http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/molyneux-asks-for-special-review-consideration-we-ask-what-wou/

Molyneux asks for special review consideration; we ask 'what would other industries do?'

Reviewers received Fable 2 this week and found within the package a letter from developer Peter Molyneux asking for a few things. Variety explains one of the first things the letter asks (using the word "please" five times) is that the reviewers let a person who doesn't play games try out Fable 2 and to gauge their experience. Two paragraphs are also devoted by the designer to the game's well publicized and initially missing online co-op.

Molyneux apparently details the online co-op feature in the letter, which will be added soon after launch. Variety ponders if publications should wait until the feature comes out before reviewers write their pieces, or if outlets should make a note saying this important feature couldn't be tested at the time? So, we asked Variety (well known for its movie and music reviews): what would one of its film or music critics do if they were asked to review an unfinished product? Find out the answer after the break.

Variety's video game reporter, Ben Fritz, explained to Joystiq:

"I talked to one of our film critics and he said we usually do review the earliest available print, even if it's not the final version. If they're showing it at a festival to the public, for instance, we often review it. Even with the understanding that it may be re-cut or altered if/when it is released commercially. When that commercial release occurs we usually don't write a new review, unless it has been hugely changed. Sometimes we actually talk about the fact that it may be changed before commercial release. Check out our review of "Che" from the Cannes film festival, where the first sentence of the review starts "No doubt it will be back to the drawing board..."

The basic rule is: If they are showing it to the public in any way shape or form, we feel justified in reviewing it. The only time we wouldn't is if they are explicitly showing a "work in progress," like a test screening or a series of clips shown to exhibitors or something like that. That would be like running a review based on an E3 demo. Another relevant analogy I thought of is that we do review Broadway-bound shows when they are doing a "tryout" in another city. However, in that case, we usually review it again once it opens on Broadway.

So, the short answer is, if Fable II were a movie or play, we would absolutely review it the day it opened, even in its "incomplete" form. Which is why I have decided I will do the same with this game. Luckily in the age of blogs, however, I can update my thoughts when online co-op becomes available."

==> I m wondering if this is commun to send this type of letter to reviewer when your game is laking an important part at launch.

Do you think he is affraid about bashing reviews ?

I think he thinks that reviewers who just run through the game wont get the experience that we would if we played the game and had a kid... bought the local pub and then made the drinks free so we could watch the town get wasted.

I'd review it lower if it were me just because he highlighted that it wasnt complete so obviously and he is so desperate.

That's an ignorant way of looking at it.  Is GTAIV any less of a game on the 360 because it didn't ship with the DLC that is comming out?

Thought it was a 1st day launch and not a "soon after launch" and no one would be affected by his at all since you'd put it in the drive and the patch would be ready to go right then and there... I want bitmap to come and try to defend this crap. Grade based on what's available day 1. I'm tired of Molyneux' crap in all honesty.

 Did the developers beg the reviewers to not consider that part? No they didnt. Also that doesn't make the game incomplete. It is and always was extra bonus content that was due later.

There's a difference between DLC and game content that has been left out. The co-op has been displayed and they told us that it'd be part of the game when it comes out. DLC on the other hand is content down the road if the developers feel like it, would GTAIV have gotten any DLC if it was the worst game in history?

Cueil,


u mean getting married and have a kid ??

but u can't do it with simple PNJ ?? (just asking)

Those saying crap about Molyneux just cant wait to jump on this bandwagon.

He has not asked for leanient reviews or special treatment. All he has done is Tell them exactly what the coop will entail and ask for feedback from people who have never played a game in their life.

Stop mish mashing what Molyneux has done.

Dude the guy has a tendancy of being full of shit. And there is a problem with him telling them what it will have. One problem is he has a tendancy of being full of shit. The other is the reviewers arent playing what he is describing so they have to rely on someone who has a tendancy of being full of shit and has much to gain with good scores. He is obviously trying to get something from this letter. If it isn't them passing along his message through a review then what is it? They can't do that because it's not there to review. Is it asking them to be linient because it doesnt have it? Well thats just bull shit too. If that were the case then he shouldn't make it obvious that it's lacking that feature. Also if reviewers find it fit to dock it for points because of that then they should. The person who has most to gain from the project shouldn't have communications with reviewers at all. And he sure the hell shouldn't try and persuade them to think one way. What they think and feel is what they should say.