Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW: July 31st to August 8th

Apologies for the usual tardiness. Your contestants this week:



Runner-up New Third Place I Guess
Jeopardy! (Wii) by honestgamer

The inclusion of a childhood anecdote does a lot for this review. That little bit of emotional context makes the review more personal, and thus more compelling and interesting. As a fellow child of the early 90's, I was able to share in your impressions of the game, weighed appropriately against my nostalgia, and came away feeling much as I imagine you did; disappointed at some aspects, but ultimately pleased. 6/10 feels right. I don't think I would have read all the way through this piece if it didn't have that personal touch.

Third Place
R-Type II (Game Boy) by Masters

Everybody knows I love it when a game gets bashed with style. It's always a fine balance, which is why I tend to call attention whenever someone gets that balance right.
REDACTED BECAUSE APPARENTLY I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE MASTERS IN THE ROTW v0v

Second Place First Loser
Bastion (XBLA) by JoeTheDestroyer

Holy crap, this sounds like something else.

You're very good, I've noticed, taking a colourful games like Bastion and capturing that sense of wonder and atmosphere in words. It's pretty damn impressive. This was a fun read.

Your Champion
Trapped Dead (PC) by EmP

What I said for Masters' piece goes here, as well. EmP is in top form here, laying waste to a horde of bad design decisions and gameplay glitches like some kind of zombie slayer wielding the twin AK-47s of Sarcasm and Wit. Also, this image is going straight to 4Chan.



Thanks to everybody who subbed this week and waited patiently for me to get off my ass and post this thread. And congrats to EmP for a well-deserved win(I'd be much obliged if you could get me a higher-res version of that screencap).

"Either, sir, you're an ass or masquerading as one."
- Nero Wolfe

Congrats to Emp for the win, and also to Joe. That Bastion review was indeed awesome. Guess I'll have to work harder next time for a mention, though ;)

"Nowadays, people know the price of everything and the value of nothing"

*Oscar Wilde*

Thanks for the comments and placement, Will. I knew going in that I was reviewing a "boring" game but to me it didn't have to be boring and I wanted to communicate that in the review, so I went with the risky personal opener. I'm glad it worked for you. Congrats to those who placed better than I did this week. Great stuff all around!

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world2

Three weeks solid for Gary.

KILLING SPREE

Congrats!

Thank you for the comments and placement, Will, and awesome job everyone else.

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

He doesn't get to call in the air strike yet, though, or the dogs... so it doesn't matter, I don't think.

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world2

Uh oh, you included Masters. That's against THE RULES! Go back and do it again.

I can avoid death by not having a life.

Damnit. I didn't get the memo on that one. This is too much to remember for what should be a simple task!

Guess Jason gets bumped to third place then? Good thing I usually do four instead of three in my weeks.

Also, since when did HG have a language filter? o_O

"Either, sir, you're an ass or masquerading as one."
- Nero Wolfe

There's a language filter? I think I noticed it when I tried to say !@#$! once.

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

The language filter only blocks one word - "!@#$!" or any of its variants.

Thanks Will! =D And congrats to the winners.

P.S. The list of "reviewers not to be included in RotW" can be found as the second or third rule of the Official RotW Topic. =P

[Eating EmP's brain] probably isn't a good idea. I mean... He's British, which means his brain's wired for PAL and your eyes are NTSC. - Will

Hush you.

Hey, we should have a separate weekly competition between all the people who aren't included in the RotW. Yeah? Yeah? :D

"Either, sir, you're an ass or masquerading as one."
- Nero Wolfe

Those people being Marc, Felix and Zig? And I fear the German zombies have claimed the latter two.

Thanks for (eventual) results, young William, and ta for the win. Congrats to all; it was a cool week for reviews.

For us. For them. For you.

Marc: "Like my review do you? Offer praise, eh? You bastard!"

And I thought us English were at each other's throats.

For us. For them. For you.

Panic on the streets of Toronto?

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

Since you're no longer cited for any placement I don't see what the fuss is. But if it's really that big a deal to you, say the word and I'll expunge it entirely; I won't even make a feedback thread for your review. It will be as if it were never written.

"Either, sir, you're an ass or masquerading as one."
- Nero Wolfe