Social Smash 4 Social Topic 2.0

[CatRaccoonBL]

I was responding to a post that asked for the negatives about the game so I didn't focus on the positives, if I was asked for a more accurate review you'd have a point, but that was not what was asked so it wasn't addressed in that manner. It's no worse then what Hotfeet's post was with highlighting the positives he felt the game had and yet you're not critiquing him for the same flaws.

Regardless, I feel you're trying to put a more negative spin on what I'm trying to say. I was trying to give my thoughts on where I felt the game wasn't as good on, not that it was the only thing that mattered, otherwise I wouldn't have given those good points at all. You're looking for context that is not present.

Fine fine. It's all good then.

Though, on a personal note, I do wish people in general would give a little bit more acknowledgement to the positive side of things...

 

[UltimateCyborgOverlord]

Ahh yeah that was a good one.

Mine would have to be either Grassland Groove or Amiss Abyss. It's no coincidence that those 2 levels happen to contain my 2 favorite tracks in the entire game. xD

Not really the whole track, but I did enjoy the last bit of Sawmill Thrill... the level was easily my favorite Mine Cart level ever, the way it changes from a cart to a water log to a cart again. It's absolutely nuts! Then the music, at the end of the level AFTER you get through all this Michael Bay levels of craziness and things falling apart and so on and so forth, then the music's all peppy and cheerful like it was all nothing. That gave me a good giggle.

Spoiler

Also the first and last boss music... that heavy metal had me head banging the entire way.

 

[Substitution]

So Hotfeet444, you wanted to know why I think Pokemon X/Y is "weak" in my opinion.
Well, here's my answer.
But I'll warn you, it's a big one.

Now remember, weak =/= bad.
The game wasn't terrible by any means. Heck, if anything, it was a step up.
Gameplay was great. Well, expect for one thing, but I'll get to that.
Graphics we're okay. They were bright and very animated (except for the lag).
Plus, seeing the Pokemon in 3D is always a good thing in my book.

And there were some new options I loved.
The Super Training IMO was fantastic. Not only was it a fun way to get EVs.
It also taught kids that yes, these do exist (you're a few years late Gamefreak. It's about time).
The Pokemon-Amie I wasn't that into (only really used it for Sylveon), but I know why they put it in.
And it was nice that it did have effects on the battlefield so it wasn't like it was just for the kiddos.
In terms of the Wonder Trading option I did have a soft spot for that.

But, with the good comes the bad. First, the story. Or, the lack of it.
Now granted, Pokemon isn't the shining example of a great RPG story.
But it just felt too "meh", especially after the fifth gen.

"But what about it?" you ask. Well, let's start with the characters.
The rivals were just forgettable, they really just had one personality trait.
One was obsessed with dancing, another one felt like a forced ship.
The only two I that felt the closest like characters was the nerd, and the rival.
Heck, I don't remember the Gym Leaders, or better yet the Elite 4 being all that great either.

And now there's Team Flare. Once again, they just felt generic.
They're like a flamboyant Team Rocket, that's all I can really think of.
At least Team Plasma had some originality to them.
Heck, they felt more intimidating even with those silly costumes.
It was really just the "Give us your Pokemon or else!" that we've seen before.

Oh, and the leader. He could easily be spotted by a mile away.
Heck, with my little knowledge into X/Y, even I knew he would be evil.
There was no hiding it, they barely even tried. Heck, he even downright states it when you first see him!
And I know this stuff is for kids but even then they'd know, there was no surprise.

Woo! Spoiler territory!

Spoiler: Plot and character related stuff

Sure, that doomsday machine at least had something going for it (which still feels a bit fabricated).
But that's were we get to the two bigger issues. Lysandre himself, and AZ.
He just felt like the Cyrus that couldn't. He tries, but doesn't get the idea.

With Cyrus, I felt intimidated. He was what I could consider a great villain.
He truly felt diabolical, like he had sadistic plans for the world and none will stop it.
He felt like an evil force, there was something going for him.
With Lysandre, he just felt safe.
Like the evil cartoon villain who will take over the world with a doomsday machine.
We might as well put the cape and evil laugh. It would fit him well.

