Game reception and rating: Silent hill 2

Silent Hill 2 was positively received, selling over one million copies in the month of its release in North America, Japan and Europe, with the most units sold in North America.[71] Since then, Silent Hill 2 has also been re-released as a Greatest Hits game.[72]

Critical reaction to the game was generally favorable. Rating aggregation site Game Rankings shows an average rating of 85.77% for the PS2 version,[63] 82.40% for the Xbox version,[64] and 70.33% for the PC version.[65] Rating aggregation site Metacritic shows an average rating of 89 out of 100 for the PS2 version,[66] 84 out of 100 for the Xbox version,[67] and 70 out of 100 for the PC version.[61]

Reviews of the original PS2 game were mostly positive. While noting that the game "doesn't break any molds or revolutionize the survival-horror genre in any particular way", IGN commended the "strangely heartbreaking, even a tad depressing" story, "respectable, believable" voice acting, creepy monster designs, unsettling sound effects and the "stunning" graphics of the game.[8] IGN felt that while the general gameplay remained mostly unchanged from the first Silent Hill, it was improved by better camera angles and controls.[8] GameSpot described Silent Hill 2 as "a much prettier, somewhat smarter but less-compelling game than the original", praising the eerie monster designs, "impressive" graphics, audio and the more coherent but less compelling plot.[11] According to GameSpot, the "awkward writing" hurt the voice acting and the monsters were not as frightening as the ones in Silent Hill.[11] Ben Croshaw of The Escapist cites the game as a personal favorite, calling it "the benchmark for video game storytelling and atmosphere."[73]

Reactions to the Xbox port were also positive. GameSpot noted the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions were mostly similar except for the Born from a Wish side-story found on the Xbox version, which it called "a commendable extra" that did not add much to the game or help to further elucidate the plot of Silent Hill 2.[68] The PC port was not as well-received. Reviewers criticized the bizarre camera angles,[62][70][69] "lifeless" voice acting,[10][70] "tedious" gameplay and combat,[10][62] difficulty in controlling the player character,[70] and the overall adaption.[62] Conversely, GameSpy found the PC port overall to be "[a] fantastic translation of Konami's stylish and scary survival-horror game".[70]

Silent Hill 2 appeared on several critics' lists for its story and use of metaphors, psychological horror, and taboo topics. It ranked 1st on X-Play's list of the "Scariest Games of All Time" in 2006.[74] IGN listed it as an Editor's Choice,[8] one of the five best horror video games created after 2000 in 2009,[75] and one of the twentieth greatest PlayStation 2 game of all time.[76] Additionally in 2010, IGN ranked it as 54th in its "Top 100 PS2 games".[77] In 2008, GamesRadar placed it on its list of the fifteen "Best Videogame Stories Ever", describing it as "a punishing tale not easily matched".[78] In 2009, Destructoid ranked it fifteenth in its list of the "Top 50 Videogames of the Decade", noting that it "is most memorable for its introduction of iconic video game character Pyramid Head".[79] That same year, Wired.com listed it as the eleventh most influential game of the decade for its emphasis on psychological horror and exploration of taboo topics such as incest and domestic abuse, rather than gore.[80]

Game reception and rating: Silent hill

Silent Hill received mainly positive reviews, gaining an 86/100 and 84.03 per cent aggregate at ratings sites Metacritic and GameRankings, respectively.[64][65] The game sold over two million copies,[30] which gained Silent Hill a place in the American PlayStation Greatest Hits budget releases.[66]

Silent Hill has been compared to the Resident Evil series of survival horror video games. Bobba Fatt of GamePro labeled Silent Hill a "shameless but slick Resident Evil clone".[6] Others felt that Silent Hill was Konami's answer to the Resident Evil series[7] in that, while they noted a similarity, Silent Hill utilized a different form of horror to induce fear, attempting to form a disturbing atmosphere for the player, in contrast to the visceral scares and action-oriented approach of Resident Evil.[5] Adding to the atmosphere was the audio, which was well-received; Billy Matjiunis of TVG described the ambient music as "engrossing";[67] a reviewer for Game Revolution also praised the audio, commenting that the sound and music "will set you on edge".[5] Less well-received was the voice acting which, although some reviewers remarked it was better than that found in the Resident Evil series,[6] was found poor overall by reviewers, and accompanied by pauses between lines that served to spoil the atmosphere.[6][5]

Reviewers noted that Silent Hill used real-time 3D environments, in contrast to the pre-rendered environments found in Resident Evil. Fog and darkness were heavily used to disguise the limitations of the hardware.[4][6] Along with the grainy textures—also from hardware limitations[4][7]—most reviewers felt that these factors actually worked in the game's favor; Francesca Reyes of IGN described it as "adding to the atmosphere of dilapidation and decay".[7] In using 3D environments, however, controls became an issue, and in "tougher" areas, maneuverability became "an exercise in frustration".[7]

