Forums > Contributor Zone > Quite possibly the longest R.O.T.W. in the history of Honest Gamers (March 25th - March 31st)

So thanks for being patient on this one, I appreciate it. It's been kind of a crazy week. Tried to do something special for you guys this time, as there were a few newcomers and I thought they could use a little extra encouragement. Excellent reviews all around though, so without further ado:

Pickhut Maximum Chase – Excellent opening paragraph on this one. Brief, but set the entire premise for the game—as well as the reason you sought it out. Twice. Decent set up and switch between story and level design. Good grammar and focus through the entire review, but I know you always do well with that.

Even though this was a short review, I walked away with a very strong sense of what Maximum Chase was all about. I’m not sure if it was this one, but I remember a promo for a game of this nature saying something along the lines of “this is the game you were looking for when you bought Stunt Driver”. After that I’ve always been curious, so if it is this one I am glad I saved my money. Sounds like the same rehashed garbage.

My one suggestion/complaint/nitpick: It’s just me usually, but I always prefer at least some insight into the technical aspects—especially on racing games. Controls, handling, etc. For me, even if the story is bland, the levels redundant I can still suffer through it if there are cool driving aspects. Think Driver: San Francisco. But again, that’s just personal preference.

Brittany Touch My Katamari - I love your rhythm. Extremely partial to the series of short sentences followed by a long one. It leads me in and keeps me reading. I also appreciate the fact you gave a base overview of what Katamari is all about. I’ve heard of it, but never really held enough of an interest to seek out the premise.

You actually made it sound interesting enough to want to play, especially with your descriptions on what there was to find and all the wonderful things to unlock. The paragraph on not only Katamari’s mechanics but how they are integrated into some of Vita’s features was perhaps my favorite part and it addressed things I (and I imagine a lot of other gamers) were curious about with the system.

The final paragraph was a nice sum-up, but reminded me again of what was truly missing from the review: examples. And maybe it’s just me because I’ve never played the series but you touched upon the humor of it several times but I ultimately was seeking some specific descriptions—mainly what happens when you do run over an actual person. Do they scream? Wave their arms? Try to escape. Just stuff I was curious about.

Alk31997 Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - I haven’t seen you around much. Or at all. Welcome to HG. I hope you like it here.

Glad I got one of the ORC reviews this week. Been curious about it for a long time, but I actually got to sit down and delve into a review of it—as opposed to just seeing everyone give it a 3.

The header isn’t all too crucial and serves as more of a distraction most times. Also, I did catch this in the first sentence: Resident Evil games have become a prime inclusion is gamer diets over the years. Think you meant in to replace is. Once I was beyond that it went much smoother. I loved the metaphor about the parachute. Nice lead in with the second paragraph as well. Think it would have had more of an impact if you asked the question then broke to another section to answer it, but that’s just me. The rest went smoothly, maybe a little overabundant in terms of horror metaphors but they weren’t too distracting. Did catch another one though: Do to this, you must kill any survivors, you must claw out any remaining skin and bone. It would work either way. You could say “Due to this” or “To do this”, but I prefer the way you had it. they are hordes of them throughout, so bullets and blood galore. There.

Nice sum up at the end. From what I’ve read, the mechanics are nothing to rave about so I’m glad you didn’t get too deep into them. Not sure if you’re new entirely, or just to this site but I have to say I was pleasantly impressed.

A-Man Q*Bert - A-Man doing a game I’ve actually heard of?! I feel funny…

Excellent twist and view on a game we all know and love. If it was anyone else I—without question—would have glazed out but you are perhaps one of the most talented technical writers on this site and you always manage to make it entertaining. It was the same with your LR review. And I loved your mix of substance and retro. I got a little nostalgic, I’m not going to lie.

Then I did get nostalgic, and not in a good way. I remember how hard Qbert was when I was simply playing it. Thinking about it from a mathematical standpoint just makes me cringe. But even that I enjoyed reading and it put an entirely different aspect on a game that has been reviewed over and over. Loved how you worked in the challenge the emulator controls provided and the doom an unsolvable board provided.

Not too many complaints here. A couple run-ons, but your focus was great, transitions were smooth and a nice spin on a classic game. Well done, actually.

