Game Reviews Fixed?

[Grave]

I don't think real journalists would work for what I'd assume game magazine "journalists" make. Cheap labor, dammit.

Not that real journalists are rolling in bank, either. Or that it's even a clean, unbiased thing most of the time. Sure, that's what it's supposed to be... but taking a couple journalism classes and speaking to people who've been in the industry for years, I decided I didn't want anything to do with it.

That said, video game "journalism" is nothing like the real thing and I don't think the two should mix.

[Jeremy]

I read about this the other day on GameFAQs review contributors board, and I'll post essentially the same thing here that I did there. The practice of greasing palms for the sake of sales and at the expense of the consumers' hard-earned dollar disgusts me. Is it something born out of necessity? Possibly, but I'm sure there are other ways to appease advertisers beyond blatantly lying about a product.

[Kenshin]

PLEASE! EGM! IGN! WHOEVER! Start hiring *real* journalists...

Oh boy, there's a real hot-button word.

The phrase "videogame journalism" is complete bullshit, unless you count the in-depth articles of Next Gen's old days.

There's videogame reporters, and videogame reviewers. There are no journalists. Anyone who calls himself one has more ego than qualifications.


Anyways, no matter what industry you're looking at, there's always going to be people who can easily be bought and sold. It's up to the editor to keep people in line, unless he's in on it too.

[Joust Williams]

Vice City (PS2 one anyway) is buggy as heck and formulaic too, but it got a 10. So maybe the review is right, and most people dig that sort of thing.

[mollipen]

First, we've already had this "videogame journalists" argument here. Go look up the old thread if we're going to argue that part.

This is one of the bigger faults of videogame magazines - in order to get a cheap way to get readers, and that's all it is, a cheap trick, we get "exclusive" reviews or "first" reviews. Unfortunately, those reviews are pointless. From my experience, you typically have two types of people - people who are going to buy the new game anyhow the day it comes out, and don't pay much attention to reviews - or, at least, magazine reviews. Or, you have people who don't buy games right away, who wait to see what people say about the game, and find out if it is worth playing.

The first group don't matter, because they're going to go buy the game no matter what. The second group has a "wait" mentality anyhow, so being first to review a game doesn't mean much to them.

Absolutely, the way it should work is that a magazine should go out and actually purchase a store-bought copy of each game that they plan on reviewing. The copy of the game that the reviewer reviews should be EXACTLY the same as the copy that the people reading that review would be purchasing. If Atari says "give us a 9 or you don't get an early review copy," tell them to stick it.

I'm more than willing to admit that I "don't get it" and that a magazine run by me might not survive. *heh* However, I have to believe that a magazine where you know you can better trust the reviews you'll read in it would be worth a lot more than a magazine that gets the review first.

[Diff-chan]

There's videogame reporters, and videogame reviewers. There are no journalists. Anyone who calls himself one has more ego than qualifications.

Do you think that's a good thing? Companies need to start hiring people with journalistic credentials. Period. Hiring people who cut their teeth on fanboy websites, and then giving them the opportunity to play games for free (instead of spending all their money on games) and talk to videogame designers (who they fawned over for years) is just asking for trouble. They can be easily manipulated by the companies who they loved for years.

First, we've already had this "videogame journalists" argument here. Go look up the old thread if we're going to argue that part.

I dont want to argue it. I simply really believe that what I am saying is a good solution to the problem of shitty videogame writing. That's why Im bringing it up again.

[Joust Williams]

I have another good solution: don't read reviews. The only ones I get any enjoyment reading are fan reviews written by people who love that genre and can convey a point (so most GFaqs ones go out the window).

I just read mini-reviews, or even browse a topic on a MB regarding the game. Those usually give me much more information that a "real" review on one of the big sites or in one of the big mags.

USA Today does video game reviews, by what I'd guess to be someone with "journalistic credentials". USA Today's reviews also suck balls.

[dave is ok]

People who arent fanatical about a niche culture ( such as gaming ) arent going to want to write about it everyday for 30 grand a year. Although serious, hard hitting, good journalism requires an impartial stance, I dont think we're ever going to find one on any major gaming website or magazine. Get over it.

[Diff-chan]

People who arent fanatical about a niche culture ( such as gaming ) arent going to want to write about it everyday for 30 grand a year. Although serious, hard hitting, good journalism requires an impartial stance, I dont think we're ever going to find one on any major gaming website or magazine. Get over it.

Next Generation was suitably close to such a goal. I honestly dont know how the EIC did it but the magazine was so far above the crap that we have now that it shows it can and has been done.

I think if sites were to stop hiring idiots like MarkRyan just because theyve written on websites for a few years, tremendous strides can be made.

I have another good solution: don't read reviews.

It's great that you have the time and desire to play every videogame that catches your eye, but not everyone is like you. Reviews are absolutely necessary and your solution is stupid, crappy, and completely implausible.

[Mzo]

People who arent fanatical about a niche culture ( such as gaming ) arent going to want to write about it everyday for 30 grand a year. Although serious, hard hitting, good journalism requires an impartial stance, I dont think we're ever going to find one on any major gaming website or magazine. Get over it.

Look at the evolution of sports journalism. The video game industry is comparably in its infancy, I don't think it's wholly implausible that good gaming journalism will never happen.