[PATV] Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - Extra Credits Season 2, Ep. 22: Game Reviews

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[PATV] Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - Extra Credits Season 2, Ep. 22: Game Reviews

This week, we talk about reviewing games, how to pursue a game reviewing career, and how game reviewing might be improved overall.

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Carole_Vaudry

Hi there!

Thanks a lot for the show, I've learned tons from it and eagerly awaits it every Wednesday. So eagerly, I *have to* relisten to old episodes to quench the thirst... and because it always teach me something new.

I was just re-watching this one, after publishing my first . If anyone (including the commenters) has 5 minutes to read and tell me their opinion, I'd be forever grateful.

Thanks again and keep up the good work!

Carole_Vaudry

Hi again

My editor jsut let me know we had a few hits on the review from here, so I just wanted to thank everyone who took the time from the bottom of my heart.

Digibro

I'm totally with you on the state of video game reviews. Over the years, it bothered me to read reviews with statements like "the plot isn't very well done," which don't actually tell us what's wrong with the plot, or what games have done it right. Criticism should be constructive, even if the developers will never read the review, because knowing what's being done right and how to do it more right makes us even more appreciate when things are done right, and informs people of when they're seeing things done right. It gives context to their enjoyment of the game, so that they can better understand their own tastes and navigate other reviews.

Reviewers and readers of reviews all too often forget that the reviewers themselves are integral to the message of the review. There is no universal standard of right and wrong, only the reviewer's personal context of comparison, so it's direly important that the reviewer and the reader can understand why the reviewer feels the way they do, and how it applies to the reader.

I too have started writing video game reviews, and I'd love it if I got an audience, though my reviews are quite self-indulgent, and my style may be harder to attract a crowd. Still, I'd like to think that I'm doing my reviews the right way, and I hope that others will recognize it.

(And since I'm never above self-advertising, here's a link to my reviews~

Tube

Y'all can stop pimping your websites in here now.

Liam Henderson

Hi.
I thought I'd let you know of one example of a great game reviewer called good game.
They're a major TV show here in Australia, so I'm not sure if you'd be able to watch episodes online in other countries, but they seem to do everything that was mentioned in this episode.

They don't just throw around random phrases, they use very clear and explicate language to let you know exactly what you'll get out of the game and say not just what happened in the game but also how something made them feel personally.

Since it's a TV show you get the advantage of seeing exactly how they feel about something based on their expressions rather then just words like in most written online reviews.

And that point that was made about saying who they think would enjoy this or if you enjoy this game you will also like whatever, is something that they've done for a long time, and they've been around since 2006.

So they say who they think will enjoy this without just giving they're own out of ten opinions which is good.
More then just giving scores and information on whether or not this game is worth you're money, they also do it in an entertaining way, by showing they're own experiences with the game with snippets of video, sometimes going off for a bit to point out what they thought was funny, stupid or creepy etc.
Plus they also have a good sense of humour, sometimes I re watch reviews of games even if I know they think it's terrible or got a bad score even if I already own the game just to see what they thought of it again and to have a few laughs.

And they don't only do reviews, there's also an animated short they do called tiny power, history on franchises, a segment about games that are cheap or even free for the money conscious, developer interviews, they've even expanded into three different shows, a main one, one for younger gamers good game spawn point and a pocket edition encase you miss the show during the week.

So anyway good game is one of the best examples of game reviews done right plus it's the only game review TV show I know of, let alone one that's supported by one of the major Australian networks ABC.
So watch them if you can and I think you'll have a good idea how reviews should be done.

P.S Love this show.

maxnichols

Well done, as always. I did have one bit of critique though: the quote you chose as an example of how movie reviews are more nuanced seemed like a poor choice to me. It read like an exercise in pointless fluffy obfuscation, rather than an example of excellent critique. It hardly said anything, unless you're part of whatever in-crowd would understand the comparisons it was making.

Maybe that's the point - maybe it has immense value to the people who ARE in that crowd. But it certainly doesn't do a god job of selling me on the idea that game reviews are lacking, when the game review quote right afterwards seemed far more approachable and useful.