AZ I didn't mind as much, he had some personality to him.
Even if I did feel his story was a bit silly (My Pokemon died? Well I'll just make a doomsday machine!).
Yes, I understand it's original point, and it could be that I'm not attached to the things.
But it did feel too corny for my tastes.

Whew, with that out of the way. We have gameplay!

First, the Fairy type.
Now, coming in I at first hated the type.
Really? Fairy? Well let's just make a demon type then. Or better yet, a "angel" type.
Though, while I have warmed up to it. I still feel it's a bit forced.
Look, it did do some great things (like buffing Pokemon that really needed it), but I felt it's only there because of the dragon type.
For one, it's immune to dragon. That right there is a big red flag.
Two, they downright advertise it.
And yes, the dragon type has needed this buff since forever. But how much is too much I ask?

Second, the Gym Leaders, and the EXP Share.
Now, like I said. I went through this game twice. So I'll use that as an example.
My first playthrough sucked.
I barely scraped by. Most of the time I only won through items.
By the end, my team was level 40. Which wasn't good enough in the end.
Heck, I could consider it the most difficult game I've played.

Well, until I reset. See, I just did things different.
I kept my team without switching, just used the essentials.
Oh, and I used the EXP Share.
You'll be surprised how much that thing was priority. It's ridiculous.
It's a game breaker, there's no doubt. And there's the issue.
There no reason not to use it. Free EXP and having no limits.
Well I'll take that.

Heck, even when I just used it in Gyms.
My team was better than ever. And, I swamped the rest of the game.
What was once a difficult game became ridiculously easy.
I didn't have trouble with any other Gym Leader.
Heck, the Elite Four (Champion included) were just pushovers.
And, I know what to blame for this.

See, with every game, there's always a part where the gyms lag.
Mostly happening in the end, they take some time of from battling to get into the story. Mostly for resolution purposes.
The problem here is there isn't a balance.
And the fact that the game expects you to be around 25 by this is insane.
And, like dominoes, everything else just acts accordingly.
If you don't make up for that lost time, you'll end up screwed. Even if it's not obvious now.

Well, I should stop, this is already a huge wall of text as it is.
All in all, I don't hate the game. Heck, I'd recommend it.
But to say it's one of the best I kinda disagree on.
It's good, but it's not in my top three.

 

[mimgrim]

I guess for me, it's more that I absorb all the information I'm presented with like a sponge, then work out the connections between elements. A story is like a sculpture made of words, to my eyes.

As it happens, I also have writerly aspirations. Someday, I too will be a best-selling genre author and a household name in the homes of millions. >8D

You know, maybe we can be of use to one another. I'll message you in a bit.

Speaking of Fantasy, I'm currently reading Brandon Sanderson's Words of Radiance, the second book in his Stormlight Archive saga (which is super awesome). He's the guy who finished The Wheel of Time after Robert Jordan passed, and he's a very fast and prolific writer (and is actually fairly food in his own right). He's known for his intricate and inventive magic systems and worldbuilding.

If you aren't familiar with him, I recommend you try the Mistborn trilogy, which is a good place to start with Sanderson. People eating metal to gain superpowers is not something you see everyday.

I'm familiar with the Wheel of Time series. My parents have read those books. I'm midly interested in the series, but I don't have access to all of the books, they're in storage.

Fantasy books I have read that I liked allot are; Dragon Lance, Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice, Brother Band Chronicles, Night Angel Trilogy, and Harry Potter to name a few. Other non-fantasy books I have read and liked are; The Hunger Game and Incarceron/Sapphique to name a couple.

I look into that series. Although my current focus is to get that last book in the Minotaur Wars trilogy so I can finish that trilogy in the Dragon Lance books.

 

[Sehnsucht]

I'm familiar with the Wheel of Time series. My parents have read those books. I'm midly interested in the series, but I don't have access to all of the books, they're in storage.

Fantasy books I have read that I liked allot are; Dragon Lance, Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice, Brother Band Chronicles, Night Angel Trilogy, and Harry Potter to name a few. Other non-fantasy books I have read and liked are; The Hunger Game and Incarceron/Sapphique to name a couple.

I look into that series. Although my current focus is to get that last book in the Minotaur Wars trilogy so I can finish that trilogy in the Dragon Lance books.

