Viking: Battle For Asgard Comments by Kristan Reed

I must confess that had I only read EG's review of this game a week ago I probably wouldn't have pre-ordered it and would have missed out on a really enjoyable game. Kristan's review made the game sound like a dull slog. I'm kind of glad that I watched 30 minutes of gameplay footage on Gamersyde first as that is what made me buy the game, the reviews from other sites didn't arrive until later.

yeah +1 darren,

I was waiting for an EG reveiw in ernest, but with hind sight Im just glad we didn't miss out...

-my bad wasn't sales figures-

Still, hope is it sells well enough. It will encourage a third game in the series and another positive step forward.

This was more open than Spartan, so I can only expect the next one to be even more open! My end goal is it resolves to be in the same free campaign scope of Total War. Longshot? Who else but CA could manage that?

'I love the way you moderated your ridiculous hyperbole for this game on here!'

Eighthours, not at all. In my opinion there haven't been many games that deserved more than an 8 so far this generation, as far as I'm concerned this is between an 8 and a 9, while it might not quite be as good as the likes of Crackdown (Game of the Generation so far, not including Wii games of course), its pretty damn close.

"All I see is people who have the game and have played it saying how they think this is worth more than a 5/10."

Most of those posts (at least the subsection that I can read) are trying to convince the reader that the 5/10 is plain wrong. That's all I said. I've stopped complaining about review scores (much) as they're all pointless and subjective. E.g. if you don't like online play much like I do or achievements, you can subtract 1-2 points of most games featuring some form of online play as it's typically all that hardcore gamers (= reviewers) care about. Or you can add a couple of points if the online features were executed poorly.

Arguing about a score is just futile: It's the opinion of someone else, not yours and as games are a form of entertainment rather than just a technical exercise there are few facts that can be thrown at the opposition. It's all about personal preference.

I am also glad the EG review was late. It might well of put me off buying this.

+2 Darren

Like i said glad i bought it early or else i probably wouldnt.

Feck I really wanted this, held off for the review and decided against, then read the comments and may just get the damn thing after all.

Does it have a similiar 'arena' mode to spartan where you can just fight wave after wave of enemies in a big arena? I loved that.

@DjFlex52 - You've answered your own question really. Dynasty Warriors 6 was reviewed by Dave McCarthy so he may have given Viking a 7 or 8 and had Kristan Reed reviewed Koei's game it may have only gotten a 5.
Also, where different people are reviewing games, it's not possible to offer the kind of consistent scores you're referring to since each is obviously subject to personal opinion and everyone is different.

@Darren

Then maybe I should rephrase my question :)
When it comes to books, movies and music reviews, there is a consistency in reviewer scores that have not yet evolved in game reviewer scores. Of course, there are exceptions. But other entertainment mediums have found some sort of balance...for instance, you don't have a folk music reviewer critquing a rap album as that skews cumulative scores for it.

So here it goes....Why is Kristan reviewing a game genre that he clearly has a different point system in his mind compared to McCarthy's point system on the same game site? Thats the consistency factor i'm dwelling on. Who do you trust then unless you know each reviewer's tastes and review scoring trends? Thats alot to ask a gamer to assess since there are so many reviewers.

At the end of Kristan's review he states "...save your money". To me, that means the game is not worth buying which means that a 5/10 game score says this game sucks. But other reviewers use a 5/10 score as telling you it's an average game. Gamers look at review scores as a quick assessment of the game....or so I thought. There has to be more consistency...somehow...someway :)

Does it have a similiar 'arena' mode to spartan where you can just fight wave after wave of enemies in a big arena? I loved that.

Not that I've found. A shame too, since it was really fun!

I have no problems with reviewers giving good/ok games 5/10. But then the same reviewers should give really bad games 1 or 2 not 5.
Im talking about games like Beowulf. If Viking is a 5/10 Beowulf should be a 2/10 max.

