Forums > Contributor Zone > Zipp's Reviewing Results

As for your last comment, well, you're right: I probably shouldn't judge again, because it seems like somebody (usually the lowest scorer) "questions my integrity" every time I do so.

I never said you should quit judging, at all. They're too few and far between as it is, and I would never ask that of anyone. Maybe that shot about your integrity was a bit overboard. It just seemed that...ugh, I don't even know. That you were doubting my validity, in either playing it the first time, or even being a fan of the genre.

And Bloomer's right. If I have to write a review on the review, just to further explain myself, then the original work didn't convey what I was trying to get across. Which is odd...because I've had reviews that people haven't "got" before, but this one I seem to defend more adamently. Why, I don't know.

Regardless, those were probably shit things to say and I'm sorry. I should have simply thanked you, took what you said--be it good or bad--and went on about my business.

So...

Thank you.

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

True, what you need to understand is that if you felt my critique was unfair, you were perfectly in the clear to voice your disagreement and explain how I should have read/approached your review differently. Where I draw the line is when someone questions my validity as a judge, and that's precisely what you did.

And yes, I'm done judging. I understand that's not what you're getting at, but I'm done anyway. Like I said, I'm three for three: Every time I've judged a contest, I've had someone blow my criticisms out of proportion and attack me for it. I'm sick of putting up with it. I know this is hard to believe given my track record, but I'm not looking for trouble here. I'm really not. I'd love to cut back on all this drama bullcrap, and refraining from judging seems like a pretty good start.

You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it.

In the end, that's your choice.

I'm not the first person to complain about a score, I won't be the last. As much as it's a part of reviewing, it's a part of judging. No one is going to like everything you have to say, and it's going to go as far as someone questioning your right to say it. Even though it's only an opinion.

Unfortunately, people forget that. And they take things to heart, and don't always remember that writers are artists, and they are intense in defending their work sometimes. It's nothing personal, nor do I think any of those three disagreements were aimed at you directly as a person.

That's life, and that's the life of a reviewer. If I were to buy into all the negative things said about me, I'd probably hang it up, or hang myself. Not everyone is going to like you. In my case--no one. But it's not about doing this because you want people to love you, or even like you. It's about doing it because you love the craft.

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

I thought the Code Veronica review was too weak to warrant the 2/10. More/better support would greatly enhance it.

About half the review complains about the story, specifically, Claire's change in character from RE2 and the love subplot. Now, we may differ in how we view the importance of storylines in games, but I don't think the crappy love subplot detracts a lot. If I remember correctly, you couldn't skip the cutscenes in RE1 and RE2, whereas you can in CV. You're not forced to put up with them every time you play the game.

The criticisms are especially weaker regarding the gameplay. These are the reasons you don't like the game, as I gathered from your review:

-You didn't get the magnum

-You played sloppily, thus preventing you from beating a boss. As someone well-versed in the Resident Evil series, you should KNOW that conserving ammo and health items is essential. Until 4, Resident Evil was never about "run and gun" tactics. I remember not being able to beat a boss in RE2 because I didn't have enough ammo. But I didn't fault the game for my own sloppy playing.

-You think the second part is "rehashed garbage". You neglect to mention that entire new areas of the island are accessible (kind of like the return to the mansion in RE1.)

I also didn't get any indication that you got anywhere near the end of the game from the review. Because like I already said, there are far better examples you could use against the game being "unfair" -- for instance, there literally is an impossible battle near the end, where unless you have 3-4 first aid sprays, you WILL die (unavoidable hits). Also near the end, there is a brief moment where you switch from Chris to Claire, then back again. I made the mistake of equipping my best weapons on Claire, so, when the game went back to Chris, they were lost forever.

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Drac's just proving my point here, Suskie.

It's obvious he hates my review, and while I appreciate his criticism (though I think at some point he should turn his passion towards a review of his own, and give readers another side of the story) I stand by my review, my score and my opinions. I'll emphasize them, argue them, but I'm not going to change them. Because as much as he and Bloomer and you hate it, Jason liked it enough to warrant a mention. And there's probably other readers who went through exactly what I did and can agree with me, or other people who will now play the game and avoid my issues. If I took what they said completely to heart, I would start to doubt my own skills and eventually my self.

This is said with all due respect, because I do think you're a good reviewer with the potential to be one of the best. If I didn't, I wouldn't have taken the time out to track you down, IM and steer you in a different direction after you got sick of HG. But if you're going to question yourself anytime some pretentious, whiney, over-inflated bloke doubts your integrity, then, yes, maybe you might want to take a break and harden your ego a bit.

People on here argue--about everything. They argue about reviews (See: Drac), they argue about scores (See: Me) and they even argue about silly Avatars (See: Me again and Zig's weird ugly wig wearing man). It's a part of the community, and it's probably never going to change. The best reviewers learn how to rise above it, and use it. I wouldn't know this persononally, but take a look at Jason sometime.

On a side note, if I was butt-hurt about everything people were saying about my review, why would I do.... this!

Resident Evil was never about "run and gun" tactics

It is when you're playing it for one stupid scene at the end and desperate to get through it...

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

haha, I've tried several times to write a review for CV. Never was able to.

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Apparently you completely missed my point, True, so I'll be more blunt: You're free to disagree all you want if you feel you've had an injustice done upon you, but if you needlessly insult me, you're only going to piss me off.

And with that, I'm done talking about this.

You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it.

It's good to stand by your review, True. If there's one thing I've learned while writing it's that there's a member in every audience who will love you. That said, I hope you're taking our advice to heart, because it's hard to make an ENTIRE audience like you, but it IS doable if you listen to enough feedback. As for Suskie, I'm glad you at least participated in my contest, but I think it's silly to pull out of future. Where's that hard-assed underdog I've come to love?

Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."

You weren't around for the Belisarios thing. If only you knew.

You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it.

I'm where I am today because other great writers respected me enough to praise some of my reviews, but ridicule some with insult and derision. I trained with ninjas and exacted vengeance upon them in reviewer deathmatches, and the fact that I'm still alive proves I won.

A chip on the shoulder can be a powerful source of energy, but it's best focused on writing that proves people wrong by impressing the world. Message board posts don't garner that kind of attention.

//Zig

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Zig wins the thread.

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> I'll emphasize them, argue them, but I'm not going to change them. Because as much as he and
> Bloomer and you hate it, Jason liked it enough to warrant a mention.

Uch... You have missed the point and continued to personalise responses to the review.

I don't 'hate' your review. I feel it's been obvious that lots of people aren't getting what you thought you conveyed. The review is not controversial because of what your opinion is, it's controversial because the opinion is not clear and perhaps logically troubled. There are zero issues of honour or ethics of not 'budging' from your position involved here. The only issue is whether this piece of writing is working or is not, and I'm convinced it's not, resulting in a ratio of about 1 in 2 people getting it in the first place.

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I don't hate the review either.

The review is simply too weak for the 2/10 score. Keep in mind, a lot of people consider CV to be the best of the "original" series, so a 2/10 review better have some damn good arguments behind it. Even arguing that "the formula has become too stale/bland at this point" would have been admirable. Instead, you mention nothing that couldn't be applied to every other game in the series.

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Thank you guys, I think your comments and ads are very helpful. I'll take all of it into consideration for my next contest.

Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."