FeiRR
Banned
I've been reading the Eurogamer vs The Order thread and I'd like to share my opinion on the gaming media in general. Since I started reading GAF, I pretty much abandoned any other gaming outlets for gaming content. Even before that, I just kept to the news about upcoming releases and didn't care to read reviews for years. For me, it's just a waste of time, because:
Game review quality is terrible nowadays
I think that a game review (or any review in general) should contain useful information for the reader who most probably is reading it to solve a dilemma: to buy or not to buy the game. However, I think the reviewer's task is not to convince the reader this way or another but rather to provide them with as much information as possible to decide for themselves. That information should include (please add to the list if you can think of something):
- detailed description of the game mechanics (genre, interface, what the game rewards you for and what not, how you can win, is it difficult, are save points automatic and how often, etc.) - for example I can skip a game with too scarce save points because I don't have time for long gaming sections
- length of the game on normal difficulty (very important for me, also because of time constraints), length of the game to 100% completion - by the way, there is a very useful site with that information: howlongtobeat.com
- if the game has online, how it works (detailed times, preferably measured with a stopwatch, to get into the match from matchmaking, lag - if given by the game, any connection issues, the size of community) - of course this section cannot be written at launch but should be added later, for example after one week since the release
- technical side of the game: engine, resolution, framerate, if it has screen tearing, what rendering techniques it uses, how well it runs on given hardware (if not a console review), any encountered bugs
- story: if it has story or pure gameplay, ratio of cutscenes vs gameplay, if cutscenes have QTEs
Most game reviews completely ignore the above or dominate the facts with personal opinion of the reviewer which I couldn't care less about. At the end of the review there's usually a score which is the worst part because it simplifies the whole idea of a review to a single digit (and metascore is even worse). I understand that reviewers want to add some personal touch to their reviews and want to express their opinion. Fine, I'll just skip it. Why you could, too?
You're probably an expert in video games
Yes, I know the meme but think for a moment: how long have you been playing games? How many games have you finished/played? Do you have your own taste, favourite genres and series, etc? If your hobby is gaming and you're dedicated to it, you are probably at least on pair with the person who wrote the review, if not better. Why should they dictate what you play?
Why should I care about the opinion of people I don't even know?
You probably have friends who play games. Some of them may have the game. Ask them about it. You will know if their tastes are similar to yours. If they are and they like the game, there's a high chance you will like it too. You have GAF. Go to OT of the game and read opinions. I find those very useful. Okay, I don't know most people here either but after reading 20-30 impressions and hands-on from fellow users, I have a better picture than after 2-3 reviews by big gaming outlets. Use your own judgement and intellect, draw an average ranging from hype to dissing and decide whether you like a game or not. You don't necessarily have to enjoy the same kind of games your friends or people on forums consider great. But do experiment, try genres you never touched before.
Watch gameplays
I find gameplays much more useful than reviews simply because they don't try to impose any opinion upon you. Just watch some and see for yourself if you like the game. Try not to spoil it too much, of course. And remember that watching somebody play the game is not the same as playing it. Many games I watched on Youtube or Twitch didn't click with me until I tried them. If you are a Playstation gamer, ask people to allow you to SharePlay. It's a great feature which allows you to taste a game. I think I read somewhere that it's also coming to Steam (?)
Don't be afraid, it's just money
This may be a bit tricky because it depends on your financial status. If you have money to spend on games and consider it an important hobby, hell - why not? I buy a lot of games and rarely regret my purchases. Very few games I have were a complete waste of money. Some of them are great for their story, graphics, gameplay, online, coop with friends, etc. There are no perfect games, most of them have bugs. Don't chase the ideal, be satisfied with what you can get. If you are more money-cautious, don't jump on the hype train: wait for sales, buy used, buy retail and sell them towards future purchases after you've finished playing. Don't be lazy and trade them at Gamespot - use auctions, portals for game swap, etc. But before you get rid of them, try to finish your games. If they're not completely broken and irritating, most games give you satisfaction when you finish them. If they have good mechanics and bad story - crank up the difficulty and face the challenge. If the story is interesting but gameplay mediocre - go through them on easy, relax and enjoy the story/visuals. And finally, if you can afford it, just collect experiences, play as many as you can, maybe get trophies/achievements if you like them. Compete with friends - who levels up faster, who first reaches 100%, etc. There are much more ways to enjoy games than games tell you.
