Critical-Gaming: Mass Effect- Game Informer Re-review

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Mass Effect- Game Informer Re-review

Highlighting good game reviews can show us a lot about how reviews should be written. Likewise, examining the shortcomings of bad reviews can also be instructional. Some reviews are very poorly written. Aside from the final score, the written portion of these reviews often reflect the reviewers bemused conception of the game. This confusion is most likely due to the reviewer's lack of understanding of how the game's elements work together to create the overall product. Regardless of how good the game is, a review should clearly communicate either some aspect of the game or a personal account of the reviewer's gameplay experience.

In preparation for my review of Mass Effect, I read the review in issue 175 of Game Informer by Reiner. I also read the second opinion by Ben. I have several issues with these reviews.

"Not since Star Wars made its theatrical debut in 1977 has there been a universe so full of wonder and awe."

It's hard to determine exactly what Reiner means here. Is he claiming that Star Wars and Mass Effect contain fictional universes that are in a league of their own above other films? But Mass Effect is a game. Comparing Star Wars to it implies that this comparison covers all mediums. Is he really trying to say that there isn't some other book, movie, or game that has a fully awe inspiring universe? The following quote suggests Reiner is including these other mediums. If this is the case, this is a bold claim.

"It's an amazing work of fiction, a visual work of art, and a property that is so fully realized and so rich in its backstory that its contents could fill countless games, books, and movies."

This statements suggests that the content of Mass Effect endlessly generates. If not, how else can such a game fill "countless games, books, and movies?" I'm sure we all understand what Reiner meant by this statement, but the words themselves work against his meaning. Also, Reiner fails to even hint at what specific elements of the game makes it "amazing" let alone how they were assembled to create this effect. Even if there were strict limits to the length of this review, the writing reflects Reiner's lack understanding and critical thinking.

"The developers at Bioware have grown mightily as storytellers and have honed this craft to make every second of the content seem important. Even the side missions, which have the players traveling across the stars to different solar systems, planets, and moons, is either relevant to the conflict at hand or used to help the player better understand the universe and how it came to be. "

I wonder what other kind of content Mass Effect could have. Isn't the nature of a side mission one that is related to the main mission or created to deepen the player's understanding of the overall game world? Surely, the developers at Bioware wouldn't put something in the game that has nothing to do with the universe of the game. This statement fails to support how "Bioware [has] grown mightily as storytellers." As a reader, I still want to know what makes Reiner think that Mass Effect has better story/universe than most books and movies.

"Mass Effect's run-and-gun warfare is certainly ambitious, and it has the potential to be incredibly powerful. However, most of the skirmishes, which begin and end in the blink of an eye, run into balancing issues, problematic AI, and a difficulty in comprehending what is transpiring."

I do not know what Reiner mens by "powerful." Perhaps he means flashy, or functional. Furthermore, the four problems Reiner encountered with the combat are serious issues that occur "most" of the time. I can't see how such glaring problems with the action part of this Action/RPG, wouldn't seriously detract from the game. If most of half of the game (the action half) has problems, then the score of 9.75 suggests Reiner consciously ignored the games shortcomings.

"The gameplay is certainly fun, and it controls admirably, but it doesn't live up to the lare stage the story sets or the standards you've come to expect from action games and RPGs."

According to Reiner, Mass Effect falls short of the standards for both of its representative genres. This statement is significant. According to Reiner, even the deep character and weapon customization get old "after a few hours." Judging from Reiner's review, it's clear that Mass Effect privileges story and concepts above gameplay, function, and execution. In the review, Reiner even opens with positive comments about Mass Effect's scifi universe and story before transitioning into the shorcomings of the gameplay as if trying to hide the flaws of the game behind the promise of its story: "Now you've probably noticed I haven't talked much about the gameplay."

"You'll want more from it, but by no means does it hold the experience back."

I don't understand how Reiner can express so many of Mass Effect's gameplay shortcomings and then make this statement. Is he really trying to say that disappointing gameplay doesn't negatively affect the gaming experience? Reiner goes on to say how "captivating" the story is. If Mass Effect represents a "new age of interactive storytelling" they why would any reviewer discount the "interactive" part of the gaming experinece. Even when the story/experience isn't privileged over the gameplay, it's still an integral part of the game's narrative.

