Game Reviewing
I’m not a professional game reviewer. I wouldn’t even consider myself an amateur game reviewer. However, I do believe I qualify as an avid gamer. I read a review for almost every big game that comes out for PC and even plenty of those that won’t be released on PC. I spend plenty of time playing through games as well whether an RPG, an FPS, and RTS, or anything in between. I would have told you that at one point, I had narrow tastes in games but now I’d say it’s a bit broader. While I’m sure you can name some big titles that I haven’t bothered to play (mostly because playing every game out there is too expensive for those of us that don’t pirate) I am still going to make the claim that I am at least decently well versed in the gaming world. Plain and simple: I am a gamer.
So when I read a review for a game and notice first, the game is rated 4 out of 10, but also that the reviewer states early on that he found the game difficult to enjoy, I have to ask myself a question: How do you keep playing the game? I know personally I have started some games and just not been able to get into them. While I might return to the game after some time, I would find it difficult to finish the game on a deadline. I’m quite impressed at reviewers for being able to do this. Granted, they do have some time prior to release to actually play through the game so as to review it but they still get the reviews out on time (or close to).
My biggest concern about my own judgment when I’m reviewing a game is that I sometimes need a second look at the game. I played “The Witcher: Enhanced Edition” and found it to be difficult to manage. The gameplay mechanics seemed off. I was also hurt by the fact that I was returning to the original only after playing “The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings” so the graphics were obviously sub-par in the original. However, given some time I returned to the game and thoroughly enjoyed it, almost to the point where I was surprised. It was well worth my time as I finished my play through just in time for the release of “The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition,” which is a completely different topic.
Another slight concern is that I can’t judge things well enough and with enough knowledge. While it isn’t a bad thing to have a differing opinion, it is a problem to miss issues or perks altogether. I might not agree with the consensus whether a game is good or not. In general, I feel like I do and that I read a review for a game I’ve already played and think to myself: “That’s what I was thinking.” However, in some cases I come to an utterly different conclusion. Where many reviewers found a game to have intuitive gameplay, an intricate and engaging story combined with deep and moving characters, I sometimes only see a weak game. Is this a flaw in my review of the game or am I developing my own sense of what makes a game good? Am I at a point where I can accurately judge the merit of a game?
Video games, despite the negative cultural feeling, are a form of artwork just like a play, a novel, or a movie. While the newest member of this group a good game can draw you into a world, immerse you in realistic characters, or provide riveting gameplay. So what are the qualifications to judge a video game as opposed to judging artwork.
