On Review Policies
by drrandle
Let Me Show You Mine There has been a lot of hubbub, not just recently, but for a while about the whole line of ethics of video game reviewers and review processes. Most of it is just mud slung by know-nothings on the message boards, but some of it does have legitimate merit. With this in mind I thought I would take this otherwise slow news period to talk about my policies. I am fortunate enoug...
Let Me Show You Mine
There has been a lot of hubbub, not just recently, but for a while about the whole line of ethics of video game reviewers and review processes. Most of it is just mud slung by know-nothings on the message boards, but some of it does have legitimate merit. With this in mind I thought I would take this otherwise slow news period to talk about my policies.
I am fortunate enough to not work for anybody, so I get to make my own rules and set my own deadlines. I will not give a review if I do not think I am ready to. What makes me think I know what's best? Well honestly, it's what little arrogance I actually have. I think I know better. Maybe I'm wrong, but if you do not like it, I apologize, and ask that you go somewhere like IGN or read the reviews here by professionals at Giant Bomb. If you want just one more honest, unpaid, because-I-want-to opinion, than please feel free to hang around. I invite you to stay, and ask you to make yourself at home.
If, in some crazy series of events, I am capable of receiving free copies of the game: I assure you that I will only take it if it is indeed the final product. It's not that I'm super paranoid, it's mostly me not wanting to deal with the hassle of debug units or any of that. Plus, I like reviewing finished products: 99.9% is still not good enough. (That being said, it's not like all retail copies are finished products.. I'm looking at you, Alone in the Dark (whom I do still love without reason)). Wow, double parenthesis? I sidetrack alot. Also, side not, swag? I'll take it. I love free stuff, who doesn't? I assure you that i pride myself on integrity, and would never let it detour my vote. That being said, I love me some video game paraphenilia, and I'm not going to give it up because some weirdo thinks that it somehow comprimises my intellect. That's fine if they know that it will detour them, so they keep away from it. That's good, even. But that's not me.
Other than that, my goal is simple: I want to deliver a straight up review of games. I'll tell you a little bit about it, avoiding as much of the details of story and secrets as I can, while telling you what things I think work and do not. In the end I will always tell you if a game is likely worth your time or not. I usually will recommend at least a rental for all games, because I think you should really sample the market.
But I am not without my flexibility (which I am renowned for). So perhaps you think something should be different? Perhaps I was unclear about something, or left something you think is important out? A view perhaps, that I failed to share here? Please, please, leave me your thoughts.
I asked him "how is everything?"
He grabbed a cigarette and roll his eyes,
"Oh man I'm desperate to get laid"
He said his boyfriend left,
He said his name was Jeff,
He couldn't stand the traffic in L.A.
Red Elvises - Happy That I'm Straight