Latest EGM slams three recent shooters

[professor ganson]

Got my copy of Electronic Gaming Monthly today, and they discuss/review Shikigami no Shiro: Nanyozuki Gensoukyoku, Nanostray, and Sigma Star Saga.

Only in the case of Nanostray did they bother to score it: 5, 5, 5. They are really hard on this one. They say nothing about the incredible graphics, and they don't even mention the worst feature (the invisible walls). They mostly gripe about how short the game is, about what a pain it is to switch weapons, and about how it doesn't have a good gimmick.

In the case of SSS they don't have a proper review; they just mention it in their Reviews Wrap-Up section. They write: "An enjoyable custom weapon system becomes overkill against enemies that rarely even return fire, making Sima more about near-passive "leveling-up" than reflex-fueled finesse."

Here what they say about Shiki: "Then how about a game that combines the two least popular genres on the planet-- text adventures and overhead shoot-em-ups-- into a single $65 package? The Shiki series has so much backstory behind its bulet-ridden hide that the creators actually made an adventure game based on it. And your choices in this adventure affect the difficulty and enemy setups of the shooting sections. When did shooter plots get so complicated? Beats us-- it's to the point where developers even sell a separate DVD with artwork, interviews, and original radio-drama bits. All this for a game in which you press a single button...a lot."

My first thought was: cancel this crap magazine. But two things:
1. Since the Shiki series is probably my favorite period, I was happy to see it get some attention, even if somewhat negative.
2. Some of their criticisms are surely warranted.

Anyway, just wanted to share this with you.

[Dylan1CC]

Stee-rike 3. *crosses EGM off his reading list* Until I check out Retrogamer more it looks like it's strictly Game Informer from here on out. Who wrote/scored the Nano and Shiki reviews, btw?

edit: "Then how about a game that combines the two least popular genres on the planet-- text adventures and overhead shoot-em-ups..."

OK, lumping vertical shooters, a tried and true arcade staple in with text adventures like all of a sudden vert shooters are well known to be widely maligned is just plain childish and ignorant. Again, they have lost my readership with this little stunt. Writing like that approaches Gamepro idiocy.

edit: I say when 1up.com adds these reviews to their site we tear up their talkback boards with some common sense.

[BulletMagnet]

Heh heh, so our genre has been officially labeled one of the "least popular on the planet." At least it's finally official.

The one I'm most interested in is the Shiki game...I was under the impression that it didn't have any shooting in it at all, guess I was wrong. While I'm sure that doubts about the fusing of a shmup and a text adventure are pretty well-founded, I couldn't help but notice that one of the things the reviewer complained about was "since when have shooter plots been so complicated?" For one thing, I'd say that shmup backstories have been ridiculously complex for some time now (RSG is a particularly egregious [and, imo, laughable] case in point), it's just that up till now the plot generally didn't really have much impact on the actual gameplay, if any at all. Second, I'm sure that there have been at least some reviewers out there who in the past have complained about the shmup genre's lack of plot depth as compared to RPGs or the like...I wonder whether or not they'd still side with this guy now.

[professor ganson]

Who wrote/scored the Nano and Shiki reviews, btw?

In the case of Nanostray: Shoe (the editor-in-chief), Mark (MacDonald), and Shawn (somebody)

No one claims responsibility for the remarks on Shiki.

[Kiel]

I stopped reading EGM long ago and just recently purged my entire collection going back to '92.

92-95 I gave to one of my friends cause they are actually good, the rest went to the recycle gods.

[Dylan1CC]

Who wrote/scored the Nano and Shiki reviews, btw?

In the case of Nanostray: Shoe (the editor-in-chief), Mark (MacDonald), and Shawn (somebody)

No one claims responsibility for the remarks on Shiki.

No surprises there. This is the last straw after they let Jennifer Tsao write a bad review for Bomberman DS right after she said it was the first Bomberman game she had ever played. Ha wow.

[crithit5000]

I figured most people here already gave up on EGM, especially after the whole Gunbird 2 and Strider 2 fiasco where they said the game's were really easy thanks to unlimited credits. Ah well...

[Ghegs]

"Then how about a game that combines the two least popular genres on the planet-- text adventures and overhead shoot-em-ups-- into a single $65 package?"

An uninformed quote at best indeed, seeing as how both genres have a very active and loyal (and relatively small, admittedly) fanbase. I do suppose since those genres are very far apart gameplay-wise, it does seem a bit odd to mix them up like so.

Nevertheless, I'm still interested in Shiki: The Adventure, hopefully somebody will pick it up for a western release.

