reisch

I said I would never buy a PlayStation or Xbox because I’d never leave the apartment. Instead, I end up here…just as much a shut-in, but now with a greater appreciation for developer talent to which I otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed xD

I try out a variety of the new and notable. I leave scores. I leave feedback to contextualize scores (or, at least, as much context as reasonably fits a comment box).

I save 5-star ratings for titles I find innovative. For story-focused games, this means reframing a common plot via a wholly unique viewpoint or graphics presentation. For gameplay-focused titles, this means reconceiving common stage-to-stage progression via wholly unique mechanics.

4-star ratings go to titles I find intriguing; 3 stars for titles that are not just fun but stand out from others in their genres. I don’t want to think “fun” is good enough to make something “average.” If we aren’t having more than fun on average, why are we gaming at all?

2 stars for titles that are graphically/experientially proficient, but not unique. 1 star for games from studios that polish another developer’s original idea and publish it over and over with different graphics and audio. Ad placeholders—they’re the puppy mills of game development. #feelsbadman