I read EW. I like it because I find out about movies and tv shows I wouldn't have known about otherwise - like Masterpiece: Sherlock Holmes on PBS which was great.
Anyway, they rarely mention video games. When they do, it's always the big new games, like COD Black Ops.
Ironically there's an ad on GameFaqs.com playing right now for Kirby's Epic Yarn that has the quote. "...the most adorable game ever." - Entertainment Weekly.
I read EW. I like it because I find out about movies and tv shows I wouldn't have known about otherwise - like Masterpiece: Sherlock Holmes on PBS which was great.
Anyway, they rarely mention video games. When they do, it's always the big new games, like COD Black Ops.
exactly, they're good with tv shows to watch and movie buzz and who has been arrested, but there is absolutely no reason to care about this video game review. it was probably just written by someone on staff that said he owns an xbox.
Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. -Albert Einstein
I'm pretty sure the author confused "worst game of the year" with "most disappointing game of the year".
Aside from the unique visuals, what was Kirby's Epic Yarn? It's a game where you go through levels and collect things that you can play with, often interacting with the environment in certain ways. When you've collected these things, the core of the game, you can head to your house and play with them. It's like a sticker-book come to life in way (although..in a screen...you get what I mean). There's no way to lose the game, other than giving up and getting bored...because you simply cannot die.
Boss fights are arguably pointless because they don't challenge the player or give them stress, just like Superman taking on a thug with no kryptonite. Couple this with the yarn visuals, cutesy little story sequences, and pretty much the game's central sticker-book-collect-a-thon core and what do you have? A game targeted directly at young children.
That's not to say older people can't enjoy it, but think about it. Kirby has always been an easy series in the eyes of virtually every gamer and games like NSMBW or Donkey Kong Country Returns are not particularly toned down to suit the "new" Wii audience (instead opting for that function that lets the game play itself to teach the player how to do certain things/overcome obstacles). Why would they not let you die? You can even die in Yoshi's Story, another game aimed at young children, can you not? Hence, there is certainly room for disappointment.
Like it or not, the writer's opinion does at least have some basis to it. When all is said and done, KEY is a collect-a-thon/high-tech sticker-book aimed at young children. Is it charming, fun, engaging and a great game? That's subjective to the player, and I would say that it is. But can you really blame someone for saying it's overwhelmingly cute or that it failed to live up to expectations? By some definitions, Kirby's Epic Yarn is not even a "game". It's an experience.
I'm pretty sure the author confused "worst game of the year" with "most disappointing game of the year".
Aside from the unique visuals, what was Kirby's Epic Yarn? It's a game where you go through levels and collect things that you can play with, often interacting with the environment in certain ways. When you've collected these things, the core of the game, you can head to your house and play with them. It's like a sticker-book come to life in way (although..in a screen...you get what I mean). There's no way to lose the game, other than giving up and getting bored...because you simply cannot die.
Boss fights are arguably pointless because they don't challenge the player or give them stress, just like Superman taking on a thug with no kryptonite. Couple this with the yarn visuals, cutesy little story sequences, and pretty much the game's central sticker-book-collect-a-thon core and what do you have? A game targeted directly at young children.
That's not to say older people can't enjoy it, but think about it. Kirby has always been an easy series in the eyes of virtually every gamer and games like NSMBW or Donkey Kong Country Returns are not particularly toned down to suit the "new" Wii audience (instead opting for that function that lets the game play itself to teach the player how to do certain things/overcome obstacles). Why would they not let you die? You can even die in Yoshi's Story, another game aimed at young children, can you not? Hence, there is certainly room for disappointment.
Like it or not, the writer's opinion does at least have some basis to it. When all is said and done, KEY is a collect-a-thon/high-tech sticker-book aimed at young children. Is it charming, fun, engaging and a great game? That's subjective to the player, and I would say that it is. But can you really blame someone for saying it's overwhelmingly cute or that it failed to live up to expectations? By some definitions, Kirby's Epic Yarn is not even a "game". It's an experience.
In my personal opinion (and I genuinely don't want to sound offensive) but this attitude is what irritates me the most with the majority of gamers and the majority of the gaming media: this notion that all games have to be "difficult" or "hardcore" to be considered a worthwhile game. It's just so narrow-minded. Kirby isn't a game that's trying to be "difficult," or stress the player. It's goal is a simple one, and quite a noble one at that: to put a smile on the player's face, at all costs. It's a constant onslaught of creativity and whimsy, of "wow" moments and platforming bliss. You ask the question "why wouldn't the game let you die?" but I have to ask, "why would it?" KEY isn't trying to be NSMBW or DKCR; it's trying to create a beautiful, surprising and creative world that gamers of all ages can get lost in and enjoy. There are plenty of games that don't allow the player to die, and KEY happens to get around this in brilliant form: sure, you don't die if you get hit by an enemy, but you'll lose all your hard-earned gems.
