Videogame Reviewer

Videogame Reviewer

Dan Amrich

Los Angeles, CA

Male, 41

I started reviewing videogames professionally in 1993, when Genesis and SNES roamed the earth. Over the next 15 years I worked for magazines and websites like GamePro, GamesRadar, Official Xbox Magazine, and World Of Warcraft Official Magazine, while freelancing for Wired, PC Gamer, and many others. In an attempt to guide the next generation of reviewers, I wrote and published Critical Path: How to Review Videogames For A Living in February. Ask away!

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Last Answer on June 13, 2013

Best Rated

What's the most frustrating or difficult part about reviewing games professionally?

Asked by Tara over 12 years ago

The top frustration is the assumption that all reviewers are on being paid by publishers for their postiive reviews. I have seen so many allegations of corruption that stem not from evidence but from differences of opinion. If I give a game a 9 but you were expecting a 7, then I'm on the take -- "obviously." If I give it a 7 but you were expecting it to get a 9, suddenly that means I'm taking money from a rival publisher to keep its score low. To be accused of a crime like that and assumed guilty is the single most frustrating and difficult part of reviewing games professionally. Worse than any deadline, any unstable early build, or any inconvenience... Read More +

Nintendo Ice Hockey, NHL ‘94 (one-timers, ldo), or Blades of Steel?

Asked by Ericmoz over 12 years ago

NHL Open Ice.

Do you think gamers of today are missing out on the arcade experience that was more prevalent in the 80s and 90s? Obviously the current games & consoles of today are way more advanced, but the in-person, social experience is lost.

Asked by DigDoug over 12 years ago

The social experience has simply changed, I think. I could not have dreamed of a day when I'd have voice chat while playing something as sophisticated as we have now. My mom never liked it when I went into arcades because of all the unsavory elements you heard about -- people getting into fights, people dealing drugs, you name it. It's a dark room; bad things are invited by that, I guess. So while I never had any issues (one guy did try to hustle me out of money if I could beat him at NBA Jam, but I declined), the worst someone can do over Xbox Live is call me names. And they do, all the time -- but they can only *virtually* stab me, which... Read More +

Did you ever have a really bad first impression of a game, which ultimately won you over big-time?

Asked by o-doyle over 12 years ago

Sure, and the opposite is also true -- strong start, lousy finish. You have to stay open minded throughout the entire process; you have to allow yourself to be not only impartial but also impressed. That means that while my first impressions are usually indicative of where the review will go, they are just first impressions, and I have to let the game teach me about itself.

What's the process in reviewing a game? Do you go buy it like everyone else, or does the maker give you a guided walk through?

Asked by Tony over 12 years ago

Well, buying a game and being given a walkthrough document are not the same thing. Most of the time, the publisher would supply me with a copy of the game -- sometimes final retail boxed copies, but because I spent so much time on print magazines, it was more often pre-release 100% or "near 100%" versions of the game that would run on special development hardware (or in the case of the older cartridge-based games, an EPROM, which was a naked circuit board with interchangable chips). These pre-release versions were necessary in the days of print if you wanted to have the review appear in the magazine around the same time that it became available... Read More +

When you started, did the job of 'videogame reviewer' even exist and was it taken seriously?

Asked by BRPP almost 12 years ago

Of course! This is not a trail I blazed. Some of the earliest game journalists were Arnie Katz, Bill Kunkel, and Joyce Worley; they proved that intelligent analysis and criticism could be formed back in the early 80s. The magazine they worked on, Electronic Games, was my constant companion and led the way. Some more info on them: http://www.vghmuseum.org/collections/the-katz-kunkel-worley-journalistic-archive/

When I got to college and started reviewing different forms of art and media, I actually started with music. I remember reading... Read More +

DREAM JOB. How does a devout gamer, especially an articulate one, get into the business of writing video game reviews?

Asked by Jason_BKNY over 12 years ago

The short and unpopular answer: First, polish your writing skills so they are worthy of a publication, then approach outlets and ask them if they use freelance writers. Nobody will approach you; you really have to take the initiative and inquire at editorial outlets if you want to write for them. Many will say no; some may say yes. If they do, you have to be ready to accept all the responsibilities that go with it. They do not want to teach you as you figure it all out. I know this sounds like a bad plug, but answering this question is why I wrote Critical Path. This was the top question I got over those 15 years, so I wanted answer it... Read More +

Why did games in the 80s and 90s have such terrible English? I get that they were made in Japan, but surely they knew that a good game could bring in millions; why not pay a native English speaker a few bucks to just eyeball the language?

