After not posting a blog in months, Gamespot and several other media outlets have finally done it. They've showed how ridiculous their rating system is. This is coming after the much anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 4. Gamespot, IGN, Game Informer, GamePro, 1UP, Gamespy, G4, Gameplanet and plenty of others have given the game their version of a PERFECT score. Ten out of ten. This has happened a few other times, but people may not grasp what this means. These "experts" are saying that there can never be another game that is better than Grand Theft Auto 4. Although I doubt it, what if in two weeks when Supreme Commander is released for the 360, Gamespot believes that this is even better than GTA? Well, the best they can do is give it an equal grade. I've played my fair share of the GTA series and about 5 or 6 hours of the new installment, and I hate to say it but it isn't the best game there has ever been and ever will be. That may be a shock to some(sarcasm) but that's basically what's being said by this review. Not to mention, Gamespot has two negatives written for GTA 4. How can a perfect game, which receives the perfect score, have two blemishes? A smart person will think about this so far, "Okay tough guy, so they give GTA a 9.9. Then the next best one is given a ten, and the cycle continues." No arguments here. That's why Gamespot, IGN and every other major review site should adapt this system:
GET RID OF THE 5-10 SCALE. Not getting what I mean? Allow me to refer to the review of Eragon for the Playstation 2. This abysmal action game received a 4.4 from Gamespot. The pros for this game are "Some of the magic attacks are fun to use at first." I can not even fit on this page the negatives. I'll sum it up as bad action, bad graphics, bad everything. Yet, using an actual 1-10 scale, this game would be below average if we assume that 5 is an average game. Yet, every indication points to this being a horrific gaming experience. That should make that game a 1 or 2. If you are looking forward to a game and see a review that is even a SEVEN you assume that there are many flaws and it is a disappointment. But in an actual 1-10 scale, a 7 is a very good game. That is where the problems have arisen. Any good game has been put into 5 categories. An 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, and 10. That's very limiting. Any lower, and the game isn't considered good. Here's the point. Get to using an actual scale with all of the numbers, one through ten. That will help actual gamers sift through the games that are just decent, to the games that should really be "must buys".
Don't get me wrong, GTA 4 is a good game. Not great, but it is definitely fun and that is really what is needed in video games. But it isn't a perfect experience, and shouldn't be given such a prestigious honor.
Final Fantasy X has always been one of my favorite games, and I just replayed it. Then I realized that I had only this crappy one paragraph review that was written years ago. Well, not anymore. I have rewritten it. Give it a read if you're not too busy:
