Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW: Dec. 2 to Dec. 8, 2019 -- The right approach to another concluding year

There were four reviews to consider this week for the purpose of this topic. I've noticed I say this a lot lately, but there really weren't any bad reviews among the lot. This week, let's take that one step further: there weren't any reviews that were merely good, either; it was as strong a selection of four reviews as I can remember ever encountering. So that makes it difficult to rank the four, and yet... that is the task ahead of me.

First up, the review that didn't place even though it was great (see above comments). That review is:

Full Throttle Remastered (PC) by EmP

On the negative side of things, I suggest fixing this line: "So I’ll find more to complaint about." On the more positive side, you did a great job of examining how the game felt to play back in the day, how it feels to play now--and why that makes it perhaps a more ideal use of a player's time than ever--and why a remaster might or might not be a good thing. You included some clever lines, told me about the game and its elements organically, and mostly just made the game sound like something I should play. Which I already knew, but whatever. This was a nuanced take on a remaster and should serve its audience well.

And now, here are my picks for the week's the top three submissions:

Third Place: Mega Man 5 (NES) by mariner

It's nice when a review can make me think about a familiar game from a new angle, which is something this review did very well with its central discussion of the mini-boss encounter in Mega Man and their relative lack here. I realized ultimately that I don't quite agree with the conclusions this review reaches, but the point is supported well enough that it got me thinking at odd times throughout the week and the review isn't any weaker just because I don't thoroughly agree with every part of it. This was helped, of course, by mariner's usual strong writing throughout, which is all the more necessary and appreciated when the subject matter is well worn.

Runner Up: Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan (PC) by Masters

Your discussion of the game's difficulty and balance in the review's second half is what worked best for me, though the rest of your discussion was capable and helpful to anyone who might consider purchasing this game (an audience that includes me). I think that often, particularly when we have reviewed so many games over the years, it can be easy to make a fairly bold statement and not meaningfully support it because we've already provided support for similar statements dozens of times before. In places, that can lead to weaker writing than is intended, but I didn't feel this review suffered from that. Instead, it reads as what it is: a veteran's take on the difficult retro-style platformer that knows where it is headed and gets there beautifully.

Review of the Week: Evergrace (PS2) by JoeTheDestroyer

So, how did Joe rise to the top this week? By writing one of his best reviews to date. Which he has been doing rather frequently of late, actually. I especially liked his review's opening paragraphs, which (like the opening of the game being reviewed) felt most spectacular. Unlike the game, however, things didn't really fall apart after that. The focus on how the game took its neat ideas and built a lackluster world, and the exploration of the occasional contrast provided by the bestiary, made for some evocative writing that made me feel almost as if I have seen the game in action, even played it myself. I haven't done either of those things, so it's impressive when a review can offer that feeling and also tell me what I need to know about the finer points of play. That was enough to allow it to just barely edge out its stellar competition and cross the finish line first. Kudos!

Barring unforeseen and unlikely events, this was my final RotW topic of 2019. It's nice to end the calendar year on a high note in terms of quality, and that's just what happened in this case. Thank you to all who participated, and I hope to see much more of each of you around the site in 2020 and beyond!

"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

Good job on the very prompt RotW, Venter, and thanks for the words. Your last RotW of the year -- wow. Time is flying.

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

Thank you for the win, and for having this topic out so quickly. The original draft I wrote had way too much blathering about PS2 launch titles. I'm kinda glad I cut that out.

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

Yeah, the original draft sounds like it wouldn't have won the week for you. Good self-edit!

"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