Asked by AllYourBase over 12 years ago

Depends on the game, but all games work with a budget. Do you spend money on an actor (or a consultant) or do you give the team that money so they can hire another texture artist or lighting specialist? Go easy on 'em; they all had multiple priorities to deal with, and nobody's success was guaranteed.

How much can a really good or bad review affect game sales?

Asked by Lazlo Hollyfeld over 12 years ago

Depends on the situation. Consider how many times you've heard someone say "I was looking forward to this game but it's only getting a 78 on Metacritic, so I think I might skip it." I hear it a lot, and I've let other people's reviews affect my buying decisions myself, so I think it's pretty common that a review can change people's minds from undecided to either yes or no -- but I am less sure that you can change someone from no to yes or yes to no if they started at either extreme, just from a really strong review. If it's one really good or really bad review -- say, everybody hates it except that one reviewer -- it probably won't move... Read More +

What do you see as the future of videogames in the next 5 - 10 years? What's the "Next Big Thing"? Is there a technological breakthrough on the horizon that will make things possible that up til now haven't been?

Asked by bort_wins over 12 years ago

I'm really not much of a prognosticator, nor am I an engineer. I don't make the games and I don't have a functional knowledge of the technology required to create them, so I don't have a good perspective on the next big thing. Besides, if I knew the answer to this, I'd be investing heavily in it. :) I do think digital distribution is inevitable -- it's a good idea and it's worked so far -- so I expect there to be more and more games bought digitally, and the storage media sizes will climb to meet it.

What old-school videogame does it make you sad that your kids aren't going to get to play?

Asked by e.weinbach over 12 years ago

All of them, because I don't plan to have kids. :) But I honestly don't believe there is a significant game that future generations won't be able to play. With the combined forces of emulation, flea markets, eBay, and serious undertakings like the Digital Game Museum (http://www.digitalgamemuseum.org/) I can't think of a reason that any significant game would be forgotten or completely out of reach.

What games of the last 20 years stand out as "watershed moments" in that they changed the playing field because of how awesome they were?

Asked by AllYourBase over 12 years ago

Doom in 1993 is the first thing that leaps to mind. Wolfenstein 3D had established the first-person genre at that point (it wasn't the first first-person perspective game, but it was the first really badass one), but Doom's curved surfaces and advanced lighting simply weren't thought to be possible at that point. It redefined what games could be. Half-Life then showed what you could do narratively with the genre in 1998 and everybody noticed. I like to remind people that Half-Life was 18 months "late" from original release projections, which caused gamers to grouse like crazy...but once everybody got the game, the only topic of discussion... Read More +

Is there a game where your review differed dramatically from the general consensus of other reviewers?

Asked by AllYourBase over 12 years ago

Yes, several times -- it is inevitable, since every review really is just an opinion. It should be a researched, experienced, and backstopped opinion -- but you are always risking the possibility that your opinion is not in line with other people's. The original Need for Speed -- the one for 3DO -- was a game that did not impress me. I thought it was too slow, especially considering the name. I came in on the very very low end of that game's public reaction and I took heat for it. I gave Space Giraffe for XBLA a 2 out of 10, while others gave it a 10 out of 10. That was a very polarizing game, but when the developer goes after you and calls... Read More +

What is the worst game you had to do a review on?

Asked by Derek over 12 years ago

I tackled this in another question, but I think the worst games I ever reviewed were Combat Cars for the Genesis (a top down racer with no mini-map) and Chicago Enforcer for Xbox, which was a very very bad 1930s FPS. The AI, the graphics, the music...nothing about the game really met my expectations for what even a budget Xbox game should be. I was amazed that it made it through certification. I also remember really disliking No Escape, which was a Genesis game based on a Ray Liotta sci-fi movie. A go-right shooter, sort of like Contra but far worse, with no checkpoints. It was brutal.

Those press kit games journalists receive: who keeps them? Do you have a particular special one?

