http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/arts/23schi.html?_r=3&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
^ The NY Times article
SMG is bad because it's not "new". Excuse me, "genuinely new".
" But now that the Nintendo developer Shigeru Miyamoto has gotten the Wii incarnations of his Mario and Zelda series out of the way, perhaps he will turn to creating something genuinely new. "
Mass Effect is good because:
"But with its focus on character development, personal growth and moral tension, all fueled by a graphics system created to evoke emotional empathy, Mass Effect points the way forward."
Ummm... The author needs to spend a bit of time with children's story books if he thinks this is new. Example, "The Little Train That Could", character development, personal growth and moral tension, all fueled by a graphics system created to evoke emotional empathy (ie pictures) or most any Disney / Pixar animated movie.
Of course, he did favor that:
" Analogies can be overworn, but playing Ratchet is actually like playing an animated film, and that’s a rare thing."
Maybe if only the cut scenes were just a bit longer, replacing all of that annoying game stuff you have to do in between them.
Torturing the numbers. Hear them scream.
