@clefdefa: Great point about the creation of expectation. Going back some years, I'd look at a magazine and find out a game was releasing, a couple months later it would be released. NOwadays games are announced in advance by many months if not many years. When that happens expectations become unrealistic so even the slightest low review (a 6 or 7 for instance) becomes a major set back.

I some what I agree. There has definitely been a down turn in innovation but its not completely absent...just more difficult to find.

In terms of the internet, I alluded to that being a problem. everyone wants to get subs and views on YT and they need funding for their channel, so they get in bed with marketing and PR companies...allegedly ofc. Either way, theres very little critique and too muchfan boying or fan hating.

To the Moon is the only one I played and it was alright.

Well it depends on a lot of factors.

Take the new Mass Effect for example, its gotten a mixed critical reception with average reveiws from the majority of critics, something like 5-7. Now that signals a mediocre to good game but far from essential or great. As a long standing fan of the series, I will still buy it but only after a price drop and after I'm done with my back catalogue of games. thus, I'm not too bothered about what the reviews say in this instance.

However, if I'm not a fan of a series or if I have never played it before, I do look to reviews for some guidance and they can provide that at times, especially those away from mainstream game sites where you can actually learn about the mechanics of the game and the controls and the technicality of it etc etc instead of this IGN/GS bs of how the game makes you feel. GTFOH with that crap. Although GS has been improving in recent months.

I will say that if theres a big new IP, regardless of reviews, I like to try them out and normally end up buying them when they haveb ig price cuts.

@Planeforger: I dont appreciate you trying to pull the wool over peoples eyes. Each issue I reported, some which I experienced and others which I said I did not experience but many, many other people did are well documented. There are countless pictures and videos of these defects.

As for many new things to do, "even 50 hours in" can you please name me one new thing you started to do in your 51st hour, a new type of game play, a new story strand, a new enemy type etc, that was not apparent in the first 5 hours?

@Ovirew: I gotta agree, the art style is nice, I can't deny that at all. And I want to stress an important point that might have gotten lost in my blog but I did say it: I feel this is the best Zelda game since the two I playedo n the N64. That's saying a lot as I'm a fan of both Ocarina and Major and even objctively speaking, they are both often regarded as two of the best adventure games ever made.

But, a lot of what was in the 90s Zelda was pioneering, innovative even. A lot of what is in the current Zelda has been done before in many open world games and ultimately, done a lot better, a lot prettier and on much larger scale. That's my overall problem with it. Nintendo have only just caught up with what open world gaming has been doing for 10 or so years. It certainly IS NOT a bad game. I really enjoy it actually and if theres a price drop on the switch and Nintendo games are reasonably priced as well, I would have no problem in lapping it up.

I havent played Andromeda so can't comment but I have never liked the Dragon Age series. The issue will be just how well Andromeda sells, regardless of review scores. If its a financial success then EA will persevere, if not, Bioware may no longer exist.

@Planeforger: I'm curious, what is actually ground breaking about Zelda BOTW?

Consider that the definition of the term you used means "to pioneer and innovate".

I've criticised Zelda (my blog post should be back up soon) but graphically, although game isn't exactly a technical mervel, its art style is quite pretty to look at and the lightning is nice. It is far from ugly.

I remember it was on some old gaming PC, a side scrolling game where you had to jump over pits and snakes lol