Asked by sycomycole over 12 years ago

Little confused by the phrasing here, so I will try to answer. Most press kits are a stack of paper, or rather, a zip file of screens and Word documents. I saved the Interstate 76 folder and papers because it is one of my favorite games of all time. The games themselves that you get for review -- if they are final retail copies, which they may or may not be -- usually become the property of the magazine, unless the publisher wants them back, and they sometimes do. Pre-release copies of games have to be returned or destroyed. Check the question about the process of reviewing a game for a more detailed answer on this one. I am proud to have... Read More +

Did you only review finished games? Or did game makers sometimes send you beta versions to test, and did any of your suggestions get implemented in the final product?

Asked by plankingpro over 12 years ago

Many times games would be 95% done, or "RC1" -- release candidate 1 -- meaning "we think it's done, it's being approved now by the first-party companies.": But my job was to evaluate, not offer advice for improvement; by the time it reached my hands, it was ready for judgment. A few times we got demos ahead of time and the publisher would overtly ask for design feedback, but it was something of an etiquette breach; most publishers hire consultants during development (many of whom are ex-media) to tell them what they feel the game needs and what score it is likely to receive in its current state. So the reviewer is really there to serve the potential customer, not the publisher.

As a reviewer, do you focus solely on more action/adventure-oriented games, or do you also have to review the Maddens of the world? (Incidentally, are you a fan of sports games?)

Asked by Sundeep over 12 years ago

I have a specialty and most reviewers acquire one. I was not a sports guy when I was reviewing games, except for action-oriented sports games like NBA Jam or NFL Street. Simulation sports games were reserved for experts who really knew the depth of those franchises and could give better advice. My specialties have been music games, skateboarding games, and arcade racers, but I didn't do many JRPGs, as it wouldn't do the reader much good to to the reader to have someone who was not naturally drawn to and informed on that genre do a review.

As a long time gamer, do you see yourself playing/reviewing games for the rest of your life?

Asked by Kaz over 12 years ago

Sure, why not? There is no expiration date on loving your hobby, even if it's your job. One of my mentors is Andy Eddy, who has several years on me and jokingly calls himself "the oldest gamer." You're gaining wisdom and more information, which really puts a review in a more authoritative context. When you are reading the review of a 20-year-old, they have only been playing games attentively for maybe 10 years. When you read the review of a 40-year-old, you have three times as much experience going into that opinion. So older writers definitely have value...says the older writer. And I have no reason to fall out of love with my lifelong hobby.

Does reviewing games for a living take the fun out of playing them in your free time? Does it now feel like a chore? Do you ever fantasize about just going back to being a civilian gamer?

Asked by upupdowndown... about 12 years ago

It can take the fun out, if you let it. One of the worst but most common problems with the job is that the people who do it can become cynical -- they forget why they loved games and they start actively hating games. I think this is because before you get the job, your strongest memories are your best memories -- you remember the games that made you feel the greatest highs, and then you wind up with a job where there are many more mediocre to bad games than there are transcendent ones, and that's what you spend most of your time writing about. It's very easy to start focusing on the negative, and then believe that nothing can ever be good... Read More +

How much of your job is art, and how much of your role is science? Do you believe that there is a way to quantitatively evaluate the overall "value" of a game?

Asked by Josem over 12 years ago

I believe there are certain elements that all gamers feel are valuable, so I draw on them: an engaging story, a sense of progression and advancement, an abundance of experiences that elicit interesting emotional responses. Pretty graphics, cool music -- they're part of the mix, but they're not as important as what the game does to you or for you. All gamers do not hold all those elements as equally important, nor do all games do not try to incorporate all those elements -- no big story to Tetris, for instance. So while a lot of games have similar goals or components and a lot of gamers expect similar things when they play a game, I've never... Read More +

Do you find your job fulfilling? Do you ever wish you did something more “grown-up”? (yes, you have my dream job and this Q is slightly borne out of jealousy)

Asked by david.hoff over 12 years ago

I realized I was a writer in college, and on my first job at Guitar World, I learned that you had to be able to write about anything if you are truly going to call yourself a writer. So I specialize in entertainment stuff -- I've written movie reviews, music reviews, feature stories, news items -- but I have also written -- but I can, with a little practice, write other things too. More grown-up things, if you will. My mom spent 25 years as a bookkeeper. I do not have her gift for math, but I went to work with her one summer during college, in another department, in the typing pool at an insurance company. For me, it was a little taste... Read More +

A lot of videogame journalism feels like having conversations for the sake of having conversations. What's a good balance of the over-thought artistic approach analyzing a game vs. the casual on-surface look at games?