Im talking about games like Beowulf. If Viking is a 5/10 Beowulf should be a 2/10 max.

+ muscleblade

exactly....Viking 5/10, Beowulf 5/10 and DW6, an 8/10?
Something's wrong here and it's not about personal opinion and subjectiveness either.

Sounds like battle for ass guard.

I still don't see how you can have a consistent scoring system when different people are reviewing the games and they all have different ideas about what things make a game good/bad. The score at the end is just a number the reviewer thinks reflects the game's good versus bad points, it isn't (as far as I know) calculated scientifically. I don't think I've ever read reviews in magazines or on websites that have been 100% consistent across the board so EG are no exception IMO.

@ crea

sorry, no option like that, but if you want something like that, just dont kill that shamans in the city fights, then they keep spawning on you

@ commando

i think the problem is that it is not just a mindless hack and slash

sure, its no 80 hour, massive rpg, but there is variety and a story (barely), in a very arresting game enviroment, with some lovely effects, and massive set pieces.

It is a memorable game, which is far more than many i've played.

Not really sure why people are surprised by this low score. It was always going to be a mindless hack and slash affair like dynasty warriors or Ninety Nine Nights.

Like the DW that got an 8? And the key thing you're missing is that it's not just a mindless hack and slash game. Anyone who has played it will tell you that just wading in hacking and slashing isn't always the way to go. Viking is the type of experience that is made greater by the sum of all its parts, and i for one advocate a new game rather than yet another sequel. Or just another FPS for that... ;)

If you want to judge it against other reviews of similar games, then consider I also reviewed three Onimusha games, Genji, Ninja Gaiden, Chaos Legion, three God of Wars, Ninety Nine Nights, three Devil May Cry games, and others I've forgotten about.

I don't think it's even appropriate to bring the KOEI titles into the equation, as they're vastly different games. Viking has far more in common with the other games mentioned, and hence comparing those score is more useful. You're probably correct to assume I wouldn't rate DW very highly, which is partly why we get someone like Dave (who is very much out on a limb in defending them, but each to their own) to review them, rather than someone who actively dislikes those type of games. As it happens, I like this genre a lot, and for a while liked Viking too - just not the absolutely unbelievable degree of mindless repetition involved.

To further clarify, I'm not knocking repetition - most, if not all games have that, it's *mindless* repetition, which is what we have here, and what I take issue with. One button, thud, thud, thousands of times. The combat does not evolve at all until the very very end, when blocking and barging is called for. If you like that sort of thing, more power to you.

Speaking of ninty nine nights... A review by non other than krudster (RSI in a box 7/10)

Yes, but far more engaging than Viking :)

One button, thud, thud, thousands of times.

I've not done that one bit. I could do it but I'm not required to play it that way. You implicate it's the only way to do so. It isn't. If you played that way, gutted. But it was your own doing, not the game's.

Speaking of NNN, you seem to compare that to DW. And Viking is in NNN territory...but not in DW's. I'm confused. :(

Yes, but far more engaging than Viking :)

with its *mindless* repetition? ;)

krudster - "Yes, but far more engaging than Viking :) "

Is not! ;)

Personally, I found N3 to be far more tedious than Viking, the combat was weak and the environments were extremely dull but, hey, that's just me! It looked pretty at times, cutscenes mostly, but that's about its only redeeming feature as it was otherwise completely forgettable. N3 is definitely a good example of what I'd call an "average" game really.

Well, I'm glad I read the comments rather than just the review, in general I rate the comments as slightly more important than the review score for games these days; after all the review score is the opinion of one person whereas a large number of posts indicates a level of passionate feelings for the game. I think I'll try this, it sounds like fun to me.

