This topic is already a few weeks old but it doesn't seem to be going away. There are two things I want to address. The first being whether I think a game reviewer should be a skilled player and the second being some critiques on reactions to this story. Let's start with the first and I think most obvious part of this topic.
First off I don't think they need to be LCS good but there needs to be some level of core game mechanics for whatever genre they are playing. They need to at least know how to play the game in a way that the creators had intended. What I mean by this is they need to be able to maneuver through the game to where they are able to experience the content. This doesn't mean that someone reviewing an FPS needs to be able to no scope 360 their way through the levels but they need to at least be able to perform your basic melee attacks and have the ability to run and gun. If you are playing a 2-d platformer you need to have the basic abilities to jump from one platform to another and dodge mechanics. Basically, you need to be able to at least do your job.
That I think is what this comes down to. The ability to perform the work that is required of them and that is to play a game. As a programmer, it is my job to code and develops programs for my company. If I lacked the basic ability to write code or to get a program to function I would objectively be bad at my job and would be fired for it. If you can't read the tutorial screen and jump over a block you are lacking the core competencies needed to maneuver through a game you should not be doing that job. It's that simple. A game review does not to be great just competent otherwise their opinion of the game is going to be tainted due to unnecessary frustration.
Another group also like to weak wristed wave the concerns of people who consume game journalism as not important because it's just games journalism. How privileged of a life do you lead that a $60 purchase is not that big of a deal for you? Games journalism is important to a lot of people because dropping hundreds of dollars on a device then dropping hundreds more on games to play isn't something they take lightly. $60 used to be 3 weeks of groceries for me so if someone lied to me on a product that was not worth my money, you are damn right I am going to be upset with them. Whether you realize it or not you are punching down and that attitude needs to stop.
Now to the other side who still have a hard on to bash games journalist. Seriously let it go. That time was shitty for all of us and it was made more shitty because of a far right group and a far left group that, I think I best described as cartoon cloud fight, caught all of us up in it. This group in the last half decade has been biting, scratching, and pulling on each others hair and when you sit back and listen to both arguments you will find both of those sides just suck. The problem is they are loud and they will latch on to any topic that can like cancer and turn what could be positive into the darkness they have dedicated their lives to.
Yes, I am referring to Gamergate and very quickly after the initial outcry for more clarity, we actually got it. Many publications now make disclosures much more apparent. It's not a secret anymore where they play it, when they got it, or if they know anyone around it. The fight was over several months in but if felt like forever because of everyone getting caught up in a shitty culture war between two sides that just need to be angry and had nothing to do with gaming at all.
Plenty of people, in general, need to stop taking criticism so personally and understand that it could be there for a legitimate reason. Not everything is black and white and "they" are not all bad guys. Everyone is a critique. I mean shit, I designated a blog to it a little over a month ago. It's not hard to have an opinion. Just be open to the fact yours could be wrong.
Should Game Reviewers Be Good at Games:
As most of you know now there is an infamous video of a game reviewer struggling at a game that doesn't look nearly as challenging as they make it out to be. If you missed it there is also an older video where someone was playing Doom for Polygon. The appearance of yet another game reviewer being questionable with the game they are reviewing has to lead to wide criticism of games journalism and has people asking should one be good at games to be a reviewer.First off I don't think they need to be LCS good but there needs to be some level of core game mechanics for whatever genre they are playing. They need to at least know how to play the game in a way that the creators had intended. What I mean by this is they need to be able to maneuver through the game to where they are able to experience the content. This doesn't mean that someone reviewing an FPS needs to be able to no scope 360 their way through the levels but they need to at least be able to perform your basic melee attacks and have the ability to run and gun. If you are playing a 2-d platformer you need to have the basic abilities to jump from one platform to another and dodge mechanics. Basically, you need to be able to at least do your job.
That I think is what this comes down to. The ability to perform the work that is required of them and that is to play a game. As a programmer, it is my job to code and develops programs for my company. If I lacked the basic ability to write code or to get a program to function I would objectively be bad at my job and would be fired for it. If you can't read the tutorial screen and jump over a block you are lacking the core competencies needed to maneuver through a game you should not be doing that job. It's that simple. A game review does not to be great just competent otherwise their opinion of the game is going to be tainted due to unnecessary frustration.
The reaction to this video:
The reaction to this has been annoying as well and this is the real reason I wanted to make this post. I have had this opinion brewing for a while so I am going to lay it out there. First off a lot of game reviewers were taking the reaction this video super personal. To those of you who did. Stop it. This video isn't about you and if you think it is, maybe a new career path is right for you. You should know if you are decent enough at games to review them. If you can't see that, you might be missing enough self-knowledge to be able to present a clear picture to your audience.Another group also like to weak wristed wave the concerns of people who consume game journalism as not important because it's just games journalism. How privileged of a life do you lead that a $60 purchase is not that big of a deal for you? Games journalism is important to a lot of people because dropping hundreds of dollars on a device then dropping hundreds more on games to play isn't something they take lightly. $60 used to be 3 weeks of groceries for me so if someone lied to me on a product that was not worth my money, you are damn right I am going to be upset with them. Whether you realize it or not you are punching down and that attitude needs to stop.
Now to the other side who still have a hard on to bash games journalist. Seriously let it go. That time was shitty for all of us and it was made more shitty because of a far right group and a far left group that, I think I best described as cartoon cloud fight, caught all of us up in it. This group in the last half decade has been biting, scratching, and pulling on each others hair and when you sit back and listen to both arguments you will find both of those sides just suck. The problem is they are loud and they will latch on to any topic that can like cancer and turn what could be positive into the darkness they have dedicated their lives to.
Yes, I am referring to Gamergate and very quickly after the initial outcry for more clarity, we actually got it. Many publications now make disclosures much more apparent. It's not a secret anymore where they play it, when they got it, or if they know anyone around it. The fight was over several months in but if felt like forever because of everyone getting caught up in a shitty culture war between two sides that just need to be angry and had nothing to do with gaming at all.
Plenty of people, in general, need to stop taking criticism so personally and understand that it could be there for a legitimate reason. Not everything is black and white and "they" are not all bad guys. Everyone is a critique. I mean shit, I designated a blog to it a little over a month ago. It's not hard to have an opinion. Just be open to the fact yours could be wrong.
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