Forums > Submission Feedback > overdrive's Project: Snowblind review

Here's a secret: with my extremely busy schedule, I usually pop open a review, read the first and last paragraph and bookmark it for later for a full read and, if I really like the person who wrote it, critique.

However, this review I read all in one go despite the fact that I have two papers that need finishing by the end of the next hour. Now I'm writing a quick review for it. Obviously something you did worked.

I can't put the finger on what it is, though, unless it be simplicity. There's few jokes, no crazy descriptions, no "put-you-in-the-game" moments... but you do seem to know what a shooter fan wants to know and you tell it to them with a minimum (or complete lack, indeed) of bullshit.

You tell us what kind of guns there are, whether they have cool features, and whether we have multiple ways of tackling a level. One, two, three, done. You also manage to tell us what wasn't good about the game without losing the sense of neutrality this review embodies.

That neutrality adds a real believability to everything you say in the review. You come off as the every-gamer, just reporting in on whether or not he had a good time with this shooter. You don't sell yourself or your points as those of an expert and, while in some cases that could work against you, here it is really nice.

And you have an opening about Nazis. A+

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

I thank ye for the kind words. I'd go with "minimum bullshit" instead of a lack of it because of my opening paragraphs where I introduce my "variety" theme with what could be construed as the insane ramblings of a potential serial killer.

But what you said was exactly what I was going for, so if the judges feel like you do, I'll be a happy man. I think the thing I like most about this review is that, after the opening two fluff paragraphs, I feel I've done as good of a job as I ever have of efficiently delivering the knowledge. I think I packed a lot of info into 5K and maintained a clean flow. It's been a little while since I've felt as good about a review I've written as I do about this one. Hopefully (for my sake), that feeling isn't completely off-base.

I'm not afraid to die because I am invincible
Viva la muerte, that's my goddamn principle

For my money, I hope I'm totally off base here and that the review actually makes people's eyes bleed from the pain of reading it, because then I might have a chance in the upcoming tournament.

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