If you don't like the game, I'm fine with that. But I don't like the idea that all videogames have to a certain way in order to be considered worthwhile. It's a tad backwards.
This Entertainment Weekly article is proof that the mainstream media still, by and large, doesn't "get" gaming (or, for that matter, the meaning of the word "worst"). And I find that sad. If nothing else because by EW's definition, Triple Jumping Sports is a better game.
In my personal opinion (and I genuinely don't want to sound offensive) but this attitude is what irritates me the most with the majority of gamers and the majority of the gaming media: this notion that all games have to be "difficult" or "hardcore" to be considered a worthwhile game. It's just so narrow-minded. Kirby isn't a game that's trying to be "difficult," or stress the player. It's goal is a simple one, and quite a noble one at that: to put a smile on the player's face, at all costs. It's a constant onslaught of creativity and whimsy, of "wow" moments and platforming bliss. You ask the question "why wouldn't the game let you die?" but I have to ask, "why would it?" KEY isn't trying to be NSMBW or DKCR; it's trying to create a beautiful, surprising and creative world that gamers of all ages can get lost in and enjoy. There are plenty of games that don't allow the player to die, and KEY happens to get around this in brilliant form: sure, you don't die if you get hit by an enemy, but you'll lose all your hard-earned gems.
If you don't like the game, I'm fine with that. But I don't like the idea that all videogames have to a certain way in order to be considered worthwhile. It's a tad backwards.
This Entertainment Weekly article is proof that the mainstream media still, by and large, doesn't "get" gaming (or, for that matter, the meaning of the word "worst"). And I find that sad. If nothing else because by EW's definition, Triple Jumping Sports is a better game.
If it helps the argument any, I had difficulty with it and got stressed while playing it
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@Kid_A I do agree with you about the whole harcore and difficulty thing. But I ask this: Was KEY surprising or creative? I played through the game yet I did not see any particular "inspiration" in the gameplay department, apart from the art style. I`m glad you got a smile on your face from playing the game. However, through what does the game convey its joy and "discovery"? In general, I would say cuteness.
The gameplay was based upon utilising a strand of yarn to push and pull, reveal, swing, unzip, and more. But is this really all that unique? It's a multi-purpose tool, something commonly seen these days. Kirby's transformations mid-level were pre-dated 10 years ago by say, Yoshi's Island. The real difference is the method of control.
KEY doesn't "need" difficulty. What it does need is a player that's willing to look past the "game" aspect when purchasing...the game. Don't most gamers play games because they are games? Not paintings filled with depth.
It's a bit much to ask people to pour their imagination into something that's been publicly perceived as a game. Taken purely as a game, I've seen little evidence that KEY does anything unique or innovative beyond the (undoubtedly) original art style. In many ways, it is akin to Yoshi's Island (my all time favorite).
As a "game" today, is it not fair to say that it lacks a certain something that people look to? Hence, the author is disappointed that this dream world is not a "game"...which he referred to it as, (worst GAME of the year).
P.S.: I apologize for any spelling or grammar errors. My DSi is straining to type this. Also, I am a big fan of KEY. I`m playing devil's advocate for the heck of it.
Ya think that's bad? My younger sister got one of her little girl magazines, and on the front cover is Kirby in his yarn form reading, "Kirby's Epicness." It's this stuff that gives Nintendo games bad names, not some guy from Entertainment Weekly that only reviews 4 games about once every month and most (Usually 3/4) reviews being just a sentence with a letter grade.
The Artist Formerly Known as ballkirby1
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It's very obvious that EW had a 360/PS3 fanatic intern write up that list, then gave the credit to a more recognized writer from EW to give it credibility imo. So now I have to say this: If we can all agree that EW has very little credibility to be a valid source for gaming news/reviews, why do we actually care about what the hell they say? Nintendo may lose a few sales (My guess is about 5) from this, but most people who read this either have already decided whether or not they're getting KEY, or they don't care.
It's very obvious that EW had a 360/PS3 fanatic intern write up that list, then gave the credit to a more recognized writer from EW to give it credibility imo. So now I have to say this: If we can all agree that EW has very little credibility to be a valid source for gaming news/reviews, why do we actually care about what the hell they say? Nintendo may lose a few sales (My guess is about 5) from this, but most people who read this either have already decided whether or not they're getting KEY, or they don't care.
Ignorance will always be bashed for being ignorantly ignorant
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