The Second Opinion written by Ben shares many of Reiner's sentiments. Ben also comments on the game's balance.

"Problem is, certain powers/weapon combos allow you to steamroll waves of enemies, making the game feel easy until the dice rolls turn against you and you find yourself dead within seconds."

Ben goes on to say "I want to call this a balancing issue." Shouldn't the game reviewer be able to discern if this problem is a balance issue or not? "Wanting" to call it a balance issue exposes Ben's lack of understanding of the issue.

"Still, Mass Effect could very well represent the future of entertainment, and its few flaws shouldn't' stop anyone from enjoying that experience."

What about people who enjoy solid gameplay?

In closing, according to these reviews, Mass Effect is all about story. However, neither Reiner nor Ben could explain what makes the story so good or "captivating." What is clear are the issues with the combat/action portion of the game. As an antecedent to my hands-on time with the game, my impressions of Mass Effect are disjointed and spotty.

It's hard to justify such high review scores based on the two articles. In the end, readers should realize that these reviews communicated very little about what makes Mass Effect (potentially) so good. And with a double score of 9.75, we have to start judging whether these reviews are bias or even worth considering.

3 comments:

DJPaulCR said...: I do feel that game informer reviews have become weaker over the years and I think Ben is the worst reviewer of them, but your comments ignore alot of their support for their arguments in the review. For example, you say that they never backup the reason why the interactive story is so well told. They do back it up though, I specifically remember Ben mentioning how the dialogue brought a sense of "guilt" to him in which I agree. This game is, to my long experience in gaming, the first one to do so successfully. The dialogue, tone, graphical expression, and great voice acting all contribute to this. In regards to the rest of your comments, I agree with the reviewers, Reiner and Ben, and I felt they backed up their reviews well enough so that they didn't SPOIL the story. You ,on the other hand, don't back up any of your arguments other than with the repeated statement that either Reiner or Ben "lack the understanding" of whatever point they just made. You either need to get off your pedastal, or if you're going to stay such insulting statements like "lack the understating", you should back it up.; December 26, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Softliner said...: djpaulcr apparently divined some kind of opinion about Mass Effect from KirbyKid's post. Either that, or he/she does not understand that when someone critiques an argument for its shortcomings, the burden of proof remains on the initial arguer. KirbyKid said nothing that needed support, because he has put forth no conclusion about Mass Effect; rather, he only explicated the logical weaknesses of the reviewers' attempts to move us toward their conclusions. KirbyKid is not trying to make us change our minds, so he doesn't need the same kind of evidence that the reviewers need. Furthermore, it would be rather awkward to try to "back up" a statement suggesting that something is absent from a review; KirbyKid would have to post the entire review and explain why each sentence fails to portray any real understanding of how gamers experience stories.; January 20, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: ...

....

Wow....

Just WOW....

This isn't a re-review, it's a failure to understand the English language.

Do you seriously not understand what he means when he says that the combat is powerful? Really? Seriously?

And the amazing work of fiction is pretty self explanatory. But if you needed more, he backs it up saying its rich in back story and has strong characters and plot points.

The countless books and movies comment once again points to his comment about it having a deep back story. It makes sense.

I agree about the comments about the review score being high for the comments made about the combat, but it seems like he scored it on the experience it delivers, not solely by the mechanics.

Anyway, this is an interesting idea, but I think you would have better luck tearing apart Roger Ebert than this. It seems like you were stretching. Looking for things to say.; February 7, 2008 at 1:56 PM

