Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW // 8th April – 14th April //

Let’s see if can still do this writing about stuff thing:

I liked Hasty’s RPGMaker bit; we writes about it less like a trad review and more like someone trying to work through the bloody thing and so his observations come across well. There are a few errors to be found. See if you can spot the ones in this line:

Why don't I just get what it doesn't have out of way first: There's no built in a sound editor, pixel editor/drawing program or dual-panel code editor.

I liked the RPGMaker one more ten the Transformers review, which seemed to continuously muddy itself with weird asides. Both contain moments of very fine writing, however.

Jason does very well to come up with his toy car analogy and then make it work in the context of his review. In doing so, he supplies a neat review for a neat sounding game. Retro also pops up with a good review on a not so good brawler and perhaps offers this week’s best tagline in doing so.



THIRD Skyblazer [SNES] Overdrive

Rob drops, I think, a very well thought out intro about how the game should have stood out from the 16bit ear’s near-uniform trope-based plot-points with a story inspired by Hindu gods. But it was also the era led by Ted “Save the Kids from All the Things I Don’t Understand” Woolsey translation, so that shit’s gotta go. As time goes on, I learn closer to the idea that little mini revelations like these could very well be the best thing about retrospective reviews.

Still, this is a Rob review, so we do get the above point, but in a pretty rambley way. I’m not too mad; it does mean he’s able to do that rarest of things; actually transition into a graphics discussion. The rest of the review feels like it repeats some points a few times, but it’s a solid look back on a game that had reason to stand out from the crowd, and then didn’t. I guess it’s interesting to note that localisation teams from any period of time have the ability to be completely self-defeating.

SECONDSuperhot VR [PC] PIckhut

Pick writes possibly the best VR review you’ll ever read. It tempers itself by listing the software limitations at the end, but the descriptions before that might almost make you start thinking of VR as a viable platform of worth. It all sounds pretty cool; Neo-dodging bullets or blocking them with your knife; snatching the guns out of people’s hands a half second before they blow your brains out. Aside from how foolish any player probably looks from the outside, slowly jerking around like a ridiculous piece of Silent Hill inspired performance art, Pick manages to cover all the bases in a punchy and effective fashion. It’s a really good review on a tricky subject matter.

WIN Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice [PC] Joe

This review doesn’t even call for an easy mode. And you call yourself a video game critic….

Aside from a few instances where I think some word choices fail you (you turn in a few mundane phrases in the midst of a well-written review where they very much stand out) this is a great review that leads its argument through well-chosen examples, running the reader through both failure and victory conditions. I think it’s by far the best read to lead someone through a game like that wears its difficulty like a badge of honour because it’s important to establish where the game’s line between tough and fair is. You sometimes come across a bit hand wringy the numerous times you point out it’s okay to like or dislike challenge you don’t need to cater for the feelings of filthy casuals and Kotaku ‘writers’ but I think you manage to complete a very tricky thing; you give a glowing recommendation while, at the same time, establishing that a lot of readers will want to steer well clear of the game without diminishing your view of it any. Probably your best work so far this year.

For us. For them. For you.

You've outdone yourself here, Emp. It doesn't get more timely than this, and you've provided both useful and snarky feedback for everyone.

Congrats to Joe, who surely didn't need another win, but just as surely deserved it, and to Pick and Rob as well. I read all the reviews this week, and they were all good, though I liked Rob's the best mainly because I know and like the game in question quite a bit.

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

Thanks for the words about my review and congrats to Joe and Pick for getting higher accolades. I thought Joe's was the best of the week, as he did a good job, like you said, praising Sekuro while letting people know that it's really hard and might not be their thing if "really hard" is a bit too intense for them -- while also giving really great descriptions of how the game's mechanics work.

I saw on Jason's proofing of that review he stated something about how there's a lot of toxic talk online about the game that Joe did a good job of navigating. Is that more of the "FROM makes really hard games so things get ugly online from the unskilled wanting an easy mode and the 'get gud' group" stuff. Because that stuff gets beyond annoying.

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

This was obviously a super prompt topic, so thanks for that. You chose the right winner, I think. Joe's review would have been difficult to get right, but I think he did a terrific job for the reasons you mentioned.

"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, everyone, for your comments. Thanks to EmP for another win. I struggled with this review, so it's nice to see it take the top prize.

Congrats to Pick and OD for their placement, too.


EDIT:
And bravo on this speedy post. Even when you've only got a few reviews to cover, getting these things out quickly can be a pain.

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

Pick writes possibly the best VR review you’ll ever read.

WELL, that's a lot of pressure I'm glad you liked the review so much to make such a statement. While part of the reason I wrote the review was to see what it would be like in comparison to the first Superhot game, I think the other half was my attempt to "rebound" after intentionally reviewing a VR game (Verti-go home) that was clearly not up to "VR standards." I guess with that in mind, I was really focusing on what made the game compelling in a VR setting when writing.

Thanks for the second placement! And congrats to OD for taking third and Joe for snatching that RotW win!

I head spaceshit noises.

That sentence looks fine to me... except that I'll never do another like it... yeah yeah. I know. Also, you don't like meandering? I'll be sure to do it more often!

I'm always skirting that line when I'm write a particularly nostalgic review... I've fallen into the trap before. I'll be covering the sequel next and I do expect better results, and then there's Transformers: Devestation... that's a fun one, but pretty taxing. Platinum Better Get Good Gaming wholesale...

But, as always, thanks for the feedback. :)

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