File: review classic template.jpg (160.6 KB)

160.6 KB JPG

>>12333424
Template

>>12333424
aesthetics is a modern term that has no business in retro reviews. Back in the 90s it was GRAPHICS. which game had more POWER which had more EFFECTS. GRAPHICS GRAPHICS GRAPHICS. Its only the limp-wristed zoomer who cares for the aesthetics of earthbound oh the pixel art is so cute I want it on a keychain. Its a lens to view the history of games that didnt exist at the time.

>>12333439
Aesthetics is there for the same reason Narrative is, they are umbrellas.
Narrative it's not just the story, it's also the characters, setting, etc.
Aesthetics it's not just graphics, it's also character design, art style, etc

>>12333454
The point of the thread is to review the "old way" and im saying reviewing a game based on "aesthetics" is not the old way.

File: MH204_31.jpg (508.8 KB)

508.8 KB JPG

>>12333424
I've always been fond of "addiction"

File: Fun Factor.jpg (12.5 KB)

12.5 KB JPG

What? No Fun Factor rating?

File: Vandal Hearts 2 Review.png (840.5 KB)

840.5 KB PNG

>>12333518
We need a template from this.

>>12333424
>category called Avoid
What did he mean by this?

>narrative
lel

File: 1755005532358811.jpg (1.7 MB)

1.7 MB JPG

I can't think of a SINGLE review system from the 90's that rated anything to do with "story".

It was usually derivates of
>Graphics
>Sound
>Playibility
>Lasting appeal/Challenge/Difficulty

Other posters have also noted how "aesthetitics" is a modern term, and I'm going to say that "gameplay" also is. What you call "Gameplay" was seperated into the variants of "playibility" and "lasting appeal".

This could have been a fun thread you just had to insert modern perspective into the mix. I keep saying that's a recurring issues with the modern gamers, they are incapable of looking at old games in their context and are completely oblivious to the context. There are people playing early 90's action games who can't even comprehend that challenge used to be considered the entire point of those games.

Categories should be:
Fun factor
Design
Music
Graphics
Detail
Lasting appeal

File: MH055_14.jpg (427.1 KB)

427.1 KB JPG

Early Microhobbies had:
Originality
Graphics
Movements
Sound
Difficulty
Addiction

>>12334371
>I can't think of a SINGLE review system from the 90's that rated anything to do with "story".
Yeah pretty much anything that isn't an RPG is going to lose a fifth of its score there, reviewers in the 90s weren't going to scoff at Doom or Donkey Kong Country for barely having a plot.

>>12334693
>If only you could talk to these creatures, then perhaps you could try and make friends with them, form alliances… Now, that would be interesting.
I'm afraid they did.

>>12333424
You're missing the free space, some magazines like Play had a joke score at the bottom.

>>12333424
>no challenge category
Fail

>>12335289
In reviews challenge was synonymous with "lasting appeal/lifespan" for action games

>>12333518
Based GamePro enjoyer

Categories should be:
Memeworthy
Waifuability
Goonability
Contrarianism
Triggers
The final verdict: Would I miss class to play this game?

File: aerogauge-n64-review-from-n64-magazine-issue-17-july-1998-v0-uqu6easd4ffa1.jpg (360.3 KB)

360.3 KB JPG

game reviewers were full of shit back then too just less so

>>12335869
Never heard of the game to be fair, but sounds like the fag didn't want to do his job

File: Ultra Game Players Issue 110 (May 1998) page 062.jpg (1.4 MB)

1.4 MB JPG

>>12334371
Ultra Game Players surprisingly didn't make a Story category and they were the kings of Way Too Many Categories.

>>12335870
its only sin is having a pitiful 4 tracks at the start, only 6 total. It's a perfectly cromulent racer for a weekend (or back then a rental)

>>12335293
No zoomie, replay value and challenge were different things in ratings blurbs

File: concept.jpg (1.4 MB)

1.4 MB JPG

Game Informer had "Concept"

>>12335869
will never forget EGM's review of Vice City clearly them playing it for 3-5 hours and giving it straight 10's across the board

File: sotn.jpg (426.2 KB)

426.2 KB JPG

>>12333424

>>12335913
does it get bad later? i only played san andreas that gen

>>12335967
this guy gets it. reviews are inherently subjective, to pretend otherwise is the sign of a self important loser (so most journos)
If I'm not feeling lazy tomorrow I'll make my own with totally tubular and non-standard categories

File: mw.jpg (580.3 KB)

580.3 KB JPG

>>12333424

00's reviews > 90's reviews > Modern Reviews

File: sm_review_2.png (163.2 KB)

163.2 KB PNG

>>12333424

>>12335967
>Vibes A
>Atmosphere C+
This guy has nailed the authentic incoherence as well

>>12335874
Presentation was probably story from a quick glance at that.

