Dark & Eerie Games Thread

genkicoll wrote:I have some sad news.  Sportygal has deleted all of her reviews here, and I'm guessing that she's done the same at Big Fish (haven't checked.)  I'm thinking that the jerk who was copying her reviews and posting them as his/her own at Big Fish was the last straw.  I messaged her about it, but she hasn't answered.  I'm sad that she felt the need to remove her reviews even here, but I understand why she did it.

Sportygal, I hope that you see this message and know that we'd love for you to stay around and post, even if you never play a casual game again!

Crap, that's so nasty!!!!    Sorry and big (((hugs))) to Sportygal. I agree with Genki, please stay and post here, among friends!

TBH I only go to Big Fish a couple of times a week now, and quickly look over the recent release titles. So many of the reviews are gushingly positive over everything; they seem fake to me. I've noticed a number of key contributors, one in particular named pennmom36 (but there are others) who virtually always give 5-star reviews, to everything. And I don't get that -- assuming 5 stars is the highest rating and reserved for "the best", how can *every* game be the best??  Hmm...

It's beyond me why anyone would steal a review, or how s/he could think to get away with it. What is to be gained, other than false credit? Sad behavior, indeed, as well as maddening.

Yes, it is. And I'm sorry to lose sportygal over it. But she was fairly cheesed off with bfg in general anyway. I don't understand, sporty, why you'd leave us too?

Such a shame

Just played the beta for a new Eipix - Dance Macabre. Suitably gloomy to be appropriate for this thread.    - but very "phantom of the opera". The story doesn't feel at all original.

It's a very 'ordinary' game by Eipix standards.

Hey everyone... Hope you are all doing well. 

I'm bummed to read about what happened to Sportygal. That's just rotten of whoever it is that has been stealing her reviews. I'll never understand people. I swear it just doesn't make sense.   

Though I also agree with Rmom. I don't know what is going on with reviews in general at BFG. I stopped reviewing them when I'd get downvoted for not loving every aspect of a game. It's just not worth my time and energy, you know? I am also in the "once or twice a week" category over there too. No real reasons for me to go there anymore. I think they sort of shot themselves in the foot with getting rid of the forums. They were a reason for me to go to their website every day. Now that I'm not there, I definitely don't buy as many games because I don't see as many games. Ah well, their loss!   


Anyway, since it is snowing here AGAIN, I thought I'd play a game tonight, but I can't get into the ones I've tried. I gave Order of Light and Blood Ruby a quick trial. Meh. Not really what I'm in the mood for. Not sure what I am in the mood for though. Just something totally absorbing, you know?

I am embarrassed to say I realize I have some terrific-rated games I haven't even played yet, like HE: Smithsonian Hope Diamond, Enigmatis 2 and MCF: Fate's Carnival. So these are my MUSTS this week... but in truth I have a real hankering to replay Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker.  

Rmom might have the right idea. Maybe I should just play something I have already played and know I like!

  

Maybe even Vanishing Hitchhiker!

What the hell, why don't we all play it!   I'm not having any luck on Fallout, and I know that I can play Shiver!  *goes off to install*

I'm in! It's downloading now.   (Sadly, this is the emoticon with which I identify most often... apparently I'm a spazz!)

Heehee it's all Justy's fault; since posting her Shiver review here we've all got it on the brain.    
Off to reinstall it myself.

JustTheFacts wrote:Just played the beta for a new Eipix - Dance Macabre. Suitably gloomy to be appropriate for this thread.    - but very "phantom of the opera". The story doesn't feel at all original.

It's a very 'ordinary' game by Eipix standards.

You got me right there - I LOVE Phantom Of THe Opera, so this game should be right up my street.    


On another sort, I was sad to read about SportyGal.  Whoever was stealing her reviews - that's low.   

So are we just going to start? Or do we wait for Genki to shoot a pistol or wave a flag or something? 


Inquiring minds


 

lol~  I'm ready when y'all are.  We can do this informally and just talk about it here, or I can start a group play thread -- whatever you like~

Ooh, I think maybe start a group play thread? Cause on the regular D&E thread:
1) our game posts will get mixed up with all the regular posts, and
2) GGGers who aren't playing Shiver:VF might feel out of the loop, so to speak.

Okie dokie, artichokie! Works for me too.  

Good points!  Off I go!

EDIT:  Here's the thread!  Shiver 1: Vanishing Hitchhiker Group Play

Okay! Just finished downloading.    Will be watching one episode of Breaking Bad with DH, then will be back to get some playtime in before bed.  

lol, luvtoread, I love Australian accents, too!!