I recall binging on Dragonlance back in around 7th-8th grade. I read the original trilogy (+Dragons of Summer Flame or whatever), and the Majere twins trilogy (in which Raistlin tries to achieve godhood). I forget if I've read more than that, however.

Alas, I haven't read everything else you've mentioned, though I do know the names of most. As of late, I'm really digging the current Fantasy heavy-hitters, like Brandon Sanderson, George RR Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and others. Though I read much less than I would like (and should).

 

[mimgrim]

I recall binging on Dragonlance back in around 7th-8th grade. I read the original trilogy (+Dragons of Summer Flame or whatever), and the Majere twins trilogy (in which Raistlin tries to achieve godhood). I forget if I've read more than that, however.

Alas, I haven't read everything else you've mentioned, though I do know the names of most. As of late, I'm really digging the current Fantasy heavy-hitters, like Brandon Sanderson, George RR Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and others. Though I read much less than I would like (and should).

I have the original trilogy, twins trilogy, The Next Generation, Dragon's of a Summer Flame, War of Souls trilogy, the lost trilogy, and the first 2 books of the Minotaur Wars trilogy. As you can see, I'm a fan of the series. xD

I highly recommend the Inheritance Cycle and Night Angel Trilogy, those 2 series are really really good. But whatever you do, don't watch the movie adaption of the first book in the Inheritance Cycle, it sucks.

 

[Croph]

Wanna know something interesting? I got into contact with the composer of XD's soundtrack, Tsukasa Tawada. He's a really cool guy, believe it or not. (He actually follows me on soundcloud :D) He mentioned to me that Miror B.'s theme was inspired by his time in clubs during his youth. Really cool to be told something like that.

(Psst! His soundcloud's here! He plays a ton of classical music on the piano in his spare time.)

Whoa, that's pretty cool. Damn, I'd love to learn more about what inspires his music haha. I remember reading an interview about Pokemon Colosseum, and iirc the music composed was to appeal to an older audience, but don't quote me on that.

Anyway, he also composed Battle Revolution's soundtrack, which I really like. If the Wii U ever gets a Pokemon RPG, I'm hoping he'll be the composer. At least I really like the stadiums and music in PBR haha. I think I'd be nice if we get some PBR (or Colosseum or any 3D Pokemon game) content in Smash. Gateway Colosseum's pretty popular, but I'd be overjoyed if this theme makes it in somehow:

Spoiler

And one of my fave Colosseum tracks:

Get this guy to work on the mainline games!

 

[Pazzo.]

I have the original trilogy, twins trilogy, The Next Generation, Dragon's of a Summer Flame, War of Souls trilogy, the lost trilogy, and the first 2 books of the Minotaur Wars trilogy. As you can see, I'm a fan of the series. xD

I highly recommend the Inheritance Cycle and Night Angel Trilogy, those 2 series are really really good. But whatever you do, don't watch the movie adaption of the first book in the Inheritance Cycle, it sucks.

More than sucked, it had a cliff hanger.

 

[Sehnsucht]

I have the original trilogy, twins trilogy, The Next Generation, Dragon's of a Summer Flame, War of Souls trilogy, the lost trilogy, and the first 2 books of the Minotaur Wars trilogy. As you can see, I'm a fan of the series. xD

I highly recommend the Inheritance Cycle and Night Angel Trilogy, those 2 series are really really good. But whatever you do, don't watch the movie adaption of the first book in the Inheritance Cycle, it sucks.

Too late; I did see Eragon (though it's been years). >8D

I can't say I'm very interested in the Inheritance Trilogy; I remember being mildly intrigued when it first came out, but I never got around to it. Nowadays, it doesn't seem appealing to me, and I've also read of its pretty middling-to-harsh critical and popular reception, which makes me hesitant to pick it up. On the other hand, I don't know much about Night Angel, however, so I'll look into it.

Whatever the case, it seems you're more into traditional/conventional (epic) fantasy. I myself was into that niche in my Middle School years; my tastes have since evolved, though. Not to say I take issue with your own genre sensibilities, of course.

