Last week Rob took the easy option by cashing in on everyone being too busy being all festive and stuff to pen nerdy video game reviews. Turns out that’s not going to carry over; there’s a healthy nine to read through this week. BUT THEN! Useless, useless Rob penned a review on his own week, so that goes up by one. BUT THEN! I wrote three of the reviews this week as I flopped over the finishing line for the Alphamarathon. So, maybe that’s not too bad.
So, seven reviews and a double up or two from busy writers -- only one from each person will count. From those seven, it’s my job to pick the top three then subtly leave feedback explaining why I didn’t actually like them at all.
THIRD Silver Nornir [And] Rob
I prefered this to your All Stars review, which hits its high around the talk of SMB2 & 3, but the stuff around it felt a bit stunted. Not your fault; complilation reviews tend to force you down that path as you try and talk about several games in the space you usually reserve for just the one. Nornir’s highs are in the first half the review where you talk about the plot and the obvious holes that exist within. It suffers after this as you go through the motions of talking about the mechanics and combat that you’ve had to talk about a dozen times as you plough through these very similiar games over and over. You sound like you’re going through the motions a bit -- I really don’t blame you for that.
It’s the more unique arguments that you really sink your teeth in. The fact that a mobile game seems too short to do the tale it wants to tell justice is a good angle to spin. Personally, I’m curious as to what happens to the legions of rejected warriors after they’re turned away. Do they just cease to exist so far as the game’s concerned?
SECOND Skylanders Imaginators [PS4] Jason
Jason’s other review suffers from the unfortunate reality of being a very average tower defense game. There’s not a lot you can do with that, and Jason probably handles it better than most in his trademark matter-of-fact style.
This game gives him more to work with, and it seems we’re learning a lot about Jason Venter with his recent reviews. Not content in admitting that he thinks Satan lurks inside Game Boy carts, we now know him to be a humourless soul who never smiles while playing video games, a pastime centered around having fun. No wonder he became a critic.
This review is not without stiffness, but is completely convincing that the author is very well informed on the subject matter, harking back to several of the other games to provide (appreciatively) brief sections on what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. I find that a good review can take a subject matter the reader has no history or interest in and have them leave a more informed fellow should they want to be or not. I know more about a game where you have to collect overpriced plastic figurines than I did before I started this RotW. I can’t say I’m thrilled about that, but it does prove the review’s worth.
But, hang on; what’s this?
The game is a feast for the eyes….
The rest is just (completely unnecessary) gravy.
Food analogies to kick off 2017? If you weren’t a self-admitted humourless blob, I’d think you were trolling me. Minus ten points to Gryffindor!
WIN! Drunken Robot Pornography [PC] Pickhut
An argument could be made that you won this week because of superior game choice. It’s probably more fun to talk about a kooky arena shooter with a stupid name than a mobile app or whatever you clarify Jason’s game as. But that would be doing you a disservice. Especially as you come away thinking the game’s pretty average.
A lot of the review is framed very well. I can’t see how a bullet hell style game could ever work in a first person view, but you belay that fear in very few words. That’s fine work. Even more so as the review becomes more heavily tinged with disappointment as it goes on. It very much sounds like something a lot of people will park mid game and then never come back to, especially since you finished it yourself for the sake of finishing it. Middle of the road reviews are often the hardest to write, but you’ve pulled this one off very strongly. Have a win.
So, seven reviews and a double up or two from busy writers -- only one from each person will count. From those seven, it’s my job to pick the top three then subtly leave feedback explaining why I didn’t actually like them at all.
THIRD Silver Nornir [And] Rob
I prefered this to your All Stars review, which hits its high around the talk of SMB2 & 3, but the stuff around it felt a bit stunted. Not your fault; complilation reviews tend to force you down that path as you try and talk about several games in the space you usually reserve for just the one. Nornir’s highs are in the first half the review where you talk about the plot and the obvious holes that exist within. It suffers after this as you go through the motions of talking about the mechanics and combat that you’ve had to talk about a dozen times as you plough through these very similiar games over and over. You sound like you’re going through the motions a bit -- I really don’t blame you for that.
It’s the more unique arguments that you really sink your teeth in. The fact that a mobile game seems too short to do the tale it wants to tell justice is a good angle to spin. Personally, I’m curious as to what happens to the legions of rejected warriors after they’re turned away. Do they just cease to exist so far as the game’s concerned?
SECOND Skylanders Imaginators [PS4] Jason
Jason’s other review suffers from the unfortunate reality of being a very average tower defense game. There’s not a lot you can do with that, and Jason probably handles it better than most in his trademark matter-of-fact style.
This game gives him more to work with, and it seems we’re learning a lot about Jason Venter with his recent reviews. Not content in admitting that he thinks Satan lurks inside Game Boy carts, we now know him to be a humourless soul who never smiles while playing video games, a pastime centered around having fun. No wonder he became a critic.
This review is not without stiffness, but is completely convincing that the author is very well informed on the subject matter, harking back to several of the other games to provide (appreciatively) brief sections on what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. I find that a good review can take a subject matter the reader has no history or interest in and have them leave a more informed fellow should they want to be or not. I know more about a game where you have to collect overpriced plastic figurines than I did before I started this RotW. I can’t say I’m thrilled about that, but it does prove the review’s worth.
But, hang on; what’s this?
The game is a feast for the eyes….
The rest is just (completely unnecessary) gravy.
Food analogies to kick off 2017? If you weren’t a self-admitted humourless blob, I’d think you were trolling me. Minus ten points to Gryffindor!
WIN! Drunken Robot Pornography [PC] Pickhut
An argument could be made that you won this week because of superior game choice. It’s probably more fun to talk about a kooky arena shooter with a stupid name than a mobile app or whatever you clarify Jason’s game as. But that would be doing you a disservice. Especially as you come away thinking the game’s pretty average.
A lot of the review is framed very well. I can’t see how a bullet hell style game could ever work in a first person view, but you belay that fear in very few words. That’s fine work. Even more so as the review becomes more heavily tinged with disappointment as it goes on. It very much sounds like something a lot of people will park mid game and then never come back to, especially since you finished it yourself for the sake of finishing it. Middle of the road reviews are often the hardest to write, but you’ve pulled this one off very strongly. Have a win.
For us. For them. For you.