I could go on but I've probably scared off enough people with my wall of text at this point. If you're still reading it, I'd welcome your opinion. This is how I approach games nowadays and I find much enjoyment in my hobby. I'm not going to say "You should do alike" because that's the whole point of my rant: nobody should decide for you what you want. But if you do (or don't), how about discussing it?
Game review quality is terrible nowadays
I think that a game review (or any review in general) should contain useful information for the reader who most probably is reading it to solve a dilemma: to buy or not to buy the game. However, I think the reviewer's task is not to convince the reader this way or another but rather to provide them with as much information as possible to decide for themselves. That information should include (please add to the list if you can think of something):
- detailed description of the game mechanics (genre, interface, what the game rewards you for and what not, how you can win, is it difficult, are save points automatic and how often, etc.) - for example I can skip a game with too scarce save points because I don't have time for long gaming sections
- length of the game on normal difficulty (very important for me, also because of time constraints), length of the game to 100% completion - by the way, there is a very useful site with that information: howlongtobeat.com
- if the game has online, how it works (detailed times, preferably measured with a stopwatch, to get into the match from matchmaking, lag - if given by the game, any connection issues, the size of community) - of course this section cannot be written at launch but should be added later, for example after one week since the release
- technical side of the game: engine, resolution, framerate, if it has screen tearing, what rendering techniques it uses, how well it runs on given hardware (if not a console review), any encountered bugs
- story: if it has story or pure gameplay, ratio of cutscenes vs gameplay, if cutscenes have QTEs
Most game reviews completely ignore the above or dominate the facts with personal opinion of the reviewer which I couldn't care less about. At the end of the review there's usually a score which is the worst part because it simplifies the whole idea of a review to a single digit (and metascore is even worse). I understand that reviewers want to add some personal touch to their reviews and want to express their opinion. Fine, I'll just skip it. Why you could, too?
You're probably an expert in video games
Yes, I know the meme but think for a moment: how long have you been playing games? How many games have you finished/played? Do you have your own taste, favourite genres and series, etc? If your hobby is gaming and you're dedicated to it, you are probably at least on pair with the person who wrote the review, if not better. Why should they dictate what you play?
Why should I care about the opinion of people I don't even know?
You probably have friends who play games. Some of them may have the game. Ask them about it. You will know if their tastes are similar to yours. If they are and they like the game, there's a high chance you will like it too. You have GAF. Go to OT of the game and read opinions. I find those very useful. Okay, I don't know most people here either but after reading 20-30 impressions and hands-on from fellow users, I have a better picture than after 2-3 reviews by big gaming outlets. Use your own judgement and intellect, draw an average ranging from hype to dissing and decide whether you like a game or not. You don't necessarily have to enjoy the same kind of games your friends or people on forums consider great. But do experiment, try genres you never touched before.
Watch gameplays
I find gameplays much more useful than reviews simply because they don't try to impose any opinion upon you. Just watch some and see for yourself if you like the game. Try not to spoil it too much, of course. And remember that watching somebody play the game is not the same as playing it. Many games I watched on Youtube or Twitch didn't click with me until I tried them. If you are a Playstation gamer, ask people to allow you to SharePlay. It's a great feature which allows you to taste a game. I think I read somewhere that it's also coming to Steam (?)
Don't be afraid, it's just money
This may be a bit tricky because it depends on your financial status. If you have money to spend on games and consider it an important hobby, hell - why not? I buy a lot of games and rarely regret my purchases. Very few games I have were a complete waste of money. Some of them are great for their story, graphics, gameplay, online, coop with friends, etc. There are no perfect games, most of them have bugs. Don't chase the ideal, be satisfied with what you can get. If you are more money-cautious, don't jump on the hype train: wait for sales, buy used, buy retail and sell them towards future purchases after you've finished playing. Don't be lazy and trade them at Gamespot - use auctions, portals for game swap, etc. But before you get rid of them, try to finish your games. If they're not completely broken and irritating, most games give you satisfaction when you finish them. If they have good mechanics and bad story - crank up the difficulty and face the challenge. If the story is interesting but gameplay mediocre - go through them on easy, relax and enjoy the story/visuals. And finally, if you can afford it, just collect experiences, play as many as you can, maybe get trophies/achievements if you like them. Compete with friends - who levels up faster, who first reaches 100%, etc. There are much more ways to enjoy games than games tell you.
I could go on but I've probably scared off enough people with my wall of text at this point. If you're still reading it, I'd welcome your opinion. This is how I approach games nowadays and I find much enjoyment in my hobby. I'm not going to say "You should do alike" because that's the whole point of my rant: nobody should decide for you what you want. But if you do (or don't), how about discussing it?