Asked by Steven Beynon over 12 years ago

Well, let's differentiate between "journalism" and "reviews." I don't think a review should ever be a casual, on-the-surface look at a game. I think you need to go deep, but it's about what you are analyzing -- the artistic elements or the value proposition. Other forms of criticism are the same way -- some folks write and read movie reviews as artistic commentary on the work, other people just want to know if it's worth their time and money this weekend. It's very difficult to say one approach is better than the other, because both have merit and value -- but neither is a surface scan. Both require deep thought and careful creative analysis... Read More +

When the gamer community sees a send-up like the WoW episode of South Park (which basically skewers gamers as fat, acned, basement dwellers), does it take offense, or laugh right along with it?

Asked by BEEFCAKE! over 12 years ago

It's a big community; I think there's some of both. The negative gamer stereotype is not going away; you could argue that's because of cruel jokes being so common and tolerated, or you could argue that it's because they are based in fact. The very thin distinction is that the South Park guys are themselves huge WoW fans and players; they are equal opportunity offenders, so they are making fun of themselves along with everybody else they make fun of. So some gamers took that episode as an offense, and some took it as a signifying self-mocking. I laughed. I also laughed at the "Guitar Queer-O" episode they did. Would it be worth the time and energy to get offended anyway?

What is your take on MMORPGs that are level based, such as WoW? Do you think there is room in the market for a game that is non linear and not based on level progression?

Asked by JerKal over 12 years ago

I played one of those -- it was called There. I was disappointed that there was not much to do. I could race buggies with my friends and hang out in social circles, but...otherwise, not enough structure to feel like I had a reason to return. I've spent serious time with City of Heroes, WoW, and SWTOR, and I liked all of them for different reasons -- but I don't think removing the level structure would have made them better. I guess the real answer to your question is "show me the design document or give me a demo." :)

What’s the biggest FAIL you've seen in a game, that made you wonder what the gamemaker was even thinking when he put it in?

Asked by willowsmith over 12 years ago

I think the earlier answer about Combat Cars being one of the worst games I ever reviewed counts here -- a top-down 16-bit racer with no minimap. No prediction of where the turns are coming, so it was just one wall after another. You were expected to learn the tracks by trial and error and then memorize them. Fail.

What percentage of game players are female? Do game makers do things to specifically target that demographic?

Asked by Dez over 12 years ago

I don't know the current statistics on the percentage of female game players. I'm a reviewer, not a statistician. :) And I think we've both seen games that are marketed directly to female players, so it seems pretty clear that publishers do.

I grew up on Rocky’s Boots and Robot Odyssey. Please tell me those names mean something to you, and if so can I buy you a beer? (My wife doesn’t understand that they were the greatest educational games ever made.)

Asked by mario over 12 years ago

You know those were created by the guy who also created the first Easter egg in games, right? Warren Robinett, creator of the Atari 2600 classic Adventure, where he snuck his name in as a credit in a secret room. Awesome.

Every new game seems to tout a magazine review calling it "the best game of the year"...is there any authoritative source / survey / consensus as to "best"?

Asked by dan79 over 12 years ago

Not really. Publishers love those kinds of quotes from the media, and they want to use them whenever they can. Everybody wants to be Game of the Year according to someone, and really, the only consensus is when multiple independent editorial outlets all come to the same conclusion -- which happens some years and doesn't other years. Every year at the E3 Expo, the Game Critics Awards offers its best of show stuff, and that is a panel of judges from dozens of the top editorial outlets -- but that group of judges does not reconvene at the end of the year when the games are actually finished.

How was the transition from moving from gamespot to gamesradar, OXM, and World of Warcraft magazine? What made you decide to switch publications anyway?

Asked by sycomycole over 12 years ago

I applied for a job at GameSpot once, but have never worked there -- I think you mean GamePro, where I wrote as "Dan Elektro" from 1997 to 2003. Leaving GamePro was very difficult and emotional. I really thought I would be there for my entire career, and my wife Kat (Miss Spell) and I really enjoyed the luxury of working together. We have a great shorthand that makes us very efficient together. A change of management valued me but not her, and we got an offer from Future to go as a team to work on a new project. I wanted to stay at GP, and made that clear, but I wanted to keep this creative partnership going more, so we took the other offer.... Read More +

Were you ever asked or did you ever consider work as a writer for a game?