A-Man Lode Runner - I won’t go too deep into this one, since I covered everything I wanted to in the Alpha Tournament. Screenshots, though. No excuses this time. :D

Emp J.U.L.I.A. - You are perhaps one of the funniest and most entertaining reviewers on this site, so I think that overshadows the fact you’re also one of the most competent and descriptive ones as well. By the end of the second paragraph I felt like I had actually played this game and knew the characters, had a deep understanding—robotic or not—of who they were.

Loved the shift, too. Was totally primed to play this game and the first half really made me want to. But by the end of it, I felt like Julia was in many was like Blue Toad Murder Files: an intriguing idea and potentially interesting plot marred by simplicity and over saturation. Ultimately, though, it seems like one I would enjoy playing for the same reasons you did. I have my guess about what happened to the crew, so maybe that’s a portion of my curiosity, but it was your strong voice and incredible descriptions that led me there.

Again, not much in the way of complaints. Just that now I’m probably going to be out $24.99.

I’ll bill you.

Nicky Rocket: Robot On Wheels - You have perhaps the most obscure and entertaining intros I’ve seen in a while. I am NOT saying if I did that, though.

But immediately I’m thinking “Okay, this game has got to be good. Rarely are reviewers passionate enough about a game to bring harm to all the readers who didn’t purchase the game.” Obscure or not, that set the entire pace.

His owner, Dr. Gavin, is the owner of a futuristic… Odd repeat there, just wanted to point that out before I got into it. After that, it was smooth. Though…Sucker Punch? Like InFamous Sucker Punch?

Sorry. I digress. Interesting bit about the physics engine, excellent description increased by references to far more familiar games. If I’m being honest, I preferred this one of your Stadium review. This one had a far greater focus and better transitions. You made your points and you backed them up, but once you headed down one path you for the most part stayed there, creating a better flow.

Maybe one too many side-notes, but I really liked this one.

DarkEternal Warp - What is it with you guys and bizarre intros? Heh.

It does make a good point though and how often games are the opposite of what we’re set to encounter in Warp. Good job explaining the overall structure of the game as well as some nice visuals about Zero. I did catch a few glimpses of your unique structure. Maybe I’ve grown somewhat used to it after the Alphas or maybe they weren’t as blaring this time, I’m not sure but they didn’t interrupt the flow as much as the last time.

Did find one snag though: aliens and how evil the human race really is.
Of course, Zero will have to do a lot if he wants to escape this place. Double space that one if you get a chance.

I did love your descriptions on all the powers Zero had to command and what started out as only an interesting premise became far more intriguing. Good metaphor with the bowling pins as well.

I would have liked to know a bit more about the story, or about Zero but I got that somewhat at the end. Aside from that though, much like Nicky’s this was a nice entry and addressed a lot of the points I made in the tournament. I actually downloaded the demo based on this one.

Joe Demon Attack - So, I have to read the rest of the review but let me say I’m on the fence, trying to decide whether you creating such a vivid and incredibly well-written intro for a game played on a system that could in no way recreate what you spoke of is either brilliant or foolish.

I’ll get back to you on that.

All right, so yeah, it fits. It actually fits really well and reiterated what you were going for with this review. How it’s just a shell, and you ultimately create what you want out of it. This premise may not work on every judge/critic but for me it registered in volumes, again reminding me of why you are one of my favorite reviewers ever.

Nice use of screenshots to follow a very strong paragraph. Though it’s a somewhat shorter review, I feel like you captured the entire essence of the game in that time. Wonderful ending line.

No complaints, really. Just that you guys are making it really hard on me this week.

Alk Dead Island - Another game that I’ve wanted to play, but never got the chance.

I preferred your RE review to this one, only for the sake of focus. You make a lot of great points, and touch on things that I was curious about the game. For that I was appreciative, but I think they could have been worked in better. That third paragraph could be dissected and inserted in different areas. The experience is epic, you kill to stay breathing, your heart is a burning globe, and you have no lighter if it fails. Medicine kits are very rare, so you have to use energy drink and water to stay alive, you are a walking piece of prime meat for the zombies, a blanket for their stomachs. You could maybe talk about upgrading the weapons here. Dead Island isn’t a scary game, it’s a little jumpy, when a zombie appears out of nowhere, but that’s really it. The concept of the game is quite simple, you have to pick a character, and use that character as a machine to mop up any zombies that come your way. Maybe location somewhere in there.