The game's popularity as the first in the series was further recognized long after its release; a list of the best PS games of all time by IGN in 2000 listed it as the 14th-best PS game,[68] while a 2005 article by GameSpy detailing the best PS games listed Silent Hill as the 15th-best game produced for the console.[40] In 2005 the game was credited for moving the survival horror genre away from B movie horror elements to the psychological style seen in art house or Japanese horror films,[69] due to the game's emphasis on a disturbing atmosphere rather than visceral horror.[5]

Game reception and rating: PES 2012

Game reception and rating:Mass Effect 3

Game reception and rating:Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 was released to universal critical acclaim. On its initial release, the game received perfect review scores from gaming publications such as Eurogamer,[77] Official Xbox Magazine UK,[84] TeamXbox,[85] and Hardcore Gamer Magazine.[86] As of April 14, 2011, the review aggregator website Metacritic ranks the Xbox 360 version as the 4th highest reviewed game of all time, with an average score of 96/100.[12] The PC and PS3 versions hold average scores of 94/100.[13][14] Reviews have praised multiple aspects of the game, particularly its improvement over the first Mass Effect. GamingExcellence reviewer Daniel Acaba wrote that Mass Effect 2 “improved from its predecessor in almost every aspect”[87] and Worth Playing called it “an improvement over the original in every way”.[88]

Gameplay in Mass Effect 2 was praised for its accessibility despite being a complex RPG. Eurogamer, in a review that gave the game a perfect score, proclaimed that BioWare had succeeded in “making it effortless to understand, play and enjoy on a constant basis, because it has done this in a manner that should prove utterly essential to veterans and newcomers alike”.[89] Other websites echoed these sentiments; for example, Games Radar (in-house) said Mass Effect 2 “strikes a perfect balance between intense shooter action and gut-wrenching drama”[90] and MEGamers called the combat “brilliant”.[90] However, some reviewers expressed disappointment with the gameplay, calling it “stripped-down” with a “dumbed-down feeling”.[91]

Graphics in Mass Effect 2 were lauded for their improvement over the first game. Level7.nu, which gave the game a perfect score, called Mass Effect 2 a milestone in game design.[92] They paid special attention to the lack of technical issues, and an improved graphics engine. GamePro was also impressed by the game's graphics, calling them "stunning" and praising their detail.[93]

IGN gave Mass Effect 2 a perfect score for sound, calling both its voice acting and music outstanding. Martin Sheen's performance was singled out for “steal[ing] the show”.[83] Gamespot was also complimentary of the dialogue and voice acting, calling the voice cast “tremendous”.[81]

Game reception and rating:Mass Effect

Xbox 360 reviews

Game Informer awarded Mass Effect a 9.75 out of 10, declaring it "the next big franchise for science fiction junkies to latch onto... a huge step forward for video games," and that it "rings in a new age of interactive storytelling." The key negative points of the review were the balancing issues and problematic AI of the combat system.[65] Official Xbox Magazine gave Mass Effect the sixth '10' in the magazine's history, raving, "Mass Effect is a great science-fiction novel in video game form. Meaning, it mixes the highest caliber of pure story with the decision making and raw action of the best games." The OXM reviewer also praised it saying "It's the best game I've ever played" and remarked that it had "The best story ever told in a videogame. Period."[66] Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded Mass Effect a Gold Award with scores of 9, 9.5, and 9, also citing that the negative points of the review were balance issues with the character classes, as well as a steep learning curve with the Mako IFV.[67] GameSpy and X-Play both gave it a 5 out of 5 and a special episode "Mass Effect takes interactive entertainment to breathtaking new heights and is wholeheartedly recommended. This is one of the best games of the year, and will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest games ever made."[68] Shacknews praised, "While the core gameplay is nothing new — sometimes disappointingly so — Mass Effect represents a generational jump in storytelling artistry."[69] Slashdot's review also praised the storytelling, saying "[The] storyline Mass Effect will have you laughing, furious, and deeply saddened — in some cases all about the same character." GameTrailers gave Mass Effect a 9.6 out of 10, one of its highest reviews ever.[70] GameSpot reviewed the X360 version as "a great game with moments of brilliance and a number of small but significant obstacles that hold it back from reaching its true potential." It subsequently reviewed the PC version and gave it a higher score calling it "best choice for experiencing this excellent game."