Asked by Hecqubus over 12 years ago

I have always been a non-fiction guy, in writing and reading; I have friends who have made the jump from critic to storyteller (Jay Turner & Gary Whitta to drop a few names), but I am not one of them, nor do I ever expect to be. It's not that I wouldn't like to try, or that I don't have ideas that I think might make interesting games, but I don't believe there is a direct connection between those two fields and it's never been a goal -- I love being a game critic. A lot of people do think, after playing a game or reviewing a game, that they can make a better one -- to which I say, that's probably the healthiest thing you can undertake.... Read More +

lol, I guess I meant less that kids of the future wouldn’t BE ABLE to play old-school games, more that they wouldn’t WANT to b/c they’re lame in comparison. Don’t you sometimes just want to force kids of today to play some Zelda or Tecmo Bowl?

Asked by e.weinbach over 12 years ago

No. Games are like films or books -- very much a product of their time. I have a great respect for what came before, but I think if you force someone to play, watch, or read something, they are not approaching it with an open mind and will likely not appreciate it the way you want them to. You can recommend, but shoving it down their throat isn't good. Sorta like a game review -- it's advice, but not imperative commands.

do video game companies ever try and butter you up with free stuff, nice dinners, boondoggles etc w/hopes of a getting a good review?

Asked by marcus over 12 years ago

Sure, they try. I mean, it's in their best interest to be polite and accommodating and put you in a good frame of mine about their product. The trick is not to let it actually affect your decision. Giving me access to more information -- developer chats, deeper Q&As with the team -- often makes me like a game more than trinkets or trips because I understand more of what's going on behind the scenes for real. I understand the team's goals better and what they are trying to do with the game. T-shirts are nice and all, but if you want to impress me, give me knowledge and understanding instead. :) There is a line that can be crossed, and... Read More +

In your opinion what is the worst game of all time? How about the best?

Asked by Brian over 12 years ago

Keep in mind that this is entirely subjective, and I can only comment on the games I've played or reviewed (well, yes, I have played all the games I've reviewed, you know what I mean...) I think the worst games I ever reviewed were Combat Cars for the Genesis (a top down racer with no mini-map) and Chicago Enforcer for Xbox, which was a very very bad 1930s FPS. I was just amazed that it made it through certification. Best? I have too much nostalgia for the old days of arcades to say anything other than Robotron 2084 or Tempest, but they still kick my ass today. Any game that remains challenging 30 years after it was created deserves the title "classic."

In video games, an experience may be dependent on whether the player has friends to play with (unlike books and film). Is that something you guys would try to address in your reviews? Ex: L4D being uninteresting if played by yourself.

Asked by Paranerd over 12 years ago

Not just try -- it's required. It's irresponsible to review a game where co-op or multiplayer is an important element and not properly play those modes. For pre-release games that are not yet publicly available, the PR team will arrange for devs or the QA staff to play in those modes with you. If the game is publicly available, go online. Not having friends is not acceptable -- play with strangers, since that's what other people in your situation would have to do. There is no excuse and no reason why a reviewer could not play a game like L4D in single-player mode as well as co-op mode. Playing a game to its fullest before writing about... Read More +

Should games as a service need to be reviewed as a whole or separately? For example, with SimCity, the game ITSELF may be awesome, but EA's always-online requirement and lack of sufficient servers are preventing the game from working at all.Thoughts?

Asked by EA_SimCity about 12 years ago

You can only review the experience you have. People seem to think that if a review does not reflect their personal experience, then the review is wrong. Well, no; their experience was different from yours, but both experiences are valid. If something like DRM/always-on connections affect your experience of the game, then they should factor in. But if they did not affect the reviewer's experience at the time of review, it's hardly fair to expect them to say "But maybe the game isn't actually as good as it was when I played it for myself." Whose opinion are they writing anyway? Their own, based on their own experience. But it is absolutely... Read More +

So in your opinion what is the best platform to play on and why?

Asked by Brian over 12 years ago

I do a lot of my gaming on 360 and iPad because I worked at OXM and it is most available in my free time, respectively, but I could just as easily be doing it on PS3 and 3DS. My playing a lot of 360 should not influence you in the slightest. I am platform agnostic and I have active disdain for the so-called console wars. As if we don't have enough divisive issues in the world, some brainiac decided that one machine dedicated to playing games had to be empirically better than another. Downright ridiculous. Play what makes you happy on whatever you can put your hands on. The important thing is that we're playing games and enjoying it.

