Thursday, January 31, 2008

Thinking out Loud

Ok, so you know how I mentioned in the last post of putting out game reviews and such? Well ever since then I've been trying to come up with a more creative way of rating games rather than using the standard 1/10 or 1/100 point models, as am sure most people are familiar with for practically every other gaming site and magazine on the planet. Within the last couple of years, certain said sites and magazines have been criticized for assigning such-and-such game a particular score, often sending fans into a frenzy - leaving a bloody trail of thousands of message board posts across the internet.

First, however, read this fantastic article (found on GameSetWatch):
 
Review Philosophy


The writer does make pretty valid points. How often have critics been under fire for delivering a "7"  (which is still considered to be "good") to an incredibly anticipated/blockbuster game, such as a Halo or a Final Fantasy? Most gaming enthusiasts automatically react to certain numbers: "10's", at least lately, are critically looked at being overpraised, while "7's" tend to disappoint most who read those reviews, and even shrug off the game entirely because of it (especially now that aggregator sites like Metacritic have become quite popular). Such scores have been ingrained for us for so long that we start to actually value our games according to the number it received - an incredibly limited system to cover the other wise complex nature in games. And yes, even badly made games deserve a shot, too.

The point is, I've already made a decision to deviate from standard scoring systems - it seems more of a matter of convenience to publishers, developers, and fans alike to have a numbered point system all across the board - but since this is my own little blog, I obviously have a lot more leeway in this manner. However, what this means is that not only must the writing be concise, but as one commentor mentioned in the link above, "clear and captivating." This may or may not lead into longer articles in terms of mere text, but then again one simply can't describe the complexity of  Judaism in just a few pages, can they? (No, I'm not saying games have just as much depth and complexity as religions do; just here for comparison's sake). 

In its place shall be a comprehensive analysis of the games being reviewed, and not just some cookie-cutter review formats that some sites (sadly) have adhered to. Will I devise some sort of "Seal of Approval"? A labeling structure? I haven't particularly ironed out the details yet, but the way I'm thinking is to approach the writing as an essay - with an intro, body, and conclusion - that would at the very least pump some thought and creativity into the review. This being the web, space isn't a premium - but I can see where magazines might consider such things when being forced to use the now archaic number system. 

My philosophy is this: if I deem the publisher and developer placed a lot of thought, dedication and care to their game, then I shall return the favor with a review with as much thought, dedication and care. You may or may not agree with me in these reviews, but as always, the choice is up you. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

"And... We're Back"

Well, er, "I" am back anyways.

So, hello my imaginary reader friends: I promised way back in December to post more regularly and whatnot, but as you can see there hasn't been any new posts in over a month! Long story short, some things just didn't work out the way I planned, and of course, with my inherent laziness in updating a personal blog, I find myself easily distracted by other activities.

But look! I changed the banner picture. So that must mean something right?

Alright, I'll stop with the rhetorical questions here. I've got some editorials/ reviews I've been wanting to write up sometime now - strange that I have an urge to write them right around the time of midterms, where I have even less free hours on my hands (x.x) - but yes, things are coming slowly but surely. So sit back, relax and wish me luck on tests this week.