 

[mimgrim]

Too late; I did see Eragon (though it's been years). >8D

I can't say I'm very interested in the Inheritance Trilogy; I remember being mildly intrigued when it first came out, but I never got around to it. Nowadays, it doesn't seem appealing to me, and I've also read of its pretty middling-to-harsh critical and popular reception, which makes me hesitant to pick it up. On the other hand, I don't know much about Night Angel, however, so I'll look into it.

Whatever the case, it seems you're more into traditional/conventional (epic) fantasy. I myself was into that niche in my Middle School years; my tastes have since evolved, though. Not to say I take issue with your own genre sensibilities, of course.

It's a cycle not a trilogy. 4 books not 3. He planned it to be a trilogy but couldn't get it into 3 books. xD

But it is a really good book series. I never trusts critics for ANYTHING as every time they know absolute **** and give stuff bad scores for the sake of giving bad scores. They never know what they are talking about, ever. The best way to find out is to read it for yourself in all honesty.

 

[Pega-pony Princess]

Speaking of the Pokemon console games, I really liked Colosseum and XD because they had darker, more mature themes if you think about it. The whole concept of shadow Pokemon was really intriguing too. As much as I like the handhelds, I don't find them as enjoyable in comparison. Besides, I don't remember a Pokemon game besides Colosseum starting with a movie where the main character blows a building up. lol

 

[The Real Gamer]

Pokemon X/Y is the greatest game in the series by a longshot and for multiple reasons... Only thing it lacked was post game content, and the difficulty could have been harder as well (both problems will likely be fixed in the 3rd installment (Pokemon Z?).

Seriously who plays Pokemon for the story anyways? That's like criticizing Super Mario Galaxy for having a weak plot.

 

[Substitution]

Pokemon X/Y is the greatest game in the series by a longshot and for multiple reasons... Only thing it lacked was post game content.

I never said it was terrible.
Heck, I loved it. I just felt it was a little flawed.

Seriously who plays Pokemon for the story anyways? That's like criticizing Super Mario Galaxy having a weak plot.

Once again, I address this too.
I understand Pokemon isn't the best example story-wise.
But there was so much potential lost.

 

[The Real Gamer]

Once again, I address this too.
I understand Pokemon isn't the best example story-wise.
But there was so much potential lost.

Every game has flaws... There's no such thing as a perfect game, which is why I instead focus on the things games do right.

Not that your opinion is wrong (cause it's an opinion) I just don't understand why some people let the story ruin the experience for them since the series has always been about collecting, battling, and trading Pokemon; three aspects that X/Y do extremely well.

 

[Arcanir]

Every game has flaws... There's no such thing as a perfect game, which is why I instead focus on the things games do right.

Not that your opinion is wrong (cause it's an opinion) I just don't understand why some people let the story ruin the experience for them.

People play games for different reasons and weigh the aspects of the game differently, and due to that some like playing for the story or value the story more. If they feel that the story was lackluster, that is a notable flaw they felt the game had and that does affect their perception of the game. Just because you don't agree doesn't make their opinion on it any less valuable.

 

[Substitution]

Every game has flaws... There's no such thing as a perfect game, which is why I instead focus on the things games do right.

Not that your opinion is wrong (cause it's an opinion) I just don't understand why some people let the story ruin the experience for them since the series has always been about collecting Pokemon and battling with them, two aspects that X/Y do extremely well.

But I never said it was a bad game.

And referring to the story, I felt it just was one of the bigger issues in my mind.
Doesn't mean I hate the game, just that there was so much more they could do with it.

 

[Pacack]

I actually got completely bored with Y after a bit. I've yet to finish it, actually. It just wasn't as interesting to me as the previous games for some reason.

 

[Sehnsucht]

It's a cycle not a trilogy. 4 books not 3. He planned it to be a trilogy but couldn't get it into 3 books. xD

But it is a really good book series. I never trusts critics for ANYTHING as every time they know absolute **** and give stuff bad scores for the sake of giving bad scores. They never know what they are talking about, ever. The best way to find out is to read it for yourself in all honesty.

Right, I forgot that.

Reviews are a useful way to gauge the general consensus on a given product. If you read 100 reviews, and 90 are generally positive, then the chances are higher that you'll enjoy the product. And true for the inverse, if 90 reviews out of 100 are negative. It's not the only way to assess whether you might be interested in a book, but it can be useful to get a general pulse on the popular perception of the product (which is why its best to seek out both critical and popular opinions, and find other means of gauging quality beforehand).

