blog on 1up: 1st bad review approaching?

[Grandmaster D]

Anyone following the developer blog (http://www.1up.com/do/my1Up?publicUserId=5879095) on 1up?
The site stated their concerns about the new contol-scheme in their latest podcast and preview (http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3162458). Kush responded in their blog.
Reading that, the 1up-guys seem to be unable for a 'normal' eye-hand-coordination and are playing their games on rookie only.
I like the way Kush defends itself, but it smells like a bad review from that site again for doing so.

[Xboxing2006]

1-up shares reviews and a lot of times opinions with EGM and I got the same impression with EGMs pre-review in their last issue. They gave NHL 08 three great reviews and bad mouthed NHL 2k8 for ripping off NHL 08’s controls.

[AKA AO]

2k kind of had the right stick before EA but EA did it alot better in 07, also i don't see why this is a problem even it they did kind of steal it, i wanted them to copy it. i don't really care about the name on the box all i care about is it has the good gameplay and online league, this 2k vs EA fight is just a joke to me all i care about is a good hockey game. i have gotten both each year but i might put off EA untill it drops in price or i get a use copy.

[Savoie06]

I would harly even call the PRO STICK a rip off.It really seems to be a EA fan thing to call it a rip off.Nobody mentions EA taking 2K's goalie control idea though.Each company has put their own spin on the two features.The Pro Stick allows much more control than the skill stick did last year.

[Grandmaster D]

They gave NHL 08 three great reviews and bad mouthed NHL 2k8 for ripping off NHL 08’s controls.
Could you maybe quote from the article? Read about the bad mouthing in it before, but it's not avaiable over here. Or are it just some of the sentences quoted on the blog?

I would harly even call the PRO STICK a rip off.It really seems to be a EA fan thing to call it a rip off.
Agree. In EAs game, you control the shot itself with the right stick, in 2Ks the position of the hockeystick. That seems to me a bit more intuitive, because it's the same on offence and defence.

[Rei]

Who cares about reviews? I'm not going to purchase or not purchase a game because of someone elses opinion.

1up does a horrible job reviewing games anyways. They're always the last to review a game and they never update release dates. 1up can suck my balls.

[Grandmaster D]

I'm not going to purchase or not purchase a game because of someone elses opinion.
Me neither. But being the sister-site of a very known magazine and known on itself for it's show, I think their opinion matters to some. But really interesting in this case, imo, is the fact that there is a developer that defends his title in a longer response, letting the previewer seem a bit unprofessional in it.

[Rei]

I'm listening to an hour long developer interview on gameconsoles.com and everything that 1up said about the game is basically wrong. I'm glad Kush stepped in and set 1up straight.

[hawks41]

I read the post and I think 2k showed that while you might not agree, they defended their product and again proved to me why I pre-ordered 2k8. I think there has been a lot of bashing of 2k8 on numerous websites and maybe this will shut 2k bashers till it comes out and then lets see pound for pound who is the best! Give'um hell 2k

[Xboxing2006]

Could you maybe quote from the article? Read about the bad mouthing in it before, but it's not avaiable over here. Or are it just some of the sentences quoted on the blog?





This is the same wrap that gave Madden 05 three better reviews than NFL 2k5, they also gave the mindless dunkfest that was NBA Live 2003 one better review than NBA 2k3 So I don’t trust their snarky Prereview. First they said the visuals are up to par with NHL 08 then they said the controls were a “****-poor ripoff of EA’s right analog stick mechanic.” They also didn’t like the fact that pass and shoot were on the shoulder buttons. As a bottom line they stated “For the second straight year 2k’s frozen pond has too many cracks”.

I think I'm going to email them and explain why the shot button should be seperate from the stick.

[Grandmaster D]

thanks, Xboxing.
“****-poor ripoff of EA’s right analog stick mechanic.” Wow..., just wow.
“For the second straight year 2k’s frozen pond has too many cracks” That should be placed in the review, if they really see it as that bad, but definitively not in a preview.

[HUSCLES]

After playing da NHL 08 demo and getting used to the controls, I feel using the stick for shots are a bit better. On NHL 2K7 IMHO you could shoot some pretty impossible shots. It jus seems like it's more natural wit the stick.

[FSOTG]

Maybe it's more natural, but sometimes you shoot when you don't want, so with the shot place on the right bumper, that shouldn't be a problem. I can't wait to try it!

[Savoie06]

After playing da NHL 08 demo and getting used to the controls, I feel using the stick for shots are a bit better. On NHL 2K7 IMHO you could shoot some pretty impossible shots. It jus seems like it's more natural wit the stick.
Let me first state that I enjoy the NHL 08 demo,however the skill stick does allow for some quite unrealistic shot.I had a goal yesterday,where my player reached behind him with stick and somehow managed to put a backhander into the net by the goalie.You could actually see my players arm going through his own body.Needless to say,players can shoot facing basically any direction and quite accurately.