Not holding my breath, though...

[Dylan1CC]

I figured most people here already gave up on EGM, especially after the whole Gunbird 2 and Strider 2 fiasco where they said the game's were really easy thanks to unlimited credits. Ah well...

Indeed. Can't believe I forgot the "If you can credit feed it, the game is easy" idiocy.

[Fighter17]

I just stop reading PSM, because of how lame they are getting (all the sex and ads, stuff like that). They did a review of Castle Shikigma 2, they gave it a 6 because of the bad graphics and translation issues. Meh...

[Kiken]

I just stop reading PSM, because of how lame they are getting (all the sex and ads, stuff like that). They did a review of Castle Shikigma 2, they gave it a 6 because of the bad graphics and translation issues. Meh...

PSM is a "stroker mag"... nothing more than the videogaming equivalent of PentHouse. Their reviews are laughable, their staff even more so. I used to read them for comedy value as I couldn't take any shred of what they wrote as being even remotely serious (especially after they claimed that Capcom had officially announced a port of Street Fighter 3 for PSX back in 1998).

I remember reading in one letter in the back of their mag from a concerned female gamer who complained that the mag was catering strictly to males with all the sexual imagery they were using, and that there was a fair number of females who read the mag (who found no interest in such things). Instead of cutting back on the sex, they just added more to appeal to their female contingent.

As for EGM... they were great between 89 and 92. Then they became more ads than content.

[ThirdStrike]

Got my copy of Electronic Gaming Monthly today, and they discuss/review Shikigami no Shiro: Nanyozuki Gensoukyoku, Nanostray, and Sigma Star Saga.

Only in the case of Nanostray did they bother to score it: 5, 5, 5. They are really hard on this one. They say nothing about the incredible graphics, and they don't even mention the worst feature (the invisible walls). They mostly gripe about how short the game is, about what a pain it is to switch weapons, and about how it doesn't have a good gimmick.

In the case of SSS they don't have a proper review; they just mention it in their Reviews Wrap-Up section. They write: "An enjoyable custom weapon system becomes overkill against enemies that rarely even return fire, making Sima more about near-passive "leveling-up" than reflex-fueled finesse."

Here what they say about Shiki: "Then how about a game that combines the two least popular genres on the planet-- text adventures and overhead shoot-em-ups-- into a single $65 package? The Shiki series has so much backstory behind its bulet-ridden hide that the creators actually made an adventure game based on it. And your choices in this adventure affect the difficulty and enemy setups of the shooting sections. When did shooter plots get so complicated? Beats us-- it's to the point where developers even sell a separate DVD with artwork, interviews, and original radio-drama bits. All this for a game in which you press a single button...a lot."

My first thought was: cancel this crap magazine. But two things:
1. Since the Shiki series is probably my favorite period, I was happy to see it get some attention, even if somewhat negative.
2. Some of their criticisms are surely warranted.

Anyway, just wanted to share this with you.

Since when did EGM cover import Ps2 games Like the new Shikigami ?

[professor ganson]

Since when did EGM cover import Ps2 games Like the new Shikigami ?

For a while now they've had an EGM International section toward the beginning. They're usually just making fun of something Japanese.

[ThirdStrike]

Since when did EGM cover import Ps2 games Like the new Shikigami ?

For a while now they've had an EGM International section toward the beginning. They're usually just making fun of something Japanese.

Seems like a bunch of crap just to import a game to redicule is .

Usually the Japanese Version of a Game is Superior to the US version.

[gameoverDude]

edit: I say when 1up.com adds these reviews to their site we tear up their talkback boards with some common sense.

I'm all for that. I haven't had a desire to subscribe to Evil Grand Master for quite a while. Face it, the magazine has gone downhill- it was at its best probably around the time of the Genesis. This drivel in the tradition of "Often can't avoid death" (Giga Wing) coming from them has pushed me further away. They never cease to confound me. All they seem to like is Grand Theft Auto, Tony Hawk, Tiger Tiger Woods Y'all, and Madden 20XX.

I bet they'll even call Mushihimesama easy, even on Ultra mode (since you can creditfeed). Bullshit in advance to that, should they say it later- this game makes Ketsui look like a cakewalk.

The thought of Capcom announcing a port of Street Fighter III to PS One makes me laugh. Thankfully they didn't.

[sethsez]

The Japanese section doesn't have reviews. It has general impressions, if that. EGM is stupid, but I'm not going to knock them for something they never claimed.

And for the record, I really can't imagine being interested enough in the Shiki plot to play any of the other stuff that's been released in the series, and I'm a huge fan of SnSII.