I am truly saddened to read about Sportygal pulling her Reviews, but I do understand where she's coming from.
For someone to be so blatant as to copy hers and JustTheFacts reviews word for word, I just don't know why they would do that.
I do hope she comes back here. I really appreciate the time and effort everyone puts into their reviews.

Speaking of Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker (my #1 favorite spooky game), I needed to use the printer yesterday on my old & ancient desktop. Since she's very picky anymore & will only play certain games when she's in the mood, I decided to replay Hitchhiker to see if it still worked.
I could tell a big difference in today's games compared to older games. Yes, we do visit the same hidden object scenes at least twice, no voice-overs except the storyteller's, but the same ambience of evil lurking is present.
I do love this game!

Yes, you've got me thinking about Shiver again now too!! But I'm thinking I'm hankering after Shiver 3.

The Dance Macabre does look to be interesting Frodo. There's a link to it at the top of the Beta trials thread.

That thief actually copied a paragraph of my review too - same review. If sportygal hadn't led me to read where they copied hers, I would never have known. So it is possible to get away with it - but the fool posted it in 3 places, so there was more chance someone would notice it. Makes me want to go back and read every review on same games as mine to see if it was the first time!

Can you imagine? 550 JTF reviews x 5 say of others! God I'd be there till hell freezes over!!

JustTheFacts, yeah, I saw the link in Beta Trials thread, and downloaded it, and loved it!  Can't wait for the full game to come out.    

 So the 2 games I'm most looking forward to, are Bad Omen (seeems like I've been waiting for that one since forever!   ), and Danse Macabre.   

Bad Omens, hmm, don't have that one.

JustTheFacts wrote:Bad Omens, hmm, don't have that one.

Genki identified it on THIS PAGE , when I couldn't remember the name of it.    

I would love to read your review of it, JustTheFacts, if you feel like writing one.  It's one CREEPY game, from what I've seen.   


EDIT:  Genki added the YouTube trailer in her post, so you can see what it's like.   

Watched the trailer and found the link, so will do a review later tonight. Definitely creeeeepy! Was more like watching a movie than playing a game at first though, while we may not mind it, I suspect it will create marketing headaches for big fish. That sort of thing may explain the delay, I guess.

Well I'm here because my email and PM boxes have been going off like a firecracker. I honestly didn't think it would matter if I left here or not as I'm not one to start a thread like I use to read at Big Fish when they had the chat going but they'd end up staying. I guess trying to get people to beg them to stay and well that is just my style. That's why I thought I'd just try and do it quietly but I'll address it and I hope I don't tick anyone off as that is NOT my intent. Oh and HELL NO this definitely is NOT a beg me to stay post but since I'm being discussed here well I'll address it!

I removed my reviews for a few reasons. Yes the copying had a bit to do with it plus I just didn't feel they were needed here as my like/dislike of games seems to be very different from most that post here. I just kinda felt like an outsider. Please don't get me wrong as no one here has done me wrong just that most here are really good friends from my readings. I just felt like I was intruding on people's discussions. A part of this has to do with myself though being like an outsider cause I'm not really much of a group person. Oh yes I'll go and participate in a discussion but then I find if I get too involved an anxiety comes over me and I start to get overwhelmed.  I'm usually an extreme introvert especially my life outside the internet here. I don't like crowds. I'm only about 2 hours from Chicago but don't go there cause it overwhelms me.  I really keep to myself. It has nothing to do with being shy though cause I'm quite outspoken and tend to say what I think and it can and has gotten me into trouble at times.

Lets see to best describe me. If you've ever seen the 1985 movie Mask starring Cher and Sam Elliot well while I look nothing like Cher but her character in this movie would best describe me especially when she goes to the school to have "a talk" with the principal and asking him if they teach (sorry can't remember the subjects as it's been awhile since I've seen the movie) well those are his needs. THIS would describe me perfect.

I also seem to have a different meaning of "review" than most people. I'm also far from the best review writer ever. I would never claim such a title. I do want to get that said and out of the way. While I don't depend upon reviews well I've always liked to read for peoples thoughts.  A review to me is if someone is telling me a game is 4, 5 star, 10 out of 10 and especially game of the year I guess I don't understand why the demo review? Well actually I do. It's more of a race it seems to get to the forum and especially the main page for helpful votes. Yes there are a few at Big Fish who do give me the impression that if they aren't one of the first to get to the forum well people can't make a buying decision without them. Well I've seen many come and go and Big Fish. Myself included as yes I've removed my reviews from their forum because I received a shitty PM from one of their mods telling me to keep my posts on topic in the review thread. Well the one and only time I've went off topic on their review thread is when someone copied my review three times. Other than that just about every review I've put in that forum has been on completed game play. I wasn't upset they removed my posts as I was fully expecting them to. I know I even started it off with "I know this will be removed but I don't care." But what irks me about them is their so called forum rules should apply to EVERYONE and yes that means me and since they don't I left the forum part plus I was getting nausea from all the name and say demo reviews.  I mean I don't review every game and sometimes it's awhile before I do and well I see people are still buying them. I would sure hope so! I mean the game has only been on the site for an hour  (sometimes less) maybe two tops and I'm reading these kind of "reviews" already??

