File this under “This is why we can’t have nice things”. Apparently, the Alternate Reality Game that Eddy posted about earlier, along with DLC already available on the day of the game’s launch and rumors of the game being a console port has prompted some raging Metacritic users to emancipate Portal 2 from any true Metacritic User Rating by lowering it’s score. Currently, the game sits at a 6.9, which is far lower than expected from such a hotly anticipated game.
So what exactly is the cause? As 1UP is reporting, the disappointment that the aforementioned ARG was a ploy to get people to buy/play Steam games, along with the alleged short length of the game (I guess they aren’t counting the co-op in this) and the -WAIT FOR IT- “obvious console port clues” was just too much for these monsters to bear. A cursory scan of the comments reveals much hatred for Valve, the likes of which not seen since the days of Left 4 Dead 2.
Just for fun, here’s a quick sampling of some of the comments:
- If you look past the $90 day one DLC, the obvious console port clues, and the $50 four hours of gameplay, what is wrong with this game?
- Absolutely no replay value, very short, very easy, very stupid and a console port (hell, this last one pretty much sums it all up).
- 4 hours. $50 Optional silly hats, SO RANDUM GESTURES XD and skins that were FREE IN HALF-LIFE 1 games. The gameplay is exactly the same as the previous game.
So…I’m thinking the alleged console port thing is pissing the PC fanboys off. I love the comment about the “optional” hats. It’s OPTIONAL! And just what caused this sudden rumor of the game being designed for consoles, but then ported to PCs? There is a disclaimer that reads “Please don’t turn off your console,” in the PC version. SACRILEGE! Even if it were true, which I highly doubt it is, no one noticed it until then so…what’s the issue, exactly?
I’m kind of flabbergasted and disappointed, but hey, it’s the Internet and I guess we have to deal with this kind of thing. On a daily basis. Do you think this criticism is fair/warranted? Should people use Metacritic User Ratings to voice their displeasure about such things? Speak, monsters. Glados is listening.
Source: 1UP
I think what brought the game so low was the ARG. I can live with a console port, as long as everything works, but I put my sanity on the line with Amnesia in the hopes that Portal 2 would come out EARLIER than just 18 hours before the expected date. Kind of a dick move on Valve’s part, even if the games and the ARG were fun.
No, its not fair or warranted. People are being seriously idiotic complaining about this. So lets start with the in game store. Everyone is behotching about how “Oh how could they do this, its not free, I have to pay for this, what capitalist pigs omg valve!” Seriously??? Its cosmetic!!! It has no effect on gameplay and yet they act like kids are buying a portal gun that can open portals on any surface or getting a way better character to play as. Oh so your character doesnt have a hat, big deal. They say its because valvue is just going after cash. Well DUH, any and all game companies do. Come on, COD BO is coming out with ANOTHER 4 map map pack, Ill have to pay for that too. Do I though, no, not unless I want it. Its not free. Game add-ons havent been free since Halo 2 days. I dont like paying more cash, mostly $15 or 1/4 of a games price for what is usually 4 maps, but if I want them, I have to. These people need to come back to reality and just chill out. If you want them that bad get a job and buy them or go earn them through achievements because apparently a number of them can be gotten that way.
So lets talk about the ARG game deal. So they got you excited to try and get you to play and buy games, are you that surprised? Again I say come back to reality. Are you really that surprised? Oh no you have been betrayed by the gods of gaming valve and steam oh noes! Come on, they are out to make cash and produce good games. Quit whining about this.
The game being dumbed down and short. Im god knows where in the game, but yes, I feel like its easier too. Do I hate it? No. Is 4 hours too short, no, not for a game like portal. Sure you have some argument with $50 is a lot for a 4 hour game, but what about multiplayer? Does that not count? Even so, some may find it not worth the price. Ok then, DONT GET IT. Wow that was amazing. Its like wanting a Ferrari but you dont want to spend $120,000. This is crazy, I never thought of NOT GETTING IT. Amazing. The price WILL drop anyways, its steam.
Console port to PC. I’ve said it before and Ill say it again. Take that up with developers. Let them know what you think. Also, pretty sure this game was designed on PCs for PCs so I dont get what the hell they are complaining about really. I think they just want to moan and groan.
I think the drama will die down. People are expecting to be given an amazing repayable hard game for virtually nothing and then expect even more free constant content. Maybe we as gamers are just too spoiled. So far though, Im ignoring all the drama over this. Just play the game or dont. Buy it or dont. And if you dont like it that much, then I guess go play something else.