When I compare my son's games to those I played 10, 20, 30 years ago, I'm blown away by the graphics, sound, and overall realism. So I ask, how much better can video games even get at this point? Do you think there's still room for improvement?

Asked by Diablo Joe about 12 years ago

Sure -- but it might not be in those obvious A/V categories. At some point we're going to hit a visual threshhold where it just doesn't matter if games look better, or the improvements made will be less obvious. So the innovation has to come from things like gameplay and concept and big ideas, I think. We know spaceships can blast aliens; we know dudes can beat each other up; we know one hero can save the world. But when you consider how many interesting topics books and movies cover that games currently do not, you realize there's tons of room for growth. The world of gaming is not limited to simulations of both real and imagined worlds... Read More +

How much nostalgia is good? I know your review is basically your own opinion, how much love of a series love too much. "I love Spyro so this game is 10 of 10"

Asked by muerte_brutal about 12 years ago

Not much nostalgia is good for reviews; remember, you have to review the game in front of you, not the game that came before it. I expect the reviewer to be familiar with the series so they can accurately assess how it's different from previous chapters, since you can assume the audience will have experience with the series too. My editor was concerned that I would not be objective enough with my review of the Xbox 360 Ghostbusters game, since I am a huge fan and nostalgia weighs heavily on me. I was able to split my duties as a reviewer with my love as a fanboy, and it turned out that my review score was not only on par with other people... Read More +

Had no idea about the Learning Co. easter egg guy I just lost an hr in Wikipedia, thx. Had forgot about Gertrude’s Puzzles! What do you think are TODAY’S best educational games (not that I won’t be getting Rocky’s Boots on an emulator for my kid)?

Asked by mario over 12 years ago

I'm not familiar with today's educational games. I have never reviewed them, and I do not have kids, as I mentioned above. :)

I'm fairly sure you covered this in Critical Path (I don't have it with me right now), but what are your thoughts on New Games Journalism?

Asked by Jake Godin over 12 years ago

You're right, I did cover it in the book -- but I think games journalism simply evolved to incorporate more personal asides. NGJ can be very personal and powerful...but I think it's easier to make it personal and self-indulgent. To say something personal that also offers insight and a larger commentary is not as easy as it looks. I recommend getting a handle on OGJ first. Once you know the rules and why they are there, then you are better equipped to break those rules in a meaningful and evolutionary way.

Should videogames be considered "art?"

Asked by Roger Ebert over 12 years ago

Too late to ask this one. They already are.

Do you ever go through periods where your eyes and brain are just totally fried and you need to take a real hiatus (perhaps a week or two) from video games?

Asked by Kin Corn Karn over 12 years ago

Yes, and burnout is a very real side effect of the job. I've worked with people who were so determined to cling to their dream job that they were unaware that they were grumpy and bitter about something they used to love -- when play becomes work, it's very easy to only focus on the negative sides of the work, like deadlines or office politics or technical issues. That can and does spill over into reviews if you let it -- and that can alienate readers and ruin your reputation. I took very few vacations at GamePro because I loved the work and there was always so much to do in a short amount of time; when I left I had banked a month of vacation... Read More +

Do video game creators ever consult you about how to make a game-in-the-making better?

Asked by Sheng Long over 12 years ago

Sometimes, but not usually. They have actual consultants for that, and many of those consultants are ex-media. They write detailed reports on games in development and assess strengths and weaknesses. Most of the time they even give a score range, like "if this were coming out in its current state with its current scope and plans, I would expect it to receive 65-75 on a scale of 100." But if you are an active member of the media, it's sort of...not done. A few times I've seen developers fish for feedback during demos but I have always expected demos to be largely one-way info presentations, and not a focus group -- though I'm sure they are... Read More +

what game from the 80's or 90's do you most want to see a reboot of.

Asked by CBass about 12 years ago

Interstate 76, a car combat PC game from Activision. Car combat is my favorite genre, and now that Twisted Metal has returned for PS3, that's my next target. It was a very rich universe with an alternate-history story as its backdrop, plus lots of customizable muscle cars. It's available again at GOG.com if you want to play it.

Do you get flamed a lot on the internet for ragging on games that other people like? When you were just starting out, did that bother you?

