Are gaming sites not reviewing games anymore?

[TVs Hasselhoff]

Anyone else finding it difficult to get a review for either Xbox 360 or PS3 on games like Lego Batman, Brothers in Arms, the newest Armored Core, etc.?

I can easily find a review for PURE, like the world needs another ATV racing game, but damn...

Even the console specific sites aren't reviewing much lately.

I'm usually good at tracking a review down, but I can't find anything substantive on these recent games, just previews.

Anyone got any feedback?

[le geek]

Perhaps the publishers didn't sent out review copies?

[slip81]

wait a few days. reviews for games that aren't Halo or GTA rarely are posted to sites the same day they release.

[skaar]

I seem to recall reviews for games being out before the game hits the shelves. I agree - something weird is going on these days.

[Gamereviewgod]

I can easily find a review for PURE, like the world needs another ATV racing game, but damn...

Play it. It's likely going to end up being the racing game of the year. Absolutely spectacular. Think SSX on ATVs.

[Lady Jaye]

Check out www.metacritic.com. They give out average ratings based on many print and Web sources, with links when available. Sure, the smaller indie sites won't be listed, but if you're wondering how a game fares, it's the best way to obtain an average and better gauge how good it's supposed to be.

Only thing: when the game is multiplatform, sometimes the review will apply to different platforms (say the PS3 and the X360 versions), and that's not always made clear.

Also: there might be a review embargo on certain titles, ie. a reviewer won't be allowed to publish the review before street date. This is being done more and more often in all spheres of entertainment (not just videogames), although a game publisher that's confident about its upcoming release will be less likely to impose one (the embargo exists to quell negative pre-launch hype, after all).

[TVs Hasselhoff]

Been to metacritic.

Big ol' XX for the scores.

This is just weird. It's not even an issue of small titles. Brothers has been talked about for a couple of years. And Lego has been promoted to death, but no reviews for launch day?

I'm sure PURE is fine. I'm just not excited about another ATV racing game.

[Lady Jaye]

As I wrote above: pre-launch review embargo. That's certainly what happened here, as major sites and mags should have received review copies.

[roxybaby]

I was wondering the same thing. I thought maybe I had the release dates wrong or something. What is the point of an embargo? Unless a game is gawd awful unplayable the reviews wouldn't keep me from buying it, and even if a game is that bad you usually know from all the previews anyway. Seems like they're biting the hand that feeds to withhold reviews past the release date.

[slip81]

Been to metacritic.

Big ol' XX for the scores.

This is just weird. It's not even an issue of small titles. Brothers has been talked about for a couple of years. And Lego has been promoted to death, but no reviews for launch day?

I'm sure PURE is fine. I'm just not excited about another ATV racing game.

dude, you are impatient aren't you?

metacritic page for BIA
BIA

there is also one up for lego batman, thought it only has one review listed so far

[Jorpho]

How do you think Metacritic compares to Gamerankings? I usually go there first, mostly out of habit.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

dude, you are impatient aren't you?

metacritic page for BIA
BIA

there is also one up for lego batman, thought it only has one review listed so far

Impatient!?!

Internet, baby! I want it now.

But seriously, recently I've noticed game reviews hitting later than release day. The latest Armored Core reviews didn't hit until a week after the game's release. I know there can be embargoes (sp), but when the first review for Lego Batman pops up in a WWE magazine, something is fishy.

Yeah, reviews on metacritic are starting to trickly in, but the first ones to appear aren't from the major sites, like IGN (sorry to use foul language on this post) or Gamespot.

And to answer someone else's question, I don't mind Metacritic, but they don't always link to a full review, so sometimes it is difficult to figure out what the reviewer was criticizing (sp again?). I can't get this keyboard to work right.