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"Does Blinx prove OXM is really biased?"

I ask this as I've just been having a snoop around PlanetXbox, and saw that they'd reviews Blinx. So I had a quick look, and nearly har a heart attack when I saw the score: 50. Yup, that's right. 50%. With this to sum up:

50
The Lowdown: Largely boring and aggravating, Blinx is an ill-conceived attempt at creating a marketable mascot.

Pros: Graphics, sound, and controls are more or less workable.

Cons: Deeply, inherently un-fun; time control gimmick is just that; flawed aiming system; generally bland and uninspired.


OXM gave this 9.7. Something is obviously amiss here. Did they both review the right version of the game? Is the official magazine amazingly biased? Or did one of the two review an incomplete version of the game?

From the review:

Blinx is actually one of the most tedious, poorly-conceived 3D platform games that I've had the displeasure of slogging through. That said, it doesn't screw up the technical stuff -- while not impressive, the graphics are okay, the sound is passable, and the control is mostly there. Where Blinx fails, and fails badly, is the gameplay: it's redundant, it's uninteresting, and it's just not fun. In fact, Blinx quickly speeds past the "not fun" border and stops in the neighboring lands of boredom and aggravation. Most platformers have at least some modicum of fun to offer; with Blinx, I was literally forcing myself to finish the game so I could evaluate the entire product.

"But wait," you say. "Those time powers are nifty-keen and innovative! " They might be innovative, but they add more annoyance than entertainment to the mix. Not every level requires savvy use of the time powers (which is questionable in itself, since that's the game's big gimmick), but those that do often have very specific requirements you can't know ahead of time. If you don't have the appropriate powers stockpiled you might be up the creek -- time to start over with your newfound knowledge, collecting different crystals along the way. Even if you do have the right powers for the situation, the sense of accomplishment or interest just isn't there. Rewinding a bridge back into existence or pausing a boss so you can hit it isn't exactly the height of smarty-man puzzle-solving; for all intents and purposes, you're just pushing a glorified switch. There are so many better ways in which time powers could have been implemented; as they are, they barely deserve a bullet point on the back cover.

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And from later in the review:

I could go on about the boring level design, insipid art direction, inane challenges, insulting "rewards" for collecting cat medals, and a variety of other pertinent topics. I'm sure you get the idea, though. Blinx is a half-baked attempt at an AAA platform game. It fails on most important counts, and is wholly undeserving of the hype which it's received. The Xbox is not exactly rife with good platform games, and Blinx doesn't change a thing. If you're interested in the genre, you should probably just pick up a PlayStation 2 or Cube and forget this game exists. If there's any justice, Blinx will go quietly into the night just as Bubsy, Glover and Awesome Possum have before him. The Xbox still needs a mascot, because this genocidal feline custodian sure as heck isn't it.


Ouch! Maybe I wobn't buy this afterall. The PlanetXbox review says almost the complete opposite of the OXM one. I wonder why....

Remember though, When you slow down time, the timer slows down aswell...

One thing which I've just found out about Blinx concerns me: the fact that each level has a 10 minute time limit. I hate time limits. Time limits should be banned. And so should bosses. And Blinx has constant time limits and loads of bosses.... maybe I shouldn't buy this game.

It may resemble Goldeneye, but it's naive to say it's just that with better graphics. There's so much changed, it makes it one of those games that take a genre forward, rather than building on what's already been done.

And I've played it.

Savatt78 wrote:
> Timesplitters 2 is basically Goldeneye with new graphics

Excellent, can't wait.

Anyone who says Mario Sunshine is PERFECT in EVERY way, is blind as well as a stupid little Nintendo zealot.

No game is perfect, not even the mighty Halo. Every game has SOMETHING about it which annoys the hell out of you, for example, WWE No Mercy, it was the best wrestling game for a long time right?! But the thing most people spoke of when that game was mentioned, was THAT glitch!!

My point, is that although the zealots bleat on about this game or that game being PERFECT, no game ever is to be truthful.

Do you see? :D

I sincerely hope Blinx is a great game. I don't expect miracles, but the Xbox really does need a Mario/Sonic-like mascot.
How good Blinx is, and how successful the game will be is very important if the Xbox wants to capture and convince new followers.

Timesplitters 2 is basically Goldeneye with new graphics. You'll know what I mean when you play it. :-)
Don't take that wrong cause thats far from being a bad thing. If anything it brought back nice little memories of caining Goldeneye for ages so no doubt I'll be doing the same on this title. ;-)

I wouldn't say its a Halo beater though, but still an excellent FPS. I'm dying to see Halo 2 hit the shelves cause from the little tiny bits being released to the mags and public, along with the trailer, I can really see it being the best game ever. :-)
Well, for people like me anyway. ;-)

Halo can be beaten, By Halo 2 of course :P

I am looking forward to Deux Ex 2 on Xbox.

Hey! If I've ever said Halo was bad then forgive me, as I think it's great! It's the sole reason I'd buy an X-Box, but because it's just Halo, then I won't be getting one.

However, I have said that I don't think it takes the genre any further, and therfore can be beaten by games such as Deus Ex, Timesplitters 2 and possibly Metroid Prime, though information is sparce for that.

Mags also say that Halo is the best game ever and give it 10/10. Doesn't stop you lot from putting it down though. ;-)