Forums > Contributor Zone > RotW // 22nd - 28th FEBRUARY // Backlog Wars II: Backlog Harder

I knew repairing the PC would end up being a mistake.



THIRD - Ratchet & Clank [PS4] Honestgamer

Wherein Jason reviews a video game based on a movie based on a video game.

This was a good review that amused me by admitting that you have to play games in easy mode, like a real video game journalist! I’ve never put any time at all into a Ratchet & Clank game (nor have I seen the film) but I never felt lost through this review. I will comment that it does come across a little section-y, to borrow a 2005 phrase. Also, you talk about the stages but never really describe any, which isn;t helped by the screenshots seemingly being taken from the same stage? There; complaining done. Now you get some props for the strategic timing of your review. You know what you did.

SECOND - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds [3DS] Overdrive

Rob wasn’t expecting an EmP RotW slot, so he indulged in his greatest ‘Let’s talk about meeeeeee!” intro yet. I GUESS that, in his defense, it especially makes sense here, and it’s a good idea to plant your introduction in nostalgia. It not only grounds you as a member of the game’s target audience, but suggests to the reader that you have some authority on the subject.

But you’d better hope you’re part of the target audience, too! For better or worse, the majority of the review frames this game against the game it’s pseudo copying, which may produce varying results depending on the reader. But LttP was one of the three(?) Zelda games I managed to complete, so it all made sense to me.

You lose points for not making a “I remember the rain” reference.

FIRST - Slime Rancher [PS4] Pickhut

What is it with people tricking me into reading about a game where you have to build and run a farm to fund your exploration of a world? First Mariner, now you? Conspiracy!

But while Mariner used the drudgery of farm life to build deferred reward, you use the drudgery to highlight all the drudgery. It’s one of those Pickhut bash reviews again, all even handed and not overly hostile. Because of this, you’re left to patiently build your case in how Slime Rancher could have been a good game, and even is one for some periods of its life, but botches its priorities and ends up a pretty drab affair. I think the review as a whole builds towards itself really well; it feels like a complete piece, not jumping between points to force things in. It is a very, very good review.

For us. For them. For you.

Okay I'm gonna be real with you... when I saw this topic earlier today, I somehow thought Overdrive did this RotW.

Having said that, thanks for the RotW! Personally, Slime Rancher was a weird choice to review for, since I'm not actually that into farm-type games. But I took a chance since it had an interesting spin on the concept. Though, its overall execution is meh at best. An okay farm game, but very bleh on everything else. Glad that got through in the review!

I head spaceshit noises.