Gamespot fires reviewer Jeff Gerstmann to appease Eidos

Today is a sad day for gaming journalism. Game sites and magazines struggle daily to gain acceptance from the general public as legitimate sources of journalism, and this one is no exception. While GameJonez is a small fish (at present) swimming in a very large pond, we always strive to bring you news from the gaming industry in an honest and ethical manner. Unfortunately, it seems Gamespot does not share these values.

According to a report from Primotech, Gamespot fired Editorial Director Jeff Gerstmann, one of their best game reviewers, after he wrote a negative review of the game Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. Kane and Lynch is the latest release from game developer Eidos, who also happens to be a huge source of advertising revenue for Gamespot. Primotech alleges that Gerstmann was fired as a direct result of pressure from Eidos after he gave the game a 6.0 out of 10. In comparison, Metacritic gives the game an average score of 68 out of 100. Our metareview of the game suggested it should have been given more time in the oven before being served to the gaming public.

Eidos is heavily advertising Kane and Lynch this week on Gamespot, including interactive flash banners.

The latest Penny-Arcade comic features a brief overview of this controversy. However, because the comic isn’t scheduled to ‘go live’ until tomorrow, commentary from either Gabe or Tycho is currently unavailable.

Gerstmann was with Gamespot since 1996 and was largely responsible for their success. As Primotech points out in their story, it is possible that other factors contributed to his dismissal in addition to the review, although this is completely unsubstantiated at the present. While they stand behind their information and their source, no official announcement has been made by Gerstmann or Gamespot. We trust they wouldn't run with this story without solid information. Expect more details to emerge online in the next 24 hours.

In the meantime, if this all holds up as true, it is a chilling turn of events that could have far-reaching effects across the business of game journalism. How credible do gaming outlets appear if the opinions expressed in 'reviews' of games are dictated by advertisers who also make the games?

Metareview - Kane and Lynch: Dead Men (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Nobody likes game delays, but sometimes they are actually a good thing. Apparently the folks over at Eidos don't concur with that sentiment as they clearly thought it was more important to get their latest offering, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, to market in time for the holiday sales crush rather than release it later and give gamers a product worthy of their sixty bucks.

It seems the game's story is powerful, if under-utilized, while the gameplay is decidedly last generation. With a glut of great shooters already hitting store shelves this season, Eidos should have done us (and themselves) a favor by delaying K&L and heaping a few (hundred) buckets of spackle and polish on it.

1UP (75/100) So there are problems that prevent Kane & Lynch from fully realizing its potential, but its concept and execution are strong enough to survive them. We rarely see scenarios and story structure this good in a game, and that makes it easier to forgive some of the more hardcore technical game-design issues. It's definitely more of a popcorn game for the action-movie crowd than a hardcore shooter, but there's nothing wrong with that.
IGN (70/100) Foul language alone wouldn't be enough to make Kane & Lynch stand out from the myriad other titles looking to gain some notoriety. This is where Kane & Lynch earns its stripes. Rather than employing a series of cheap shock tactics as so many other games have, IO Interactive crafted an intense and visceral story to go along with the game. Say what you will about the language being over the top, but these anti-heroes are wonderfully bent. It's no easy task to create such despicable characters and then give them motivations and situations that allow even the holiest of us to relate to their situation and feel for them. These are hard men put in an impossible situation. Following them on their journey is a wild and bumpy ride. As well constructed as the plot is, one would assume the game would play smoothly. Unfortunately, it does not. Instead, it plays like a game that lacks focus and needs a few more months of polish. But then, most of the gameplay feels like it was pulled directly out of a game from the last generation, so perhaps more time wouldn't have done any good.
Gamespot (60/100) Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is an ugly game, and we're not necessarily talking about the graphics. This criminal tale is packed with a collection of completely unlikable characters with no redeeming value whatsoever. It's impossible to even root for them as antiheroes. Once you get past the messy, meaningless story, things don't get too much better because you're saddled with clunky artificial intelligence on the part of your allies and your enemies, as well as a core shooting mechanic that simply doesn't satisfy. The unfortunate part is that the game does have a few bright points and feels like it had a lot of potential that just didn't come together as well as anyone must have hoped.