Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW -- Aug. 12-18: Battle of the Three

There were six reviews contributed this week. I wrote three of them, but those efforts don't get any consideration until next week. And so, that leaves me with three reviews to tell you about and rank.

Third Place: LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PC) by darketernal

This review gets third place, which is also last place, but that's no slight. The writing here was very strong, the examples supported their points, and there was even some fun self-deprecating humor partway through that did a goob job of keeping the tone suitably light. On the mechanical side, I thought things might be ever so slightly improved by avoiding such frequent use of the word "can" and trying out various other words and structures. This is something I've been working on myself (not always with great success), as I was writing for an outlet a couple of years or so back and the editor made the observation that I needed to use that particular word less. I looked over my draft and realized he was absolutely right. What is it about "can" that proves so useful when reviewing video games? Anyway, like I said, this is a well written review. During a week with twice as many eligible reviews, it probably still wouldn't have ranked any lower because it was thoroughly competent and exactly the sort of review the LEGO games benefit from.

Runner Up: Die by the Sword (PC) by JoeTheDestroyer

This review does a terrific job of summing up that element of the game that once seemed most enticing, and then showing how the developers failed to execute on their unique vision in a way that leads to a game a person might still enjoy playing today. It was a fun read, with lots of good observations that paint a picture of a truly miserable outing. It's an especially solid example of showing, not merely telling, and only just barely missed out on taking the crown.

Review of the Week: Vision Soft Reset (PC) by Masters

I knew nothing about this game before loading the review page, and now I feel almost as if I have played it myself. It takes strong writing to produce that outcome, and some of the strongest writing in this particular review comes in the fourth paragraph. There, readers learn the importance of the distinction between a game that lets the player rewind and one that makes that functionality mandatory. From there, the review builds carefully while also painting an effective picture of a game that overall is somewhat uninspiring despite its strong core mechanic. Great stuff!

Thanks to all who contributed and made sure there could be a topic this week. There may not have been much in terms of volume, but there was certainly a lot of quality and that's always good. Until next time, then!

"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 second place! I'm glad to have my 500th review up (I should really do a topic about that).

Congrats as well to Marc for the win!

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

Thanks for the words and the win, Venter. And thanks, Joe. Second week in a row that I contributed something—let’s keep this going.

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