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Updated Critical-Glossary

All + All -

Critical-Glossary

+ - Alphabetical
- + - abstract mechanic
  - Some gameplay mechanics are completely artificial, meaning they do not make logical sense based on the form of the game. When such mechanics are privileged within a game's design, we tend to label these games as being "arcade" like. I describe these gameplay mechanics as being abstract.
    ~ see article
- + - accordion level design
  - Folded level design that folds back and forth at multiple creases that creates a pattern either in the types of creaes or a patten of some concerte nature.
    ~ see article
- + - asynchronous time (async)
  - It is a design innovation that applies to games that are played in real time. By taking the progression of real time and breaking it down in specific contextual ways, a new level of game design can be reached. This is the essence of asynchronous time, or async.
    ~ see article
- + - clean design
  - Following form fits function and relatively simple gameplay that is layered for effect.
  - ~ see article
- + - cluttered design
  - Design elements/choices that create more negative space than actual space. Also, design elements that ignore form fits function.
    ~ see article
- + - conceptual variation
  - adding or subtracting a different elements than what was modified in the previous step.
  - ~ see article
- + - counterpoint
  - In music, Counterpoint is the writing of musical lines that sound different on their own, but harmonize when played together. How the melody of a song interacts with the other lines is the focus of Counterpoint.
    Counterpoint, in gaming, is a word for the way gameplay develops past optimization by layering interactive elements into a single gameplay experience. When each layer influcences, interacts, and enhances the functions/gameplay of each other layer the gameplay emerges into a medium of expression that reflects the individuality of a player and the dynamics that reflect the complexity of the world we live in.
    ~ see article
- + - crease
  - The point at which a level folds upon itself.
  - ~ see article
- + - diminishing trend
  - A diminishing trend is one where game elements are either added or subtracted that reduce the amount of consequences and allow for mechanics to be executed less precisely.
    ~ see article
- + - direct (mechanics)
  - A measure of how the changes in the method of input are paralleled with the action in the game according to the form of the mechanic. If you quickly press the green button on your controller, does the game quickly press the button on the screen? If you hold the button on your controller, is the button on the screen held down as well?
    ~ see article
- + - distinct section
  - When a section contains an individual gameplay idea that isn't significantly and directly related to another section, then that section is considered a distinct section.
    ~ see article
- + - dynamic (mechanics)
  - An measure of how the game world responds to the action. According to the form of the game world and the mechanic, does the world react realistically? What is the extent of the properties of the mechanic? Are the reactions to the mechanic special cases or can the resulting actions continue to effect the game world?
    ~ see article
- + - elements
  - Any variable element in a videogame.
    
