As a gamer, I pay a lot of attention to what game critics say – I might not agree with all of them, but in the main my views tend to fall into line with average, relative opinion of what are the games to look out for within a genre. However, I was struck recently by how much this really doesn’t work for me with films in a lot of cases.
For example, we recently watched Hancock, which was in general panned by the critics (RottenTomatoes score 39%), but my wife and I really enjoyed it. It’s not the deepest of films, but it brings its own unique elements (what if a superhero was a drunken bum?) and I thought it was totally worth my time. It’s not the only film that’s had average or lower reviews that I actually quite liked.
It got me wondering – obviously lots of ‘average’ games get bought by the truckload and people presumably enjoy most of them (unless they’re unlucky enough to get a real stinker), despite the critics and ’savvy’ gamers shaking their heads in dispair – and I often join them. It occurred to me that when it comes to films, I’m in the opposite camp, one of the ‘regular Joes’ – that is to say a little more relaxed about my selection criteria. I don’t seek out Oscar winners, lauded art-house films etc particularly, unless they’re also appealing to me in other ways. No doubt film critics look at me and shake their heads in dispair that I watched Hancock instead of something like Revolutionary Road.
So it’s all about perception – next time I have the urge to deride someone for buying averagely-rated games, I’ll remember the fact that I liked Hancock and think twice about it. As experienced critics and officionados of a particular medium we sometimes get a little too snobby about these things.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
The fact is, often reviewers perspectives are completely different to the majority of the public. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it will mean their opinions will often not be in line with a large proportion of the game buying public.
A reviewer will often play a large number of games, and might criticise something for being derivative or unoriginal, whereas someone who doesn’t buy many games might not notice that at all, and thoroughly enjoy said game.
Conversely, a reviewer might love a game because it is groundbreaking, or has many layers of depth to it, but some gamers might simply be intimidated by it.
Also, I thought Hancock was excellent up until the point where he wasn’t the only one with superpowers, and it went downhill from there. Real shame too, it felt like padding, and that they didn’t really know where to take the story.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I read that in reviews too, and to be honest it didn’t bother me much. I did like the earlier superhero rehab bit better, but I don’t think they could have done that for 1.5 hours, and I thought the end section was fine, if not as fun – but that happens in a lot of good films. Maybe they could have spun out his ‘retraining’ a bit more but then it could have got a bit dull. All in all I had a positive reaction to it as a whole.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I’ve yet to see Hancock, although it is on my Lovefilm list.
Over the years I’ve learnt to take what the critics say with a pinch of salt. I tend to know what I like in the way of games or films and try not to let critics influence this too much (although this is not entirely possible).
The thing is, if a film or game, which has been reviewed badly gives enjoyment to the customer, this is a GOOD thing. People have different tastes and one mans Porcky’s Revenge is another mans Shakespeare.
January 16th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Yeah – I just found it interesting that I generally agree with the average rankings of most games, but diverge fairly often on films, which made me think it’s a product of how much you follow a medium – i.e. I’m more casual about films so I’m less picky than I am about games (especially music games!). Being far more of a film buff than I am, would you say you generally agree with the average impression of film critics? If not then my argument falls apart and maybe it’s just a product of the medium.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
It happens the exact opposite to me.
I diagree with game reviews, and tend to agree with films reviews.
Most probably I disagree with game reviews because many games are FPS and I simply don’t like shooters.
You made me remember there’s an article on Gamasutra where Nintendo’s sales were being analized, because there is a correlation between Game critics scores (for hardcore games) and number of sales; however Nintendo’s were not following that correlation at all.
IIRC the conclusion of that article was that it seemed Wii’s costumers were newbies in the game industry, therefore they bought games based on known brands (i.e. “Mario” “Sonic”) rather critic scores.
The article was far more detailed and I can’t recall it correctly, try looking for it.
And if you ask me about Hancock, it was indeed an entertaining movie. But the first half part was a masterpiece, while the second half ruined it, lacked of true argument; and made it an average movie.