IGN awarded the game a 9.4 of 10, and while saying it was "a new high mark for storytelling in games," it also pointed out a common criticism in most of the reviews for the game, that while "the RPG elements are outstanding," the "glitches, poor AI, and weak squad mechanics weigh the game down."[71] Eurogamer stated in its review, "Mass Effect is most definitely a great game with an awful lot going for it — but one that does not quite deserve unquestioning praise."[72] Awarding Mass Effect "The Best RPG of 2007," GamePro raves about the tremendous amount of depth to the game, from the character customization options to the world at large. The negative to the game they mention is that "the elevator rides are ridiculously long."[73] In October 2008 IGN declared Mass Effect the Best Xbox 360 game.[74]

According to updated figures from Microsoft, in the six weeks after the game was released, it had sold 1.6 million copies.[75]
[edit] Windows reviews

Early reviews of the Windows version by Ars Technica and PC Zone have hailed it as the "definitive" Mass Effect, and an outstanding port to the Windows platform. The game entered the US Windows game charts[citation needed] at number 3, beaten by two different versions of Age of Conan at 1 and 2. The first mainstream print magazine review of Mass Effect for Windows was from PC Zone, scoring 92%. PC Gamer US gave the game a 91%, despite stating that "inventory management is a nightmare".[76]

Game reception and rating: Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins received significant praise from many major videogame and media outlets upon its release:

While the game is considered to be virtually identical across all platforms, differences in user interface, graphical performance, and online content delivery have led the PC version to be reviewed slightly more favorably than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions; Metacritic ranks the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions of the game with scores of 91, 87, and 86, respectively.[15][16][17]

Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot reviewed the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions separately. The PC version was given a score of 9.5 out of 10, plus an 'Editor's Choice' award. The game was described as "that kind of game, so rich and involving that you are powerless to resist its wiles and whims, so touching and triumphant that your mind and heart will be moved... Few games are this ambitious, and even fewer can mold these ambitions into such a complete and entertaining experience. You might spend 50 or more hours on your first play-though, but there are so many paths to follow, so many details to uncover, and so many ways to customize your party that you'll want to play again as soon as you finish the first time."[94]

When comparing the console versions, the PlayStation 3 "features higher-quality textures than those on the Xbox 360, better color saturation, smoother facial animations, and shorter load times," although "minor visual hiccups, like corpses that disappear and reappear, are a bit more common on the PS3. The Playstation 3 version was given a 9.0/10 while the Xbox 360 version was given an 8.5/10. "[94]

Giant Bomb writer David Snider also reviewed all three versions of Dragon Age: Origins together and gave an overall rating of five stars out of five. The review favorably described the game as "a real throwback to the good old days of PC role-playing epics... While that means you could rightfully fault the game for not being especially innovative, it's this adherence to a classic style of gameplay that will ensure that it's welcomed by the legions of nostalgic RPG players that make up this genre's core audience."[95] Snider did remark that the game might be daunting or inaccessible to casual players due to the amount of in-game micromanaging that is required, especially on consoles, which he considered to have a more cumbersome interface.[95]

IGN's Jeff Haynes gave the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins a score of 90 out of 100 and characterized it as "one of those titles that can easily swallow up dozens of hours of play and keep you coming back for more... a game with a ton of re-playability and an incredibly vivid world that is the start of an impressive franchise."[96] While the review was mostly glowing, Haynes did note grievances, namely that the combat difficulty was scaled awkwardly, the graphics sometimes appeared dated, and the plot was repetitive of Bioware's other games.[97]

1UP.com editor, Jason Wilson, gave the PC version of the game an 'A' rating, and surmised that "while the story may not be completely original, it's told in a way that enthralls and enchants the player. It's the best RPG of the year -- and maybe the best of the HD era."[98] Wilson briefly compared the PC release to the PlayStation 3 release, and said that combat on the console controller was comparably "hamstrung" and felt "stripped down".[98]
Example of Dragon combat.

GamePro editor Will Herring awarded Dragon Age: Origins 5 out of 5 stars, writing that it was "a spectacular experience from beginning to end, and with an enormous amount of choices to make, cities to visit, dungeons to crawl, NPCs to interact with, treasure to find, quests to complete and crafts to master. I feel pretty confident in saying that Dragon Age: Origins is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable and immersive RPG experiences I've had since my Infinity Engine days."[99] Herring also noted differences between the PC and console releases, but considered them to be minor.[99]

The New York Times writer Seth Schiesel wrote a positive review of the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins, favorably comparing its scope to another popular RPG, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion; but he added that Dragon Age: Origins provided a more engaging experience.[100]

PC Gamer UK, which awarded Dragon Age: Origins a 94%, declared it the "RPG of the decade".[91]

Official Xbox Magazine rated the Xbox 360 version of Dragon Age: Origins with a score of 9.0, listing the combat interface as a plus, while criticizing the amount of story choices available to the player as being potentially overwhelming.[101]

Michael Lafferty of GameZone rated Dragon Age: Origins at 9.9/10 for the PC, stating, "The development team has done a sterling job of creating emotional content within the game’s atmosphere." The 360 version, on the other hand, received a 9.0/10.