Asked by MrSmith over 12 years ago

Sure -- nobody really likes to be told "you're wrong." I wrote unpopular negative reviews of games other people liked, so I became a target -- and that comes with the job. It's something you have to accept; you cannot be a critic without being willing to be criticized yourself. The problem really becomes when the people telling you that you're wrong have less experience with the topic in question. If I've spent a week digging into a game before coming to a conclusion about it, and the person telling me "that's not right at all" hasn't played it yet...that's particularly annoying. That's just someone wanting the game to be awesome, or someone... Read More +

Do you think the Sony PS4 will live up to the hype? Are you given a console ahead of the release date, or do you line up at midnight like everyone else?

Asked by Diablo Joe about 12 years ago

Depends on the level of the hype. This is really an unanswerable question, as we have seen some preview footage and cool plans, but I have no experience with the console itself. Nobody can say if it will live up to the hype without significant personal experience. I plan to get one, but I have no idea if it's going to live up to anything yet. Top-tier media often get retail units day of release, or slightly before; I lined up and bought my PS2, GameCube, PSP and Xbox 360 at midnight. This time around, I just want to preorder.

are consoles even necessary anymore? couldn't gameplay and purchases all occur through web enabled TV?

Asked by sluggfest about 12 years ago

No console is "necessary" to begin with. We're talking about a form of optional entertainment. And those forms vary wildly; many people simply like having a dedicated machine for their hobby. Could the future remove the hardware and just bundle it all into the display? Sure. I think it's interesting that Steam is working with ways to bring its content to TVs instead of computer monitors, and even then, they are investigating a dedicated piece of hardware, and not just delivering it through a web-enabled TV or an existing device. So...sure, the future is unwritten, and things always get smaller and wind up being combined with other things.... Read More +

Thinking about starting a game review blog, with hopes of eventually doing what you do. If I apply to become a writer or contributor to an established gaming website or magazine, will my blog "count" as a credential?

Asked by NJ Will about 12 years ago

Yes, absolutely. When an editor looks for new talent, they almost always search for existing writing by that person before the interview -- in fact, sometimes that can make the difference between whether the person even gets an interview at all. Your blog will represent your personal approach to writing, and that is extremely valuable to a hiring editor -- but it also means it has to be extremely professional and polished if you want it to reflect kindly on you. Anything you write online, from a personal blog to a Facebook post to a comment in a forum, suddenly represents you as a professional writer. I tell a story about this in the book,... Read More +

You alluded to it, but what are some of the most polarizing games you can recall in terms of reviewer opinion? I'm always fascinated by movie reviews that dramatically differ, especially when it seems like opinions are often similar.

Asked by ronmexico over 12 years ago

Space Giraffe for XBLA was one. I gave it a 2. Others gave it a 10. There were very few scores in the middle. We all perceive games differently -- design elements make sense to one person and baffle another. Things that seem incredibly hard to me might be rewardingly complex to you. Person A doesn't feel a game is good unless it has 40 hours of gameplay; Person B just wants to enjoy a six-hour story and move on to another story. This is why I always encourage reading a lot of reviews if you put stock in any one of them. To me, the bigger danger is not polarized opinions but homogenized ones -- when I see people start to attack a negative... Read More +

I want to collect all the best games, but there's so many games worth playing(and more on the way), i can't keep up. should i take the easy way out and stick with what i know and love, "narrow my search", or stop trying to collect all the best games?

Asked by vexation about 12 years ago

You should do whatever you feel will make you happy. Sorry, this is not a question about videogame reviewing, and I do not have any special insight into how you should structure your collection.

Dan, thanks for awesome postings. Have you reviewed many mobile phone or tablet games? How is reviewing them different than PC/console? Mobile gaming seems to be here to stay, and I'm worried that the freemium model results in shallow, lame games!

Asked by MobileGamer about 12 years ago

The mechanics for reviewing a mobile game are no different than reviewing a console or PC game. You're still trying to achieve the same core goal: Tell people what the game is and whether or not it's worth their money. The free-to-play model sort of makes reviews less crucial, but don't forget that even those require an investment -- one of time. And sometimes one of data storage, too. Is it worth bumping another app from your device for this new one? That's something a reviewer can help someone determine. So don't treat them any differently from anything else, because the reader is still looking for sage advice. 

A lot of times,... Read More +

Is Japan still the epicenter of videogame production? What percent of hit games now originate in the USA?

Asked by JH over 11 years ago

 

Asked by over 12 years ago