There may be critics who approach things as you describe, but it seems rather unjust to generalize all critics as being baseless in their opinions. I certainly don't think negative reviews lack merit if the points are articulated intelligently and with substance. Giving bad scores for the sake of giving bad scores is entirely the wrong way to critically analyze something, anyway.

In any case, I may look into the Inheritance Trilogy Cycle further. No promises, though.

 

[Knight Dude]

So Hotfeet444, you wanted to know why I think Pokemon X/Y is "weak" in my opinion.
Well, here's my answer.
But I'll warn you, it's a big one.

Now remember, weak =/= bad.
The game wasn't terrible by any means. Heck, if anything, it was a step up.
Gameplay was great. Well, expect for one thing, but I'll get to that.
Graphics we're okay. They were bright and very animated (except for the lag).
Plus, seeing the Pokemon in 3D is always a good thing in my book.

And there were some new options I loved.
The Super Training IMO was fantastic. Not only was it a fun way to get EVs.
It also taught kids that yes, these do exist (you're a few years late Gamefreak. It's about time).
The Pokemon-Amie I wasn't that into (only really used it for Sylveon), but I know why they put it in.
And it was nice that it did have effects on the battlefield so it wasn't like it was just for the kiddos.
In terms of the Wonder Trading option I did have a soft spot for that.

But, with the good comes the bad. First, the story. Or, the lack of it.
Now granted, Pokemon isn't the shining example of a great RPG story.
But it just felt too "meh", especially after the fifth gen.

"But what about it?" you ask. Well, let's start with the characters.
The rivals were just forgettable, they really just had one personality trait.
One was obsessed with dancing, another one felt like a forced ship.
The only two I that felt the closest like characters was the nerd, and the rival.
Heck, I don't remember the Gym Leaders, or better yet the Elite 4 being all that great either.

And now there's Team Flare. Once again, they just felt generic.
They're like a flamboyant Team Rocket, that's all I can really think of.
At least Team Plasma had some originality to them.
Heck, they felt more intimidating even with those silly costumes.
It was really just the "Give us your Pokemon or else!" that we've seen before.

Oh, and the leader. He could easily be spotted by a mile away.
Heck, with my little knowledge into X/Y, even I knew he would be evil.
There was no hiding it, they barely even tried. Heck, he even downright states it when you first see him!
And I know this stuff is for kids but even then they'd know, there was no surprise.

Woo! Spoiler territory!

Spoiler: Plot and character related stuff

Sure, that doomsday machine at least had something going for it (which still feels a bit fabricated).
But that's were we get to the two bigger issues. Lysandre himself, and AZ.
He just felt like the Cyrus that couldn't. He tries, but doesn't get the idea.

With Cyrus, I felt intimidated. He was what I could consider a great villain.
He truly felt diabolical, like he had sadistic plans for the world and none will stop it.
He felt like an evil force, there was something going for him.
With Lysandre, he just felt safe.
Like the evil cartoon villain who will take over the world with a doomsday machine.
We might as well put the cape and evil laugh. It would fit him well.

AZ I didn't mind as much, he had some personality to him.
Even if I did feel his story was a bit silly (My Pokemon died? Well I'll just make a doomsday machine!).
Yes, I understand it's original point, and it could be that I'm not attached to the things.
But it did feel too corny for my tastes.

Whew, with that out of the way. We have gameplay!

First, the Fairy type.
Now, coming in I at first hated the type.
Really? Fairy? Well let's just make a demon type then. Or better yet, a "angel" type.
Though, while I have warmed up to it. I still feel it's a bit forced.
Look, it did do some great things (like buffing Pokemon that really needed it), but I felt it's only there because of the dragon type.
For one, it's immune to dragon. That right there is a big red flag.
Two, they downright advertise it.
And yes, the dragon type has needed this buff since forever. But how much is too much I ask?

Second, the Gym Leaders, and the EXP Share.
Now, like I said. I went through this game twice. So I'll use that as an example.
My first playthrough sucked.
I barely scraped by. Most of the time I only won through items.
By the end, my team was level 40. Which wasn't good enough in the end.
Heck, I could consider it the most difficult game I've played.