I have something to state about this. Some people think that games like Portal 2 are IQ/skill/speed tests that determine how good you are at videogames and just rush through the game as if this was some achievement. Most of them didn’t even listen what gladus, wheatly or cave johnson had to say or explored the maps for hidden content. I mean if you’re a fan you would want to know every little detail about the universe. I found some hidden rooms and messages all over the missions. Some important and some not that much but still the simple fact that I knew there were “easter eggs” in the maps motivated me to explore. Can you really finish Portal 2 in 4 hours without thinking you’re in a race? I don’t think so. The single player had a solid 8 hours play and the co-op offers a lot of distraction and fun too. The commentary mode its very well implemented and I thought it was a great addition.Still we may have DLC coming and expanding the content. Although the source engine has been out for a while now, Portal 2 looked great. I never got distracted from the story and I have to say that the soundtrack for this game is great. With all this said, yes, Portal 2 could have been even greater but it was a very well written story and lots of fun moments.
Well, I don’t know about the console port rumors, but I definitely felt a little bit of lag on my mouse (even with VSync turned off) which is usually the indication that it was built with a controller in mind. But I don’t want to think Valve would do that =(. It was okay, I turned down the AA and it helped, just didn’t feel quite as fluid as the first game.
And in terms of DLC and hats and all that junk, I’m just confused. You payed $44 for the game, which is almost the cost of 24 beers in Canada. Enjoy it and shut your mouth.
WHAT THE DUCK ?
What console port ?
The metacritic reviews, I think, are written by either trolls or 12 year olds, who had to save up like 6 months to get a game they didn’t fully understand. I read, that some thought of the dialogs as predictable and boring. And then they were pissed about the character development of GLaDOS, which is utter bullshit.
And 4 hours of gameplay ? Utter bullshit. Maybe they think the game is finished because they can’t get pasta a level and think that that’s just it. The 6-8 hours the game delivers on the first playthrough is good, in todays standards. And it’s not just the amount, it’s the quality. And this has HIGH replay value. Friggin HIGH.
Day 1 DLC? How do the hats and outfits count as extra maps or anything that adds to the gameplay ? They’re just items, it’s like you can buy cars in a game for real money, like in NFS, just here it’s hats. Just here, you pay for something you can’t get/get randomly and this doesn’t add to the gameplay, but in NFS you can get most of the cars by playing the game and that does add to the gameplay.
And I loved the graphics, I think they could only improve some of the textures, they looked low res. But I like how they kept it clean, and able to run at 60 fps on a 1080p monitor with a 3 years old graphics card. Valve games always look clean, if you know what I mean.
And a console port ? Seriously? You already can mod the game, how is this a console port. There were no bugs in controls, no gameplay glitches that could even point to this game being a console port.
The metacritic is a great place to look for reviews, but this is just straight out trolling this time.
The funny thing about the people that are upset that the message says “don’t turn off your console”, is that on the PS3 it says “Don’t turn off your Playstation 3”. I think they were just using console as a synonym for system. You can’t say “don’t turn off your PC”, since there are Mac users, etc.
Well I’ll just go ahead and ventur a completely ignorant opinion: They’re just big crybabies. Shut up internet!
[quote comment=”16212″]The funny thing about the people that are upset that the message says “don’t turn off your console”, is that on the PS3 it says “Don’t turn off your Playstation 3”. I think they were just using console as a synonym for system. You can’t say “don’t turn off your PC”, since there are Mac users, etc.[/quote]
VALVe said officially on the forums that it’s a spring they forgot to change (if you need to exact quote, I can post it later).
And what the hell si everyone’s problem? Items are OPTIONAL. I’ll spell it out in case some people have “a minor case of severe brain damage”:
AU-PCHI-AU-NAL
There. And the gameplay was short because you already knew how to play Portal well. People knew to the game took about 7 hours to complete it. If you still think this is not an escuse, go make your own maps in the upcoming SDK.
/rant out
I’ll start off with a very brief description of my experience with the game. I bought it the day it released for Xbox 360 (yes, Xbox 360, so I could play with a friend of mine), I beat the single-player earlier today,which was a blast, it took me around 8-10 hours (I think?) to complete. I played co-op with my friend, and I was having the most fun I’ve ever had while playing online. Already one of my all-time favourites.
I think people are just overreacting (as is, seemingly, always the case on the internet). Don’t like paying for silly hats? Don’t buy ’em. Didn’t like the ARG? Get over it. Console port? Even if it is true, big deal, it’s still Portal2. This sounds like the kind of response you’d expect from a “HARDCORE” shooter player, or from a 12-year-old COD player.
People need to grow up.
Good news is the score seems to be headed up. 7.2 for the console versions now and 7.9 on PC. I guess now that the people who actually played it are chiming in, there’s a lot more good to say than bad.