Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve always had an interest in video games to the extent that it’s my hobby second only to eating, breathing, moving my legs in specific motions to walk forward and the like. I’ve always read videogames reviews ad articles. Not being an overly rich or spoilt child, doing so allowed me to make more informed decisions with regard to which ones I wanted to spend my parents hard earned cash on(which in many respects I’m still doing today); and so, over the years I have come to know and understand the Gaming industry as well as the journalism that surrounds it. Someone once said: “write about what you know”, and so, after many years of experience sitting on the out field of the videogames industry, I felt an attempt at a videogame review would be a perfect place to start my independent journalism career.
When writing my reviews, I drew inspiration from a number of well known reviewers and critics in the industry including: ‘Zero Punctuation’ aka, Yahtzee Croshaw. The bad mouthed critic of the ‘Escapist Magazine online’. As well as better known personality Charlie Brooker. Regular contributor and columnist to the Guardian Newspaper, and creator and host of his own BBC series ‘Screenswipe’, ‘Newswipe’, and ‘Gameswipe’.
Both men, whilst fairly serious about the video games industry as an actual industry, take a light hearted approach to reviewing, and I wanted to achieve the same feeling of being informed whilst entertained, in my reviews. I did however, find it rather difficult to retain my sense originality and humour, whilst at the same time still arguing the actual pros and cons of the game in a structured and easy to understand manor.; something of a necessity in reviews.
Whilst I pride myself on generally being a good speaker, and a fair ability to get my point across to people in verbal debate; writing, and basic sentence structure is not something I find comes naturally to me. When speaking, I need not worry about grammar and people possibly misinterpreting what I really mean. However, when I write, I often try to emulate the effect of my speech and what I am left with is just one long continuous sentence which you can probably see in front of you now. I could blame the influence of fast talking critic ‘Yahtzee’, and at some points in writing my first review I did question whether or not the piece would be better appreciated listened on video with visual aides. In the end, I decided against it and pressed onward. It’s a issue that’s been with me ever since High School and whilst praised as a youngster for my creativity, and articulate style; in the later years I was told it wasn’t effective at getting my often grey and boring point across, and that is exactly how I felt when writing my first review.
Keeping the use of videogame jargon down and ensuring the artcle is accessible to those without a diverse knowledge of video games I also found to be a challenge. Most of the reviews I read are published in specialist magazines or online sites such as Edge, Kotaku.com or Computer and Video Games; as well as the afore mentioned site and television programs. These are sources know the vast majority of their audience will be well informed and able to differentiate between an fps (a game in which you play through a First Person Perspective, commonly used in shooting games), and an mmorpg (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game- an online game in which multiple players exist within the same universe, level up their character, and can influence other players games with the actions made in theirs). These are just two genres of videogame and not something I have to look up. I just know what they are as a welder or welding enthusiast might understand the jargon of the welding industry.
My audience I wanted to be more widespread. Something that although videogamers could relate to and find entertaining and informative, the review would still be accessible for people less familiar with the industry. Something that could perhaps be found in either a videogames website or independent magazine aimed at 15 to 30 year olds. In order to achieve this, after I had finished writing, I handed it to my flatmate. A man who knows relatively little about the games industry, as well as to a number of friends with a sound knowledge of the industry, to look my work over in order to ensure wide spread appeal. After handing it back to me, my flat mate informed me that he did not understand what the letters ‘ea’ meant, or what it could possibly be referring to. Of course, I understood that ‘ea’ stands for ‘Electronic Arts’- a large video game publisher with several developments teams such as Ea Sport and Ea Big working under it and lay claim to such well known titles as the ‘Fifa’ games series, ‘Need For Speed’ and what it was relative to my review: the ‘Rock Band’ series. After editing I fixed it by ensuring the reader knew that ea referred to the games publisher and wasn’t just a random typing error.
Handing over my work to someone else is also something I found particularly difficult. I really have a distaste for being judged. I guess it probably stems from something buried deep in my mentality, but every criticism of me or my work hits me surprisingly harder the I let on. Really, I’d much rather the world just come to a general understanding that the work I produce, and I myself are amazing; and then leave it at that, but I identified that it was a necessary move if I am to improve upon my work in any considerable way. A necessary sacrifice you could say.
In both reviews, I attempted to inform the reader of the videogames good and bad features allowing them to make a balanced and informed opinion of their own. As well as doing so, I also hoped to entertain them with wit and humour. Some people may question my decision not to conform to industry consensus, and grade the videogame with a number out of ten at the end of the review. My answer is simply that I don’t believe a complex opinion such as that you would in a review can be expressed numerically. To do so offers people a lazy option and I don’t agree with that. Was I successful? You can make that decision for yourself.
If I were asked to sum my experience writing the reviews in one word, I’d probably tell you to ‘buzz off’ in a less polite manner; but if forced I guess I would use the term ‘refreshing’. Although I struggled at first with the ‘Modern Warfare 2′ review; the wording and descriptions for ‘The Beatles’ required much less effort, I simply wrote about my feelings for the band, how they reflected in the game, and pretty soon an all round review came quite naturally. Looking back I think that feeling is reflected in the both pieces.
