Tom Chick bashes Metroid 3 for being hardcore
Game reviewers are a misunderstood lot. People take them for granted because of the perception that the job is easy, and that non-game reviewers (i.e. everyone else) think they can do a better job. Hey, how hard can reviewing a game be? All one has to do is play and finish a game, then write about it, right?
Wrong.
I’m not about to get into the lengthy details of how writing isn’t for everyone, but I can tell you this: anyone can play, but not everyone can write.
Tom Chick, an independent game journalist, can indeed write. He’s shown us just that in his numerous reviews, if you’re keeping track. Yes, he’s the guy who said Deus Ex was 90% bad. Like clockwork, Tom’s latest review of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in Variety is stirring up a hornet’s nest.
The review’s biggest beef with the latest Metroid installment isn’t how the game plays, or any other relevant issue that would likely concern consumers when deciding to purchase a game or not. It’s how the Wii is aimed at casual gamers, and that Metroid isn’t for this audience.
As for the game itself, Tom seems to resent Metroid for being difficult, and almost sounded like he was offended that a hardcore game was released on a “casual” console.
“Too much of the time, though, ‘Metroid Prime 3’ is more tedious than epic. This is particularly true of the boss battles, which are exhaustive affairs requiring dedication, patience, and most importantly, a familiarity with the vocabulary of videogames: double jumping, circle strafing, shooting weak points for massive damage, etc.”
Let me get this straight, Tom. You shoot down Metroid for being difficult, but condemn Deus Ex for having brain-dead AI? What exactly do you want in your shooters? Has your acting career made you soft in your gaming?
I say it’s about time for the Wii to have another “hardcore” AAA game (next to Zelda Twilight Princess). Apparently, “hardcore” is synonymous with “difficult” in Tom’s vocabulary. I find Diner Dash difficult—especially in the latter levels when you dare not even scratch your nose. Does that mean it’s hardcore?
A well-designed, polished, enjoyable game is always welcome in a game console, regardless of differences in target audience. But that’s just me.
Image from Wikipedia
4 opinions for Tom Chick bashes Metroid 3 for being hardcore
Alex
Aug 30, 2007 at 10:35 am
What a douche. lol
My only gripes with Corruption involve control choices, primarily how we’re not able to flip the nunchuk forward to use the grapple swing. Ripping off enemy shields and such feels so awesome, but then we just hit the Lock-On button and nothing more when we want to swing? Disappointment.
Though I think ripping certain enemies in half with the grapple beam makes me feel better. I’ve done it over a dozen times now and I’m still loving the brutality.
Speaking of Corruption controls, Advanced is pretty bad-ass. The reticle isn’t totally locked in the center of the screen, unfortunately, but Retro truly has created the optimal control configuration for console FPS.
Now if only they’d mapped Jump to C, Rockets to B, and Morphball to D-Pad Down. Firing rockets from D-Pad Down is way weird.
Mike
Aug 31, 2007 at 2:49 am
I still can’t relate to what you’re talking about in the controls since I don’t have a Wii just yet, but I do expect that it is pretty bad ass (compared to Red Steel, at least :P).
I am a bit disappointed to learn, however, that the reticle isn’t locked in the center of the screen. How does this affect the ability to look around?
Yes, Tom Chick can be a douche (a talented douche), and I think his perspective in the Metroid review is a bit off. Are you reading this, Tom?
Alex
Aug 31, 2007 at 6:20 am
The reticle not being locked in the center doesn’t terribly affect your ability to look around. The issue is more sensitivity and acceleration than reticle positioning itself.
Had they done something like Starbreeze did with The Darkness for look sensitivity, in addition to the Advanced control scheme, it would have been totally bad-ass.
But generally, it’s kind of mind-boggling, even still: a Nintendo system is now leading the console industry and is becoming industry control standard for almost every action genre now.
Plus, only on the Wii are we able to find the truly violent games now, cause of the Wiimote and nunchuk.
Manhunt 2 on the Wii for the win! (Halloween-ish release date for Manhunt 2, very exciting)
Deus Ex 3 is coming…in two years
Nov 27, 2007 at 3:53 am
[…] your name is Tom Chick, then you probably love the original Deus Ex, that lovable cyberpunk RPG/FPS. If so, then you must […]
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