Games Xtreme SH4 review: 9.2

Onkel Neal · 04-03-07, 11:40 AM

Two guys from Games Xtreme took part in this review. It rated very well, I guess not everyone is put off by the game's bugs. Well, I'm sure some will be upset by the idea that a reviewer liked the game and gave it a good review

Quote:

Silent Hunter 4 is an excellent game, top notch in all respects and with a great deal of playability it deserves to be in every sub simmers collection. Not a game that you can finish in a hurry and one that has a customisable experience for hardcore fans.

I spoke with the reviewer just after it was published and he said, yeah, he knows some people will bash him for giving the game a really good rating, even in its unfinished state, but he said he was prepared to resist the pressure to ding the game, since he really has enjoyed it.

Neal

ReallyDedPoet · 04-03-07, 11:41 AM

FesterShinetop · 04-03-07, 01:10 PM

And a breath of fresh air to get something positive in!

Are you planning (or working on) an in depth review BTW Neal?

Onkel Neal · 04-03-07, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FesterShinetop

And a breath of fresh air to get something positive in!

Are you planning (or working on) an in depth review BTW Neal?

I am, should be up Friday. Will have the good, the bugs, and the ugly (ugly?!).

tycho102 · 04-03-07, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Well, I'm sure some will be upset by the idea that a reviewer liked the game and gave it a good review

With the v1.1 patch and the "flavored to taste" mod, I'd agree with a "9.2" rating.

Skweetis · 04-03-07, 02:45 PM

To be honest, I agree with a high rating. We already know the Devs are aware of and hard at work correcting issues. It's apparent that once they get the things fixed that need to be fixed, SH4 will be worthy of the Silent Hunter name.

Plus the raw modding potential that has carried over from SH3 ensures that either way, this is and will be a legendary title.

I love it!

Deep Six · 04-03-07, 02:53 PM

I think IGN gave a better review....But each to his own....Its sure going to confuse a whole boat load of potential buyers with some rating this game high and other not rating it so well....

Who do you think there going to listen to...

I know ....Onkle Neal!!!......Absolutely no pressure here at all....But SubSim being THE premier Submarine forum/platform.....I do not envy Neal on this task......

Deep six

WFGood · 04-03-07, 03:32 PM

I give the reviewer

! Despite some minor annoyances that keep cropping up, I love this game! I think the graphics and gameplay are fantastic. Also, I think for me the historical connection makes it even more enticing. I come from a Navy family which can trace its roots back to the Royal Navy in Nelson's time. I had/have family on the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, and who flew Black Cats over the Celebes. Maybe that gives me more of a buy-in to this game, but I play it all the time. I have saved all the files, but I even took SH3 off the laptop for the time being.

ParaB · 04-03-07, 04:08 PM

Sorry, but giving SH4 in its current state a 9.2 is IMO a bad joke.

Not even through VERY pink-tinted fanboy glasses should SH4 at the moment get a rating over 9.

davejb · 04-03-07, 05:00 PM

I think 'fair' reviews are those that persuade/suggest the less intense sim buyer to hang fire while the problems are sorted, but tell the devoted minority that it's going to be a good game provided they don't mind spending a few days (and perhaps a couple of $100 on upgrades) to get it mostly okay. Only fair to point out that for everyone with a long list of problems there appears to be another user with no problems at all, who is happy as Larry with it.

I don't think you can rate it that high with so many known bugs in 1.1, perhaps you might say 8 now, 9 when they get the bigger problems sorted? Tough call really - reviews ought to be 'warts and all' or you simply become part of the advertising imo, yet at the same time you don't want to kill the program off and initial sales are bound to be important.

As a matter of course they should point people to the mod forum, particularly to Ducimus' 'Flavour to taste' which sorts a good few of the niggles out - a public BZ for that, you carry on doing your own thing Ducimus!

1mPHUNit0 · 04-03-07, 05:04 PM

Ubisoft Counter campaign goes on
Another unbelieve company payed
Folks Folks and again Folks
Or maybe superficial approach

JFL1 · 04-03-07, 05:19 PM

The reviewer has every right to state that he is more than happy with the game... That does not make it a "fair" review, though...

When I read this : "I also have to say that I was impressed to see such excellent after-sales support, since a patch followed the game’s release by a short time and addressed some of the issues I already had ..." I cannot but really question the objectivity and/or the awareness of the author.

To rate the game "as is" a 9.2 is really not realistic. SH4 has all the potential to deserve such a high score, but, right now, it is closer to a 7 than to a 9... And that does not diminish in any way the great work the devs did on this title.

I also notice that the reviewer based his score on the fact the Subsim and the modders community will enhance the product and will contribute to make it a gem. I guess that the Ubisoft management will be very happy. They took the risk of rushing out a far from perfect product hoping for customers to be happy with a patch, and counting on the modders to do what they should have done in the first place... Do not expect other sims from Ubi to follow another pattern from now on... Why bother, since they still can get a 9.2!!!

alexoscar · 04-03-07, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ParaB

Sorry, but giving SH4 in its current state a 9.2 is IMO a bad joke.

Not even through VERY pink-tinted fanboy glasses should SH4 at the moment get a rating over 9.