And honestly, I would switch these two: Dead Island is a game that won’t win accolades; it won’t bask in any serious glory. But it’s a game that has surpassed any judgment, it’s a game that popped up in front of skeptical eyes, it’s a title that will probably be brushed aside by serious call of duty of fanatics, but it can be an enjoyable experience. An experience that will take your mind through different avenues, a game that will surprise you. In the sunlight, you are the prey, a survivor craving to breakthrough, kill the nest, and walk away disinfected and unharmed.

The life stream of the game is long, if you take the side quests into consideration, the experience can last as long as 25 hours. That’s a major coup. So please delve into an infected world, full of creatures that once were humans, patrol the areas and bring humanity back up from its knees. Under the weight, you can prevail.

Good points and this could be a very good review, just needs a little tweaking. Better than rewriting though, yeah?

Jason BlazBlue: Continuum Shift EXTEND - Even in the first paragraph I get the feeling you’re very familiar with this series, or at least that’s what I gather. I’ve never been a fan of the BlazBlue series but that character description—especially the bit about the ninja and the music—made me rather sad I haven’t played it.

I’m a total button-masher by the way, so glad you included that bit.

My favorite part, though, was the paragraph going over all the modes within the game. It was quick and precise. I know it’s sometimes hard to describe fighting games beyond the usual mechanics but you did a good job here.

Nice overview of who this game is actually made for, and I know that you’re speaking both to the newb and the longtime fan. Being unfamiliar with the series I was curious about some of the more technical aspects, controls, collision detection, etc. But that really was minor compared to your thorough coverage.

Brittany Shinobido 2: Revenge Of Zen - Good background and info on that first paragraph, but the end of the second seemed more like a better way to tie it up than lead into more.

The following section brings me back and have to admit that I agreed with you. It honestly did sound promising after that. Then, ultimately, redundant. And I lost interest in the game as it sounds like you did, covering points and pointing out flaws that would—as well—drive me away. I agree with you 100%. What’s the purpose of providing items that serve no function? But I was curious if it was just a choice not to use them or if the game really has no opportunity for you to do so.

Again, I didn’t see too many flaws with this one. A very straightforward and focused review about what sounds like a very mediocre game. A morbid sense of intrigue still exists, so I may still end up playing this one. Sorry. You pulled an O.D.

Disco Kid Icarus: Uprising Two reviews for Kid Icarus: Uprising this week, of which I’m glad. This was another one that I wanted to check out.

Love the fact that you put specific examples early in the review of why Icarus’ charm and uniqueness, going so far as to explain it as the backbone of the game.

Weird transition into the game play though, which is odd. The rest of it had an excellent pace and your ability to integrate story with mechanics/structure was seamless. And I don’t think judges give enough credit to reviewers who point out how annoying minor flaws in controls—that have catastrophic outcomes like falling of ledges. As one who encounters that quite often (Warp comes to mind) I greatly appreciate it.

Loved the section on the weapons, as well as the variety provided with the multiplayer but I think my favorite of the entire work was where you explained the visuals. Though, and it could just be my preference. The game’s undeniably biggest draw is its presentation. That one just caught me off guard. Not really sure why though.

Regardless, though. Definitely want to pick this one up now…if anyone wants to loan me their 3DS.

Furry Face Kid Icarus:Uprising - This is going to be interesting, reading them back-to-back. Thought it may have been somewhat redundant but you opted for the nostalgic route as opposed to jumping right into the story. It worked so well on your Ys review so I can’t really blame you.

This one was sharp and clear and as it was with Disco’s I greatly appreciated your specific references but if I’m comparing them (and how could I not) I have to say I prefer this one. Your main paragraph set up the overall theme—challenge—and you stayed with it through the review, all the while describing other aspects. You got really deep into the weapons, as did Disco, but I absolutely loved the section on how carrying the club was your downfall and how it slowed you down. It’s a very cool feature in a lot of games but it sounds like Icarus put it to greater use.

The final paragraph seemed a bit rushed, or even a tad short. It kind of lacked the emotion and excitement the rest of the review had but I’m sold on this one regardless, even more so now after reading this.

Seriously. Someone let me borrow your 3DS.

Alk Mass Effect 3 - Alk is definitely a hard worker—at least this week. And above all else, I must give you praise for putting up three reviews for relatively new, high profile games and bringing in the traffic. It’s appreciated.

