Video games need a new rating system

Posted 15.12.2006 10 1893

I think it's time for websites that review video games to take a huge step back and rethink the way the review these next generation video games. Before I start into this rant I think it's important to note that people do read video game reviews. In fact video game reviews GREATLY influence what video games people buy.

The video game websites all use virtually the same method to rate video games: Sound, Graphics, Gameplay, Value, Overall. There are some modifications to that but they are all basically the same. The overall rating is essentially based off of the other 4 ratings so it can have a small tilt but it's basically about the other 4 to make the rating. With that said lets look at other 4.

Sound, ok, sound does make a difference and it is important. Do you honestly think that sound determines 1/4 of how good a game is? I have played late night games with my TV muted. It takes away from the game but it's not 1/4 as good...possibly. I would give it a 12.5% rating.

Graphics. This is where I have a major issue. People and reviewers desperately need to learn that GRAPHICS DO NOT MAKE A GOOD GAME. Nintendo has learned that lesson well and thus their new game system does not focus on graphics. I take out my old NES system and the games are still really fun. Graphics simply are not that important to a game. Don't get me wrong graphics are nice and I do enjoy them but they don't make a good game. If I were to rate the importance I would say 12.5%

Gameplay. Ok folks we have hit the meat and potatoes of this blog. Gameplay is what makes a game. Graphics suck, sound sucks, gameplay rocks, game rocks. Graphics are great, sound is great, gameplay sucks, game sucks. Plain and simple gameplay is video games. I would say that it is 50% of how good the game is.

Value. This is also very imporant. If you have a good game on your hands then you want to play it for a long time. I say this is 25% of how good the game is.

There is more to be said here though. Oftentimes reviews simply fail to take into account anything other then the items listed above. Example: Wii Sports is a GREAT game. In fact I think it's an amazing game. The game can be played by anyone. Any age group, either gender, anyone can pick up a Wii remote and play Wii sports. It is fun for the hardcore gamer and it's fun for someone playing games for the first time. One thing that is great about that game is that you can have a hardcore gamer sit down with a non gamer and play at virtually the same level. Video game reviews fail to take those things into account. The reviews need to be modified to take things like that into account. There is Burger King cart game that was released which is a pretty decent game. The game is 4 dollars. I picked it up and played it for a while and really enjoyed it. Given that it was 4 dollars I would probably give that a 10 rating because of value alone.

The real problem with the current system is that Wii game reviewes are killed before they begin. Even if the reviewer loves the game they are going to be forced to give it a 6 or 7 max on graphics.

The other video game systems, however, are not "docked" for not having a point and click or intuitive interface. I think that if reviewers are going to start every Wii game review with a max graphics rating of 7 then they need to start every PS3 and Xbox review with a max game play rating of 7.

Lets hope that in the future video game reviewers will develop more accurate ways to examine which games are really more "FUN".

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