Well, until I reset. See, I just did things different.
I kept my team without switching, just used the essentials.
Oh, and I used the EXP Share.
You'll be surprised how much that thing was priority. It's ridiculous.
It's a game breaker, there's no doubt. And there's the issue.
There no reason not to use it. Free EXP and having no limits.
Well I'll take that.

Heck, even when I just used it in Gyms.
My team was better than ever. And, I swamped the rest of the game.
What was once a difficult game became ridiculously easy.
I didn't have trouble with any other Gym Leader.
Heck, the Elite Four (Champion included) were just pushovers.
And, I know what to blame for this.

See, with every game, there's always a part where the gyms lag.
Mostly happening in the end, they take some time of from battling to get into the story. Mostly for resolution purposes.
The problem here is there isn't a balance.
And the fact that the game expects you to be around 25 by this is insane.
And, like dominoes, everything else just acts accordingly.
If you don't make up for that lost time, you'll end up screwed. Even if it's not obvious now.

Well, I should stop, this is already a huge wall of text as it is.
All in all, I don't hate the game. Heck, I'd recommend it.
But to say it's one of the best I kinda disagree on.
It's good, but it's not in my top three.

Ok. So on the EXP Share thing. I would agree that it does make the game really easy. But that's just it, the game was already easy enough on it's own, in my opinion anyway. I almost never used it since it didn't feel like I needed it. I got my team up into the late 60's with little grinding needed. Except for Garchomp who was lagging behind, but he's freaking Garchomp, so he was fine. There was rarely a time where in the main story I felt really challenged. I would say that Lysandre's last fight was decent enough since he had his Gyardos to back him up. Heck, even the Champ was pretty much just a pushover.

With the Gym Leaders, I would agree too. They didn't have as much impact as the ones from Black and White, with Wulfric and Korrina being the exceptions. But I didn't mind that. They were pretty much the same as the older games, where the Gym Leaders weren't too involved with the plot. Though if the Gym Leaders ever became more active characters again, I would be ok with that too. As for the other characters, I did like the professor more than the others. He was cool.

And Super Training is one of the best features that Game Freak could ever put into a Pokemon game. Ever.

 

[The Real Gamer]

Just because you don't agree doesn't make their opinion on it any less valuable.

Way to repeat what I just said.

Not that your opinion is wrong (cause it's an opinion).

But I never said it was a bad game.

I wasn't talking about you in particular I was just saying in general I've noticed a lot of people who brush the game off for having a lackluster story.

 

[Substitution]

Ok. So on the EXP Share thing. I would agree that it does make the game really easy. But that's just it, the game was already easy enough on it's own, in my opinion anyway. I almost never used it since it didn't feel like I needed it. I got my team up into the late 60's with little grinding needed. Except for Garchomp who was lagging behind, but he's freaking Garchomp, so he was fine. There was rarely a time where in the main story I felt really challenged. I would say that Lysandre's last fight was decent enough since he had his Gyardos to back him up. Heck, even the Champ was pretty much just a pushover.

That's the thing though.
It really wasn't till I used it that I had an easier time.
Now granted, I did switch my team around every now and then.
But at that time I assumed to cans were was almost negligible.

Boy was I wrong.

With the Gym Leaders, I would agree too. They didn't have as much impact as the ones from Black and White, with Wulfric and Korrina being the exceptions. But I didn't mind that. They were pretty much the same as the older games, where the Gym Leaders weren't too involved with the plot. Though if the Gym Leaders ever became more active characters again, I would ok with that too. As for the other characters, I did like the professor more than the others. He was cool.

Eh, I didn't mind too much.
But after Black and White I was a little disappointed.

And Super Training is one of the best features that Game Freak could ever put into a Pokemon game. Ever.

I'll agree on this.
Best thing they did next to that Poke-Watch thing in Diamond and Pearl.

I wasn't talking about you in particular I was just saying in general I've noticed a lot of people who brush the game off for having a lackluster story.

Honestly, it depends on the game.
With something like Pokemon, it isn't that big of an issue.
But for a game that has the story being the main focus can end up being a big problem.

 

[Arcanir]

Way to repeat what I just said.

Which you then follow up with...

