kiwi Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 Just had a quick look at the Nov 03 PC Gamer issue - no UFO:A demo on the cover CDs, it's now advertised for their Dec 03 issue instead ... I don't know if they have the review online, but I had better give you all a brief summary of what I read ... Essentially the reviewer felt the game would please X-COM fans, but had failed to take the opportunity to modernise the game (using latest technology etc) and had some irritating flaws in the control interface. Sorry for the brief overview, but you're better off reading the magazine yourself & making your own conclusions .. oh, and playing the game of course If you don't want to know the score, then look away now! 74% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
systems Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 Ta for the news. I don't read PC Gamer though - can't stand any of the reviewers or the reviews. Gave up on it a couple of years ago as an advertising rag. PC Zone liked it though (86% I think). I agree that any X-COM fan should buy it (of course), plus anyone who likes Fallout: Tactics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 Hello one and all, The orignal report we had from the editor of PC Gamer was that the review loved the game, but when the review came in it was not as good as we had hoped. As for the demo - PC Gamer have a world wide exculsive for it - it will be on the next issue (they are reciving the code for it in the next few days to check and add to the cover disk) - this is an argrement that we have had in place with them for most of this year. You should find the game on PC magazines in other teriotires mid next month, and online sometime shortly after that. I can tell you that the demo is four playable missions covering most of the missions you get in the game, as well as a look at the research/development aspects of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted October 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 Thanks for the update Brian! I was disappointed to see the review score & comments, because no matter how much we might disagree with the opinions expressed, PC Gamer is the biggest selling PC gaming magazine in the UK so it will be very influential. Like the previous post from Systems, I'm an ex-subscriber of the magazine because I hated the way decent games were subject to indivudal reviewer's particular tastes - but love 'em or hate 'em, they can influence a game's lifespan & popularity so this site & others in the UFO:A community will become very important for UFO:A's future development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 I also stopped reading PC Gamer years ago because they gave all games with good graphics high scores at the time no matter how much the gameplay sucked. But I'll add this one to the reviews anyway I guess... Thanks for the heads up Brian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
systems Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 The above 2 posts sum up my feelings about PC gamer. Every review is the reviewer's poor attempt to act funny or clever. Then the final mark is rolled out after about 4 hours of play with 80% being towards graphics, 19% to multiplayer and 1% to the rest. It's entirely predictable that they wouldn't like UFO:A. It doesn't use the latest pixel shaders or run at 1600x1200. It has no multiplayer (they hate single-player games!). You have to play it for many hours to get a feel for the game. I'm still amazed that it's the UK's best selling games mag - I don't know a single person who buys it any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikua Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 I can't say much, as I haven't read the review OR that magazine in a LONG time, but ONE thing is clear. At least they do not cow-tow to the developers who give them exclusive deals. Of course, it could just be SMALL developer they don't cow-tow to... There is MUCH more to games than bumb mapping and 1600x1280@32 4XAA, 8XAF...And I *believe* UFO got the OTHER parts dead on!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raion Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 He, he, ha, ha! Of course, people may buy that magazine, but most people look on their on, on the Internet, and go by others. And of course, some people have been trying to knock down ratings, since some people come up with these reviews of 1 or 4, and have no idea, what is liked in single player strategy games! Here's about a game that is still selling a little now over two years ago, and of course its like this lately, and FPS don't stop us. Just the example of the mayhem:Look at how many ratings:https://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/civilization3/index.html That's hopefully where UFO:Aftermath will be later, and that is one of the highest in games there for the number of ratings:And the Reader's Ratings, always funny!https://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/civili...n3/readers.html Then years ago there is always XCOM:https://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/xcomuf...ense/index.htmlhttps://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/xcomte...deep/index.htmlhttps://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/xcomap...ypse/index.html Of course, I hope that UFO:Aftermath will lean in the category of the first example, for I sure am tired of Civ whatever version also: https://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/ufoaftermath/index.html And I never bought PC Gamer! But again ratings have been going through the roof -- so to speak -- so I just go by the game - as something has to be left for ratings to go up with newer games in the future and future versions! Okay, I done! If the camera controls and such is all that they are talking about, I doubt if that will make any difference to me!But thanks for adding it!UFO:Enemy Unknown is in the Hall of Fame, like Civ is, so as like I hope: UFO:Aftermath will be!And it should run pretty close to being Strategy Game of the Year to me!Without even having it, I can feel that it has that 'additive' feel to it already!A few tweaks, and it should well be on its way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samsmithnz Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 I currently live in the states, and I buy PC Gamer, but for such a big market, its the only good (and its very poor compared to PC Zone) PC magazine in the country... Its times like this that I really miss home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cutedge Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 I have PC Gamers dating back 5 years. 