Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW 2010-04-11 to 2010-04-17

So four reviews were sent in and only three could place. The other gets a feedback topic and deserves it. It seems sequels were the accidental theme of the week. Writing for sequels always interests me because there's always a grey area in what to assume and what not to rewrite from a previous review. All three of these did a good job of not looking too far behind at the past and still giving me an idea of what was going on and what was expected. But there can be only one.

DarkstarRipclaw gets 3rd place for SBK: Snowboard Kids. While parts are a bit bumpy, there's some good discussion about disappointment over the game. The complaints about Snowboard Kids growing up being a bad thing are the sort of things that thinking gamers wrestle with all the time. The review, like the game, picks up well at the end--a strong conclusion helps it place.

Felix_Arabia gets 2nd place for Donkey Kong 3. Some passages are the best writing of the week, but some just seem flowery, and they're flowery passages I've read before. It's one of those reviews where I suspect I will disagree strongly with the author on the "most interesting bits." But I fully agree they are there. With more stuff like the Gumby paragraph, this would be a super review. However, there's something to be said for taking chances and learning what works and what doesn't. It is good long term. But sometimes it lets a more straightforward review in for the temporary honors, which itself may've been a product of trying things out and seeing what worked...

...so Pickhut wins for Ace Combat 5. This review did a slightly better job of looking at the whole series and pointing out what we expect in sequels. There's maybe a bit more to work with for a sequel that improves than for one that is negative, and pickhut does a good job of capturing the sort of things that mean more than just another graphic upgrade, like how you can't do everything at once or get a perfect score, and that seems to make AC5 more exciting than AC4. Graphics, weapons, and so forth have been said before. I think if there's one thing I'd change about this review, it might be the minor profanities. They're not offensive, but they don't add anything. Save your powder for the most important passage. The review won't lose any pace. This is a significantly better review than the AC2 one I saw a while back, so good job on it and on working to improve things in general.

Minor gripes are addressed in critique topics, hopefully with enough (deserved) praise to balance things out.

My principal said, 'Emo, Emo, Emo.'
I said 'I'm the one in the middle, you lousy drunk!'
-- Emo Phillips

Congrats to this week's winners. Pickhut is certainly doing a great job selling the Ace Combat series as of late. I'm itching to try that series and may pick up the one for the PSP since I don't currently own a PS2.

I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?

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Wow, I haven't received one of these in a long time, so this is a surprise. Thanks for the RotW and the comments on the the review, aschultz, I'll take a look at those profanities you've mentioned. And congrats and good job to everyone else who had a review that week, they also wrote solid reviews.

Also, thanks, rand. I've never played the PSP game, but I hope it turns out to be a good game.

I head spaceshit noises.

Congrats to pickhut for his sexy win, and thanks for the nod!

I don't have to boost my review resume because I have a real resume.

Good win, Pickhut. Great review this week.

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