Forums > Contributor Zone > Review of the Week May 28 - June 3 *apologizes profusely*

I wanted to have this done Monday, maybe Tuesday at the latest. However, I've accepted a lot of potential review stuff and my computer crapped out last night. Yeah, the very same one that I just bought like a month ago. I'm pretty sure the SSD is shot, so I reinstalled Windows on my hard drive. I won't take any time to reinstall my usual programs until I've updated Windows, as I suspect that update 1803 probably murdered my SSD somehow (at least that's what one tech dude suggested).

I'm currently submitting this via Edge. Pity me.

THIRD PLACE
Ghoulboy - Dark Sword of the Goblin (PC) by Masters
This review gives potential players the details they need. It's a retro-style platformer, it compares to games such as X and Y, it's challenging but not too challenging. As always, your word choice is excellent and makes for a lively read. My only complaint is that the very end of the review felt a little "listy," but not so much that it hampers the overall quality of the piece.


SECOND PLACE
The Space Adventure (SCD) by Freeman
Writing about simplistic "games" is tricky, especially when they're story-centered. You can't talk about mechanics when there really aren't any, and you don't want to spoil too much of the story (even if it is a godawful story like this one). However, you pulled it off. You gave us another entertaining review that properly puts the game's most idiotic elements in their place and rightly calls out plot's constant sigh-worthy moments.


Review of the Week
Virtua Fighter (32X) by EmP
This is probably the most unexpected win, at least to me. Virtua Fighter on 32X sounds about as interesting as plain mayo on a white bread (oh no, food analogy!). I expected this game to be a catastrophe, but you taught me otherwise. It's actually not a half-bad fighting game that is, unfortunately, obsolete. The best part of this piece, though, is the history lesson at the beginning. I had no idea VF on Saturn sold 1:1 in Japan. That makes sense, though.

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Alright, off to fix my computer and hopefully get my review assignments in. I have a rough draft ready for Riddled Corpses EX, and should have some for Halloween Forever and Xenon Valkyrie+ coming soon.

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

Hey, no sweat; even if you didn't have things to get out of the way IRL, this whole RotW thing is a privilege for us, not something we're owed. It's so rare to get feedback that is neither a lynch mob nor an echo chamber of praise. It's a good thing to be able to contribute to a site like this, and it's an uncommon enhancement to be able to expect some sort of real criticism in return. Thank you for taking time from your doubtlessly busy life to offer some for us.

I appreciate the win. The whole 32X thing seems to get smaller and smaller, and this was one of the reviews I was dreading. I didn't know that I'd have a lot to say about a port of a port of a game with a dozen sequels against it in modern fare, but I found enough to interest me and I'm glad it wasn't just me who found some of the VF facts of note. Not touched the 32X pile in a while; I suppose I'll have to go back soon.

Props to Marc for what I can no longer call a comeback tour; he's destroying it this year, and to Freeman who continues to improve at a quite frankly scary rate. Hope your PC issue resolve themselves.

For us. For them. For you.

Joe: your troubles continue! What a year. Sorry to hear about the crapped out computer. I just got a new one, finally, after like 8 years, and I'm pretty stoked about it.

Emp: congrats on the win, it was well deserved. I'm proud to have basically written the review for you.

Freeman: congrats on the placing. That review seemed a labour of love for you. I don't often get through long reviews, but I got through yours, so that says something. Also, please tell me where the echo chamber of praise is, so I can get inside.

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

@Masters - Thank you! I try. And as far as that "echo chamber" bit goes, I've found that extremely high-quality YouTube content such as Ross's Game Dungeon, Ahoy videos, and who-knows-how-many movie channels may have plenty of people praising the quality of the work but not giving any meaningful criticism of pacing, editing, scripting et cetera. Though those two examples I gave are so excellent that it doesn't matter too much for them.

Seriously, check out Ross's Game Dungeon. I wouldn't be here were it not for Ross Scott and his excellent content.