Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW: Sept 29 - Oct 5 -- redEmPtion edition

Turns out, I'm by far the best at retro-judging the tardy RotW stuff other people failed to keep up with. Though I did not enter and therefore did not win this particular week of reviews, does this not make me the greatest winner of all?

Yes. Now let's run through some rules.

One review per person (sorry, Joseph) and all bribes openly accepted. See below for this week's top three.

Third Place
Grand Theft Auto V [360] Jason Venter

Jason Venter – a man with his finger on the pulse of current new gen titles!

It’s a tactic that I’ve come to enjoy from Jason over the years; how he ensures his introductions introduce the kind of gamer he is to the reader. In Disney infinity, he introduces himself as the target audience, so his disappointment in the game is more pronounced. In GTA V, he announces himself as someone who has always been on the fringes of the phenomenon, looking in and wondering what all the fuss is about. Therefore, his admitted affection for the cast and game itself is all the better highlighted. That he was drawn into the game, and played further into the title than he expected is a good indication of personal investment winning over an indifferent party. It’s strong reviewing, but makes the list of negatives seems very petty in comparison. Harsh language and political satire? In my GTA? It’s more likely than you’d think. It’s also makes for a really weak cons paragraph that you start with “Things that make a fellow want to quit”. F-bombs and snide digs against America? It feels like complaining that the rain is wet, and it certainly doesn’t feel like a big enough complaint to make into the review’s leading – and, more damaging, only -- negative. If you’re only going to list one negative about a game, it needs to be more damning than this, or it just comes across as complain about something for the sake of complaining. I think this honestly drags down the entire piece, which is a shame. I’d be very interested to hear yours, Jason, and other people thoughts about this. I can’t decide if this is just an unfortunate oversight or a nice guy Venter moment I can’t get my head around.

Second Place
Mansion of Hidden Souls [SCD] by Pickhut

So, here’s an awkward line:

“…so I guess it's a blessing that Mansion of Hidden Souls barely lasts over an hour your very first try..”

Gibberish/10

Pick attacks the game by offering a summary of its already brief campaign, and does so with an even hand. Yes, the game is made fun of at points, but it’s also given adequate praise when Pick feels it deserves this, highlighting that he’s not just shown up to put the boot in like I totally would have. Maybe he’s mellowing in his old age, but this new ‘fair go’ voice that he seems to be using is growing on me, and by acknowledging that the game has sporadic highs, it adds more weight to the noted lows. I liked the lines about giving up and hitting up a FAQ despite the in game hint system, and for pointing out the abject lack of horror in the horror title. I think I remember this game sitting unsought on the store’s shelf I used to work in, with its 18+ bright red sticker failing to catch anyone’s interest, which was unusual. Seems sometimes the general public have more sense then I give them credit for.

On a sidenote, the Saturn follow up was near the top of my list of wanted games for a long, long time, but I never found it at a price where I was willing to pull the trigger. Bullet dodged – thanks, Pick!

First Place
Silent Hill 3 [PS2] by Joe

Joe’s a mini tourney on his own; trying to decide which of his stuff I liked the most, even before then deciding where to place him within the throngs was a challange. After a lot of thought, I’ve gone with Silent Hill 3, because it’s just a reworded version of mine, which was just a reworded version of Marc’s, which was just a gussied up IM chat between the two of us I feel like it carries his disappointment stronger.

You even use my screens, you bloody hack. The horror film analogy at the start feels apt, because I can agree from experience that the first half is SH3 is horribly off key until you leave the apartment boss battle against Missionary, but you paint that well for the ignorant audience you need assume is reading. The entire point of these sections was to build a relationship with Heather as so then to invest in her revenge quest against the town proper, but it never really pans out. Because these stages are dull. Especially that subway stage which warranted a three paragraph rant from me, but you wrapped up in one. Marc didn’t mention it at all – some authority!. You show a good understanding of the source material, therefore, your dissections on why this outing does not work contains a greater sense of gravity. As such, I declare it the third best SH3 review on site my preferred review of yours that week.

For us. For them. For you.

Hahahaha! Thanks for the v, EmP! I enjoyed your commentary on my review as well, especially the bit about pilfering your screens. I mean, they were right there begging to be used again. How could I not use them? Congrats to Pick and Jason for winning.

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

Ooph, I guess that line doesn't sound pretty weird, but glad you liked the rest of the review. Mellowing out, eh? I guess I gotta find a game that deserves a good bashing... eventually. Some time down the road. I think.

Okay, maybe I'm kinda mellowing. But thanks for the mention, and congrats to Joe on his RotW.

I head spaceshit noises.