Absolutely, it's a problem when people abandon responsibility for informing themselves. Whenever I care about an issue (not just in games) and want to take a position, the least I do is read different takes on the same story from different outlets with different views. It's not much more inconvenient than reading your one trusted source but helps a lot in coming closer to the truth.
That said, it doesn't mean we can't/shouldn't get pissed when media outlets show naked bias if it's fair for us to expect objectivity. Whether it's fair to expect that of GS, given the sector of the media they work in, is arguable, but it damn well explains why so many people hate Fox news.
@Gelugon_baat @Epicsand I have to agree. I get that GS are both critics and journalists and that they exist in this weird space where entertainment and journalism naturally fuse, but if they were current affairs journalists, e.g. a proper newspaper, it'd be a global scandal if they were found to be taking money to give voluminous positive coverage to a major corporation's products, which is exactly what they're doing. It raises the question: what's their role? Because if it's to be impartial and critical about games so as to keep consumers well-informed, you can't really argue that shows like this don't compromise that.
@delta5931 @delta5931 I think people will start jumping in and out. I haven't played a CoD since Black Ops, but I'm seriously tempted by Advanced Warfare: it's the first CoD that's genuinely next-gen (Ghosts doesn't count), it has Kevin Spacey (who is awesome), and it looks like they're trying very hard to innovate. Maybe not enough for anyone who's played Ghosts or Blops 2, but enough has changed since my last CoD experience that I'll probably pick it up.
And I'm strangely OK with that decision, even though I totally understand and (mostly) share everyone's reasons for hating the series.
Personally the most fun I've ever had with an FPS was Jedi Knight II. Force powers, lightsabers, inventive weapons, a good campaign and the Quake 3 engine made for amazing multiplayer and single-player.
@YukoAsho I agree, but bridge, poker and chess all have gender-exclusive tournaments and it's been that way for ages. Apparently the reasoning is that having separate divisions encourages women to participate. I don't understand why that would be (why is playing with men such a turn-off?!), but at least it's well-intentioned.
@valdarez Yeah, all this crap about setting up a timer 'til his big announcement. Nobody cares. His biggest achievement is Gears of War and there's nothing original or clever about it. I don't hate the guy as much as many people seem to, I just wish he'd get over himself.
Excited when it was first announced, even more excited now. Alpha Centauri still holds up after all these years, I'm still playing Civ V, and this looks like it's merging the best of both. So much love for Firaxis right now.
Once again staggered by the indie hate on these boards. Granted they tend to be short, but they also tend to be reasonably priced and better, more innovative games than many AAAs, especially CoD or the latest by-the-numbers Ubisoft open world game.
I still generally prefer big games, but I have nothing but respect for hard-working, creative indies who make games because they love them. They push our hobby forward artistically, and dignify it with their passion and integrity - qualities that are often lacking by comparison in the AAA space.
Useful. I was on the fence about Watch Dogs but between the reviews and this, it doesn't sound worthwhile, especially when I just ordered Ni No Kuni from Amazon.
I'm sure it's a good game too, but it says something positive about the quality of the industry these days that "good" is no longer good enough.
@lonewolf315 You've probably heard this before, but there *is* a narrative, you just have to dig a bit. Check out VaatiVidya's Dark Souls lore series on YouTube. I enjoy story in a game too, and that series has unfolded whole new layers of appreciation for the Souls games to me.
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