From biases and objectivity to the writer’s context and readers’ curiosity, let’s find out what makes a good or bad game review. Or so what I think they are.
Game reviews are an important source of information, especially with the price and malicious marketing of some of the biggest and most anticipated video games out there.
I’ve shared this and more in my previous Game Review post, Game Reviews are No Fun. I talked about how creating Game Reviews takes away the fun of playing video games, the essence of playing video games, the struggle of giving a “definitive” review, and other stuff I absolutely have no credibility to talk about.
In passing, I wrote about what makes a Game Review good or bad. I thought I would have a brief go at what I believe they are.
What a Game Review is. Kinda.
A good Game Review is often thought to offer readers a well-rounded overview of a game. It supposedly includes its strengths and weaknesses, as well as what to expect when buying it.
A bad Game Review, oftentimes, can be painfully biased or simply uninformed. These types of reviews are often more harmful than helpful, as they can dissuade people from playing a potentially great game simply because of one person’s negative opinion.
A middling Game Review pretty much goes under the radar. It is something that barely says anything striking about a video game and simply describes it.
Honestly, I like the last one the most.
Different People, Different Questions.
I think there are different ways of creating a Game Review. I even think that there are different metrics for what a Game Review is supposed to be.
Should it be in-depth? Should it just go over the game mechanics? Should it talk about relevance? Should it take into consideration the hype? Should it be discussed with the game company?
There are so many questions a writer might want to answer, but there are just as many and varied questions a reader may want to get answers for as well. Different people, different questions.
For me, I look out for three things when reading Game Reviews: biases, effort, and the writer’s context.
What a Game Review is supposed to be, for Me.
I believe an actual good Game Review is one done with transparency of their biases in addition to putting obvious effort toward showcasing what can and cannot be enjoyed by different gamers.
This seems counterintuitive as you do not want to be biased. Being biased is often seen as someone being an incredible source of information. Still, I believe it doesn’t—at least from MY context. I’ll talk more about context but for now, let’s stick with the biases.
Laying out your biases should help you connect with your audience. It also helps readers or viewers immediately decide if they want to consider your words. As I wrote before: Different people, different questions.
Yet with all that said, the writer; with all their biases laid out, should avoid making universal statements purely based on their preference. Rather, try to connect certain elements you took note of with the kind of gamer who might enjoy them; and vice versa.
While this may seem like overselling the game by saying “it is for everyone,” it actually helps weed out those who are and are not interested in the game you are reviewing since you are laying down different game elements and problems you took note of.
How is a Review different from a Commentary
If biases play a great deal in creating a Game Review, how is it different from a Commentary?
A Commentary, at least from my little understanding of Journalism, is an opinion piece made based on the writer’s biases. However, commentaries often give interpretations or prescriptions on certain topics.
This is not what I believe a Game Review should be. At the end of the review, you are left with what the game has to offer and what it has not.
What about the Writer’s Context?
Yes, the writer’s context.
The writer’s context mainly affects what I expect to find in a Game Review.
A Game Review writer from IGN, GameSpot, or GameRant may have stricter guidelines they have to adhere to when reviewing a game. This is because their review will represent the view the company has towards the game.
Why is this important? Politics. This may affect their relationship with the game company, who sometimes provide them with review copies to help promote a game before its release.
On the other hand, stand-alone writers who may have less reputation and credibility, have the fortune of presenting their views as their own and deciding their metrics for reviewing a game.
This Sucks, there’s no Objectivity in the Review!
Objectivity! That is a very tricky word, one that has not been imposed by everybody objectively. Ironic if you think about it.
While this does seem true, it doesn’t mean there is no objectivity in Game Reviews.
I; and everyone else, should have the duty to be honest about what they found good; enjoyable, along with the bad; unenjoyable and unplayable.
For the bad, I have game elements I consider objectively bad. Some of which are when a game…
…breaks its setting, theme, and/or consistency senselessly.
…has something that unchangeably blocks you from finishing the game.
…lies to you about its game mechanics.
…is completely one-dimensional.
…is filled with game-breaking bugs.
These are things you could be actively looking out for or immediately recognize when you find them. There are more in my mind but I think these are pretty good examples.
Pointing out the good will help gamers find out what they could look forward to enjoying, while pointing out the bad can steer them away from engaging in those types of play style or from buying the game at all.
This may also help out the developers if you provide thorough and constructive criticism. So there is no loser in this situation.
The Cat.
Don’t worry. I won’t do the same joke twice.
Yet the point remains the same, albeit in a slightly different way.
A person reads a Game Review because that person is interested in the game. Something in it piqued their interest. A Game Review is there to give them tidbits of information to feed or quell their curiosity, but also not there to sell it.
It would help if you didn’t dare them to kill the cat. Instead, it would be best if you let them decide whether to pet it or not.
Some game reviews on my website:
- Old And Simple, But A Masterpiece Nonetheless – Dragon’s Dogma Review
- Sekiro, Dynasty Warriors, And Chinese History – Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Review
- Huge Dreams And A Huge Studio Demo Reel – Bright Memory: Infinite Review
- A Compelling Dark-Fantasy Game – HellSlave Review
- A Not-So Magical Story – The Mageseeker Review
- Building Dreams, One Pixel At A Time – City Game Studio Review
- How Is This A Single-Player Game? – Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Review
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