Review the Reviewer
It’s been a while now since I launched my videogame blog. I feel that I’ve come a long way since I first started, both in my English writing skills as well as in my knowledge of the area. However, I still have a long way to go. As such, and even though this is mostly a personal experience for me, I think it would be interesting if readers out there would give an overall input on the blog, a chance for you to criticize me. I promise not to be offended, and I think that for the most part I won’t even try to defend myself. My goal is to know a little bit more about what you feel is right and wrong with my (re)views on games. Criticize harshly and complement lightly, for the first gives me knowledge to improve myself and the latter invites stagnation (though it makes me feel good with myself). Everything’s fair game for you to criticize, from my language skills, to the length of my posts, rate system, picture use, etc, etc, etc.
Thanks in advance.
I found your review of Final Fantasy XII to be quite good, please keep up the good work!
p.s. the only criticism I have is that our opinions differ, so you must be wrong about something
Thanks for the gracious compliment.
As to us not sharing an opinion, I think that is a good thing. One of the most common and negative misconceptions about criticism, is that it its an objective reality and that critics should somehow serve as mirrors to people’s own opinions. The day my opinion is reflected by someone or by a game’s number of sales is the day my opinion becomes totally useless. Critics should set artistic standards for the works they review, as a way of rewarding and penalizing that which they view are best and worst of their kind. They should also strive to cultivate people’s tastes and opinions, and be as informative as possible.
My favorite critics were always those who were more knowledgeable, but also those who I disagreed with the most, as those were always the ones that allowed me to learn the most from their writings. Hopefully, I can do the same for you and those who like to read my blog.
Cheers!
The only thing that I would like to point out is the score system. I know it’s a compromise for whoever just wants to browse, but I think to grade something with a number is just too arbitrary? The review text itself should be the enough for the reader to make his own intepretation of the product’s overall quality.
I sometimes feel that a grading system nullifies the review, and products are reduced to a number to be freely compared with others, when that doesn’t seem feasible most of the time.
Perhaps this is coming across as an extreme view, but it’s just my opinion and that’s why I’m forwarding it to you. I just find terribly limiting to associate the enjoyment and memory of playing a game to a number.
But I’m sure you have your reasons, and I’d like to hear them, if possible. : )
I’ve actually had this discussion before, with Bruno/Dieubussy in some offtrack comment page. I do understand your point entirely: most people just gaze at a number and reduce the content of the review to that abstract, super subjective symbol. However, those who want to read the text will read it despite the grade. To them, it doesn’t add or remove anything to the my opinion.
As for the rest, most will only see it as a means of knowing of whether or not I agree with them, despite the text. And it is for these people that the grade interests me. True, most of the times they won’t read the text. But surely, once in a while the grade will tease them into reading whatever justifies it. A 5 to an unknown or misconceived work, or a 2 to a widely acclaimed game serve as great bait for discussion, because they challenge preconceptions and the status quo. People feel mad and will want to rebuttal, and in the process will read about my review, and hopefully learn something new and broaden their horizons. If, by chance, they agree with me, perhaps they will read the review if only to say that I’m cool because I share their opinion. Grades have a function even in more elevated or artsier publications. I remember reading about a Cahiers du cinema defense of their rating system, for the same reasons I now enunciate. A number can be a powerful symbol if used wisely (which, admittedly I haven’t always been), It’s lack of expression and ambiguity is balanced out by its power to be direct, objective and to the point.
And of course, I also feel that I am much more inclusive in terms of audience this way
The more people read my blog, the better, means there’s a higher probability of someone actually giving a damn.
Cheers!