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I don't really think there's any one specific way to cut through whatever it is about FAMItsu that seems off. The games are reviewed by a rather casual/generic/non-hardcore bunch of people and so you get really strange reviews in the eyes of the enthusiast. Basically, in the end though it still breaks down to individual opinions, and there's might not be so similar to your own.
Where things, get skitchy is HYPED big name games. If it's a really big name game that's been hyped regardless if it's a new IP or long running beloved one, like FF, there's a different mentality that gets applied both from the reviewer and the reader. The general talk around the forums is that less than an 8 from any of the 4 reviewers means is a generic/mediocre/crappy game. You have a dynamic where the reader/reviewer is thinking this is a big title it's gotta be good and so accordingly they review higher. In reality, though, they're not, while it may be a hyped title and end up with something like a 7777, you have to realize FAMItsu judges things on a 5 being generic basis, so below that is bad; a 7 isn't bad. However, because of gamer/reviewer elitism this double standard gets applied and suddenly a 7 for a hyped game means it's CRAP (and not scottish), while a 7 for an unhyped game means it's not too bad. In other word, hyped games are expected to get high scores and if they don't very one starts dancing to "La Bomba", blah blah blah elitism.
It's no different than any other gaming magazine, but thanks to most people here not getting FAMItsu and not being able to read Japanese, plus the whole gaming forum elitism, FAMItsu grew this mystique around it and now only 8s and 32s are considered good.
To the point, NNN is an OK game, not earth shattering, not brilliant, but probably some decent fun to be had. Better than average.
Of course, this is all IMO, but I honestly think it's a bit silly to think "FAMItsu for the money hats", "FAMItsu hates <insert console>", "FAMItsu hates <insert dev>", or whatever. Besides at the core of it all, all reviews, aside from your own, pretty much inaccurate, right? You're taste is what's most important.
N3 Never looked like much fun... it wasnt fun in the movies (Matrix Reloaded) and isnt fun in videogames either.
