Pachter: Rockstar Has Erased My Red Dead Skepticism
See Full ImageRed Dead Redemption is one of the better games (and better overall experiences) of the generation. But analyst Michael Pachter wasn't so convinced heading into the game's launch.
He was skeptical about its potential success but in speaking to CVG, he admitted he was just plain wrong. He said Rockstar definitely did the right thing by tackling the Western theme that nobody had really done right in the video game industry (up to this point). Therefore, Pachter probably had good reason to be a little skeptical; although the analogy is a tad inaccurate, it would almost be like expecting a superhero game to score high and sell like mad ('cough' Batman: Arkham Asylum 'cough'). But the "visionaries" at Rockstar most definitely proved themselves. Said Pachter:
"I suppose we should call them visionaries. I have been sceptical [for] a long time, but they always believed that a Western, if done well, would sell well. It looks like they were right all along. Nobody can doubt that they made a great game."
He then jokes that he wants a copy from Rockstar, but they haven't sent him anything since he predicted that Bully wouldn't sell very well. ...maybe this guy needs to put a bit more emphasis on review scores. Anything that scores as high as RDR is bound to sell, almost regardless of setting and premise. And besides, how many have been waiting for the quintessential Western-themed game?
5/20/2010 10:54:58 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (31 posts)
Vitron
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 11:16:25 AM
In your face Patcher!!:o
3 up, 0 down
godsman
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 2:09:31 PM
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Mavfan321
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 11:29:13 AM
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Shams
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 11:42:51 AM
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It think Ben's score is most accurate. A '9.3' means the game is successful in what it aims to do, awesome to the fans, and worth trying to everybody in general. It isn't the end-all and be-all of games that a score closer to a '10' would suggest, but it's pretty darn good.
As this is the third R* game I'm playing in the last couple of weeks, I must say that the term "open-world" suits these games more than "sandbox". "Sandbox" seems like a more fitting label for the genre that contains games like LittleBigPlanet, and ModNation Racers where you can actually do creative stuff.
After playing games by R*, who might as well be called the pioneers of the open-world genre, there obviously is a checklist of themes and features that all their games have in common. I'm not saying that RDR is simply a western, reskinning of GTA4. It's pacing is different, yet the same golden elements that we've come to expect are welcomed. I guess I was expecting something more revolutionary. So I'd say Ben's review was dead-on. I wished I waited for his review, because I would've seen that it is an excellent title, but hardly a D1P. Oh well, a learning lesson.
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WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 3:30:50 PM
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Jawknee
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 11:56:09 AM
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6 up, 0 down
MyWorstNightmar
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:03:12 PM
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Sounds a bit cheapskatish saying he wants a free copy of the game though. Go buy it yourself, I am sure you don't work for free.
Does he normally get games for free? If so, I wonder why, since he is an analyst of the industry, not a reviewer.
4 up, 0 down
DeathOfChaos
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:15:45 PM
3 up, 0 down
leatherface
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 2:12:10 PM
Last edited by leatherface on 5/20/2010 2:16:02 PM
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DeathOfChaos
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:14:59 PM
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maxpontiac
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:26:03 PM
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A perfect blend of NPC, human players, and wide open map.
I would love to see every multiplayer game start this way.
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Robochic
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:33:53 PM
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Dude needs to be fired and get a new job!
4 up, 0 down
Hezzron
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:37:51 PM
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Seriously, I don't mind someone stating the obvious. We do it all the time in daily conversation. But why is it "news" when this guy does it?
7 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:41:13 PM
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I couldnt care more our less if he exists or not. Occasionally he can be entertaining even comical. But I do not expect more from him anyway.
P.S. I can do his job. ;)
4 up, 1 down
Kiri
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 1:00:59 PM
I mean analyst is just a fancy title for psychic...
All he does is say stuff that have 50% chance of success and when he fails he apologises...
If people get paid for this then why am i still going to college???
:D
2 up, 1 down
FatherSun
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 1:21:53 PM
Please excuse any typos or errors. I usually visit on my Andriod cell and use a SWYPE virtual keyboard. It is great but not perfect. And by the time I get to checkfor errors the edit button disappears.
1 up, 1 down
Imagi
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 12:59:02 PM
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4 up, 0 down
FM23
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 1:26:11 PM
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Alienange
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 2:03:31 PM
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As Ben made clear in his review, liking western movies really has nothing to do with whether or not you'll enjoy gaming in that time period. However, since we've never truly experienced an epic western themed game, I'd say Pachter had every reason to be skeptical.
He analyses and then predicts. The analysis was accurate. Being wrong about predictions can be just as satisfying as being right.
PS: Will someone now do a proper pirate game?
*sideways glance at Propaganda Games*
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Highlander
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 2:39:33 PM
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WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 3:34:17 PM
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1 up, 0 down
Zorigo
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 3:59:15 PM
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FxTales
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 5:35:50 PM
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MyWorstNightmar
Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 9:02:30 PM
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Highlander
Friday, May 21, 2010 @ 12:43:34 AM
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1 up, 0 down
___________
Friday, May 21, 2010 @ 9:33:03 AM
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western shooters are a classic, and there really is not a AAA western shooter out there!
gun, and red dead revolver are probably the pick of the litter and there A old and B not exactly stellar.
western shooter is the best type of shooter they could of gone for because 1 its open world everyone loves open world games.
2 we have a million and one science fiction shooters, a million and 1 war shooters, a million and one futuristic shooters but very few western shooters.
sounds like a no brainier to me!
god this guys a douche!
if hes not stating the obvious, hes saying something stupid and short minded like saying insomniac would be crazy not to go multiplatform.
does he not think hmmmmmmmm maybe theres a reason they dont want to?
maybe there getting special privileges there getting now, that they would not be getting if they switched.
he just looks at the cards on the table and never thinks past that, never thinks maybe theres something hidden away.
everything happens for a reason, insomniac are not staying exclusive to sony just because they like them!
1 up, 0 down
Qubex
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Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 11:06:22 AM
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Last edited by Qubex on 5/20/2010 11:09:22 AM