I've also read where people say they don't have time or have limited download space on their computer but they seem to expect so much from others and  then get pissy if your opinion doesn't agree with theirs especially when they've only played the demo and not the whole game. This part here is referring to some of the people that post at Big Fish. Well while my time is definitely no important than anyone else well their time isn't any more important than mine especially if they are going to get "pissy" just because my opinion doesn't match theirs.  It takes download memory off my computer to download a game as well. Also in regards to not having the time. I quite recall when Big Fish rolled out this so called "review" on the main page well I was going through two knee replacements at that time. Was off work for 3 weeks for one knee, went back to work with a walker up into the day before my second surgery  on the other knee working 12 hour days. Was off another 3 weeks then went back to work again and I managed to play and give proper reviews to games meaning if I thought they were worthy of 4 and especially 5 stars well I completed them and yes even if it took me awhile. People always manage to eventually find my reviews leaving their "vote" if they liked it or not. I'm no longer part of the work force as of last year and a lot of that has to do with not taking the proper time to recover as I rushed back to work just to get treated like shit!

This is what "review" writing is all about to me trying to help people find the games they like. Please don't get me wrong here: Just because I complete a game that doesn't necessary mean that the person who reads my review and downloads the game they will like it too but I guess my point is they are getting my "honest" opinion on the whole game. Demos don't tell the whole story as mentioned here on another thread. Game play and such can go quite down the hill after the demo. Actually I've had a few games here recent that have and I know I can't be the only one.  If they agree with it well that's fine and if they don't that's fine too but since it's my review and my time playing well of course it will be my opinion. The only games I could see doing a demo on is the free to play and that is because the developer adds new levels to those. I mean the majority of these games on Big Fish only take a few hours to play them.

Just my opinion of course but anyone who writes reviews for "helpful" votes well it seems to me they write them for the wrong reason.  I write them because I love games and yes I do try my best to write as helpful as possible. Also write them for the developers in hopes to get more games I like.  I do question now whether anything below 5 stars gets to the developer since Big Fish changed to this highest rating first. You don't honestly think I believe that people mark my reviews helpful because they like me or my reviews? Oh a few do and the reason I believe them is NOT because they told me so but I've seen the games they play and our likes/dislikes are so different. In other words while they may not agree with my opinion they respect it but I'd say most only mark me helpful because what I wrote just happened to agree with their opinion.

I''ll still be reviewing on the main page though cause games is my love and keeps my sanity. Big Fish is unfortunately the only site other than Game House which I won't go back there that has games and a star rating review system that I know of cause I do like giving the games ratings but they have been told by me that they will have to work A LOT harder to get a 5 star review out of me as I'm not like the majority of their reviewers I don't need to be front and center on their main page.

So to anyone here who likes my review well that''s great I'm glad to read that is if you like them though my opinion may be different than yours but if you only like them cause what I write happens to agree with your opinion well I'd much rather you didn't.  And to those who don't well that's fine to.

Sorry didn't mean to make this so long!  

Well once again I hope I haven't ticked anyone off but since some here asked and have been inquiring that's why I'm addressing it.

Hi Sportygal, I am glad you came in to let us know why you left. As the only demo reviewer here, I understand that some of your criticisms are aimed at me. We've both known where we stand on that issue for a while now, and I hope you know I have always respected your opinion on the matter.

I agree completed game reviews are always better than demo reviews, but the demos have their place too. I am content to do one demo review and one completed game review per day, because I have the time and the inclination to do so. I think there's room in the world for both.

For what it is worth, Double Games have a rating reviewing system and seem to be in desperate need of a reliable supply of reviews. They don't have a voting system for helpful, but that's a plus for you, right?

Hope to continue seeing your reviews on the BFG web page...  

I don't see anything in your post that would tick anyone off.  I personally really liked having the contrasting opinions here, and I enjoyed reading your reviews, to boot!

I'm sorry that you feel like an outsider, but I completely understand the feeling of being overwhelmed in social situations.  Too much input!  I, myself, shut down in rooms full of people I don't know; your typical wallflower.  I even kind of enter my own little world, kind of a protective shell, just going to the store.  Like you, I can be very outgoing if the situation demands it.  A world of contrasts, that's me... or it can be

As I said, I hope that you will pop in and post a thought here and there, even if you don't want to have your reviews here.  You are always welcome