>>12335869
blessed review,

>>12340896
no it's not, there's games that deserve getting 1/10 ratings because they're full of bugs or have broken mechanics, untested releases with game breaking bugs etc. Aero Gauge is none of that
It's good but retards don't bother to learn the boost tech so they always end in last place and cry about it.
Also wanna know something funny? The OG Daytona has even LESS tracks than Aero Gauge and you never see people say it's lazy or unfinished

>>12333424
That's about right for Earthbound. Game was ridiculously ahead of its time

File: 1658681574568348.png (406.6 KB)

406.6 KB PNG

You guys missed the "Challenge" category.

>>12335882
Agree to disagree

>>12335869
Average British review

>>12334702
Journos have just always been that way, huh.

File: 1644268557658.gif (744.3 KB)

744.3 KB GIF

>CONTROL
>EYE CANDY
>CHARACTERS
>SOUNDTRACK
>EXCITEMENT

>>12344837
Challenge is irrelevant

File: tumblr_c023eb7631655bc2c069d4288207186a_08906a28_400.jpg (34.1 KB)

34.1 KB JPG

>>12333424
>pic related

>gameplay 5, the game is retarded as hell when you are a beginner

>aesthetics 10!!!!
>narrative 10!!!!
>audio 10!!!!!!
>lasting appeal 10 or something???????

>>12350151
instant bestseller

File: challenge.jpg (3.7 MB)

3.7 MB JPG

>>12350025

>>12350802
Crazy to think there was a time when reviewers thought challenge was a good thing.

>>12350884
Gotta justify the increased difficulty for rentals somehow

Thinking about it, it would make more sense to divide things by appeal to each type of audience. For example:

GAME TITLE
Casual appeal: for players who want something simple
Hardcore appeal: for players who want something complex
Niche appeal: comparing the game only with the same genre
General appeal: comparing the game with all others regardless of genre
Technical quality: if the game runs well, is bug-free, etc.

File: 4179556-dead-or-alive-xtreme-beach-volleyball-xbox-front-cover.jpg (73.5 KB)

73.5 KB JPG

cummy rating: 90

>>12350884
>>12350972
It was a good thing when you didn't have free access to thousands of games on a whim.

>>12353226
Having access to thousands of games doesn't mean you need to play them all. I'd rather play a few good games than a ton of shovelware.

File: 1767795945390824.jpg (77.3 KB)

77.3 KB JPG

>>12335967
best post in thread

>>12353336
I agree, but many gamers feel like they're wasting their time and could be playing other games when they aren't good players right away.

>>12355225
Gamers are often dumb.

File: 1769745606775993.png (222 KB)

222 KB PNG

>>12335967
Wonderful, this guy actually gets it right

File: 71CmCsh50gL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg (78.2 KB)

78.2 KB JPG

Kino level: 9
Kek factor: 7
Faggotry: 0
Sex appeal: 4
Soul: 10

>>12355479
he's alright

>>12357084
No, I'm alright, he kicks ass

>>12355489
maximum kek

>>12350884
No, what's crazy is everyone wanting games with no challenge now and viewing challenges in games as a negative thing.

>>12333920
Based illiterate poster

File: fdsea.png (1.1 MB)

1.1 MB PNG

>>12336086
for me

>>12357672
>he says when soulslop is still popular

>>12358104
>he fell for the soulslop is hard meme

>>12358119
That's the whole appeal isn't? Hipster millenials stroking themselves over beating the hard difficult game?

>>12358126
Yeah

>>12350884
Or relevant to a game's rating

>>12358119
It's plenty hard by modern faceroll standards. Also has a lot of depth that isn't obvious.

Frankly I think a lot of people who say they aren't hard are people who look up optimal builds and how to get the best gear and then tune their chars that way for every game. Like wow, an adventure game is easy when you look up all the hidden items and answers to the puzzles. What a concept.

>>12333920
It means don't play obviously

>>12355489
retro/retro

>>12357689
That's what it says

>>12333424
>Aesthetics
Not retro.

>>12363535
vaporwave was established ~13 years ago by the way

>>12351082
>cummy rating
I approve

>>12358126
You get it right, but the game is only hard compared to 10's and 20's games.

>>12364441
>vaporwave
Probably the worst thing ever made by milenials

File: ace.png (937.8 KB)

937.8 KB PNG

I love the ACE rating system for how fucking stupid it was. Not just having all these categories but then having the final score in range of 1-1000, because you just need that granularity. Like how do you decide if a game is 902 instead of 901? And then that autistic curve that tries to predict how long you will play the game.

>>12367084
The categories are pretty good and not bullshit though