Why is this game not getting professional reviews?

from Stardock Forums

Greetings,

 

Why do you figure this game isn't getting professional reviews?  I know there is 1 or 2 with 1 on meta-critic, but that is generally not what I expect when a new game comes out.  Does stardock need to send out some emails with free copies or something?

 

Maybe Stardock could reach out to gamers a little bit. I occasionally learn of new games by scanning Twitch.tv for titles (that is how I learned about FTL). Stardock should grab a dozen twitch streamers that do FTL, XCOM, random strategy, and give them free games and 10 free keys to give away or something.  It just seems like nobody has noticed this game at all.  I think if they saturated a dozen light impact twitch.tv guys at once, they would collectively have enough viewers to get on the first game list.  When FTL was rising in steam charts nobody said where the keys came from, but random streamers were giving away free FTL keys every couple hours.  I don't know if the streamers bought them to raise their own channel viewers or they were given them, but it seems like there is a guerrilla marketing opportunity there.

 

 

On an aside, I can't figure out if I will like this game.  I generally like turn based strategy (FTL, XCOM, MoO, Civ 1 through 5 etc), but I never liked galactic civ 2.  I don't know what it is about galatic civ 2.  I played the demo twice.  I even bought the full game with expansions while it was on sale on steam thinking ehhh everyone says it is the super game.  I can't finish it because it doesn't really draw me in at the start and I don't feel emotionally invested in my little pixel empire.  So here I read peoples "best" list on this forum and they put galactic civ as a better game then Fallen Enchantress, and I think, "oh no that's not good."

 

 

Anyway, wonder why this game doesn't get much press?  Wonder what stardock could do about it?  I think maybe they could reach out to people and create some buzz? 

14,273 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I don't know how long reviews usually take to land, but I agree it is starting to smell a little funny. I mean, Stardock spent their dough on developing this game, not a marketing scheme. I would think that that would not make it ineligible for professional reviews. I see sites like Rock Paper Shotgun review indie games all the time with real good heart as well, so where's FE?

I have two theories, although they are just trains of thought more than something I fiercely believe.

First, I think reviewers are holding back to see what other reviewers are saying. With E:wom in the past, they are unsure how to treat FE. Maybe they don't want to stand out, be "that guy" that perhaps gave a really bad game a great review, or a really good game a really bad review?

Second, I _hope_ reviewers started playing it and find themselves lost in the content the game offers (as in - they feel they have to play through scenarios and sandbox to give a proper review). 

 

It is also possible that they follow some kind of review schedule, basically "feeding the websites" with a certain number of reviews every week. They'd do this to keep interest in the website even. So if there's a week where lots of good games come out, they spread the reviews over the next month if they're in for a cold patch.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Hey, for what it's worth, GC2 left me cold, but I love Fallen Enchantress.

As for the professional reviews, I think that this is a hard game to review. Maybe they are still playing it? :-)

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I thought Elemental: War of Magic was an excellent game, but marred by bugs which gave it mediocre reviews at launch, and thus bad sales.  That's a hard thing to overcome.  I'm willing to bet that Stardock was just being a bit reserved with early release versions of the game for reviews until they were certain it was fully cooked to avoid the fiasco that was Elemental at launch.  Secondly, the game released near the end of the month, which is an awkward time for reviews and magazines: Magazines already have their print material in for publishing and mailing.  

I think it's a bit off to suggest anything fishy is going on.  It could also, as Heavenfall suggests, be part of a PR idea to stagger reviews in order to save on PR costs.

Reviews will assuredly appear in the next few weeks, Qutsemnie.  You clearly have interest in the game, so just hold out for a bit if you have concerns. 

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah, meanwhile, we can post player review on various forums. This game deserve good player reviews, especially when there are trolls around.  -_-

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

the game has too much stuff in it and there's a massive learning curve. to review it properly would mean spending 50-100 hours with the game. otherwise you can only answer whether it was fun initially, not whether it has lasting value (which is why people even bother learning how to play 4X games)

 

anyways, most reviewers don't actually play strategy games properly before reviewing them (it would just take too long, and they would actually have to be strategy gamers)

it isn't that hard to write a few paragraphs about the game without really playing it (which happens all the time), but everyone's probably waiting on someone to go first so they can attach a "credible" number (meaning close to whatever the other guy picked) between 1 and 10 to their synopsis of what's in the game.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Well it's too late for me. I've already played enough to know it's a great game so I don't care what any reviewers say. It does deserve some good reviews though.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Give it time. It may take awhile because a lot of games have come out recently and this is a game that takes awhile to play.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

I know a couple of game reviewers- this time of year they are super, super busy.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Did I read somewhere here or was it one of Brad's videos before release... Anyways, I believe the statement was to the effect of reviewers being swamped.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top


I think we have no reviews yet because they loaded up the game and thought "bloody hell, we're actually gonna have to play this one!"

Games like Diablo 3, Call of Duty 24, Crysis 6 and WoW expansion number 637 they've seen it all before, so they can get away with a quick 5 minutes of play or even just watch a trailer before awarding it 10 out of 10.

Fallen Enchantress might take some time.

No of course i have not become cynical with old age...

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Heavenfall, reply 1
First, I think reviewers are holding back to see what other reviewers are saying. With E:wom in the past, they are unsure how to treat FE. Maybe they don't want to stand out, be "that guy" that perhaps gave a really bad game a great review, or a really good game a really bad review?
End of Heavenfall's quote

 

I'm not disagreeing with you, but it would be pretty bad if this was the case. They should trust their own opinion, rather than waiting to see what others say. Unless they're waiting to copy/paste someone elses review of course. >_>

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Yeah, I get the feeling that anyone who has reviewed it already was actively playing throughout the beta cycle -  already having a firm idea of the game. Coming in cold, FE is quite a beast to wrangle with, I'm sure.

Plus Holiday season means TONS of games to review.  But they ARE coming, and we're equally excited to see what they have to say.  :)