G4 Is At It Again

eddie · 09-19-2006, 12:48 AM

So apparently, G4 didn't get enough with X-Play's review of beatmania. Alot of people were outraged when they televised a review loosely comparing the game to Guitar Hero, all while ignoring any history or facts about the game. This time around, they're mocking ParaPara Paradise. And while it may not be the most respected game in the Bemani franchise, it's pretty sickening to see thier blatantly uninformed review, which makes it seem like Konami made this game for any reason other than to emulate a dance style that has existed in the Japanese club scene in one way or another for the past 30 years.

X-Play reviews beatmania

X-Play reviews ParaPara Paradise

After giving similar treatment to every other music game released in the past 2 years that ISN'T Guitar Hero, it seriously has outlasted it's welcome. And while it might be a moot point, I know that I'm only one person, the writers on G4 really need to learn to start researching the series' they review. It isn't just music games, they do it to RPGs and practically any other obscure title from Japan. They think it's completely acceptable to act as though any game from another country is just some excuse to drive sales through being weird. I, as a gamer, feel as though they're doing a great injustice to the industry as a whole, not just the one genre that affects this website.

I plan on contacting G4 TV in one way or another and expressing my concerns, it doesn't make us look good as fans to let this kind of treatment go by silently. I'm urging anyone who feels the same way I do to contact them as well. We may only be one small slice of the gaming community, but if we ever want to see this genre grow, we need to see informed, fair reviews that will influence the mainstream public into checking out other games, not the garbage being televised to the masses on G4.

edit: for those of you wishing to contact them as well. Their contact information can be found on thier website here.

BakaOrochi edit
You can also contact X-Play directly at xplay@g4tv.com but feel free to CC your e-mails to info@g4media.com. If you feel like calling to complain directly to G4, their phone number in L.A. is (310) 979-5000. Neal Tiles is the president of G4 and Dale Hopkins is the COO if you want to go straight to the top.

Do contact them and spread the word, even if you don't like Beatmania or Para Para Paradise.

But if you choose to e-mail or call them, please do it in good taste (and please don't threaten them =P).

Either way, let's make some noise.

Ike Turner · 09-19-2006, 12:59 AM

Yeah... the beatmania thing I was less pissed about, given that I just figured they had no Japanese presence to point out the error.

When you go LOOKING for an import series and can't research shit, though... um... I do believe I may participate in this anti-G4 campaign this time. That's just fucked up on all levels.

ultralowincome · 09-19-2006, 01:07 AM

seriously. its gotta stop; professionally speaking, its very wrong. this goes beyond "G4 sucks/Morgan Webb isn't a gamer/AOTS is SpikeTV Jr.", this is about business ethics and cultural disrespect,which is appalling on many levels.

i'm just afraid our concerns won't be heard, and will be tossed to the wayside in favor of appeasing the FPS shooting fans and smut TV watchers...

"OMG Gears of Wars is coming out! How many days of coverage can we dedicate to this? Oh, and what do we have in store for our joke segment? More innovative gameplay-oriented Japanese music games? Sweet! We can suck Guitar Hero's cock at the same time! Get the community-college educated comedy writers on the case, and try to work in a Myspace Girl of the Week reference while you're at it..."

nestlekwik · 09-19-2006, 01:11 AM

Peh. I'm just waiting for the new DDR reviews. I can hear Adam Sessler now.

"Another one of these? When will they stop? You step on arrows, we've done this before! Oh, my vagina aches!"

But, yet, when the new Madden game comes out, a game that hasn't really changed in a good five years, they'll do the entire review with EA's dick in their mouth.

"Updated rosters and three new crowd animations! We give it 5 out of 5 cause that's what you want to hear! Buy it now!"

I'll be sure to call them out on it when I get time.

Oh, yeah. It amuses me that they could barely play the game enough on 5-key to do a review.

LOC_Fchaos[LOTB] · 09-19-2006, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G4

lol Japan is different than the United States did you know?

I agree that G4 needs to stop putting non-GH music games in a bad light, but G4 is kinda gay. So I kinda don't care. And different strokes for different folks, am I right?

Also, a vast majority of G4's viewers are expecting a humor-filled romp through the world of videogames. Someone offering a straight-faced review of PPP would be pretty goddamn boring.

The only thing that I cannot forgive, is the mocking of Dave Rodgers.

My 2 cents.

Amp Divorax · 09-19-2006, 01:22 AM

Honestly, I lost all respect for G4TV when they decided to become another Spike TV while I was deployed. When I saw Formula D and Street Fury I was sickened to my stomach. The last straw was how horriffically edited Brainiac was.

TougaKiryuu · 09-19-2006, 01:51 AM

I'm in on this, I was completly appauled by the para^2 review and just about everything else they do to rythem and dance games.

