In all these reviews I haven't heard any negatives. If you're going to review something critique it fully. Say not only what's good but also what's bad and why. The nearest he came to doing so in this review was to say he's bored w/the greys which I can agree w/but both the other races are poppy too (Reptile conspiracies go back from V to King Kull).
They could've come up w/new races but it's X-Files inspired so it's based on the most popular real-world fiction.
As SamyueruHikage points out, Game Geeks is about positive reviews. It's fun and easy to tell people what they shouldn't spend their money on, but more useful to tell them what they should consider. In term of critique, I think Kurt tells us those things he's "not so keen on". If those are things that would bother me, I'm unlikely to buy the product.
Given the word constraints of a video review, and the stated aim of giving positive advice, asking for more negativity seems to miss the point.
The point of a review is to evaluate something: to judge its' good and bad aspects. Him holding back makes me distrustful. For me to believe his evangel I need to hear the full story.
I dig these videos but they're moreso talks about what he likes in a game than reviews. I'm not encouraging him to invent faults, they're already present. If you ignore the bad you're not making a fair assessment.
I think what you distrust is probably what I like about the videos. They represent a positive voice about things to look into. It is enjoyable and useful to me to see a gamer I can relate to, telling about things that he likes.
I don't think that the kind of criticism you're expecting is what this channel exists to provide. I'd never buy a product without seeking a second opinion, but it's nice to be presented with positivity about gaming on a regular basis.
He certainly doesn't use a negative tone, however he does point out flaws in the product. For example in the Realms of Cthulu review, he says the product offers little or nothing to people who already own other similar products in another game system. That's definitely a criticism.
Because of the internet, and shows like the Nostalgia Critic and the AVGN and similar things, we've been conditioned to think that good criticism = being very over the top negative.
You can only be conditioned by something by the degree to which you're exposed to it. We're not seeing advertisements for the critics you mention or hearing people talk about them from news stories. You're only conditioned by them if you've been watching their videos. I watch NC but not AVGN.
I don't like negativity for its' own sake. It quickly seems forced as the reviewer harps on one element. But in these reviews it seems the downsides, which exist in all things, are absent
My point was that he does point out negative things, it's just done in a subtle tone. For example, the Spycraft 2.0 review points out that the system is very crunchy.
It's also worth pointing out that most of the praise is prefaced with lots of qualifiers. He's constantly saying "If you like this" "If you like that", etc.
Honestly, if you can make a better review, post it up as a response. I'd subscribe to a better review show myself if one existed.
Are Eden Studios still alive? Their website has been under constructions for quite some time now, I don't see any new releases or posts from them, the pirates sourcebook for AFMBE has been forthcoming for several years now but no concrete release date yet...
Almost forgot...Any chance for a review of the new Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?...been very curious if it was any good and if it still felt like an RPG since so many elements look like boardgame ones.
@lordmonfort I can tell you that WHF is pretty good, though very expensive. Each book is like $60.00 + tax, but they're pretty good quality if you want to shell out the bucks. It uses a percentile-based dice dynamic, and you develop your character through a tree listing toward what kind of profession you want to end up as. WH40k Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader are similar.
@Areopagus Well, the core boxed set came out after the game itself came out a few years ago. If you can get that core pack, go for it. I'm just saying that these books are probably among the most expensive you can get.
Getting this book out in print is now a kickstarter project. So far it's going really well.
VoraxTranstellaris 4 months ago
lolz, The Greys are in the Grey area?
Nerastarel 1 year ago
Eden studios has gone under.
BlackRazor54 1 year ago
Only just picked up the ConX2.0 book so I decided to get this to. Is this the only source book available for 2.0 so far?
Wavecaster05 2 years ago
In all these reviews I haven't heard any negatives. If you're going to review something critique it fully. Say not only what's good but also what's bad and why. The nearest he came to doing so in this review was to say he's bored w/the greys which I can agree w/but both the other races are poppy too (Reptile conspiracies go back from V to King Kull).
They could've come up w/new races but it's X-Files inspired so it's based on the most popular real-world fiction.
Kogerii 2 years ago
@Kogerii: He's already said he doesn't do negitive reviews. Watch his D&D 4e review to see him do negitive reviews.
