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Response to the review
Revofire
Member UncommonPosts: 269
I have to post this here because apparently the review is locked of comments, probably expecting to get bashed.
"I'd say that "degrading" theme was the entire focus of the game? I can't say you can review the game and list this as a pro or con because that is the theme. It's like going into a Steampunk MMO, reviewing it, and saying it has too much technology mixed with old times and fantasy just because you don't like Steampunk. Lol."
Note: I do not play this game, but that is a pretty stupid review.
Change your thoughts and you change your world. -
Norman Vincent Peale
Comments
i think it's the context that everyone has a problem with...
and the awful gameplay
The game isn't good by any stretch of the imagination, but the review is God damn awful.
Also it has to be said that the fact the author of said review locked away option to comment on it is shameful. of course it would be bashed when it looks like it's written by some overly zealous feminist activist.
Moved this post to the actual writing now that it's been unlocked.
Excerpt from it:
"I don't think it was a very well written review either. I'm fine with the score and the fact this guy seems to hate it, but he mentioned "degrading" and the like far too much in most of the categories. This seems to indicate he had a sort of bias, or is allowing cultural upbringing or the influence of other people's remarks affect his actual review and score."
I agree with the OP. The review is so full if bias it's not even funny. This is the first time that I see a review where the game loses points because there are bots ingame.
Other than that do a search for "shame" and "degrading" - the reviewer uses these words 8/9 times.
George Dimmock, a critical review is telling us how bad the pvp is because it takes no skill and is actually nothing but random tab-targeting, with the goal to shoot as many people as possible, before someone tab-targets you.
All you did was telling us over and over again how embarrassed you are because of pixel tits.
"Worthless review written by someone that was not the target audience and no doubt for some reason still love Age of Conan that had bare boobs, depicted rape, and overall stated that women were nothing more than items to be used and discarded...and that game was serious about it unlike this one which is all humor based.
This article was more shameful than the game...BTW, pornographic? Seriously? Is this the 1960s?"
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
Pretty much, I don't know why they allow these kinds of things on the website, not the first time I've seen this feminist activist stuff.
George really shouldn't be writing any more reviews since he is obviously very biased and generally lackluster at his job.
In just about every third sentence he uses terms such as degrading, pornography etc, like i said previously. reminds me of an overly zealous feminist activist and there is no place for such people in the games review department, because all they bring to the table is bias, without any objectivity or constructive criticism whatsoever.
Completely agree, the game is set on an existing IP. If that bothers you then don't review it. It certainly isn't hiding what it is from prospective players.
Lately the reviews have all lacked objectivity and have focused on personal slights, and most seem to regurgitate the popular trending bash threads. Seems to all be in response to the SWTOR review backlash, but whatever.
In short, I just look at the news and read the forums on here now, can't be bothered with even looking at the 'reviews'.
For what its worth, Scarlet Blade isn't my type of game, but spending the whole time moaning about the 'shameful pornography' just reeks of immaturity in itself.
I don't want to derail the thread, and yep, I agree the review was a weak one.
Just noting, AoC (and the books as well) is totally not about "women were nothing more than items to be used and discarded" in fact it has a pretty decent number of well-written female npc's who aren't the usual "damsel in distress"... Maybe it'd worth to play over again to refresh your memory
Even this review, which isnt a one, is still a better work of critic that what that guy wrote
Warning: very, very foul language.
Pretty much, I mean having a sexy MMO is fun but throw in some real gameplay too.
Just like AoC, sex pulls you in, gameplay keeps you. Sadly, the gameplay did not keep me. 
Be careful not to start showing the same kind of bias as the reviewer. One of the most known quotes from the books as well as the movie shows how women are in the game and come on...The very start of the game has you helping a woman chained up that was being repeatedly raped by her captors...and that is just the beginning of more than a handful of quests dealing with women being raped, kept as sex slaves. As for the female NPC comments, yes and those women had to kill their way to respect, usually starting with the men trying to rape them...
Conan got away with it, because it was being REALISTIC in a historical context because that's just the way it was...which shows the biased views against this game, which uses it in terms of humor and even more so in that its depicted in a more cartoon way, unlike Conan which again, was more realistic in its look.
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
I also forgot to mention that this is hypocrisy at it's highest possible level, if that game is so shameful, degrading, insulting, pornography oriented, than this site is also degrading and shameful because of the fact that Scarlet Blade adds were all over the place for months now, taking over the entire front page as well, so it's just a little something "professional" reviewer George should consider.