Your opening paragraph was good, setting the scene, but maybe a bit too metaphoric. This sentence: You return, as the enigmatic commander Shepard, you are on a mission to eradicate the reapers that are causing havoc, kind of caught me off guard. The way I learned it is that when you cap a sentence with comas what is before and after can be placed together and will make sense even if the middle was removed. Maybe eliminate the first coma or split them into separate sentences.

Sorry.

Of the three I’ve read from you this one was my least favorite. Maybe I’m cranky, maybe I’m just not into it because I know very little about the Mass Effect series but this one left me with more questions than it did answers. I got that Shepard is tough and they’ve fixed control issues but you make several points without going too deep into any of them.

And just a lot of grammar issues, missing comas, odd structures. It just feels rushed to me, like you were trying to be the first person to get it out there.

I’m not trying to be a dick. I’ve read your stuff and I really did enjoy your first two reviews but you’re better than this. I’d be more than happy to help you with it, but this one needs a lot of work.

Zipp Journey - Thank you, Zipp. I LOVED this game, for reasons I couldn’t put down on paper and of all the writers on here, only a few—ones that I know have a love of fiction and sometimes artistic reviews—could do this game justice. You’re one of them, just in case you didn’t catch that.

Would you do that here, though, is what I wondered?

More than I could have ever imagined. Your writing just embodied all that Journey is. A brilliant mix of poignant philosophy and incredible, vivid imagery put into words. Flawless placement of screenshots to convey it even further.

True, raw emotion that I immediately connected with in your section on the co-op and could almost feel your energy when you inspired your friend on; your sadness when you lost him.

I have read a lot of reviews for Journey, most of them after I played just to see if anyone had the same feeling for it. They did—nearly all of them—but I say this with all sincerity and certainty: I do not think there is a better one out there than this. This is one of those works that will be remembered for a long time. I am ultimately curious how those who have not played the game will take it, and much like Journey itself I imagine it to be very subjective. Loved or hated. Once they do though, I think it will register to them how powerful this piece is. Truly, well done.

O.D. Wild Arms 2 - Thank you, O.D. Following Zipp’s review, I risked tumbling into a Nietzsche-esque journey (mwah ha) of reflection and theological upheaval. I needed something lighthearted and entertaining to draw me back, at least long enough to finish this thing up.

Loved the quotes from Media Vision and the Super Friends line. And then you shifted into a very descriptive almost serious review. Normally such a thing wouldn’t work (I’m used to Emp using one theme—be it serious or funny—throughout the entire piece) but the change was subtle and I was eased into it. That and you provided a lot of good insights into the characters and how obscure some of them truly are.

Loved the section on Wild Arms’ different approach to stat building. I’ve never played the games so I think that was a crucial bit of information and the deciding factor on whether or not I will, as that whole thing sounded oddly intriguing. As well, the bit on boss battles.

It did seem a tad long to me, but you had an excellent sum up at the end, covering all the points you made making the score fit perfectly.

Joe Desert Falcon – Slightly shorter than what I’m used to and I know I’ve said this before but you have the incredible ability to establish a central theme for any game and then work in all other aspects around it.

This one worked really well, mainly because I remember both styles while I was growing up. The Jump Man Jr. or Wing War (I love that game by the way) that actually had some progression, and the Zaxxon type games that simply rehashed themselves over and over.

Both of which worked—for different reasons—but trying to mix them would be a nightmare, at least on a system that was so simple by today’s standards. And that came across crystal clear in your review. I am left to wonder how the newer generation would respond, but for all us elders I imagine we’ll walk away feeling nostalgic.

Now go review Wing War

Jerec Mario Party 9 – Reviews like this are sometimes difficult. Like it was with Suskie’s Skyrim review you need a decent intro to cover the series but you also run the risk of saying too much. And it may be because I’ve never been a fan of Mario Party, but I thought that was the perfect length. Long enough to establish the highs and lows without treading off the path.

It set the scene perfectly on both your fears when you entered the game, and ultimately how most of them had been eliminated. That bit about a different company taking on the task was integral.

Nice use of screenshots and specific examples of how the board works, the use of special dice and pitfalls to avoid on the board (Boo, mainly). Basically a lot of good information all around.

Oddly enough, this ended up being one of my favorites and I really want to play this game now.