3 years ago, they had an issue that was over 500 pages. I have one talking about Microprose's new line of games, such as X-Com Apocalypse. Seriously, though. The magazine has gone down the drain. They're overly negative, for one. UFO Aftermath isn't the only game that has gotten a 70% rating that didn't deserve it. The problem is, sometimes games will come out like Elite Force II that are total crap and they get good ratings. Why? Like you said, the graphics are good and it's a FPS. They really have a bias towards FPS games now. I'm probably going to write a fan review from a standpoint of someone who spent a month playing the X-Com Demo that i got off a floppy. I really do like the game, although I have some minor quibbles (ie, the game is capital-H hard, there's some minor bugs (not a problem really), and some other things). For what it's worth though, Gamerankings has the game listed as an 88% average. Granted, they only have two articles (some of you should tell them about more reviews) but I think it's going to stay in that range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 UFO:Aftermath is not perfect, that's for sure. But it's a good game. Here's a link posted at the S2 forum: https://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/archives/re...00-08-17af.html Need I say no more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azxel Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 Everyone has their own experience on gaming. What suits you might not suit me. But as for PC Gamer (US) I feel that most of the time, their ratings are pretty good. UFO:A is out and I still cant find it on the shelves.. *sigh* the wait of the wait...java script:emoticon('???') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raion Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 I saw the magazine on the shelf at the bookstore. Then I saw my favorite magazine, and that Computer Gaming World, and none had UFO:Aftermath where I could see anything. So I bought some other books, and left! Still like the Hall of Fame in Computer Gaming World Magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amenable to Change Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 Hrm I never put faith in the words of journalists anyway but saying they haven't modernised the game is a big fat lie.The mechanics are very different, did he fail to notice it wasn't turn based for instance. As for the control interface, the default setup is annoying at times but if you take the time to customise it you'll find that the annoyances are small. I think the biggest problem with the game was they didn't pay PC Gamer to review UFO:AM, you know a few thousand in the right pockets goes a long way to get a good score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geri1980 Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 I don't like the magazine as well :hmmm: . But don't be afraid, the gamers which played the X-Com Games will buy this one an surely they will love it. All ohter Guys which played Fallout or for example jagged alliance will have a look on this game too. All of my friends (and I guess many ohters) don't look at reviews before buying a game. The first look is the deepest and if an Screen "fits to my thoughts" I'll buy the game. :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.R. Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 Can anyone scan it for me, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cutedge Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 Ok, here's a question. PCGamer US or PCGamer UK? They both sound about the same, but they do differ on some reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted October 8, 2003 Report Share Posted October 8, 2003 This review was from PC Gamer UK (the Aftermath one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raion Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 Oh, after the fiasco with Civ3, where any player could post a review, Gamespot started charging to sign up to give a review (from a player) in the first place. I see the same type of thing happening with UFO:Aftermath, but then, some players just should play it more, perhaps! Or be able to be on another Planet around another Star, perhaps. They charge now at Gamespot because of that episode, that occured there. And if reviewers keep comparing it to another similiar game from 10 years ago, I think that I should think that they are hypnotized and are really mutants now and that we may be really invaded on this Planet! Oh well, I wonder where that BS is, to drive this StarShip out of this Sol System, and does it really work? No! It does not!I could go on and on about this!But I think I hear their mommy calling them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZzzombieBunny Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 Pc Gamer UK kinda sucks with their ratings... usually they differ quite from other countries PC Gamer. For example Swedish PC Gamer, they have pretty fair ratings often... think Jagged Alliance 2 scored around 88% it also got some kinda monthly award if I remember correctly. Sometimes they just translate reviews from the UK version, with their bad ratings... im hoping they will do a seperate review of UFO: Aftermath, id reckon it would get at least above 80%... The game does suffer from some issues which needs fixing, simple tweaking here and there and making stuff more appealing (etc controls, research and mission layout and goals). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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