       * player: character(s), cursor, avatar, HUD
       * level: non aggressive interactive (physical) pieces
       * enemy: hostile/aggressive forces
       * audio: sound effects, music
       * visual: non-interactive on screen elements
       * rumble: force feedback
    ~ see article
- + - elemental variation
  - see conceptual variation
- + - emergent structure
  - the coming together of a few rules in "unexpected" ways.
- + - expanded game idea
  - In counterpoint, If the player must combine secondary functions with primary functions to progress, then the game idea is considered to be expanded.
    ~ see article
- + - feminist criticism
  - Like Marxist criticism, the most successful Feminist critique of a game involves analyzing how the range of player functions that affect female characters directly or indirectly reveal the operations of patriarchy. When the player is encouraged or forced to play in a way that depicts men as strong, rational, protective and women as weak, emotional, submissive, and nurturing, then the game can be said to support and reinforce patriarchal genders roles and ideologies. Patriarchal values work to oppress women, and all feminist theory and criticism works to promote women‘s equality. A Feminist analysis can become more complex when finding examples of actions toward women if a game doesn’t feature any women or the game allows for limited interaction with women. Writing essays about such games often leads to finding evidence by absence. In other words, a Feminist critic’s central piece of evidence may be what can’t be done to women instead of what can.
- + - flow
  - How a game accelerates or creates forward momentum. This factor of gameplay isn't necessarily about speed. More specifically, it looks at how a game's interactions feed back into the player's options/experience like a snowball rolling down hill.
- + - folded level design
  - Level design that resuses a space with the second use containing an extra layer to the gameplay that builds on the knowledge and experiences established on the first layer.
    ~ see article
- + - form fits function
  - Form fits function is a powerful game design principle that has powered many of Nintendo's greatest games. Using familiar visuals, games can use their form to communicate to the player. If there is a ball resting on a tee and the player avatar has a golf club in their hands, they better be able to swing the club and hit the ball. Otherwise, why put such things in front of the player in the first place? Keeping the form true to the functions and limits of a game creates the cleanest most easily enjoyable experiences.
- + - function creates form
  - When a game's mechanics inspire, shape, and define the creation of ancillary parts of a game. ie. story, setting, premise, characters, music, audio
    ~ see essay
- + - game idea
  - The influence of a game element or group of game elements on a game's mechanics in a specific way.
  - ~ see article
- + - gimmick
  - A sometimes hidden innovation intended to attract attention and increase the unique value of a product or work. dictionary.com
- + - individual (mechanics)
  - A quality of a mechanic. Does the input yield the same action every time? Or can the input result in a variety of different actions?
    ~ see article
- + - interplay
  - Interplay is the back and forth encouragement of player mechanics between any two elements in a game. Put simply, interplay is where actions and elements in a game aren't means to an end, but fluid opportunities that invite the player to play around with the changing situation.
    ~ see article
- + - intuitive (mechanics)
  - A measure of the degree to which input method matches the form of the game. If there's a green button on the screen, and a green button on your game controller, the form of the game is liked to the input of pressing the green button on the controller.
    ~ see article
- + - linear variation
  - adding or subtracting a single game element or fixed group of elements in a specific arrangement.
  - ~ see article
- + - marxist criticism
  - Like Psychoanalytic criticism, Marxist criticism can seemingly critique a game by looking solely at a its fiction. However, both of these critical modes, in relation to videogames, achieve a deeper, more profound level of analysis when the elements of interactivity between the game and player are taken into consideration. Many Marxist critics of literature believe that film, literature, art, music, and other forms of entertainment such as videogames are the primary bearers of cultural ideologies. While we’re being entertaining by these medias, our defenses are lowered making us all the more susceptible to ideological programming. A Marxist critic of videogames looks for how a game supports or condems capitalist, imperialist, or classist values. Perhaps the best and most obvious place to look toward in games is the role and function of money. Some games represent money with actual U.S. dollars or some other form of real world currency. Others use fictional currency from bell, to gil, to star bits, or even points. What the player can purchase, how these items or services function, and how the money circulates within the game world all become important areas of analysis.
    ~ see essay
    ~ see example
- + - minimum difference
  - The smallest degree of change needed for a change to be significant for a particular mechanic. (minimum degree of difference)
    ~ see article
- + - momentum
  - is created when player mechanics layer and/or link into resulting states that create opportunities with a higher amount of risk/reward
- + - multi-element whole
  - emergent gameplay
- + - multi-fold level design
  - A level that is designed with multiple layers and creases that fold onto each other more than once.
  - ~ see article
- + - negative space
  - see static space.
- + - new classical criticism
  - "New Classical criticism focuses on identifying a game's primary function/action that sums up all of the player's actions, functions, and abilities into a single expression. This expression can be thought of as the interpretation of the game or what the gamer is actually doing when he/she plays. Sometimes the primary function can be encapsulated in a single word. For example, the primary function of the Super Mario platforming series is "jump". After the primary function is identified, the New Classical critic then looks at a game's formal elements to analyze how they promote the primary function. The formal elements include Sound, Music, Art style, Story, Graphics, level design, enemies, etc. Because the New Classical critic privileges interactivity over passivity (especially when focused into a limited number of rules and actions), such a critic is only concerned with how these elements shape the gameplay experience, and assumes that any formal element in a game is only meaningful when it supports the primary function and exists in a lower state of priority to that function. In other words, elements like story can't be more stressed and more important to a game than the gameplay. Even if a game is designed according to the conventions and assumptions of Western game design, it can still be critiqued in the Classical mode."