Venter Little King’s Story – I actually kind of laughed at the intro. Before I read this I was thinking to myself “what percentage of games Jason plays are ones he wants to, and ones that will benefit the site”. This sounds like one you picked for yourself, so the count is 1% currently.

And it takes a really great game for you to cast off your duties, so immediately I was curious about this one. Nice intro and great references to more popular games to give the reader a sense of premise and I feel for you on the cluttered environments. Many games have found me struggling with those same issues.

The section on…well, I guess classes and how it’s opportunistic to take all of them when you go out was one of my favorites, again due to your incredible talent of making gamers relate. It’s a big reason why I don’t play games like Breath Of Fire, or I take them way too seriously. I hate losing people even I have more than I’ll ever need.

The only major issue I had with this one was that it felt like the score was a tad too high, but that’s only by one or two so it could just be me nitpicking. Aside from that though one of my favorites this week.

As for the winners:

Review(s) of the week - Sorry. My week, my rules and this was an extraordinary series and I refuse to pick just one. There were a lot of strong reads but these three really stood out, each having their own very unique voice and style that aren't common these days. It's those I actively seek out and appreciate. They all deserved to be featured on here. I am sorry if this somewhat diminishes the win but it shouldn't. Just take a look at the other two you were placed with and be proud.

Zipp's Journey

Joe's Demon Attack

Furry Face's Kid Icarus:Uprising

Second place: Venter's Little King’s Story

Third place: Jerec's Mario Party 9

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

Holy crap, True. You're amazing! I didn't expect you to do an RotW this extensive with this many contributors, let alone get it done so quickly. Though you have been this detailed with participants' entries before, this time around there were so many that I wouldn't have blamed you at all if you'd done it the standard way, especially with how busy you've been yourself this week. Wow. You truly do humble me with your effort and care when presenting this.

Anyway, thanks for the detailed comments. I'm glad my review appealed to you so well. I didn't think it was quite as good as my last one, but I'm still pleased with it, so can't complain too much. I agree the last paragraph was a bit rushed, but that's because I was a bit rushed toward the end (my own fault), and I also didn't want to risk wrecking the flow of the review by making it too long and having it grow tiresome. But overall, I'm pretty happy.

Your decision to pick three winners as well as a second and third place is definitely new, but I don't blame you at all for doing that, either. With such a strong showing this week, this would be one that definitely deserves it. I will have to ask Jason, the other RotW judges and the site in general whether it's a good idea to actually feature all three at once, though, or stagger it throughout the week / next weeks or what, though. I personally don't have that much of a problem with it if the site as a whole doesn't mind the fact that the second-to-last review on the features list won't have as much show time. (Mine won't appear on the column since its a staff review, so won't affect that particular aspect.)

In any case, whatever happens to be decided here, I can't thank you enough for doing this. I really can't say that enough.

[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

Holey mother of.... this is impressive. o_O

Thank you for the comments on the review, True. Looking back on it, you're right, I could've said more things about the actual driving, like how odd it is that you can't ram through poles.

Good job on the topic! You really went in-depth here. Congrats to the RotW placers!

I head spaceshit noises.

Thanks for the detailed comments on so many reviews, True!

Only one review should be added to the list of featured reviews in a given week. That's the case not on a whim, but so that older reviews aren't more quickly knocked off the list and have more time to enjoy their moment in the spotlight. It increases the benefit of having your review selected as a featured review.

Exactly one of the top three reviews (that were tied for first) will need be awarded the placement and the other two will have to do without the distinction. As for which one gets the nod, perhaps it should be up to community vote? This is definitely not a situation that has risen in the past--precisely because RotW is designed specifically to avoid it--nor should it ever arise again in the future.

When the community reaches a consensus about which review receives the nod, I'll update that review in a flash and that'll be that. Congrats to everyone who placed. As True notes, it was a tough week to place. Happily, the same could be said about many recent weeks. It's a great time to be part of the community!

"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

Thank you for the nice feedback and also for putting so much effort into this RotW. That's a hell of a lot of reviews, and I think everyone will appreciate getting a comment. Woo for 3rd (or 5th) place.

I can avoid death by not having a life.

Either community vote or True will just have to pick one, then. I would say the second is probably more fair, since it doesn't put the community in the awkward position of picking favorites out of a list of someone else's favorites.