I think people are putting too much emphasis on the use of the word '"repetitive"; I think the emphasis should be on "hollow" (i.e. in that sentence in the last paragraph "The game's central purpose seems to be to make dismemberment as easy to pull off as possible, but as soon as that novelty has worn off you're left with a hollow, repetitive experience which quickly loses its initial appeal.") The fact that it's repetitive is pretty much unimportant (nearly all games are basically repetitive) it's the fact that, for the reviewer, the experience feels hollow; that the fun wears out too quickly and the game never "deepens" enough to make you overlook the repetitive nature. Fair enough, I can understand that.

I think the xbox360achievements.org review was very good and falls closer to my experience with the game.


http://www.xbox360achievements.org/revie...

Just to clarify what difficulty did you play on, because on Hard there was hardly any mindless repetition in the game.

Did you not regularly use several different combos? Did you not get enjoyment out of the finishing moves all the way through the game? Did you never come across a group of enemies, take out the first one with a stealth kill (X), quickly take out the easier guys with a standard combo (AAA), use a Rage combo (LB and AAA perhaps) to attack a more powerful guy and then perhaps the jump slam move to break a shield (Y, X) before doing a finishing move (X) when promted. Or some combination of the above.

Is that what you consider mindless and repetitve? Because I don't like mindless and repetitive games, granted what I've just described doesn't have the depth of Ninja Gaiden and doesn't take huge amounts of thought, but it isn't just slamming the same button over and over either.

@Sneetch - If combat was the only thing on offer in Viking and the game was completely linear then maybe the game would be mediocre. However, this game feels like more of an open world action/adventure game to me and combines stealth and MMO-type quests with exploration and combat for variety. Sure none of it is exceptionally well done but the parts all add up to make an enjoyable and immersive game IMO that is different and less repetitive than the likes of Dynasty Warriors 6 and N3. It certainly feels fresher than most games on the 360, which seem to conform to the over familiar shooting, racing and sports genres so maybe that's why I like it so much! :)

Did you never come across a group of enemies, take out the first one with a stealth kill (X)

I recently came across groups walking in a single file, which (with timing) is possible to string together stealth kill after stealth kill by waiting for the group to pass and picking off the straggler. And it doesn’t just use the same animation over and over either - each one of Skarin's attacks blends together seamlessly into an almost perpetual state of time slow down as limbs and blood fly everywhere! :)

Krudster did play it on hard but he didnt manage to kill a legion Champion without being hit. I guess thats impossible if you just push the same button over and over. Still a review is just an opinion and Krudster didnt like it so he gave it a 5. Im sure most gamers disagree with him but that doesnt make his opinon wrong - but absolutely misleading.

LOL

I recently came across groups walking in a single file, which (with timing) is possible to string together stealth kill after stealth kill by waiting for the group to pass and picking off the straggler. And it doesn’t just use the same animation over and over either - each one of Skarin's attacks blends together seamlessly into an almost perpetual state of time slow down as limbs and blood fly everywhere! :)

Yeah I managed that a fair few times myself, anyone who can't get enjoyment out of that kind of encounter even on the 4th or 5th occasion shouldn't really be playing this type of game at all.

The only 'mindless' repetition the game has is the mashing the button to open chests and unlock prisoners.

Let me tell you of an epic moment i had in this game

on the second isle, i was sneaking around, and came across some vikings tied to a pole, guarded by three legion.

I stealth killed the first, and ran the second through with a sword. The third legion, an archer ran slightly away. Rushing him, i realized, far to late, that one of the stories mega patrols was coming up the road.

Too late, i committed to a fatality, and the mega patrol rushed me. An epic battle ensued, with a fully charged rage bar, and what can only be described as an orgasmic blood bath ensued. I actually was on the end of my seat, as i thought i could clear the whole patrol.

Of course, i couldn't, but the point was for a short time, i was death incarnate, and was so bad ass.

