aschultz's Decathlon review

This review didn't grab me the way yours usually do, Aschultz. I found it read a lot like an instruction manual, with too much emphasis placed on the different buttons you push and not enough on the experience.

Not that you don't talk about the experience! Your sections involving your goal to beat real world records and annoying your parents in the process are great, and the review begs for more of these. I would've stuck with the whole "I am an olympic contender, too!" approach, taking this review much like a sports drama.

Because really, what spiced the game up for you was that drama, and the review is lacking it. Thus, we don't come away feeling, as you do, that the game deserves such high praise.

Thanks again for the big pointers on what I can edit, though I have the matter of a review tonight to finish for the team tourney.

Here's my brief reaction. One problem is, you sort of have to discuss the controls, because they are well done. I don't think I was as succinct as I could've been. Also, part of the thrill of the game was banging on the keyboard and having an excuse to do so. I think it's important to mention that the 1500 plays more like a driving simulation than the 100 and 400, for instance, where you turn at 45 degrees around the oval track. (Say! Maybe I can edit my review for this!)

I figured I cut it down from the original size of the review, which still needs to be updated down the GameFAQs memory hole. I also figure I had a higher percentage of fun stuff and that it was more focused...however, we do have a higher standard for reviews on this site, and part of why I send reviews here is to make it to the higher standard.

So let's see what else to add: it's a lot of fun to slowly better yourself, but on the other hand, some like the long jump have clear maximums. Maybe I can break the sub-games up into that.

In that case, I would just change your focus without really changing the content. There's just too many paragraphs which seem meant to only talk about the controls. If you were to mention them in a more interesting way, such as...

"I knew that I was close to my goal. But I was having trouble. I would get my fingers going on the "1" and "2" buttons, but I couldn't break my top speed. I'd been meeting my record for weeks without improvement. In despair, I changed my focus to the pole vault event, where my dexterity was tested further by the inclusion of having to hit the space bar at the right moment to jump..."

And so on and so forth.