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Has Famitsu Jumped the Shark?!

Posted December 11th 2009 by Jordan Mammo.

Let's see if this becomes a running theme here.

Recently there's been some controversy over the review score that Famitsu has handed out to Final Fantasy XIII. The controversy basically amounts to a lot of people crying because the game didn't receive a perfect 40/40, and instead received a deeply cynical and hateful 39/40. Why this matters is strange, especially since only one Final Fantasy game has ever received a perfect score from the magazine in the first place. Stranger still is why anyone would be angry over a 39/40 anyway. Let's see if the sensible, native Japanese speaker that 1up.com quotes in their news story can help us understand the frustration:

"I figured they were just giving perfect scores to all the triple-A titles these days, but now this means they gave a perfect score to Monster Hunter Tri because they actually thought it deserved it. Famitsu's reviewers are drifting away from my viewpoint; I really can't trust them anymore."

Whaa????

Wouldn't the conclusion that Famitsu simply hands out perfect scores to every big release invalidate their method of grading titles in first place? So why does anyone care anymore? Or does it not matter as long as everyone's Favorite Game Series gets a perfect score? And what would that mean, anyway, if everyone's Favorite Game Series automatically got a perfect score anyway? And how can they really be drifting that far from one's viewpoint if the game tallies only one mark shy of 40? And how does anyone even know what their viewpoint is on a game they haven't touched yet?

I know review scores can be a touchy subject and that people like to cling to them to justify the unequivocal greatness their preference of a certain console or developer, but thoughts like the one quoted above are just strange. Maybe Famitsu should give every Big Game a perfect score. Then they can gradually start giving all games perfect scores, and then all media outlets worldwide will follow in their bold footsteps, and every game ever would get perfect scores!

Then, when perfect scores don't mean anything anymore, maybe people will actually think about why they like something rather than turn their brains off as soon as they see a number.

| Comments (8) | Permalink

User Comments

Jacob

I like how some of the commenters on 1UP are all "calm down you guys that's a 97.5%, it's still a good game." I think it's because of instances like this, where you have a prequel that got a perfect score and a strong following of fans, that some reviewers will feel the pressure to continue giving perfects or worse yet, above a perfect. And when it comes down to it I'm guessing big reviewers at IGN are more concerned about the backlash that comes with giving their 100-scale pinpoint score in relation to other games in a series, rather than what they truly think.

Friday, December 11th 2009

Jordan

The whole thing reminds me of when Game Informer scored some game (Super Paper Mario, I think) based on what they think the audience thinks about it rather than what the actual reviewer thinks about it. It'd be kind of sad to see that kind of mentality invade other publications, but then again it's not like Famitsu hasn't been criticized for this kind of thing before. The strange part is how readers, or at least this particular one, have accepted this mentality and are actually appalled when something flies in the face of it.

Sunday, December 13th 2009

Jordan

Actually I think it was Paper Mario for GameCube

Sunday, December 13th 2009

Adam

Yeah, it was Paper Mario for GameCube. Review scores are annoying and I'm always happy to see the media move away from it. Play magazine (probably the best gaming magazine around, btw) threw it all away some time back and is better off for it. If you can't figure out if the game is worth a shit from reading the review, then that writer needs to rethink his style.

Saturday, December 19th 2009

Dawson

Famitsu lost all credibility when it gave Nintendogs a perfect score. Truly that game was a piece of shit.

Friday, January 8th 2010

James

It wasn't shit at all, in fact it was very well made for the audience that it was aimed for. Just because you personally don't like the game doesn't mean the actual game is poorly made.

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