Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW: March 26 - April 1 -- Where I very probably remembered everyone!

There were nine reviews submitted during this week's eligible period. I wrote one of them, but for some reason we decided a long time ago that the person putting together an RotW topic isn't allowed to give himself the win. So there goes that idea! Instead, I'll pick my favorite three reviews from OTHER writers. Here goes!

---

Immediately below are my thoughts on reviews that didn't place in the top three, presented here in no particular order...

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch) by hastypixels

It's good to see you back after your hiatus, with another review. This one is too scattered for my tastes, though, I'm sorry to say. That knocks it out of the running on a tough week like this one. While I was able to follow a majority of the thoughts expressed, that's because I'm intimately familiar with the game and already know a lot of the details you brush over in a hurry to get to other topics. There were some good bits within, though, including this line: "Music, as a primary component of tone setting, would influence your choices." I think it gets to the heart of the matter quite directly, and it's a fair point. More discussion like that and less discussion of fan theories many of your readers may not have encountered would surely have made for a more effective read overall.

Ardy Lightfoot (SNES) by Follow_Freeman

You did a good job of making a semi-compelling case for a game I'd always seen around but never touched. I think the review would work a bit better with some more editing for your intro, however. Your point seems to be that Ardy Lightfoot came out during an era when developers were attempting to be cinematic, but that it took a less ambitious and ultimately more effective approach. However, the writing is too complex to communicate the point without bogging down a bit, which is bad for an intro that needs to hook the reader. Once you got going, you made a lot of great points in a more direct and entertaining fashion, so my suggestion is to see if you can transport some of that energy to your opener.

Zwei: The Arges Adventure (PC) by EmP

I don't have a lot to say about this review, except that it capably describes a game I would kind of like to play. Nothing about the writing stood out as really needing attention from an editor, and your usual personable style was in play, so this felt overall like "another great review from EmP" and that's a good thing.

Far Cry 5 (PC) by Zydrate

The way this was written makes me think I'm reading a review in progress, rather than a final critical opinion from someone who liked the game enough to play through to the end. It was interesting, but it suffers a bit from an introduction that feels mostly unnecessary. Your credentials are good, but you took a long time outlining them and the text that followed made it easy to tell that you had ample experience with Ubisoft's other recent releases. You also shared a lot of humorously related incidents that occurred as you played the game. That made for a review that felt a bit too long for the points it made (chiefly, that the narration is a bit different and melds with revised gameplay in unique ways, but that the AI is disappointing even compared to previous games from the developer). The good news is that your writing seems to be getting more engaging--or at least it seemed that way here--so that's not a huge issue. I merely mention the because it's the type of stuff that prevents a review from earning top honors in Review of the Week.

---

And now, here are the top three...

Third Place: Nibiru: Age of Secrets (PC) by darketernal

I like the trick you pulled with this review, which worked on me. I started reading, thinking the title sounded somewhat familiar. And then I started thinking "Hey, I should play this game," because you were making it sound pretty cool. Improbably, I looked over at a stack of books near my computer table and noticed the game in question sitting on the books. My dad had bought it in a rummage sale, thinking it was a CD, and I rescued it from being tossed in the trash the last time I visited him. And here you were reviewing it! "I should definitely try to play it," I said to myself... right before your review revealed that the game actually has some irritating issues. Overall, I thought it worked quite well, though you might want to go over it now that you've spent some time away from it, to see if you can spot and fix a few minor typos.

Second Place: Tropical Liquor (PC) by Masters

I have played HuniePop, and the comparisons to that game worked very well for me. Tropical Liquor is clearly (as your strapline notes) a "lite" version of that previous game. One of the things I most like about this review is that it's not content to say such a thing and then expect me to take your word for it. Instead, you outline just where the game fails to meet the standards set by its predecessor and--importantly--where it actually beats those standards. All in all, it was a strong and effective review, written with your usual voice of authority. Good stuff!

Review of the Week: Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360) by JoeTheDestroyer

I like this review the most of your two eligible submissions this week, because the writing is often great but even more importantly, it offers insight into why missing features some might complain about are actually a good thing. With that said, I'm not sure what you were trying to say with this line: "Your sink tongue or intimidation could convince someone to forgo catastrophic plans or talk down a suicidal or homicidal character." Is "sink tongue" the phrase you really meant to use? No matter. The review rocks and gave me a new appreciation for a game and franchise I've not yet played. Nice work!

---

Apologies if I was incoherent at any point during this post. There was a lot of great stuff to read through this week, plus I just got done doing a lot of writing myself. So my brainpower is starting to fade a bit, but I didn't want to take any longer to get this posted. Good job making my decisions so difficult, everyone!

"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

Haha, yeah I meant "silver tongue," but somehow my brain thought "sink."

Fun fact: as I went back to edit it, my brain concocted "silk" instead of "silver."

Thank you for the victory. I shall enjoy it. Congrats also to Masters and darketernal for placing. Thank you for getting this topic out, Jason.

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

Thanks Jason, it's good to be back. Scattered I can understand... I'm experimenting with narrative styles a little, and had a backlog of external thoughts that clearly influenced this review. That's one of the dangers of reviewing: How to purify your message?

I think perhaps my Stardew Valley review is more on point, though it is a little concerned with the matter of being a port, though I try to pay most of my attention to the attributes of the Switch and why it's basically so good.

Look, the only time I'm not wrong is when I'm right, so...

Thanks for getting the topic up quickly, Jason. There looked to be lots of good content this week, though I didn't actually read most of them this time around. Quite frankly, I didn't expect to place here. I expected to win. After all, it's a review of a booby puzzle game and as mentioned, there were some strong celebrity contenders. So thanks for the mention. Good on DE to also place, despite any hand that Emp may have lent, and congrats to Joe.

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

Appreciate the mention -- congrats to DE, Marc and Joe for taking the placements this week. Even if Joe's ME3 review forgets to moan about the awful, awful ending to that series. I suppose he was spoilt by the extending ending Bioware threw in to try and placate us all. I wish I could have employed that option.

Look out for more borderline porn games coming from the gifted pen of Marc Golding sometime soon.

For us. For them. For you.

Bahaha. There's no borderline about it. I'm channeling my inner Zig.

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

I honestly didn't mind the ending, but then again I was playing the extended edition and received the "best" ending.

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

Marc,

Ooohhh, does that mean we're entering the month of Rape Simulator April on the site!?!??

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

Rob -- I don't get the reference!

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

"borderline porn games"; "I'm channeling my inner Zig" combined with how Zig's reviewed games like RapeLay caused me to make a joke about all that which fell flat. In other words, just another day in the life!

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

Haha, I forgot about Rapelay. Sorry for ruining your joke. :T

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

Senpai noticed me.

My Tumblr (Don't worry, I just talk about games)
My Steam Profile