Japan gaming bible Famitsu has published its long-awaited Halo Reach review - and given the game, in effect, 8.5/10.
Famitsu's review style divides the score into four categories. In Reach's case, two were awarded a '9' and two were awarded an '8'.
CVG's Halo Reach review gave the game 9.2/10 - with our man Andy stunned, but left wishing Bungie would have taken more risks in the campaign.
Bungie, however, has told CVG that it doesn't get 'hung up' on what the media thinks of its games.
The game was finally released across the globe as the clock struck midnight on Tuesday morning.
Comments
23 comments so far...
wildhook2 on 15 Sep '10 said:
Nope. Even Monster Hunter is huge in Japan but it flops badly.
When will MicroSoft accept that Xbox 360 is dead in Japan?
slick loose on 15 Sep '10 said:
8.7 is good by anyones standards and especially so for a western game in Japan!
altitude2k on 15 Sep '10 said:
Have you seen the trailer for Gun Gal? There's a reason these types of games don't go down well in Japan...
buffig on 15 Sep '10 said:
8.7 is a great score and is probably more honest than the 10s we've seen everywhere. I say this as someone who never enjoyed Halo.
StonecoldMC on 15 Sep '10 said:
Is that dead as in there are no 360's in Japan or dead as in there are over 1 million 360 owners in Japan?
It might not be setting the heather on fire in Japan but the 360 has been a big improvement over the original Xbox, this news must really hurt you wildhook, im sorry.
wildhook2 on 15 Sep '10 said:
1 million Xbox 360s VS 6 million PS3s and 15 million (I think) Wiis.
MicroSoft has been trying too hard and it still not succeeds.
altitude2k on 15 Sep '10 said:
No s**t.
StonecoldMC on 15 Sep '10 said:
Glad to see you're laughing about it and not crying wildhook.
There are about 1.4 million 360's in Japan which is actually a pretty decent number considering how poor the original Xbox did. The fact they have a presence at all in Japan is actually an achievement, but with your Sony blikers on I know you cant see this.
rick on 15 Sep '10 said:
I think this whole rating approval is getting a bit silly.
Enough reviews have been posted for everyone to get the gist it's a good game.
We seem to be obsessed with seeking the vouchsafe from certain magazines ie Famitsu, Edge. Why is this? do you really think they are better informed to rate a game than anyone else. Personally I think they have become a victim of their own hype.
metallicorphan on 15 Sep '10 said:
where the s**tting hell have all you posters got 8.7 from?..it says 8.5
anyway,so in effect of Famitsu scoring that's 34/40
Famitsu get a lot wrong IMO(see below)-EDIT:not saying that score is wrong,as i have yet to play Halo reach
here are a few other of their scores to compare:(some are fine,others i really do disagree with)
Heavy Rain got 37/40
Star Ocean 4 also got 34/40
Final Fantasy 13 got 39/40(sorry it was good,but not that good)
Tekken 6 got 34/40
Haze got 34/40(??)
The Last Remnant got 38/40(talking s**t there)
Lost Odyssey got 33/40(probably the best JRPG this gen..but of course it isn't on SONY's machine is it Famitsu
rick on 15 Sep '10 said:
Haze got 34 out of 40???
Says it all I reckon.
boskersrevenge on 15 Sep '10 said:
..and there was me thinking all this video gaming thing had everything to do with having fun.
Wildhook, why do you care how successful the 360 is in Japan? You sound like you're 12.
When it comes to scores, no magazine sells me a game. People's reactions to a game on internet forums usually do, it's why I'm currently playing and really rather enjoying, Darksiders at the moment.
I mean, I found Mass Effect intensely dull after the initial build up to "getting out there", so to speak and I say that as a Sci Fi and action game fan and as someone who knows how critically acclaimed it is.
..and Famitsu isn't what it used to be, any more. It's a national institution over there, but there is so much media available and it's not above looking favourably at a game after being schmoozed by a dev *cough*.
*whoops, spent too long messing about before posting... see previous posts - lol*
hidama on 15 Sep '10 said:
Famitsu review is not important any longer in Japan.
Japanese "Hard Core Gamer" are not count on this magazine.
Famitsu spoiled Japanese market.
We currently check the Western press on web.
Taus on 15 Sep '10 said:
Clearly not wishing to stoke any flamewars, but me too Boskers! I found Mass Effect really tedious, I just didn't get on with the game at all, puzzling, to be honest, considering how well received the game was
boskersrevenge on 15 Sep '10 said:
It's just a good example that different people have different tastes... something people who take bug hearty chomps out of the flaming pie don't seem to grasp. Unless they do, then they're a tool
PGTV on 15 Sep '10 said:
so a Pokemon Game can get 10/10 but Halo can't
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
srsly though Halo is great I thought Japan would like it tbh.
TW15T3D on 15 Sep '10 said:
All thoses that keep saying 8.7 is a good score yes it is, however they rated it 8.5, jeeez read the dam article correctly.
altitude2k on 15 Sep '10 said:
We did read it correctly, and it said 8.7. It's been amended.
filth87 on 15 Sep '10 said:
I know, an 8.7 would have changed everything.
thedriffter50 on 15 Sep '10 said:
8.7 is what the maximum Halo should be getting around. These 10's are just puzzling to be honest which is why scores need to be removed from metacritic now.
If a person whose interested in a certain game should want to know the good things and bad things but so far sites like IGN and Gamespot it seems like they are advertising it though IGN get very childishly excitabe these days awarding a game 10/10 just for the hype cough GTA IV/ MGS4 cough
sjholland87 on 15 Sep '10 said:
Wow. If you are that bothered, don't read reviews and just try the games themselves. I do it and then read reviews after I have played the game. You are your own critic. A game could get a 6 or 7 out of 10 but yet you enjoy it even though others hate it.
Earth Defence Force... I enjoyed that because it was mindless fun yet reviews slated it. That word in bold is what games are about not numbers that define how good a certain person reckons a game is.
thedriffter50 on 15 Sep '10 said:
'' I enjoyed that because it was mindless funyet reviews slated it. That word in bold is what games are about not numbers that define how good a certain person reckons a game is. ''
Thats the thing most people use review scores whether to get or not get games. Sites like metacritic now make things even harder if your looking for games that were rated poorly so their new design layout has it in pages.
Do you really think casuals or people who rarely use internet know about hidden gems ? No because they are only gonna go with the highest rated opinions which is why review scores need to stop now.
sjholland87 on 15 Sep '10 said:
That's basically what I just said. You are your own critic... Same goes for movies as well. People should just ignore them and actually play/watch the thing to make their own mind up.
Forgot to mention I am actually in agreement with you. Sorry if it came across as a rant