While I understand the point Mr Parkin is trying to make, I can't help but question who exactly he is trying to write to. As Patrick himself states this review is a critique of the series as a whole, through the lens of its most recent instalment (apologies for paraphrasing). The main crux of Mr Parkin's point could essentially and much less eloquently be boiled down to;
A) Games in the Uncharted series trade of freedom and scope for visceral excitement and sheer visual spectacle.
and B) Uncharted 3 is no different
I can't help to think that a review for sequels need to be looked at differently, and if the reviewer has an issue with a specific aspect of a series, it should be mentioned. But seriously, who is eagerly waiting for a review of Uncharted 3 who doesn't already know the strengths and foibles of the first two? I don't really have the answer, but I don't think you can review a triple A sequel without either drinking the kool-aid, inciting nerd rage, or weakly using the term 'fans of the genre'.
Lastly, while I appreciate Patrick bringing this review to my attention, as it was enlightening, I think critics lamenting nerd rage is as silly and futile as developers and PR teams lamenting critic rage. You write for a living. It may aid you to remember that your ability to translate your tastes and views into an intelligent and coherent format is something not all your readers can do. This doesn't mean they don't also have tastes and views. And while readers should possibly spend more time considering the process and mindset from which a critic comes, surely a writer must also consider the spectrum of tastes, biases, and even intelligence of his audience.
Sorry for the rant
Log in to comment