AotI: Did AotI ever get reviewed?

[Mikura]

I know this is kinda late to be asking but I was wondering if any game magazines ever reviewed Aotl. I was hoping it would so the game would get some publicity and I was sure since all the added features and content that have been added since PSU launch a year ago, it would've gotten much better reviews and thus, entice more people to play it.

I'm currently on the February '08 issues of GamePro and EGM and still no word on AotI. I just wonder what the hell happened that caused it to go unnoticed by all the major gaming magazines.

[Gunslinger-08]

as far as I know, they haven't, which is probably due to the lackluster review they gave v1, and the resulting disinterest.

[BooChan]

I think X play (a game review show on G4) reviewed it.But the gaming media didn't care too much for PSU after its release. To be honest the game at launch was pretty craptastic.

[Mikura]

On 2008-01-10 14:15, BooChan wrote:
I think X play (a game review show on G4) reviewed it.But the gaming media didn't care too much for PSU after its release. To be honest the game at launch was pretty craptastic.



It was. That's why I was hoping a review of Aotl would help lift the bad image in the public eye and spark some outside interest in the game.

Had it been reviewed, I doubt it would've been earth shattering with perfect scores but no doubt in my mind, it would've faired far better than PSU did a year ago.

[KyEmo]

X play reviewed Vanilla for the 360. Not sure what it got.

XPlay page (http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1343/Phantasy_Star_Universe.html).

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: KyEmo on 2008-01-10 14:23 ]</font>

[Dragwind]

I've wondered this as well. Hopefully they'll change their mind and review it eventually.

[Mikura]

On 2008-01-10 15:03, Dragwind wrote:
I've wondered this as well. Hopefully they'll change their mind and review it eventually.



I sincerely hope so. There's no doubt in my mind it would score better than vanilla PSO did by a mile. And the game could certainly use some good publicity...ANY publicity actually. xD

[SubstanceD]

Now that you mention it, I haven't come across any review for PSU AOI either. Maybe no-one is reviewing it because it is viewed as an expansion ( ie- updated content ) instead of a new game.

[Silver_Wyrm]

On 2008-01-10 14:14, Gunslinger-08 wrote:
as far as I know, they haven't, which is probably due to the lackluster review they gave v1, and the resulting disinterest.


which was a result of the terrible amount of content released at v1's launch >.> I still dont know why sega purposefully started it so weak

[bahk]

On 2008-01-10 16:02, Silver_Wyrm wrote:

On 2008-01-10 14:14, Gunslinger-08 wrote:
as far as I know, they haven't, which is probably due to the lackluster review they gave v1, and the resulting disinterest.


which was a result of the terrible amount of content released at v1's launch >.> I still dont know why sega purposefully started it so weak



Sega likes shooting itself in the foot. Why else would they keep making 3d Sonic games?

[Silver_Wyrm]

On 2008-01-10 16:06, bahk wrote:

On 2008-01-10 16:02, Silver_Wyrm wrote:

On 2008-01-10 14:14, Gunslinger-08 wrote:
as far as I know, they haven't, which is probably due to the lackluster review they gave v1, and the resulting disinterest.


which was a result of the terrible amount of content released at v1's launch >.> I still dont know why sega purposefully started it so weak



Sega likes shooting itself in the foot. Why else would they keep making 3d Sonic games?


this unlock system used to really bother me but doesnt anymore, since there is enough to call it a full game now. I hunt for the rares now, they are good now, then they get more common but new shiny rares come, and you've got a head start on good weapons to helpy ou search for those. But the launch was terrible. not enough to call it a real game and *so* many people left due to it http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif not to mention lack of even A rank missions, advanced types, any weps above B etc. alot of people quit and never looked back, and bad reviews turned many away... I really wish they ahd released smarter >_< because now that i came back after aoi Im having a blast http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif and it feel slike a full game

[Mikura]

On 2008-01-10 16:02, SubstanceD wrote:
Now that you mention it, I haven't come across any review for PSU AOI either. Maybe no-one is reviewing it because it is viewed as an expansion ( ie- updated content ) instead of a new game.



I doubt that because EGM has reviewed Treasures of Aht Urgan and Wings of the Goddess and those are both FFXI expansions. Though I admit they had a very small write-up for WotG but at least they acknowledged it's existence. I honestly would have settled for that but AotI didn't even get that kind of treatment.

Also, AotI isn't like most expansions in that it IS a stand-alone game. You don't need the original PSU to play it unlike other expansions. It's more like an expansion and a sequel rather than a traditional MMO expansion pack. So I believe it would have qualified as a game to be reviewed.

[DraginHikari]

The winter season has too many other games that had higher priority on the list.

[StrongFiend]

Here yah go http://www.gamesradar.com/us/ps2/game/reviews/article.jsp?articleId=2007120515562597007&sectionId=1000

[Mikura]

On 2008-01-10 16:29, DraginHikari wrote:
The winter season has too many other games that had higher priority on the list.