[Fuzzy_Bunny]

I thought the 1up review was biased. Actually most of the reviewers when it comes to EA games and there competition are biased. It's almost like maybe a big company with a lot of money is influencing the reviewers trying to tilt their market share. Hmmmm who could that be. And as always about a month after both title comes out, sports fans ( not arcade fans) Chose 2K s the better game. So we'll see. But so far that 08 demo defense..(In the immortal words of Eric Cartman) "Suckz Ballz!"

[frosty_budz]

I thought the 1up review was biased. Actually most of the reviewers when it comes to EA games and there competition are biased. It's almost like maybe a big company with a lot of money is influencing the reviewers trying to tilt their market share. Hmmmm who could that be. And as always about a month after both title comes out, sports fans ( not arcade fans) Chose 2K s the better game. So we'll see. But so far that 08 demo defense..(In the immortal words of Eric Cartman) "Suckz Ballz!"

Totally agree. I also think that it's the reviewer's own fault he can't get a handle of the controls, they do sound a bit tricky but I'll bet you there are options to change configurations if you like.

EA will always have some review sites on their "payroll" in some manner.

I also liked the 08 demo and think it will be a great game itself, and finally online leagues. I'll guarantee you though that come release day and when people are excited and ready to play their online leagues/etc. and find out that they don't have enough "space" to host these leagues, I just know it. I hope I'm wrong.

[Grandmaster D]

I also think that it's the reviewer's own fault he can't get a handle of the controls, they do sound a bit tricky but I'll bet you there are options to change configurations if you like.
The devs. stated in their response on their blog that you can configure the controls in some ways and even switch back to at least one of the old schemes.

[ohjtbehaaave]

Bottom line is that if the 2K8 controls are as screwy as 1up states.... I'm passing on it. Good games start with good control.... and EASY to understand control. This nhl2k8 control sounds retarded and way overly complicated for no reason. Lose the turbo buttons and put the shooting on the R STICK!!!!
Stop half a-s-s ing it 2k! Make things happen quick like in real hockey... instead of button presses like it's a Tekken combo to get off a slap shot. LAME! Bad control= bad game.

[Snow Soldier]

Bottom line is that if the 2K8 controls are as screwy as 1up states.... I'm passing on it. Good games start with good control.... and EASY to understand control. This nhl2k8 control sounds retarded and way overly complicated for no reason. Lose the turbo buttons and put the shooting on the R STICK!!!!
Stop half a-s-s ing it 2k! Make things happen quick like in real hockey... instead of button presses like it's a Tekken combo to get off a slap shot. LAME! Bad control= bad game.

So... a sport that has players CONSTANTLY sprinting up and down the ice being made WITHOUT a speed burst is good control?

Or how about trying to deliver a bodycheck in your own end but the SHOOT is mapped the same as body check so you shoot the loose puck instead?

Or hey lets just point out that when i try and shift the puck to my left side I could very easily accidently shoot the puck?

Hainv deke shoot and check on the SAME stick is like having shoot grnade and SUICIDE on the same button in a FPS.

Thank you for passing on 2k8, now i don't have to worry about hearing anymore of your BS on these boards

[vanhalendlrband]

Its actually not like a tekken combo at all. If your untalented maybe you can't pull off the moves. I find the skill stick in ea to be ok. But i mean when do you ever push a joystick forward on the ice anyways? How realistic is that really? 2K is allowing you to be more precise with it, and i'm sure they will have basic, intermediate, and advanced controls for the pro stick like they did even on 2K2 on dreamcast, i've never hear anybody complain about those controls that actually made EA stop half a-s-s-ing there own games coughNHL2001-2006cough

[Grandmaster D]

And it goes on, read Bryan's comment on the blog-entry.
Interesting, that he only adresses one of the points.

[Savoie06]

Bottom line is that if the 2K8 controls are as screwy as 1up states.... I'm passing on it. Good games start with good control.... and EASY to understand control. This nhl2k8 control sounds retarded and way overly complicated for no reason. Lose the turbo buttons and put the shooting on the R STICK!!!!
Stop half a-s-s ing it 2k! Make things happen quick like in real hockey... instead of button presses like it's a Tekken combo to get off a slap shot. LAME! Bad control= bad game.
You say the controls are as screwy as 1UP states,but haven't even played the game yet :rolleyes:.You obviously never played with the advanced controls did you,because these aren't that much different.Not only that,but they can be mapped to the old controls while still allowing use of the Pro Stick.I think until you tried them,you have absolutely no room to judge.1Up are full of crap anyways calling the Pro Stick a half *****ed rip off of the Skill Stick.It's not even close to what the Skill Stick is,nor do I believe it was intended to be.To me the Pro Stick seems more of an evolution of the deking system 2K already had with the right stick.As previously stated though,go right ahead and skip out this year.That's just one less complainer on these forums :dance: !!

[Grandmaster D]

thought that little something which calls itself review is not worth an own thread, so here we go: 1up gave it a 4.0 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3162698&sec=REVIEWS).
seems like someone feels bitten...

[sf49steve1]

Why all the fuss? Who cares how someone rated the game. Yes, 2k will suffer because their control scheme is unnecessarily complicated. And it should suffer for that, because it's part of game play.

