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On Videogame Journalism

Posted by michael on from the and-other-oxymorons dept.

Michael_Blessed writes "The most incisive critique of games journalism currently out there. I would say that as I participated, but there's some real illuminating stuff in there. And it's all true - I should know, being a games 'journalist' myself." It's a whole long series - read all 11 parts.

3 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Huh? by Anixamander · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "The most incisive critique of games journalism currently out there. I would say that as I participated, but there's some real illuminating stuff in there. And it's all true - I should know, being a games 'journalist' myself."

    Well then, this is my critique of a game journalist: Always preview before submitting. Sentence structure is important.

    --
    Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball(TM)
  2. What an idiotic statement... by GreenCrackBaby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Regarding game reviews:

    Objectivity has got to go, for one thing. Anyone who says that the personal experience of interacting with a game can be discussed objectively - well they're just flat out wrong to even try. Experience colors everything we write, being humans and all. What we have to do is weigh our desire to share our opinion, the one we're sure is right, against the fact that no two persons will experience something in the same way.

    WHAT!?! I don't care if this guy thinks games are evolving into an artform. That's almost meaningless in a game review. I buy a game for entertainment, and could care less if the creators think they are the next Piccaso.

    Objectivity is essential in a game review. I want to know if a game crashes, if the AI is a pushover, if the interface is garbage, etc. While there's some subjectivity in those things, a crash is still a crash.

    Sure, you need to subjective material in a game review. However, calling for the complete loss of objectivity in a review is just plain idiotic!

    --

    "The market alone cannot provide sufficient constraints on corporation's penchant to cause harm." -- Joel Bakan
  3. Is it just me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Or was that one of the least incisive, most boring diatribes that has ever been written? It reads like it was written by a self-impressed thirteen year old who just discovered criticism. It's less about education than edification. Less about helping journalists than it is self-aggrandizement. He doesn't even offer any of his own work as an example of "goodness". It basically comes down to: "My work is better than yours, and your work proves it."

    Furthermore, it reads like an inside joke and in my opinion is much more likely to alienate journalists than give them a reason to think.

    I tried, but didn't gain anything from the article but a distaste for the author. Maybe it's just me.