IGN's Review System Dealing with Multiple Releases

I'm not complaining about the review system, but the way that IGN reviews multiple "copies" of games is slightly, from a technological standpoint of running a website/database, dimwitted.

I first noticed it when the Xbox team started posting reviews of XBLA games that were remakes of classic system games (ie. Galaga, Pac-Mac, Joust). Sure some of these games may add multiplayer and online modes, but we're talking about the exact same game. Then the Wii team started doing the same game. I can't imagine working for IGN over 11 years and having to review Super Mario 64 twice.

But what's worse is that when I go to check the Editior's Choice site, IGN's review/article management system shows it's true colors. Below is a screenshot of their top-to-bottom sorted "Editor's Choice", which is really nothing more than the highest rated games reviewed on the site. There are four entries for the same game with the Australian version given a lower rating because it's barely neutered.

Then we have two copies of BioShock and three copies of Fallout 3. Every review linked by the game title, including Grand Theft Auto IV, are exactly the same as their duplicate entries on the list. Here we have the top 9 Xbox 360 games which are really only 3 titles.

Why doesn't IGN work with single reivews for multiple releases of games? Sure, one game might come with a metal tin or a t-shirt, but all of their reviews point to the same URL anyway. Can't they just say that there are multiple releases (and most articles do) and be done with it.

There you have it. I wasted a whole post to complain about what is essentially a database query.