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Kai_Mao on 27 October 2017
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DonFerrari said:
Kai_Mao said:

I think reviewers take a game's graphics for what they are instead of what they could've been, at I would like to think that. Just because the graphics aren't as clean or as enhanced or as realistic as other games in stronger hardware, doesn't mean the scores have to be significantly changed. It doesn't make a game like Mario 3D World an 8 compared to UC4 getting a 9 or something just because, technically, UC4 looks better. I mean, Sonic Mania has been praised from the heavens in 2017 and in a technical sense, its within the style of 16-bit Sonic/Sonic CD, games that were released in the 90s. Just because a game like Mario Odyssey, BotW, Splatoon, etc. aren't great looking games on a technical standpoint compared to say Uncharted 4, Last Guardian, The Witcher 3, Final Fantasy XV, etc., doesn't mean they aren't great to look at in general. I think Odyssey looks incredible, both in presentation and in gameplay, and I've played games like Uncharted, Overwatch, Gears of War, Street Fighter, and the what not. If you don't think so, then that's fine; you judge it the way you want to judge the game. If you think games like Odyssey or BotW should be docked significantly just because, technically and graphically, they aren't up to par to Titanfall, Uncharted, Overwatch, etc., then more power to you.

The issue on that is the complete lack of standard for reviewers.

To ignore all the shortcomings in the Nintendo games to them bitch and moan on the other games is obtuse. Also on the "what could have been", a lot of reviewers don't evaluate what the game is or try to accomplish, but what they wanted the game to achieve. Both aren't present when they give plethora of high scores for some Nintendo games.

On the case of BTOW it became so ridiculous that some reviewers pointed to several down points on the game, with severe criticism, and still gave a 10. Not a 9.5 (like, it is almost perfect, but have these big issues) but a 10. And for other games they will pick minor nitpicks and down the score to 80. In both cases "because of reasons". And that is why it's useless to discuss reviewers. Same on discussing GOTYs. A game can win the "game of the year" award on the platform and lose on the category it represents for a game that is on the same platform.

Personally, I think BoTW is probably the only example I am aware of with the issue you mentioned when it comes to judging Nintendo games. Maybe Skyward Sword, but it ended up with a 93 so there were more reviewers who were critical of the game. You could also add Paper Mario Sticker Star (75% on Metacritic), but I haven't read the reviews so I cannot tell. Otherwise, I really cannot think of any other Nintendo game in the last decade that supposedly had that scenario you mentioned besides BoTW. I think the scores and praises were well-deserved but that's neither here nor there. Games like Star Fox Zero, Metroid: Other M, Metroid Prime Federation Force, Zelda: Triforce Heroes, Wii Music, and Animal Crossing amiibo Festival didn't have the luxury of being reviewed well just because they were Nintendo games.