[professor ganson]

The Japanese section doesn't have reviews. It has general impressions, if that. EGM is stupid, but I'm not going to knock them for something they never claimed.

And for the record, I really can't imagine being interested enough in the Shiki plot to play any of the other stuff that's been released in the series, and I'm a huge fan of SnSII.

I didn't mean to suggest that they review the Shiki game, only that they discuss it. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that.

[sethsez]

OK, lumping vertical shooters, a tried and true arcade staple in with text adventures like all of a sudden vert shooters are well known to be widely maligned is just plain childish and ignorant.

Text adventures still have a large underground following, and are the foundation for one of the staples of PC gaming that's still going today. Don't call him ignorant for insulting shooters and then turn around and do the same to text adventures.

[BAD]

Fuck those motherfuckers. I hate EGM. All they do is criticize great games for stupid shit. Unless you want to read issue after issue about how "great" and "revolutionary" GTA and Halo are, cancel that shit quick. Either that or continue to get it and just leave it in the bathroom...for toilet paper.

[Fighter17]

One of my favorite text adventure games was Snatcher. The Sega CD version added great voice acting for it's time, and a great ending.

[MadSteelDarkness]

I particularly enjoyed this little nugget, from "Shoe's" review of Nanostray:

"The difference maker (in 2D shooters) is the gimmicks, like the weapon attachments in the R-Type series or the black/white dynamic in Ikaruga (GC). Without 'em, who cares?"

ahhhh....good times.

[CIT]

Independent videogame journalism is dead anyway. Magazines all make money by selling ad-space to game companies, so how much real criticism can we really expect from them anyway. They're all just part of the hype machine.

[mannerbot]

I like what (little) I've seen from Hardcore Gamer magazine. The magazine's a little small, but that's because it isn't full of advertisements. I'm not sure if that's due to a conscious decision on the editor's part or because of their limited distribution. But it's probably the latter.

[uwfan]

that EGM review of shikigami is truly pathetic.

[sethsez]

Not. A. Review.

[dave4shmups]

Got my copy of Electronic Gaming Monthly today, and they discuss/review Shikigami no Shiro: Nanyozuki Gensoukyoku, Nanostray, and Sigma Star Saga.

Only in the case of Nanostray did they bother to score it: 5, 5, 5. They are really hard on this one. They say nothing about the incredible graphics, and they don't even mention the worst feature (the invisible walls). They mostly gripe about how short the game is, about what a pain it is to switch weapons, and about how it doesn't have a good gimmick.

In the case of SSS they don't have a proper review; they just mention it in their Reviews Wrap-Up section. They write: "An enjoyable custom weapon system becomes overkill against enemies that rarely even return fire, making Sima more about near-passive "leveling-up" than reflex-fueled finesse."

Here what they say about Shiki: "Then how about a game that combines the two least popular genres on the planet-- text adventures and overhead shoot-em-ups-- into a single $65 package? The Shiki series has so much backstory behind its bulet-ridden hide that the creators actually made an adventure game based on it. And your choices in this adventure affect the difficulty and enemy setups of the shooting sections. When did shooter plots get so complicated? Beats us-- it's to the point where developers even sell a separate DVD with artwork, interviews, and original radio-drama bits. All this for a game in which you press a single button...a lot."

My first thought was: cancel this crap magazine. But two things:
1. Since the Shiki series is probably my favorite period, I was happy to see it get some attention, even if somewhat negative.
2. Some of their criticisms are surely warranted.

Anyway, just wanted to share this with you.

After I got into 16-bit stuff, I used to LOVE to read EGM; this just makes me sad.

OT, I'm hoping there'll be a DC release of this latest Shiki game!

[Monkey_Man]

[quote="BAD"]Fuck those motherfuckers.[.quote]
My thoughts exactly.

[Kiken]

OT, I'm hoping there'll be a DC release of this latest Shiki game!

Why would it get released on the DC? It didn't start out as a NAOMI title. It was developed on PS2 hardware from the start.

[dave4shmups]

OT, I'm hoping there'll be a DC release of this latest Shiki game!

Why would it get released on the DC? It didn't start out as a NAOMI title. It was developed on PS2 hardware from the start.

Well, I wasn't aware that Shiki 2 was originally Naomi, but I still wish this latest installment in the series would get a DC release.

[D]

egm used to be a big mag in 1992, 1993, now it's like a pocket (book)
Without any info.
EGM should be criticised.
here's the verdict: they suck. They can't help it that they got their heads in EA's asses. fuck 'm