It was entertaining, with action, romance, etc, etc. but it was dissappointing how a masterpiece ended up being an average movie.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Funny thing is that I don’t really ‘average out’ my impressions of media very much. I tend to pick up on the extremes – the very good things and the very bad things. So for example I hated GH3 because it had some things that totally pissed me off, even though the rest of the game was perhaps above average, the magnitude of the small number of screw-ups totally ruined the whole thing for me.
In Hancock, the first half or even 3/4 was indeed *extremely* good, but the last part was deeply average. But it wasn’t awful, so I still retain a very positive impression of the film because for me, the overall result was very positive. I don’t reduce the impact of the great bits just because some of it was average. Similarly I won’t forgive a game / film if it contains something really, really awful. So maybe I’m just affected by extremes more than averages.
January 18th, 2009 at 4:42 am
i think its not just that you’re more casual about movies.
i think rating a game is a bit more of an impartial science where objectivity comes into play much more.
movies are more emotionally based and are more subject to personal feelings and beliefs on whatever subjects come into play.
if Army Of Two had turned out to have unique and stellar gameplay, you would have likely been able to enjoy it despite the annoying machismo and other attitudes portrayed in it. like you were able to enjoy the Gears Of War series. those negatives were not fundamental parts of the gameplay.
in a movie, its ALMOST ALL about attitudes and such…..
hmmmm, in my last 2 paragraphs i’m starting on a tangent that would take too long to bring full circle (maybe it doesn’t even fit in coherently enough), so i’ll just abort it.
i got several at least semi-related ideas swirling around in my brain, but i’m about to go to bed, and i tend to type too much anyways on these kinds of things.
hopefully you got something out of beginning.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:23 am
@ Steve “? If not then my argument falls apart and maybe it’s just a product of the medium.”
I don’t think that your argument falls apart, I do think that in some ways it is the familiarity with the medium which affects how you judge a particular product, but it’s not simply this as at the same time it is also a case that they are very different mediums and as such are judged on a different basis.
Generally I probably agree more with film reviews than you do, but then again, as you’ve said I’m probably a bit more of a film fanatic than you are. I also tend to watch a lot more classic films and more “art-house” type films then you would normally watch, but at the same time I still don’t 100% agree with all reviews. To take an example, the oscar winner from last year for best picture was No Country for Old Men, which I pretty much loathed. While it was a technically competent film and I could appreciate the theme and message it was conveying, I found that it was ultimately pointless and a little uninteresting. I gave it around 3 or 4/10, but the general reviews out there are in the region of 9/10. There are also some guilty pleasure films of mine, namely really badly reviewed films that I stick get a kick out of.
I do, however, agree with of the points made by Corpus Collosum above.
When reviewing games, you generally look less at the storyline, characters and acting and more at play experience (namely the gameplay), where as with a film the review process is more emotionally based, namely how the story and the film made you feel. For example, I doubt when watching Hancock you actively thought about how a shot was framed or how a scene was scene was edited, but instead based your opinion on how much you enjoyed the film. Admitably there are some people who consider the more technical aspects when reviewing a film, but these are likely in the minority. If however the technical aspects of a game are not up to speed, I believe it is more apparent to your average gamer
I think what I’m trying to say is that generally reviews for films are more emotionally based and game reviews are more technically based and as such the review process is slightly different. I know that this isn’t always the case (i.e. some people likely still really enjoy less technically competent games), but all the same both mediums are reviewed by relatively different criteria. All the same a persons familiarity with the medium also comes into play, as the more films you watch, or the more games you play then more familiar you become with the overall “average” in quality of that medium and as such you become more atuned to your personal preference in the higher quality products of that medium.
I thought I had a good point, but may have rambled a bit…
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:48 am
Absolutely true.
For example I enjoyed Kane an Lynch, Mount and Blade, kult heretic kingdoms(ever heard of this RPG), and many more, though these were generally panned.
My friend even liked stranglehold, I hate it.
My friend does not like Halo like it.
It is all subjective, the motive is enjoyment.
Though now I am enjoying mass effect and fallout 3 very much, there reviews are varying everywhere.
I agree u wholly on this point.
For example I liked In the name of the king(how many have heard and seen of it though), and we know how people love Uwe Boll(hee hee hee).