Maybe so but even the lower priority games usually get SOME sort of write-up or review. Even if it's a small block in the corner of the page.

It just seems like this game hasn't been able to catch any breaks in boosting it's popularity. Though ST is to blame for most of it, I'll admit. Had the game had more unlocked content at the beginning, things might have been much different than they are now. This game honestly has a lot going for it now but it's just been poorly marketed and managed for the most part.

I'm really glad ST is giving us all these events, rewards, and incentive to play though despite the poor reception (At least on PC/PS2). None of it may be perfect but at least they're trying which is a lot more than I can say for the original PSO which to this day is still held in higher regard than PSU by some.

Edit: Just read the review on Games Radar. I'm glad SOMEONE reviewed it. It wasn't as stellar a write-up as I had hoped but the points brought up about the small community and being too little, too late are all true unfortunately.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mikura on 2008-01-10 16:56 ]</font>

[Silver_Wyrm]

many who were turned off PSU initially, it might be too little, too late.

that seems to be the main issue here

[goaferboy]

Xbox world 360 gave it 4/5. It was a short review in the online section of issue 61. A few quotes:

"The best possible reason to jump into 360s best online RPG - but you'll need to put in the hours"

"You simply can't play PSU without it, and if you're not playing it already, Illuminus is your reason to jump on board and have a bash. PSU is finally the game it always deserved to be"

It seems they quite like it! That review was the reason I got the expansion and came back. Good job I hadn't cancelled my subscription.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: goaferboy on 2008-01-10 18:38 ]</font>

[Yusaku_Kudou]

PSU does not have a public image. It doesn't exist outside the world of a few thousand people and no review will ever change that.

[Sekani]

On 2008-01-10 19:37, Yusaku_Kudou wrote:
PSU does not have a public image. It doesn't exist outside the world of a few thousand people and no review will ever change that.


The truth, as much most people here don't want to admit it.

[UnderscoreX]

So Ninjabread Man (http://au.wii.ign.com/articles/844/844327p1.html) exists in the hearts and souls of people everywhere or something ? The popularity of a game has nothing to do with it, more the fact that it's an online expansion. PSU scored an incredible average of around 6.0 anyways so i don't see why anyone would be looking forward to it.

[Tiyr]

Fact is, reviews are bought and paid for by advertising revenue. The absurd thing about most magazines and websites is that they very games they're reviewing are made by the same people who pay for all the advertising--and thus, indirectly, sign their paychecks.

Which is why the big budget, well advertised games get all the press. It's a racket.

PSU deserves far better treatment than it will ever receive, but because Sega's advertising budget is nonexistent, review sites and magazines don't care because there's no money in it. Sure, a few individual reviewers might, but they're well in the minority.

[Mikura]

On 2008-01-10 19:37, Yusaku_Kudou wrote:
PSU does not have a public image. It doesn't exist outside the world of a few thousand people and no review will ever change that.



That's true and I'm not going to deny that. I'm not even asking for it to have the coverage or spotlight of your big-hit titles. That's unrealistic considering PSU is a good game but it's not earth shattering or big budget. All I'm asking for is a little bit of recognition and publicity. Even your average games get that most of the time. AotI deserved no less.

I'm glad to see it got some reviews on the internet but it would've been a little nicer had they been in some magazine publications. Even if it's a game you're not interested in, you'll tend to read about it as you're flipping through the pages. If you don't, I'm sure someone out there will have.

I'm not asking or expect PSU to be huge or be on the same scale as most other online games. But damn, it deserves more than this. That's all I'm saying really. And I think had it been a bit more publicized, it would have helped. It wouldn't have been huge, but...it would have helped some. That's better than nothing.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mikura on 2008-01-10 22:25 ]</font>

[Ken_Silver]

I wished that some companies like IGN or Kotaku did a rewiew of AOI. I mean Version 1 did get the score that it deserved, AOI is a major improvement on the game. If AOI was to be reviewed like v1 was, then we might have a little more people playing the game.

The other side of reviewing a MMORPG, the games will always have improving qualities to them, thus a game would require a yearly rewiew, in order to properly show the game's quality as a whole.

If such a system was true, then PSU AOI - Year of 2009 would get a rewiew of 8.0 or something. My reasoning for this is: The sheer improvement from the abysmal PSU v1, new Attack System and classes, newer ways to play, some bugs being fixed and a much better storyline. It would still be only a 8.0 (max rating) due to the obvious flaws.

[Saphion]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thought the original PSU was an abomination.

They really should have advertised it (the expansion) more.

[Mewnie]

Kotaku? LOL

Games journalism.. an even bigger LOL.

"I'm gonna give it, duurrrr, seven soaring cocks out of fifteen, durrr."


Tiyr pretty much nailed it.