention the million other problems which very rarely get mentioned in any review.

SSX fans just don't write these reviews so they're close to worthless unless you can pick out the pieces from each and put them together to form a coherent opinion. From what I can tell, Blur will have elements that are better and worse than SSX3/Tricky, and will be better in every way than On Tour (which isn't saying much anyway).

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

My brother and I were playing Project Gotham Racing over the weekend (picked it up for $2.50 at a used record store), and I suck at it. It's wonky. I found myself flying into the walls on every turn, going into deadspins around every corner and basically just making an ass of myself. My first thought was "This is NOTHING like Burnout!

Of course, after quite a few hours, I was able to do rather well, but I still find the game very frustrating to control. The stick seems oversensitive, and I have a hard time making the small adjustments required to stay on course. Of course, I don't play many racers.

Cue my brother, who counts racers among his favorite and has played way more than his share of GT3 and others. He aced the first race without a hint of difficulty. He controlled his slides like a pro, and he racked up Kudos with ease.

So, do the controls suck? Do I suck? Or is it simply learning the conventions of the genre and adapting to the available control system? Hard to say with only several hours of experience, but I think my brother's performance proved to me that the problem isn't that the controls are broken, it's that I'm not yet at an advanced enough level to play the game well. Seems like common sense.

Now we have the Wiimote. It really changes the mechanics for all types of games, and sensitivity, as shown above, is a big issue in terms of how a game "feels" to you and, consequently, how you perform. That the Wiimote will have a learning curve seems obvious. That that learning curve will require longtime gamers to "unlearn" a few things before moving forward seems likely.

Now consider the reviewer. The average reviewer is like my brother: Plenty of experience in the genre in question and with games in general. No doubt, a reviewer who has had ample experience in racing games would have no problem adapting to PGR's control scheme, and the controls wouldn't at all impede his experience. Thus, the controls are a nonfactor in the review, and the game is scored based on its other merits. His review: "Fully satisfies fans of the genre and offers a great challenge and loads of unlockables, all in a pretty package."

Now put me in the reviewer's seat. I struggle with the controls, never quite feeling fully comfortable with them. In the end, the controls put up such an obstacle to my enjoyment, that they can't help but drag my opinion of the game down. My review: "Frustrating controls are sure to turn off novice players. I wish I was playing Burnout."

If you're a racing fan, who do you want reviewing your game?

The Wiimote poses two fundamental problems to game reviewers. One, it requires them to adapt to new mechanics (mechanics they have NO experience with) and immediately returns them to n00b status. Game reviewers, who aren't used to struggling with controls, are not pleased by this development, no doubt. That will show up in the review for sure.

Two, it requires them to forget the conventions. Unlike my brother, who has played many racing games and could immediately adapt to PGR, a reviewer is more like me, the Burnout fan. I wanted PGR to be Burnout, and it wasn't, so I had to change my expectations to approach the game on its own terms. Likewise, Wii reviewers are faced with the challenge of deconstructing their own expectations and approaching Wii games on their own merits. That's not easy to do, and it will take time for people to adapt.

That's not to say that these games are unapproachable by longtime gamers or that a novice will play better than a hardcore gamer. But I do offer the suggestion that, when a novice struggles with controls, it doesn't seem unusual. Novices struggle with every game at first. They also don't have to unlearn what they've learned, they don't have to retrain their hands for an entirely new control scheme. It's also not true that every hardcore gamer or reviewer will struggle, but as gaming is a skill-based endeavour, people will learn and adapt at different rates, and some people's talents will be more in line with the skill set than others'.

All of this serves to muddle the picture of the controls and the games themselves. Thus, we get impressions ranging from "perfect" to "broken" controls, and the scores are wildly divergent. Things will settle down, and there will be greater consensus on Wii games, as time passes.

Quality post.

 

[Gahiggidy]

i am just of the opinion that if you are goi ng to sacrifice graphics for controls....the control have to be better. With Games like SSX it seems the wiimote controls are not BETTER. the even took out tricks to make the controls work. According to the GT review.


I would hate to lose race because of unresponsive Wiimote controls.

What do you mean by "sacrafice graphics"??

 

[Bildi]

i am just of the opinion that if you are goi ng to sacrifice graphics for controls....the control have to be better. With Games like SSX it seems the wiimote controls are not BETTER. the even took out tricks to make the controls work. According to the GT review.


I would hate to lose race because of unresponsive Wiimote controls.

I think your complaints would be better directed towards On Tour which had graphics that were worse than SSX3 (welcome to 30fps land) and the controls were far inferior to SSX3/Tricky as well. You also had to sacrifice a large number of tricks depending on the control scheme you chose (and the only scheme that actually worked did sacrifice a large number of tricks).

Anyone who gives a crap about SSX is relieved at the direction Blur is heading and there are no "sacrifices" being made when potentially a game is better than the previous instalment in every regard.

 

[rhino4evr]

news from the IGN forums: Matt and Bozon disagee with the 1up review, but the final review won't be up until tomorrow night.

..creeps back into the shadows...

 

[VanMardigan]

I saw Bozon's post:

5.5? Riiiiight. Not sure where that came from...

Anyhoo... our review will be going up tomorrow. EA was a bit on the later side sending this one out. Mountain Dew + SSX + Wii = the rest of my day-night.

But Matt hasn't commented, at least not on the boards.