Comments on: A better way to review video games

By: Andrew Crystall

Andrew Crystall — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:54:15 +0000

Actually, that’s an easy one Diane. “We used our own account to avoid the appearence of bias”. And MMO reviewers should use both their own and any supplied account. And be aware of any…er… gross differences in the play experience. Heh.

I’ve had a game I’ve worked on reviewed before…from the press release. Provably.

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:39:18 +0000

There are nice stories circulating as well about VCs or publishers claiming to have reviewed games when the accounts were in fact never activated… Lying in general is stupid, but lying about something so easy to check is really a bad move.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:52:45 +0000

Oh and regarding the reviewing process : I definitely agree! MMOs are particularly hard to review, so it is important that this sort of information (hours, level, character class etc.) is stated up front.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:50:52 +0000

.. and that’s why I don’t bother reading reviews anymore. I don’t really trust anyone to deliver an honest or particularly informative review. Even if they wanted to, their hands may be tied.

I remember growing up reading PC Gamer with Kieron Gillen and some other fine folks, but eventually drifiting away from it. The Internet killed it. Eventually it’ll probably go the way that the general media — all of the quality, independent reporting will be replaced by slapdash regurgitations of press releases or skewed pieces from people trying to make a name for themselves. A few bastions of truth may stand alone, but I don’t think there’ll be many.

Even then, they’ll be drowned out by the noise that is aggregated result sites (metacritic etc.) 10 jabbering morons will easily drown out one illuminating writer, weighted scoring or not. It’s too easy to just filter out stuff using numbers rather than trying to wade through scores of articles trying to catch a glimpse of something that might interest you. Sad but true.

My trusted list of reviewers goes like this:

Rab from Consolevania/VidoeGaiden
Ryan from Consolevania/VideoGaiden
A few of my friends from work who like similar types of games and buy lots of ‘em.

I particularly like the CV boys because their love and knowledge of games shines through. There’s no cynicism or overly opinionated rubbish. Even the likes of Yahtzee is gimmicky. He’s funny for a bit, but I don’t pay attention to the content; it’s entertainment for me first and foremost. More to the point, does that guy like any games at all? I can remember about 3 positive reviews in the last 78 years.

I have officially derailed.

By: Steven Davis

Steven Davis — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:42:00 +0000

It doesn’t just have to be MMOs. Valve Software seems to do a fairly impressive job of tracking players in their games and the rise of in-game achievements has led to better (or at least more) game metrics, it seems, in many regular computer games.