SamyueruHikage 2 years ago
As SamyueruHikage points out, Game Geeks is about positive reviews. It's fun and easy to tell people what they shouldn't spend their money on, but more useful to tell them what they should consider. In term of critique, I think Kurt tells us those things he's "not so keen on". If those are things that would bother me, I'm unlikely to buy the product.
Given the word constraints of a video review, and the stated aim of giving positive advice, asking for more negativity seems to miss the point.
danco81 2 years ago 2
The point of a review is to evaluate something: to judge its' good and bad aspects. Him holding back makes me distrustful. For me to believe his evangel I need to hear the full story.
I dig these videos but they're moreso talks about what he likes in a game than reviews. I'm not encouraging him to invent faults, they're already present. If you ignore the bad you're not making a fair assessment.
Kogerii 2 years ago
I think what you distrust is probably what I like about the videos. They represent a positive voice about things to look into. It is enjoyable and useful to me to see a gamer I can relate to, telling about things that he likes.
I don't think that the kind of criticism you're expecting is what this channel exists to provide. I'd never buy a product without seeking a second opinion, but it's nice to be presented with positivity about gaming on a regular basis.
danco81 2 years ago
@Kogerii
He certainly doesn't use a negative tone, however he does point out flaws in the product. For example in the Realms of Cthulu review, he says the product offers little or nothing to people who already own other similar products in another game system. That's definitely a criticism.
Because of the internet, and shows like the Nostalgia Critic and the AVGN and similar things, we've been conditioned to think that good criticism = being very over the top negative.
worshipthesock 1 year ago
@worshipthesock
You can only be conditioned by something by the degree to which you're exposed to it. We're not seeing advertisements for the critics you mention or hearing people talk about them from news stories. You're only conditioned by them if you've been watching their videos. I watch NC but not AVGN.
I don't like negativity for its' own sake. It quickly seems forced as the reviewer harps on one element. But in these reviews it seems the downsides, which exist in all things, are absent
Kogerii 1 year ago
@Kogerii
My point was that he does point out negative things, it's just done in a subtle tone. For example, the Spycraft 2.0 review points out that the system is very crunchy.
It's also worth pointing out that most of the praise is prefaced with lots of qualifiers. He's constantly saying "If you like this" "If you like that", etc.
Honestly, if you can make a better review, post it up as a response. I'd subscribe to a better review show myself if one existed.
worshipthesock 1 year ago
Good review. Not my bag as far as games go, but I appreciate the chance to have a glimpse inside.
Chugosh 2 years ago
Are Eden Studios still alive? Their website has been under constructions for quite some time now, I don't see any new releases or posts from them, the pirates sourcebook for AFMBE has been forthcoming for several years now but no concrete release date yet...
Does anyone know what's up with them?
orendo 2 years ago
You should review Rogue Trader as soon as possible.
TUOTorronen 2 years ago 2
Someone's robot mom.
AnonGemini 2 years ago
How much new material is in this book compared to the first edition trio of extra-terrestrial sourcebooks that covered these alien races?
XBlackFlagX 2 years ago
Lady's voice at the end...... Still creepy.
MastaThief688 2 years ago
Agreed. It sounds like someone's mom is trying to seduce you.
walt776 2 years ago
Asgard = Best Grays ever.
OriginalNeomoon 2 years ago
Almost forgot...Any chance for a review of the new Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?...been very curious if it was any good and if it still felt like an RPG since so many elements look like boardgame ones.
lordmonfort 2 years ago
@lordmonfort I can tell you that WHF is pretty good, though very expensive. Each book is like $60.00 + tax, but they're pretty good quality if you want to shell out the bucks. It uses a percentile-based dice dynamic, and you develop your character through a tree listing toward what kind of profession you want to end up as. WH40k Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader are similar.
ThePenWolf 2 years ago
@ThePenWolf OMG where did you bought those books, I've seen the Core Set of WHF in $99 and it comes with three books and all the stuff you need...
Areopagus 2 years ago
@Areopagus Well, the core boxed set came out after the game itself came out a few years ago. If you can get that core pack, go for it. I'm just saying that these books are probably among the most expensive you can get.
ThePenWolf 2 years ago
Looks like more Christopher Shy artwork...very cool! I'm a fan of his work since the Transhuman Space line.
lordmonfort 2 years ago