Kinda Funny Gamescast: Video Game Podcast · Kinda Funny

The Most DIVISIVE Video Game Reviews of All Time - Kinda Funny Gamescast

·1 hr 3 min·6 clips

Jordan Midler explains how Chris Roper's 3/10 God Hand review became a legendary internet controversy.

This episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast features hosts Greg Miller and guest Jordan Middler discussing historically divisive video game reviews. Greg Miller is a veteran games journalist and co-founder of Kinda Funny, while Jordan Middler is a reporter for VGC.news. The conversation begins with the recent polarized critical reception of *Crimson Desert*, which has Metacritic scores ranging from a 5.5 from Greg to a 9.5 from Paul Tassi at Forbes. They reference Chris Roper's infamous 3/10 review of *God Hand* for IGN in 2006, which became a lasting point of contention. Greg recounts his 2007 review of *Lair* for IGN, where he gave it a 4.9 and criticized its mandatory Sixaxis motion controls. Jordan shares his experience receiving backlash for giving *Gran Turismo 7* a 3/5, which translated to a Metacritic 60. Greg also discusses the controversy around his 10/10 review for *Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception*, which some fans felt was unjustly higher than *Uncharted 2*'s score. The hosts mention the "Too Much Water" meme stemming from a 7.8 *Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire* review by Kallie Plagge. Jordan brings up "Driv3rgate," a UK magazine scandal where two outlets gave *Driv3r* a 9/10 amid allegations of manipulated forum comments. A key insight is that divisive reviews often spark more interesting cultural conversations than unanimous critical praise. Greg reflects on the pressure of exclusive review agreements, like with *Lair*, and how social media has amplified backlash compared to the forum-centric era of the 2000s. Jordan notes that critics now face equal vitriol for both overly positive and negative reviews, as seen with his *Starfield* and *Gran Turismo 7* experiences. They agree that engaging with online criticism is often a losing battle due to widespread bad-faith arguments. The episode reveals how specific phrases from reviews, like "too much water" or "factor 4.9," can define a critic's public persona for years. Greg admits he still feels the weight of representing a major outlet like IGN, even in his current independent role. The tone is conversational and anecdotal, blending personal reflection with industry history. The style is informal and humorous, with both hosts sharing self-deprecating stories from their careers. This episode would appeal to listeners interested in games journalism history, media criticism, and behind-the-scenes industry stories. It might be less engaging for those seeking discussions solely about new game releases or gameplay mechanics.

As heard by us

A score debate that turns Uncharted 3 baggage into a sharp games media reflection.

Greg Miller's Uncharted 3 review becomes less about the score itself than about what a perfect rating turns into after the fact: shorthand, baggage, and argument.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want the story behind a review that still gets cited when people talk about Greg Miller and IGN.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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