Also i wonder if it's mmorpg.com policy now to block comments under a review that they feel people, members of these boards won't like?
If so i must say that it's not very much in favor of freedom of speech which is essential on a forum such is this one, of course if the discussions are civilized.
I personally don't think the review was that bad. Every review is going to be biased, you have to understand that when approaching a review from any person. If the review was completely opposite and just praised non-stop about how amazing it is to see pixelated breasts and that it was the best game ever, people would complain just the same. While I agree that it could have been a bit more focused on other points, he did actually review every category. Everyone just seems hung up on the fact that he didn't find the pixelboobs entertaining.
Honestly, I kinda agree with him on the nudity. No, I don't care about nudity nor do I think it's shameful, but I have no interest in seeing pixelated boobs in a video game. Asthetics are important to me, but only after gameplay. If it was a super fun game with loads of interesting things to do and dynamic combat, I would still play it. But as for the nudity; I have an actual girlfriend for that. Or, you know, it's called having the internet and seeing REAL ones. Just sayin'.
The game is barely R-rated and that only if you include the concept art that can be uncovered. It is really just T&A fanservice with a lot of innuendo. If this is pornography, your doing it wrong. You find a lot more explicitly sexual content in movies, cable tv dramas and other games like Mass Effect or Witcher. I think what really upsets people is that the game is so unapologetic about what it does. It just takes this fanservice stuff and turns it up to 11 and then laughs it off. I think the fact that you can't take them seriously and they don't seem to even be interested in being taken seriously is what driving the srs bsns crowd nuts.
"Why you no feel bad?"
The real reason people should avoid this game is because for a free to play game it lacks a normal item mall in favor of a gambling casino. Almost everything worth buying can only be had in some kind of gamble game. They have taken this to the most ridiculous extreme I have ever seen an any free to play game ever. Beyond that the gameplay is very bland. It is not bad, just nothing special and rather grindy. The PvP areanas and zones are fun but that is about all you get.
All die, so die well.
Not biased, just tried to refer the mistake of the one-sided "women were nothing more than items to be used and discarded" statement... I agree with you, in AoC (and in a few books as well) women are sometimes victims, servants, or plain bystanders. And in other cases they're allies, leaders, lone rangers, advesaries, sorceresses, leaders, etc. As you said too, Hyboria is a realistic, functioning world, and women are not in there for eye candy as the main purpose.
ON topic (and as well your line "which shows the biased views against this game") SB's problem is not the looks either. At least imo. I wrote the same a few times on the SB ad thread as well
the game is very weak and mediocre. It worth the bashing on its quality alone, and that's my problem with the review too, that the writer also focusing on the looks and the t&a factor. SB could've gained the same low score if the focus is staying on the game's faults...
And the humor you mentioned, actually that was the only part I somewhat liked in SB, a few times it has hilarious lines
but mostly those are weak too, sadly.
I thought I would post my response to the review here too.
You have got to be kidding me! This 20 year old reviewer is going to school me on what is disgusting and what I would be ashamed of playing? For context I am 53 years old and yes I tried Scarlet Blade and had no problem with people knowing I played it and even showed some of my friend, not a one was disgusted. The response by all including me was a nice laugh. Some people take things to seriously and George Dimmock you need to grow up a bit and not try so hard at being an adult.
"Not only is this downright degrading but it’s also embarrassing to play. I mean, would you want someone to catch you playing this game?"
"Yet even these are brought down by its unashamedly pornographic approach."
"Scarlet Blade is a title you’ll feel ashamed to play, and is truly one of the worst MMOs of this year."
Just a few of his wonderful quotes. Scarlet Blade is so far from porn it is not funny. I saw nothing in the game I would describe as porn. I disagree with many reviews at mmorpg.com but this has to be the worst review I have ever read here. People like George need to get a grip. Scarlet Blade is just a game. A bit tacky, a bit sophomoric, a bit silly, and it has big tits! That's about it. Scarlet Blade is not to deep but I only played about 4 hours so I can not really comment about later in the game, it might get better. Oh god save me from this pile of porn. Lock up your daughters! Neuter your pets! For god sakes get your ass to confession!
I stopped playing Scarlet Blade because it was boring not because I was ashamed. For some reason the character kept reminding my of Nicki Minaj.
Pretty much. And that last sentence. LOL. Either way, I think we should file a complaint to admins for allowing them to lock the comments thread, that is downright wrong.