I just don't understand why some people let the story ruin the experience for them.

I was explaining why someone felt otherwise contrary to that statement, you do acknowledge it is an opinion, but you do kind of brush off those who value the story more.

Fine fine. It's all good then.
Though, on a personal note, I do wish people in general would give a little bit more acknowledgement to the positive side of things...

I can see what you're saying, it's good to critique but sometimes the negative does get focused on more then the positives. It was not my intent to completely focus on the negatives, but just that for that particular post I just wanted to explain what I felt about that particular aspect.

 

[TheFirstPoppyBro]

I would say that Lysandre's last fight was decent enough since he had his Gyardos to back him up.

I beat Mega Gyarados with two Thunderbolts from my Heliolisk. The only move it got off didn't take half of my health.

The only Pokemon I needed for Lysandre were Greninja and Heliolisk.

 

[The Real Gamer]

I was explaining why someone felt otherwise contrary to that statement, you do acknowledge it is an opinion, but you do kind of brush off those who value the story more.

I didn't know not understanding a certain viewpoint = brushing them off... but OK then

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

They should make a cowboy power ranger series

If they don't, I will

 

[Pega-pony Princess]

They should make a cowboy power ranger series

If they don't, I will

Here's your main character.

Spoiler

 

[Knight Dude]

I beat Mega Gyarados with two Thunderbolts from my Heliolisk. The only move it got off didn't take half of my health.

The only Pokemon I needed for Lysandre were Greninja and Heliolisk.

I don't know why, But I tried to hit it with a Low Sweep with my Baziken. Since Mega Gyarados is part dark type. But I did finish it off with Ampharos, didn't even need to use it's Mega Stone.

That's the thing though.
It really wasn't till I used it that I had an easier time.
Now granted, I did switch my team around every now and then.
But at that time I assumed to cans were was almost negligible.

Boy was I wrong.

Eh, I found Pokemon Y to be easy without the EXP Share. So I pretty much neglected it. Which is sort of the opposite of Pokemon Black and White for me, since it was the first time in a while where the Gym Leaders were actually a challenge at the time. Well, the Electric and Ground gyms at least.

 

[Substitution]

Eh, I found Pokemon Y to be easy without the EXP Share. So I pretty much neglected it. Which is sort of the opposite of Pokemon Black and White for me, since it was the first time in a while where the Gym Leaders were actually a challenge at the time. Well, the Electric and Ground gyms at least.

...Stupid Volt Switch...

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Here's my REALLY basic design for a cowboy ranger

More the 6th ranger than the original ones

Edit: The white parts are colored to his ranger color

The black and white crossed is shaped like a vest such as the man with no name wears and they end in the legs making it look like chaps

His weapon is a rifle that can also become a sword, reflecting the fact that Clint Eastwood's Man with no name films are based on Samurai movies

 

[Kamikazek]

Wow you guys sure had a different opinion on X/Y's story than I did. I thought it was the best part of the game, and I thought Lysander was a great villain. I mean it wasn't anything crazy or groundbreaking but it was definitely more than I was expecting from a pokemon game (though still not as good as Black/White in my opinion). Execution definitely could have been better but the themes were really strong. I definitely can't imagine where you got a picture of Lysander as a cackling villain from.

Though it should be noted when I say "I thought it was the best part of the game" that I don't at all care for many of the key aspects of pokemon (battling, trading, raising, probably other stuff I'm not thinking of) and overall I was pretty "meh" on X/Y as a whole as far as Pokémon games go.

 

[Kevandre]

It's a cycle not a trilogy. 4 books not 3. He planned it to be a trilogy but couldn't get it into 3 books. xD

But it is a really good book series. I never trusts critics for ANYTHING as every time they know absolute **** and give stuff bad scores for the sake of giving bad scores. They never know what they are talking about, ever. The best way to find out is to read it for yourself in all honesty.

You guys read the Dresden Files? Absolutely amazing urban fantasy series

 

[Sehnsucht]

You guys read the Dresden Files? Absolutely amazing urban fantasy series

I've heard excellent things from the Dresden Files. I've always been meaning to get into them, as well as Butcher's other apparently great series (Codex Alera).

