[quote name='Admiral Ackbar']I've been trying to bring up the updated article, but I haven't found it at 1up.
And I agree his comparison was poor. But I just happen to assume the score itself was part of the issue, because otherwise they wouldn't have pulleed it.
For example, if he had said basically the same thing, yet given the game a 8 out of 10, they probaly wouldn't have gotten the same number fo complaints about it. If score and public pressure wasn't really the issue, the editor wouldn't have posted it in the first place.
I've been involved in discussions like this as a freelancer. I don''t want to make myself like some big writer, because I'm not. But I've done a few odd jobs here and there and unlike some peoplewho claim to be freeelancers I actually get paid for my work. Real American.
I believe you're correct about them not caring aboit the score. If they cared about the score, the 5.0 wouldn't have gotten posted in the first place. And yes, the review was =lawed. I agree along with the editor that it focuses more on the system than the actual game. Like he's got a grudge with D&D in general, and not the game itself.[/quote]
The score is never really that big of an issue, it's how the review reflects that score and backs it up. As long as it does that, there's not much else to worry about besides the reaction from the public and that's not that big of a deal anyway. The PR of that particular company/game are going to be the most pissed if it's a bad score, but they're only henchman to the company and can be dispatched quite easily.
The only thing I really question about the review is why it was approved in the first place if it was that bad? Someone seemed to have slept on the job and just passed it along without paying some attention to it.
[quote name='Admiral Ackbar']Finally, the comments about the author using oblivion as a comparison aren't fair or right. Here's the exact quote.
"Worse -- and blame this on games like Oblivion -- NWN2's levels feel pint-sized: Peewee zones inhabited by pull-string NPCs with no existence to speak of beyond their little playpens."
That's a totally fair sentence. There's nothing wrong with compairing an RPG with another RPG even if it's of a different style, and it's not like he doesn't note the differences.
"As a contemporary CRPG, on the other hand, NWN2 leaves a lot to be desired, and that's too bad, because these are the guys who brought us Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale 2...and therefore they are the guys I'm least inclined to take issue with."
I personanly would have used Guild Wars as a comparison but Oblivion is the big boy that came out recently and what could best be determined as the current gold standard.
But that comparison is apt, RPG's have evolved in recent years. The NWn levels do appear small. That may have been acceptable in 2000, but noit as much in 2006. And yes, it compares to Baldurs Gate and Planescape, but I would even argue that NWN 2 feels even smaller. The city of Neverwinter feels like a hamlet compared to how it felt even in NWN 1. Especially to the artisrty in BG2 and Sigil of Torment. And yes, NWN2 may be somewhat "realistic" but I want to play a "Fantasy" rpg.[/quote]
I'm not going to comment on quotes because those can be taken out of context quite easily and I'd rather reserve judgement until I can read the whole review. Since I can't get ahold of the old review just yet because 1up doesn't work so well at times, I'm just going off of what I've heard of that the review was more of a fanboy rant than a respectable review.