That doesn't mean 2k8 is a bad game, it's just one knock against it.

And I read back at the beginning of the thread...but 2k did rip of EA. The skill stick came before pro stick. But really who cares? EA ripped off goalie control. Is it really that important?

[Savoie06]

Why all the fuss? Who cares how someone rated the game. Yes, 2k will suffer because their control scheme is unnecessarily complicated. And it should suffer for that, because it's part of game play.

That doesn't mean 2k8 is a bad game, it's just one knock against it.

And I read back at the beginning of the thread...but 2k did rip of EA. The skill stick came before pro stick. But really who cares? EA ripped off goalie control. Is it really that important?
Complicated Controls or not,does it really warrant a 4 out of 10?Again I don't feel the Pro Stick is a Skill Stick ripoff and the reason people are saying it I have a feeling is because it came along after.So what,the controls are completely different from the Skill Stick in every way.Yeah the dekeing is with the right analog,but hasn't it always been?

[lions67]

im with the other guy. you HAVE to have CONTROL. without it, the GAME SUFFERS.
and dont even talk about 2k's dekeing system. they couldnt do any deking. it was crap.
now saying all this, do i think the game deserves a 4?....no way. i think it should be about 7.5 thats fair.
EA's NHL08 is the king this year like it or not. be it 60 fps or 30 FPS.

[ohjtbehaaave]

I don't let reviews sway me on sports games... especially hockey games. I'll judge for myself. If the controls feel like they were thrown into a blender I'll say so. If they work fine I'll say so. Hopefully there are enough control scheme's to find one that makes everyone happy. But with all that said.... the NATURAL feel of using the right stick which feels like your controlling the Hockey Stick for EVERYTHING... is the direction I want hockey games going in. EA gets it.... and now ity's time for 2K to stop the BS and put everything on the R stick. After you do that put as many 'other' control schemes into the game as you want. But the future of hockey game controls lies in the R stick deking and shooting.... not a ton of button presses. I want to take a pass, make a deke and fire a shot... all with it feeling like I'm controlling my hockey stick with R stick. Bumper, trigger and button presses sold seperately thank you. Don't want em.

[Savoie06]

im with the other guy. you HAVE to have CONTROL. without it, the GAME SUFFERS.
and dont even talk about 2k's dekeing system. they couldnt do any deking. it was crap.
now saying all this, do i think the game deserves a 4?....no way. i think it should be about 7.5 thats fair.
EA's NHL08 is the king this year like it or not. be it 60 fps or 30 FPS.
The King in your opinion and that's cool.I will end up with both,so I'm not gonna miss out on either.

[Savoie06]

I don't let reviews sway me on sports games... especially hockey games. I'll judge for myself. If the controls feel like they were thrown into a blender I'll say so. If they work fine I'll say so. Hopefully there are enough control scheme's to find one that makes everyone happy. But with all that said.... the NATURAL feel of using the right stick which feels like your controlling the Hockey Stick for EVERYTHING... is the direction I want hockey games going in. EA gets it.... and now ity's time for 2K to stop the BS and put everything on the R stick. After you do that put as many 'other' control schemes into the game as you want. But the future of hockey game controls lies in the R stick deking and shooting.... not a ton of button presses. I want to take a pass, make a deke and fire a shot... all with it feeling like I'm controlling my hockey stick with R stick. Bumper, trigger and button presses sold seperately thank you. Don't want em.
I agree sort of but I would like to see it implemented a bit better.The use of modifers to help eliminate OOPS plays would be a start.Say using one trigger or bumper to modify it to shooting and one to modify it to passing.I bet more than likely we will see the analog shooting in 2K9 so I can live without in 2K8 this year and get my fix of it in 08.

[Grandmaster D]

the next (last?) chapter:
In their latest sports podcast, two 1up-guys (including Bryan) compare the games. Beside a repitition of the previews/reviews, they come to speak to some criticism on those. Of course he could change the button-config, as some told him, but then it would be the "same game as last year" with updated rosters and minor improvements (the later only stated after he is directly questioned if there are no other improvements) and if one does change the button-config.(which is done by every "intelligent" person, as they see it), he gets a "pasable" game.
So according to him, a pasable gaming experience is in the game, but the package overall is "bad 4.0 [review]"? hm...
Also, they made the one-timer harder, but "how the hell do you score then?!"
Interesting: EAs new online leagues are "****ing awesome", 2ks are not even worth to be mentioned.

[hawks41]

Are the guys at 1UP go to school to rate video games? Do they have some special power to see glitches or issues that the general public can't see?...I think not.

They are people who probably who have no comprehension of hockey and/or don't undertand multi-tasking. To say that EA is king of hockey this year, in terms of $ then the answer is yes. In terms of gameplay...I think not. I have both and have played 2k more then EA's and have a lot more enjoyment. Like it or not, 1UP has not respect in this forum and they are biased!

[ohjtbehaaave]

I think a 4.0 score for NHL 2K8 is bogus and ajoke.... but I also have both games... and NHL 08 is just a better and more fun game imo.