「dj.TK」 · 09-19-2006, 02:29 AM

G4 is pretty anal.

Just like they will be if they madea DDRSN review.

VaL · 09-19-2006, 02:31 AM

What the f*ck did they say?!?

No disrespect for any paraplegic in this world, but I, as a ParaPara fan (and dancer, of course) am outraged and offended by that stupid statement..
BTW you actually USE your feet (and in quite complex patterns sometimes, even though it's usually plain sidestep) while dancing parapara..
God, they really are assholes, aren't they? >.>'

But.. Do you expect them to care about what we'll have to say?

K0LD · 09-19-2006, 02:48 AM

Wow, I really thought there couldn't be any greater show of disrespect for not only disabled groups but also cultural groups...

This touches home for me not only in the sense that I come from an asian family (while not japanese, I am chinese), but I also have a physically and mentally disabled brother. The whole comment about Para Para Paradise being 'the first dance game for parapelegics' is appalling and an outrageous insult. I bet anything that if I showed this clip to the people at Fraser or any other disabled persons support group that they would all be in favor of a lawsuit against G4 for its comments.

I, like everyone else, also despise the lack of research in their reviews. I think it's a pretty well known fact in the bemani community by now that if it had not been for the success of the very first beatmania back in 1997, we wouldn't have Dance Dance Revolution, beatmania IIDX, Guitar Freaks, Drummania, Guitar Hero, or any other majorly successful music game in the market today.

I intend to write an email detailing my thoughts and prompt rebuttal of their remarks and forward this video to Fraser. I want to see if any kind of lawsuit can be brought up over that comment alone. It pisses me off that much...

-_-*

VaL · 09-19-2006, 03:11 AM

That's quite a good idea, to use that comment as a base to complain about the whole thing.. (and since it's also the stupidest part of that stupid review....)

Miesteron · 09-19-2006, 03:41 AM

The way they used Velfarre as an example of a "bad song"... that just drives me insane.

This is just a complete lack of respect and research on their part. I love Guitar Hero as much as the next guy, but without the (according to them) "mental illness" known as Beatmania, rhythm games would still be limited to Parappa.

But... it's G4. This is about as much as I could expect from those idiots, I guess.

PiKaBiZKiT · 09-19-2006, 03:47 AM

Ah G4, we hate you so. <3

When Eddie showed the ParaPara review to me, it left me repulsed. Not just as a gamer, but as a human being. I've always thought G4 was ridiculous and they always seem to push my buttons. The coked-up whore hosts who claim to play games really got me, but now they decide to attack Bemani even more. I love how the man-woman who is reviewing ParaPara sounds like she (he?) is blatently flat-out reading with utmost enthusiasm off the piece of paper that was handed to him (her?).

G4 has only helped to create a prejudiced and idiotic view of gaming ever since they began. At least X-Play seems to be the only pure video game show left on the network. Unfortunately, the ignorant 'gamers' that watch this trash are influenced by it. I hear kids at my job at GameStop spout constantly about how great X-Play is. Yes, great. It makes me throw up a little when I hear that.

Way to go G4, you're prejudice against cool foreign games and companies that don't pay you to give them good scores. And you make girl gamers look like beefy men. Ugh. Morgan Webb.

「dj.TK」 · 09-19-2006, 04:02 AM

Heres my email I sent to xplay@g4tv.com.

"Straight to the point, I am appuled at your completly redlicious beatmania & PPP reviews that have aired on X-Play (G4). It seems you people have done absolutely no research whatsoever on either of these games, and no thought in what you are saying.

The comment about Para Para Paradise being 'the first dance game for parapelegics' is a huge insult for many people, espically if they are parapelegics and are music game fans. I find this highly inconsiderite. Try to think before make a fun and joke about something before you spit it out. And if you think im biased, no. Ive never played this game in my life, tho Ive known about it for a while.

Also the comment about 'beatmania is a lame guitar hero ripoff'. Oh my word. What are you people on. If it wasnt for games like beatmania, and others like DDR, there would be NO guitar hero. beatmania was first released in 1998. EIGHT YEARS before guitar hero first came out. Eight years is a long time in terms of video games. Its just only been introducted to the american market now.
Get it right. Also beatmania is a lot of fun when you get into it. But then im guessing your too busy flanging around with guitar hero to notice this email.

Oh, and if you even attempt to make a DDR:SuperNova Arcade/PS2 review, please, please, think before you say. Thank you.

Taka"

Eight · 09-19-2006, 04:55 AM

I have a feeling that there will actually be lawsuits over this.

I mean, come on. For that they deserve to have their asses kicked.

Hard.

Multiple times.

EDIT (because I have bad humor in the morning): PPP was secretly the basis for Guitar Hero, not Guitar Freaks... like everyone else has assumed up to this point. All that rock music is just used to hide a very, very confused game...