Official X-Box magazine caught lying in review.

[Captain-N]

Taken from the X-Box magazine forums...

http://forum.officialxboxmagazine.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=17714&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

: )

[Patrick]

That "official" for ya!!!!

[MartyG]

Ah - so GamesTM write their reviews without playing the games, just like every other magazine. Well if you believe what's written in it.

Reading forums like that makes you appreciate NTSC-UK's even more.

[VR46]

Exactly, someone should email them Marcus's First Play rules

[NeilMcRae]

Ah - so GamesTM write their reviews without playing the games, just like every other magazine. Well if you believe what's written in it.

Reading forums like that makes you appreciate NTSC-UK's even more.

It was refereing to OXM, who appear to have reviewed Headhunter without playing the game.

[csuzw]

It was refereing to OXM, who appear to have reviewed Headhunter without playing the game.

Later on several people claim its what all magazines do including Edge and GamesTM

[Dirty Sanchez]

If you take the time to read the thread you will find that the reviewer had played the review code supplied to him, but don't let the truth get in the way of a mag flame.

If the developer in question has such poor control over what review code goes out perhaps they should concentrate on reviewing their own procedures instead of bitching about a poor score/review.

[MartyG]

Later on several people claim its what all magazines do including Edge and GamesTM

Indeed, I'm not daft - read the whole thread Neil

[edandersen]

If you take the time to read the thread you will find that the reviewer had played the review code supplied to him, but don't let the truth get in the way of a mag flame.

If the developer in question has such poor control over what review code goes out perhaps they should concentrate on reviewing their own procedures instead of bitching about a poor score/review.

I assume you write for a mag then?

I personally think that whenever a mag "reviews" a game that isn't a final pressed disc, readers should be informed as such. So much changes in the last stages that any CDR with "review code" scrawled across it should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Same goes to those mags that review GBA Roms - you know who you are.

[Captain-N]

Oh okay Dirty Sanches, like a whole bike gameplay section would get scrapped between versions?

This guy obviously hasn't paid any longer attention to the game, if any at all and has written a fraud review. I?m pretty sure things like this happens quite often throughout the gaming press given the large amount of games shipped each month.

[Team Andromeda]

If you take the time to read the thread you will find that the reviewer had played the review code supplied to him, but don't let the truth get in the way of a mag flame.

If the developer in question has such poor control over what review code goes out perhaps they should concentrate on reviewing their own procedures instead of bitching about a poor score/review.

Yeah the review code that features the never seen before redemption bike sections, that help break up the action .

This brings back memories of the world exclusive review of the supposedly finished version of Street Fighter II on the Mega Drive. Which was anythig but finished

[Concept]

Single format mag in being bent shocker. Come on... We all know they're at.

http://gamesradar.msn.co.uk/reviews/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=30707&subsectionid=1605

You need only take a five minute flick through PSM2 to realise there is quite literally nothing you can trust in professional gaming journalism. It's a sad fact, but that's how it is. And what of the others? Quite literally every single format magazine out there has to be under suspicion because they're writing for a very dedicated audience who want to hear what they want to hear... In this instance, the reviewer was obviously incompetent because he or she struggled to finish the game and obviously didn't even bother to check up on the final code to see whether it had bikes in it for writing the text.

You either get incompetence or corruption. It can be based on not having passion for games, competing with deadlines, writing for your readership or taking bungs. Apart from amateur websites like ours where there are no vested interests or lack of passion interfering with the writing, then you have to be really careful with the validity of what's read.

I think everyone here knows this. It's depressing but it's an example of what a lot of gaming journalism is unfortunately like.

[E. Randy Dupre]

But nobody buys single format mags expecting an honest representation of fact, do they? They either sell to the "my console is better than yours" crowd, people who wouldn't know fair and balanced reporting if it shat in their soup (and who don't particular want fair and balanced reporting anyway) or those who simply want the demo discs. Same as it's ever been, no?

[Concept]

Well I agree...

Which surprises me why people are getting worked up in that Xbox thread over on the official forums, because it's not exactly as if most weren't probably aware these kinds of things happened to be going on. I think what most are worried about are the assertions these practices may extend over to respected multiformat publications such as GamesTM or Edge. Especially here.

[Team Andromeda]

But nobody buys single format mags expecting an honest representation of fact, do they? They either sell to the "my console is better than yours" crowd, people who wouldn't know fair and balanced reporting if it shat in their soup (and who don't particular want fair and balanced reporting anyway) or those who simply want the demo discs. Same as it's ever been, no?

So very true. I remeber the reviews of GBTG in the X-Box mag. The game is utter sh8t,yet got a high score, and a great review. Shame happend with Shenmue in Official DC mag 10/10 my ass.

How I miss the days of mag's like Super Play and Sega Saturn Mag.