    ~ see essay
    ~ see essay 2
- + - open variation
  - Doesn't look at examples from the game, rather it focuses on arrangements and groupings that the researcher creates. Such an approach looks at possible scenarios than existing ones.
    ~ see article
- + - origami level design
  - A type of multi-fold level design where the creases and layers are so flexible and/or dynamic that considering the possibilities within a single level are interconnected and complex. Considering the shape created from a multi-fold level is similar to observing an origami figure.
    ~ see article
- + - primary mechanic
  - Whether a game is defined by an action or a group of actions, a small set of mechanics rests at the core of every game. This mechanic is the primary function.
    ~ see article
- + - psychoanalytic criticsm
  - For those who aren’t careful, a Psychoanalytic critique of a game appears to only be concerned with the fiction of a game and the relationship of the characters. Unless the game is Psychonauts, most games seem to have little to nothing to do with the human psyche. Neglecting how the game fiction and the gameplay (or game rules) come together to create the Psychological work in a game is a common pitfall. Another easy pitfall is to get wrapped up in Psychoanalyzing the developers of the game, or what may be infinitely more embarrassing, accidentally analyzing one’s own psychological state while trying to pass it off as an analysis of the game. Though it is true that the fiction of a game is an important part of any Psychoanalytic analysis, the gameplay is where the most profound sources of material because the interactivity of the game can influence and transform the player in more powerfully subtle ways than a passive medium.
    ~ see essay
    ~ see essay2
- + - quantification
  - Breaking down the range of possibilites for a game mechanic into distinct parts for the purpose of analysis.
    ~ see article
- + - refining trend
  - And finally, the refining trend is one that increases consequences that force the use of mechanics in a more precise manner by adding or subtracting game elements.
    ~ see article
- + - secondary mechanic(s)
  - The set of mechanics that do not make up the set of primary mechanics. These mechanics usually aid and help shape the primary mechanic.
- + - sections (sub-sections)
  - All games can be broken down into sub-sections or sections. Whether a game is broken down by rooms, loading sections, cut scenes, stages, levels, rounds, or turns, if a game has a mechanic that is repeated, then it can be divided into sections.
    ~ see article
- + - species
  - The 4 varying levels of counterpoint with the last being a combination of the previous three.
  - ~ see article
- + - static space
  - The static distance between player and objective. Can occur when a strategy is repeated without escalation.
- + - static trend
  - A static trend is where there is no change between sections, or when the changes are inconsequential because they fall short of meeting the minimum requirement for the quantified mechanic.
    ~ see article
- + - strict variation
  - Examines the exact way the game "levels" are arranged or grouped
  - ~ see article
- + - structuralism/deconstruction criticism
  - Structures are probably the most recognizable feature of videogames. Because structures create the foundation for the game rules and player to learn these rules, analyzing structure develops a clearer insight into how a game works at its core. We're all familiar with the structures of genre. Any gamer can instantly recognize a first person shooter like Halo from a puzzle game like Tetris. Each gaming genre has a certain look to it that is the result of the gameplay structures. Like with any genre, the degree to which the conventions are followed or deviated from varies greatly from game to game. Recognizing a game's structure is an acute way of talking about how a game works in or outside of its genre.
- + - suspension
  - In counterpoint, when a game element or game idea is offset form the established pattern of game ideas to create scenarios where the element/idea can carry over and influence other game ideas.
    ~ see article
- + - tertiary mechanic
  - Any mechanic that is contextual to external forces to the players natural state.
- + - translation
  - The rewording or paraphrasing a game idea into another medium (typically words).
- + - variation
  - how a game's elements influence the use of game mechanics over increasingly larger segments of the game
    ~ see article

...about Critical-Gaming

We have come to a point where how we talk about video games is insufficient in expressing how we feel and think about them. With each year comes increasingly complex games, yet we are still, for the most part, writing and talking about games on a shallow consumer level.

It is time to start thinking and writing critically about games. However, before we can do this, we must approach gaming from a critical mode or mindset. To do this, we must first understand of how the different parts of a game work together (game design). Unfortunately, many of the who have experience in this area spend their time making video games. Beyond that, the body of knowledge that does exist is scattered at best. For this reason, it is hard for a thorough understanding of game design and critique to become widespread.

I have started this blog in efforts to inform both gamers and non-gamers of the complexities of gaming and how it compares to any other art form (music, literature, movies). Using literary critical theory and music theory as a starting point, I have developed a comprehensive set of critical modes for video game critique. By writing in these critical modes, and by critiquing other video game reviews, I hope to raise our understanding and expectations of video game journalism, critique, and even video games themselves.

We already have a loose idea of what it means to be a core gamer. A casual gamer. And a hardcore gamer. I hope with the right mindset, we can become critical-gamers, who don't shun our fellow gamers for thinking deeply about games but embrace the change we wish to see in the world.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Mass Effect- Game Informer Re-review

3 comments:

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