PC GAMEPLAY review -Feb 2009-

[Ross-impress]

Review Black Shark, Pc gameplay (region Belgium - the Netherlands)

 

Ross..

 

 

The reviewer told me, he could only test in arcade mode, because he didn't got enough time for this review, so..

But as final score 82 isn't that badddd!!

[WynnTTr]

It's in Danish so I can't read it - having said that though, I don't know why you would give out a score/review if you've never played the game properly for an extended period of time. It's like giving a book review by reading only the back cover description.

 

I can understand if they don't have enough time, but if that's the case, I would rather leave the score open-ended until I properly understand what I'm reviewing.

[rapid]

To be fair its not a bad score.

[Zembla]

Review Black Shark, Pc gameplay (region Belgium - the Netherlands)

 

It's in Danish so I can't read it

 

They don't speak Danish in Belgium, nor in The Netherlands.

 

I can understand if they don't have enough time, but if that's the case, I would rather leave the score open-ended until I properly understand what I'm reviewing.

 

I see what you're saying, but in the publishing branch etc there's always a deadline to meet. It's not productive for a PC magazine to give their reviewers months to test a game.

 

No, they get a fixed timeframe during which to write a review. This timeframe is usually pretty standard and dictated by the average length of games. So in the current era of short lived shooters and RTS's it's no wonder the reviewer could only scratch the surface.

 

To be fair, I think that him giving it an 82 despite only using the arcade mode is a very good score. From the looks of it though, he didn't let that influence his score, something that happens quite a lot. When reviewers blame a product for being too hard etc I mean.

 

-Z

[SDeath]

It's in Danish so I can't read it - having said that though, I don't know why you would give out a score/review if you've never played the game properly for an extended period of time. It's like giving a book review by reading only the back cover description.

 

I can understand if they don't have enough time, but if that's the case, I would rather leave the score open-ended until I properly understand what I'm reviewing.

 

It's in Dutch. Not Danish.

And you have a point, but everyone knows that to really get an impression about this Sim you need a week and maybe more to get a good impression.

[AndyHill]

A tight deadline shouldn't be that much of a problem, especially since the Russian version has been out for a while already and magazines aren't actually competing for their Black Shark review releases. I suppose ED would also be willing to hand out betas in advance to the press if someone asked for it.

 

Basically it's always great to see someone go through the trouble to write reviews on hardcore simulators, but it pains me to see them treated this way (also referring to some other reviews posted here). I know for a fact that there are a lot of simulator enthusiasts in the Netherlands / Belgium region not to mention Great Britain or the US, I'm sure some of them could write great expert reviews on hardcore sims. Unless the magazine insists on using "casual gamers" to write to their target audience it really is that simple, write an email to the editor in chief, preferrably with a sample review and offer to write reviews on a freelance basis. It will probably mean working on single-digit hourly salary, but if you were going to play anyway, it's just bonus.

[Boberro]

Why only 82 not 83? :D

 

Score in tests, especially PC Games magazines\sites is not truthful. So it is need own touch. A little off top to say score is not well opinion about something especially games.

[Zembla]

Why only 82 not 83? :D

 

Score in tests, especially PC Games magazines\sites is not truthful. So it is need own touch. A little off top to say score is not well opinion about something especially games.

 

The score comes from a 51/60 for gameplay, 16/20 for sound and a 15/20 for graphics. The extra 1 probably comes from "it's better than the average that I would consider good" reasing of the reviewer. So, while something good gets a 15/20 f.ex. something that's a notch better, but not by miles, gets a 16/20.

 

Reasoning does come into play for giving scores, it's not just a random number.

 

-Z

[GunSlingerAUS]

Sorry, but the excuse of not having enough time doesn't gel with me. If you're going to review a product that has taken a team of dedicated individuals several years of blood, sweat and tears to create, at least take the time to explore their software thoroughly.

Anything less is a disservice to the amazing minds behind today's games.

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

The most sophisticated and complex helicopter PC flight simulator deserves time to be reviewed. I understand that the score comes as a personal perception. But 82% for a piece of a helicopter PC software simulation that nothing on earth can match is in my opinion way too low.

[SDeath]

The most sophisticated and complex helicopter PC flight simulator deserves time to be reviewed. I understand that the score comes as a personal perception. But 82% for a piece of a helicopter PC software simulation that nothing on earth can match is in my opinion way too low.

 

Amen!!!

 

I totally agree.

[Flanker15]

He's only reviewing the arcade mode, had he the time to review the actually simulator it would probably be higher.

[deviletk]

Deadline or not, it sounds weird to review such a complex sim by just testing the game mode and then give a verdict. It was nice by the reviewer ofcourse to understand that there was more under the hood than what he had time to test.

 

But really, this shows how much you can trust those numbers in game magazines... "oh, uhh well i tested the first half of the first mission - i gave the game 43/100 cause it was too little action." LOL! (i made that quote up btw - just saying.). ;)

[Zembla]

Deadline or not, it sounds weird to review such a complex sim by just testing the game mode and then give a verdict. It was nice by the reviewer ofcourse to understand that there was more under the hood than what he had time to test.

 

It's the way the cookie crumbles though.

 

I don't see what everyone's getting all bent out of shape for. As long as we're having fun... what does it matter?

