What makes a good review?

[Ack]

I dislike video reviews and simply don't watch them. If I care enough to look up reviews, I'm willing to read them.

Also, I dislike it when reviews give into the hype and declare a game "perfect" or give it absurdly high marks. If anything I prefer sarcastic reviews because they tend to blast the overly hyped games into nothing, which makes me smile a little inside, especially if I don't care for the game.

For instance, Halo currently has a 97 on Metacritic. Personally, I don't feel it warrants that high. I find the AI lacking, especially for the human side, and the level design and layout can become excruciatingly repetitive (I'm looking at you Library).

But I can understand that it's difficult to give a lower score to a game a reviewer genuinely likes, so I suppose I shouldn't fault them too much. I've fallen into that trap myself a few times. And I realize that certain companies have a bad habit of accepting money from game devs to raise scores. But when allegations like those come to light, I usually stop reading that site's reviews and only use them as a resource for other things, such as release date info.

I also wish reviewers were more upfront about personal bias. For instance, I dislike the racing genre, so before reviewing a racing game I feel I should point out that I'll likely be a lot more critical than other reviewers, and because I haven't played many racing games I lack the ability to compare said title to other games in the genre. However I love survival horror, so I will be able to examine the game with a more "classical" eye. I feel reviewers should admit to these kinds of things...but then again, I suppose it would be better in general to reviewers to receive more attention so I know who the person discussing the game is.

[s1mplehumar]

When I take the time to read Destructoid's reviews, for instance, I have the feeling that it's the same crap everyone wrote about the game but with a lower score.

I thought that was Gamespot's job?

[Ack]

When I take the time to read Destructoid's reviews, for instance, I have the feeling that it's the same crap everyone wrote about the game but with a lower score.

I thought that was Gamespot's job?

He said lower scores, not artificially-inflated-because-we-take-money scores.

[s1mplehumar]

When I take the time to read Destructoid's reviews, for instance, I have the feeling that it's the same crap everyone wrote about the game but with a lower score.

I thought that was Gamespot's job?

He said lower scores, not artificially-inflated-because-we-take-money scores.

OK.

I like Syd Lexia reviews. Short, sweet, and to the point.

http://www.sydlexia.com/top100nes.htm

[noiseredux]

I dislike video reviews and simply don't watch them. If I care enough to look up reviews, I'm willing to read them.

me too! I've actually NEVER even watched a game review.

[noiseredux]

sydlexia IS hilarious -- but the past few months it's been nothing but cereal articles.

[CRTGAMER]

I dislike video reviews and simply don't watch them. If I care enough to look up reviews, I'm willing to read them.

me too! I've actually NEVER even watched a game review.

Agree. Reading gives more control for research. That and related pics.

[slowslow325]

Reviews in general:

One of the biggest things in a review that needs to be there is YOUR OWN OPINION!

A lot of reviewers review fine, but it's all stuff that has already been said. I don't care if you call Super Mario 64 a bad game, as long as you can back it up!

That's the other thing! BACK UP YOUR OPINION!

If you make a video and say Superman 64 sucks, and I shouldn't buy it, doesn't make a good review. When I watch a review, I don't decide whether to buy the game or not based on the final rating, I judge based on your evidence.

One thing that doesn't bother me is a biased opinion. As long as you can give evidence as why a game sucks, other than "because it's on 360" then you're fine, even if the reason you really don't like it is because it's on 360.

Video Reviews:

Turn off the TV in the background.

Try to do retakes if you say uhh a lot.

Don't make it all one long cut. Cut it up a bit and make sections of you talking about each aspect of the game. That way, you won't have to redo as much if you mess up, and you won't have as many pauses for when you have to think.

Script the video as well as possible. It doesn't have to be word for word scripted always, sometimes a few notes can work well.

No video taping the TV.

Text Reviews:

Break it up. Use the enter key and make seperate paragraphs and don't make it one long wall of text.

Screenshots arranged neatly!