I agree, absolutely.

DJSatane · 04-03-07, 05:43 PM

Whoever wrote that review must be same person who did QA testing for SH4 at UBI, which basically says a lot.

- just my opinion of course.

kiwi_2005 · 04-03-07, 06:03 PM

That reviewer got it all wrong....

It should of got a 10

04-03-07, 11:41 AM	#2
ReallyDedPoet Canadian Wolf Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada. The one and only, East Coast Posts: 10,884 Downloads: 946 Uploads: 5	__________________ Back in the Day

04-03-07, 02:45 PM	#6
Skweetis Watch Officer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cambridge, Canada Posts: 335 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	To be honest, I agree with a high rating. We already know the Devs are aware of and hard at work correcting issues. It's apparent that once they get the things fixed that need to be fixed, SH4 will be worthy of the Silent Hunter name. Plus the raw modding potential that has carried over from SH3 ensures that either way, this is and will be a legendary title. I love it! __________________ "Is the glass half-empty? Or half-full? Either way, when you're thirsty, there's water to be had in that glass." - Neal Stevens

04-03-07, 02:53 PM	#7
Deep Six Ensign Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England, Manchester. Posts: 235 Downloads: 104 Uploads: 0	I think IGN gave a better review....But each to his own....Its sure going to confuse a whole boat load of potential buyers with some rating this game high and other not rating it so well.... Who do you think there going to listen to... I know ....Onkle Neal!!!......Absolutely no pressure here at all....But SubSim being THE premier Submarine forum/platform.....I do not envy Neal on this task...... Deep six __________________

04-03-07, 03:32 PM	#8
WFGood Electrician's Mate Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: high above the big blue Posts: 137 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I give the reviewer ! Despite some minor annoyances that keep cropping up, I *love* this game! I think the graphics and gameplay are fantastic. Also, I think for me the historical connection makes it even more enticing. I come from a Navy family which can trace its roots back to the Royal Navy in Nelson's time. I had/have family on the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, and who flew Black Cats over the Celebes. Maybe that gives me more of a buy-in to this game, but I play it all the time. I have saved all the files, but I even took SH3 off the laptop for the time being. __________________

04-03-07, 05:04 PM	#11
1mPHUNit0 Chief Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 313 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Ubisoft Counter campaign goes on Another unbelieve company payed Folks Folks and again Folks Or maybe superficial approach __________________

04-03-07, 01:10 PM	#3
FesterShinetop Gunner Join Date: May 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 96 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	And a breath of fresh air to get something positive in! Are you planning (or working on) an in depth review BTW Neal?

04-03-07, 04:08 PM	#9
ParaB Chief Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 327 Downloads: 16 Uploads: 0	Sorry, but giving SH4 in its current state a 9.2 is IMO a bad joke. Not even through VERY pink-tinted fanboy glasses should SH4 at the moment get a rating over 9.

04-03-07, 05:00 PM	#10
davejb Sailor man Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Forres, Scotland Posts: 49 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I think 'fair' reviews are those that persuade/suggest the less intense sim buyer to hang fire while the problems are sorted, but tell the devoted minority that it's going to be a good game provided they don't mind spending a few days (and perhaps a couple of $100 on upgrades) to get it mostly okay. Only fair to point out that for everyone with a long list of problems there appears to be another user with no problems at all, who is happy as Larry with it. I don't think you can rate it that high with so many known bugs in 1.1, perhaps you might say 8 now, 9 when they get the bigger problems sorted? Tough call really - reviews ought to be 'warts and all' or you simply become part of the advertising imo, yet at the same time you don't want to kill the program off and initial sales are bound to be important. As a matter of course they should point people to the mod forum, particularly to Ducimus' 'Flavour to taste' which sorts a good few of the niggles out - a public BZ for that, you carry on doing your own thing Ducimus!

04-03-07, 05:19 PM	#12
JFL1 Sailor man Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Montreal (Quebec) Posts: 44 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	The reviewer has every right to state that he is more than happy with the game... That does not make it a "fair" review, though... When I read this : "I also have to say that I was impressed to see such excellent after-sales support, since a patch followed the game’s release by a short time and addressed some of the issues I already had ..." I cannot but really question the objectivity and/or the awareness of the author. To rate the game "as is" a 9.2 is really not realistic. SH4 has all the potential to deserve such a high score, but, right now, it is closer to a 7 than to a 9... And that does not diminish in any way the great work the devs did on this title. I also notice that the reviewer based his score on the fact the Subsim and the modders community will enhance the product and will contribute to make it a gem. I guess that the Ubisoft management will be very happy. They took the risk of rushing out a far from perfect product hoping for customers to be happy with a patch, and counting on the modders to do what they should have done in the first place... Do not expect other sims from Ubi to follow another pattern from now on... Why bother, since they still can get a 9.2!!!

04-03-07, 05:43 PM	#14
DJSatane Electrician's Mate Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 140 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Whoever wrote that review must be same person who did QA testing for SH4 at UBI, which basically says a lot. - just my opinion of course. __________________ DJSatane - https://twitter.com/DJSatane

04-03-07, 06:03 PM	#15
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	That reviewer got it all wrong.... It should of got a 10 __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.