 

[Kevandre]

I've heard excellent things from the Dresden Files. I've always been meaning to get into them, as well as Butcher's other apparently great series (Codex Alera).

The first three books in DF aren't my favorites but the series has easily become my favorite ever

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Happy birthday!
...was it you?

The Cucco item is freaking awesome. Just saying that again.
Happy Birthday!

Happy Brithday, Psycho RangerIncarnate.

Thank everyone for birthday wishes.

I had sushi today

It was good.

I think I got everyone who sort of said happy birthday but this thread is like a needle in a haystack

 

[Smooth Criminal]

Jim Butcher is amazing. I highly recommend the Dresden Files and the Codex Alera series.

Smooth Criminal

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

I was thinking, instead of the usual red, yellow and blue rangers (When it's a 3 man team) the cowboy rangers should be red, WHITE and blue

 

[mimgrim]

Right, I forgot that.

Reviews are a useful way to gauge the general consensus on a given product. If you read 100 reviews, and 90 are generally positive, then the chances are higher that you'll enjoy the product. And true for the inverse, if 90 reviews out of 100 are negative. It's not the only way to assess whether you might be interested in a book, but it can be useful to get a general pulse on the popular perception of the product (which is why its best to seek out both critical and popular opinions, and find other means of gauging quality beforehand).

There may be critics who approach things as you describe, but it seems rather unjust to generalize all critics as being baseless in their opinions. I certainly don't think negative reviews lack merit if the points are articulated intelligently and with substance. Giving bad scores for the sake of giving bad scores is entirely the wrong way to critically analyze something, anyway.

In any case, I may look into the Inheritance Trilogy Cycle further. No promises, though.

Eh. From my expirence reviews are faulty and never really address how I feel about the end product. I have found it better to judge for myself rather then listen to other people judge it. Just because the majority feels a certain way about it doesn't mean I will.

You guys read the Dresden Files? Absolutely amazing urban fantasy series

I never heard of the books. I'm the kind of person to just walk into a book store and look at books randomly and read a couple of random chapters and if I like what I saw then I'll get it. It's more fun that way imo. But I'll take a look into them.

Thank everyone for birthday wishes.

I had sushi today

It was good.

I think I got everyone who sort of said happy birthday but this thread is like a needle in a haystack

I wished you a happy Bday too you know.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

I was trying to find a book on Cambrian lifeforms

and apparently there is a hentai or something called Cambrian

 

[Sehnsucht]

Eh. From my expirence reviews are faulty and never really address how I feel about the end product. I have found it better to judge for myself rather then listen to other people judge it. Just because the majority feels a certain way about it doesn't mean I will.

The only way reviews can be faulty is if they mess up objective facts/details/information; otherwise they can't be faulty because they are subjective views.

Reviews are a tool for measuring probabilities. If 80% of people like a given product, chances are higher that I too will find it worthwhile, even though I could easily end up in the 20% that don't like it.

Reviews aren't supposed to tell you how you might feel about an end product; they are simply there to tell you if the end product is worth trying/spending money on/investing your time in/etc. They're like commercials; you might like what you see in a Big Mac commercial, but you can only really know how you feel about it if you try one. But it nonetheless remains that commercials can be a useful tool in helping you decide whether you want to try a Big Mac or not.

For books, I seek to examine the actual premise/storyline, the author, and the critical and popular consensus (i.e. reviews), and weigh them against my tastes and experiences. These tools are what I use to decide what books I'd like to read, as it grants me a greater probability of finding books that I will like, as opposed to not.

Sounds like you have tended to trust reviews fully in the past before getting into something, and ended up being disappointed when the reviews did not match up with your own views on the end product -- thereby meaning that you have come to see reviews as an unreliable tool when it comes to informing you about what you should get into. Even so, if you have a system or approach that works for you, by all means pursue it (whether that course has reviews in it or not). 8D

 

[Kamikazek]

I was thinking, instead of the usual red, yellow and blue rangers (When it's a 3 man team) the cowboy rangers should be red, WHITE and blue

Toei would never approve of so much Americanism.
MAYBE if it was a comedy series(like Carranger).
Although a cowboy series would be a great idea if Saban ever got the money to actually make an original (not sentai-based) Power Ranger series. Like that French Sentai except a whole lot more professional.