 

Even then, how do you expect a game like DCS: BS compares to the average game they have to review? It's comparing apples and oranges.

 

-Z

[deviletk]

You got me all wrong my friend. Thats my point - i dont care what it said as i know i cant rely on those numbers anyway.

 

And for that matter i never trusted numbers for games or movies etc since they are made by someone else than me. I cant know if that guy/gal like what i like so the numbers fall flat from start.

 

And i'll have my fun when i get BS... ;)

[Tehrawk]

I don't see what everyone's getting all bent out of shape for. As long as we're having fun... what does it matter?

 

If the game is given a more favourable and honest review. That will generate more interest. There is a good chance people will become curious of how it is to actually fly one of these military machines. I know I first became interested in PC games, back when I had a 486, because of all the reviews in magazines about all those realistic simulations. I just had to know what it was like to play such a thing.

[RapidllBlade]

It's the way the cookie crumbles though.

 

I don't see what everyone's getting all bent out of shape for. As long as we're having fun... what does it matter?

 

Even then, how do you expect a game like DCS: BS compares to the average game they have to review? It's comparing apples and oranges.

 

-Z

 

Exactly. What else can you possibly compare this to? I think for the little time involved in this review it is a decent score. It scores much higher in my mind however - but this my own subjective review.

 

RB

[Ali Fish]

i think the proof is in the pudding. these reviewers dont have the 1 month+ to read and take in the manual alongside the forum chat and attempt to undertsand this sim in its entirity and then have fun in it. what we read, from what id class as massmarket gaming review sites, Is that of a Point of view review. I actually applaud the review scores they have given, because it shows a very professianl approach to somthing they actually dont really have to time to understand. just think how it could really have come out. Im also glad they have the abbility to use easy flight and easy avionics, without those assists they wouldnt have even got of the ground. and that would have left a pretty upsetting review. Its obvious u can only expect a proper review from a serious or notoriously good website specifying in sim related software. thats the only place im going to enjoy reading about blackshark imo.. read BS review in PCGamer mag today 82%, think its same magazine.

 

Dont forget that alot of the website based sites offer user review posts. be nice to see some from you lot on there??

Edited February 14, 2009 by Ali Fish

[Dusty Rhodes]

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=38271

 

Here is a review for you, in english, good and bad, but not all encompassing. Be interested to hear reviews from some of you. Not rebuttals to mine, write your own review and give it a score.

[SDeath]

If the game is given a more favourable and honest review. That will generate more interest. There is a good chance people will become curious of how it is to actually fly one of these military machines. I know I first became interested in PC games, back when I had a 486, because of all the reviews in magazines about all those realistic simulations. I just had to know what it was like to play such a thing.

 

Ahhh the good old days, do you remember the turbo button? Instant overclock from 75MHz to 100MHz (I had the slower 66MHz). Even my phone has 6x more speed than back then. All that fiddling with autoexec.bat & config.sys, to get enough extended memory (like 500KB) to start the games. Hehehehe When a flight sims was a F-117 made out of 20 pixels on highest res. With the sound of a broken speaker. And you had to make pictures of ships. LOL

 

Hmmmm my first sim....*Dreaming* LOL

 

Back on topic:

But do you really want all those people here, everybody with at least some interest in sim flying knows were to find only the best sims. I don't need all those wannabe flightsim/arcade players. Now we have a forum where we can learn from eachother and have fun. I even was amazed about the amount of people of this forum allready.

[Dusty Rhodes]

You can't say "given a more favourable AND honest review". It has to be one or the other and you can tell the difference a mile a way. It has to be honest and forthright. If that means favourable, then so be it. But if it means body slamming it because it deserves it, then so be it. To me the review cannot be an honest review or a credible review or credible score if they didn't even delve into the thing. Deadline my foot, that calls to the credibility of the magazine if they don't even give time for the reviewer to delve into the sim or hire a simmer who knows what they are doing and what they are talking about both good and bad.

[connos]

Do a review wright or don't do it at all. It is a review for ...... for others to read it and buy the game. Whats wrong with this people. A proper flight simulation after so many years and they treat it like that. Way to low. Only IGN so far reviewed the game properly.

[eV1Te]

Take a look at Metacritic (they list all major reviews of games and the average of these when there are enough reviews to average) there are so far only 2 reviews with very different score...

 

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/dcsblackshark?q=black%20shark

[7rooper]

If the reviewer had dedicated enough time BS would've received a 95 out of 100!! that's 60/60 for gameplay 20/20 for sound and a deserved 15/20 for graphics. That's it.

[JimMack]

Dear All

 

I notice that some of you are getting a bit upset about some of the reviews in "Pure Gaming" magazines and websites. You should not be, their market is the "Pick up and blast for 30 minutes and then go and have a beer" market. It is to be expected. I also enjoy these types of games!

 

However. All these sites have an option to add your own reviews and comments.

As of today there are 10,878 registered members on this forum.

Yet hardly anyone has taken the opportunity to add their comments on these sites, either on the Gaming sites, or those, such as IGN who have taken a more positive and thoughtful attitude.

 

So I think if you want to make your feelings known, it might be an idea to make your comments/reviews known on these sites.