Yea, i died, of course i did, but the point being, this was just ONE small encounter of many epic encounters that will stick with me for a long time.

see Shadow of rome, i think that was more engaging than Viking, but N3, not a good example, i'm not sure too many people would agree tbh

Didn't kill a champion without being hit (but probably could if I could be bothered), but I did get a perfect ending - on hard. The achievements don't lie. I killed numerous giants without being hit, and killed the final boss the first time over. I am not good at games :)

Speaking of NNN, you seem to compare that to DW. And Viking is in NNN territory...but not in DW's. I'm confused. :(

@hiddenranbir

You're confused because krudster contradicts himself. He does refer to the Dynasty Warrior series in his N3 review more than once which comes back to my "consistency" argument earlier.

Didn't kill a champion without being hit (but probably could if I could be bothered)

if you can be bothered at some point one ice attack will do it, that's one of the ones on RT

interesting fact, if you play SF2 as Honda you can beat the whole game just using hundred hand slap constantly (and a bunch of people on XBL too, but they'll give ya bad feedback)

hiddenranbir - "The only 'mindless' repetition the game has is the mashing the button to open chests and unlock prisoners."

That's one area of the game I didn't like. While I almost understand hammering B to open a chest (assuming it's supposed to be heavy and Skarin is straining to lift the lid), I cannot fathom out why mashing said button opens gates and unties prisoners: why can't you just press B once and be done with? :?

Of the DW-style games N3 is indeed the only one I've ever got on with. Viking is not a DW-style hack and slash. If you want to be extra pedantic, it's an Onimusha-style hack and slash, which is where this, and most games of this genre got its inspiration from, and so is judged on that basis.

I probably should have added that to pre-empt the extra nit picking that would ensue from listing similar games.

shocking review and score, then again it is a krudster review

@Krudster

I dont need to worry about getting the "No Need For Immortality" achievement on hard then.

Actually

one thing i must congratulate is the braveness of not adding +2 to the game because it is British...cos if it got a 9 we'd prob be on Kristan's back for that...

you can't win being a game reviewer unless you give every game a 7, which more than enough sites do, and that's a lot worse than sticking ones neck out for us to perform an ice attack on it followed by a QTE

soo respec due, but you gave this and Tench Z wayyy too low scores mumble grumble

@Darren

"If combat was the only thing on offer in Viking and the game was completely linear then maybe the game would be mediocre. However, this game feels like more of an open world action/adventure game to me and combines stealth and MMO-type quests with exploration and combat for variety."

Sold! Sounding better all the time, if there's a Live demo I'll check it out, otherwise I'll probably just buy it for the weekend.

Stealth? Are you serious? What, wandering around pressing X on command performing one button kills is stealth? So the guy three feet away couldn't hear me slicing someone in two? One time I actually managed to slice up four monsters in a row by pressing a single button four times in succession. I wouldn't call that skillful or cool, it just looked like a broken game to me.

Stealth? Are you serious? What, wandering around pressing X on command performing one button kills is stealth? So the guy three feet away couldn't hear me slicing someone in two? One time I actually managed to slice up four monsters in a row by pressing a single button four times in succession. I wouldn't call that skillful or cool, it just looked like a broken game to me.

Theres just no arguing with that kind of stupidity...its clearly not a 'broken game', thats clearly how its supposed to work and if you can't get any enjoyment out of an encounter like that, then like I said earlier you shouldn't even be playing this type of game, let alone reviewing it.

I'm glad I got the game before reading this review. Wouldn't have got it otherwise, and I really like it. Who takes Kristian seriously anyway? :P

Stealth? Are you serious? What, wandering around pressing X on command performing one button kills is stealth?

Erm, well...Yes actually it is

what would you call it, you know, approaching someone from the rear and performing a one button kill? i'd guess most of the sane world would indeed term that a stealth kill

it's why the little character control hunches down, that's not a foot impediment made game, it's a lil stealth mechanic. Admittedly it's not splinter cell in this regard...

I probably should have added that to pre-empt the extra nit picking that would ensue from listing similar games.

@krudster

thanks for clarifying, krudster.
you should already know how nit picky us gamers are ;)

Want to talk tedious repetition? Assassins Creed anybody?

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