Forums > Contributor Zone > Review of the Week - January 9-15

There's always a bit of a lull right after a tournament deadline. That would be why last week had a lot of reviews, and this week had only five by three different authors. Joe and EmP face off again, with two submissions each this time, with pickhut submitting one. So all three of you are going to appear here, but I needed to pick which review from Joe and EmP I liked more, and then rank all three with some justification. I still can't sleep, and I would have done this during my Australian tomorrow, but I'm completely wide awake and I might be wrecked tomorrow, so it's happening now!

All three chosen reviews are of pretty damn good quality, which makes RotW kind of difficult, but also kind of boring. Because basically I'm just putting them in order based on the tiniest little things I can find. This site gets really consistent submissions, and they're all of high quality. I could put these three in any other order and it would still look right to me.

THIRD PLACE - Pickhut's Domino Rally

Pickhut, I groaned when it was a review for some obscure Wii game with a low score. I figured it was one of those shovelware titles which is bland and has nothing going for it, but I was wrong! Domino Rally is a weird enough game to be interesting to read about, and it's an interesting story about Japanese games in general. I especially loved the bit about the level you initially hated, but then wished the rest of the game was more like. Odd how that can happen sometimes, huh?

SECOND PLACE - EmP's Medal of Honor

EmP, all I have to say about your Sports Megamix review is that it must suck to be staff, sometimes. Having to play something like that long enough to get a review out sounds really tough. Your other review is a much more interesting read, you have a lot more to say about Medal of Honor, and though these sorts of games don't interest me, I did like how the game does some parts so well, but others not so well, balancing out at 5. I'm guessing the multiplayer is among the finest, and the single player is not. Does that make it an Average 5/10 game, though... I suppose you have to take the good with the bad, and it's an honest review.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK - JoeTheDestroyer's Muppet Adventure

Joe, it took me a while to decide between your two reviews this week. Both reviews were full of passion, which is to be expected from 1/10 and 10/10 reviews. While both reviews are fantastic, I went with Muppet Adventure simply because this in depth look at a really terrible game is really, really funny. You probably do the game too much credit by describing it in such detail, but every single detail does compound to one really awful whole. You pick apart the game with such ease, never going over the top with your bashing, never outright insulting the game... just picking up some aspect and explaining why it's bad. The Statler and Waldorf heckling at the end was good, and it adds that extra kick the review needs. You win for having a great combination of critical analysis and humour. Your advice to avoid this game is not needed, however. I probably wouldn't have played it even if you gave it a 10.



There's no losers this week. I enjoyed them all. Even EmP's Sports Megamix review, which was mercifully short. I could feel the frustration in that one. See you next month.

I can avoid death by not having a life.

Oh, that Joe. Rivaling me in the Marathon and in this. He shall have to be destroyed.

Second place is all I get after putting up game info and then pretending it was there all along faint praising feedback. I'll get you too, Jerec!

For us. For them. For you.

Ha, yeah, it's tough finding obscure Wii titles that don't sound like shovelware. Thanks for the comments, and congrats, Joe.

I dunno what this green thing in the middle is, but congrats to it, too.

I head spaceshit noises.

Thank you, thank you! I never expected to win ROTW with the Muppet review. I shall now have fonder memories of torturing myself with that game. Congrats to pickhut and EmP, because you've both taught me to stay clear of Domino Rally and Medal of Honor.

The only thing my milkshake brings to the yard is a subpoena.