Killer job on this, True. I was expecting the usual two or three paragraph ROTW, especially for a week with so many reviews! You covered... all... of them... my god...

Thanks for your comments on Journey. I was especially curious to know your view on it, since it was really your conversation with Roto that inspired the writing of it. I figure we could have a very excited conversation about games if we ever met in person someday, because I think we look for the same things but end up playing different genres to get it. It's fun when we do end up playing the same game, though, because I feel that we often speak the same language when talking about it. I'm glad we shared an experience with Journey.

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

*Whistles* Amazing job, dude. Thanks for the detailed commentary!

Is there another word for synonym?

I'm glad you guys appreciate the feedback. I know that you all work hard and deserve a little extra appreciation and motivation at times. Hence me giving the title to three people as opposed to one. Sorry if that screwed things up, I won't do it again.

If the community wants to take this one, I will accept that but if that's going to make matters worse then my vote goes to Zipp. As Furry Face said, hers can't be placed and I think Journey, since it's a newer and more discussed game, is better suited as a feature--more appeal means more traffic. I know all three are going to do that, though and if I'm being honest if we do a R.O.T.Y. all will be strong contenders.

And Zipp, I totally agree with that. A part of me wonders if you and I at some point ran into each other on that game and that was the magical thing about it. In a lot of ways it transcends genres and exciting when people with two different opinions are on the same wavelength with something.

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

I second True on picking Zipp for the feature representative. I have ten games on the list already, having one of my wins not on there is not going to hurt my feelings. Moreover, Journey is far and above more relevant than Demon Attack, and definitely better for the site.

Also, thank you True for such an outstanding ROTW, for the victory, and for the feedback! Congrats to Leslie and Zipp for tying with yours truly, and to both Jerec and Jason for placing.

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

I would go with Zipp's Journey review too. I'm making my own journey through that desert. I've been so busy lately so I only play a section at a time and I've only encountered the odd person since I tend to play at weird times. Zipp's review gives me an idea of what I've been missing in the game and I need to go back to it.

I can avoid death by not having a life.

Well then, that has been done. Let us now return to the discussion of the fine reviews that were contributed and recognized this week!

"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

That being said, every review this week either made me want to play the game or stay away from it--depending on the outcome. Did anyone else happen to check out Warp? I liked it, had a good mix of things and seemed entertaining enough. The only thing that made me nervous were the points D.E. made already.

If I Offended You, You Needed It.

Warp's on my Steam wishlist right now. I'll probably nab it next time it's on sale.

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

Thanks for the extensive review of...well, reviews.

And WARP is nice, 8 is in my book a very good grade. It manages to stay fun all the way through, because it is slightly on the short side. The last part is somewhat retarded with it's A.I, but overall a pleasant experience.

Not sure how to make a sig? While logged into your account, you can edit it and your other public and private information from the Settings page.

A recommendation by True and the community! I'll take that and put it to use in bringing a wide smile to my face. That's a great way to wake up! Thanks, everyone, I'm very pleased that the review has moved people. For someone who gets into Journey, it's very difficult to do justice to that feeling. If I've managed to at least garner interest in the game and nostalgia in those who have already finished their journeys, then I am happy.

True, it would be one of those little ironies, wouldn't it, if we'd passed each other? I don't think we have, though. I haven't seen your name on any of my finishing lists. I've only done three journeys, though.

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

I usually try to ignore the presence of ROTWs that I don't win or place highly in, but with the work you did, True, and the effort you put into giving everyone comments, kudos to you on this. A very enjoyable read!

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

Just to clarify, so there isn't any confusion in case you do this again in the future, True, staff reviews can and have been featured. They just don't show up in the column to the right and so don't get that kind of exposure (since they already get their exposure from being a staff review). Therefore, it's ultimately better in this circumstance that either Zipp or Joe won the mark, since there's will actually benefit from it. However, don't let that stop you (or anyone else in the future) from picking a staff review to win in the future.

Anyway, again I'll extend my gratitude for doing this and so quickly. Congrats to Zipp for winning the community vote, and congrats to everyone else for placing!

[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

I enjoyed this a lot. Thanks. Sorry to bring back memories of Q*Bert.

I keep meaning to throw in screenshots and agree that this would've helped a lot. That's what revision is for, though, eh?

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