I think I found the most pretentious video game review site ever.
- Thread starter Nautical Honors Society
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Okay, I liked that...
Saying that, I'm one of those artsy types (Yes, The Great Gatsby has wonderful symbolism, thank you), and I see a value for this style of critical analysis in the video game industry. One doesn't go looking to someone with a degree in English Literature to answer the question "Should I buy x book?", one goes to them for an analysis of themes, an exploration of character and authorial intention, rather than the arbitrary fault-finding of commercial reviewers, and this is the function that this site holds.
Saying that, the fact that they feel the need to tack a review score on the end seems completely arbitrary and worthless - that would be like a critic doing an extended analysis of, say, Wagner's use of motif in Tristan und Isolde only to turn around and rate the opera out of 100. Especially considering how precise their scores are... (they gave Bulletstorm 73. Why 73? Why not 75? What specific 2% worth of the game were missing that you felt it just didn't quite hit 75?)
Saying that, I'm one of those artsy types (Yes, The Great Gatsby has wonderful symbolism, thank you), and I see a value for this style of critical analysis in the video game industry. One doesn't go looking to someone with a degree in English Literature to answer the question "Should I buy x book?", one goes to them for an analysis of themes, an exploration of character and authorial intention, rather than the arbitrary fault-finding of commercial reviewers, and this is the function that this site holds.
Saying that, the fact that they feel the need to tack a review score on the end seems completely arbitrary and worthless - that would be like a critic doing an extended analysis of, say, Wagner's use of motif in Tristan und Isolde only to turn around and rate the opera out of 100. Especially considering how precise their scores are... (they gave Bulletstorm 73. Why 73? Why not 75? What specific 2% worth of the game were missing that you felt it just didn't quite hit 75?)
i honestly dont know why people get a dick up their ass everytime a review site gives the game they liked a bad rating its all a matter of opinion some people say halo 3 is the best game ever and some people will say hello kitty island adventures is the greatest game of all time but in the end its what ever you like to play
No, he is a different case. Unlike the other two I mentioned, he doesn't expect to be taken seriously.penguindude42 said:
And you guys think that reviewer is pretentious? He's clearly taking a cue from the origins of the genre, all the hard boiled detective movies of the 40's and 50's, and he does a really good job of explaining the disconnect that occurs when a game fails to create a level of immersion to match the narrative. Go watch Chinatown and tell me you don't see the obvious similarities L.A. Noire draws from it. L.A. Noire was ambitious, but it doesn't bring the detective genre to the gaming world successfully.
And as for Extra Credits, if you don't like it, don't watch it, but don't litter the forum with your condescending BS. Gamifying Education may just be the term they created for the subject, but the actual idea is extremely new and quickly becoming an important innovation in education all over the world, so calling it inane is a little shortsighted and just makes you look like even more of a pretentious waste of breath.
http://blog.ted.com/2011/01/21/games-that-launch-companies-games-that-heal-qa-with-jane-mcgonigal/
http://www.brainygamer.com/the_brainy_gamer/
Those are some examples you can read and decide for yourself whether or not it's inane.
And as for Extra Credits, if you don't like it, don't watch it, but don't litter the forum with your condescending BS. Gamifying Education may just be the term they created for the subject, but the actual idea is extremely new and quickly becoming an important innovation in education all over the world, so calling it inane is a little shortsighted and just makes you look like even more of a pretentious waste of breath.
http://blog.ted.com/2011/01/21/games-that-launch-companies-games-that-heal-qa-with-jane-mcgonigal/
http://www.brainygamer.com/the_brainy_gamer/
Those are some examples you can read and decide for yourself whether or not it's inane.
Wow this guy is like the Armond White of game reviews. Except I can kind of see what he's getting at... sort of.
That review was terrible, good for a laugh though. I mean, most reviewers are a little pretentious (due to bias towards certain films etc) but that guy takes the cake.
I wish I could end it there but low content posting and all that.michiehoward said:
So:
OT: Best part of this entire thing? @BGH122 Bravo good sir. Bravo.
That was a review?
Well in that case a give their review a 2 out of 5. See me after class
Who the hell uses so many pointless quotes in a review, and who the hell starts any kind of writing with multiple pointless quotes. Get to the fucking review already.
Also, I took points off for using a scoring scale that's out of 100. You're not a meta-critic. Use either 5 or 10, don't do quarter points, and use half points sparingly.
Well in that case a give their review a 2 out of 5. See me after class
Who the hell uses so many pointless quotes in a review, and who the hell starts any kind of writing with multiple pointless quotes. Get to the fucking review already.
Also, I took points off for using a scoring scale that's out of 100. You're not a meta-critic. Use either 5 or 10, don't do quarter points, and use half points sparingly.
I found that article to be very well written and thought out. Although I see it as more of a really cool idea for a short story, or a short game for that matter rather than a review.
His article (the story part at least) plays off of the tropes of modern video games. It's a neat way to think about the limitations of a game that you're not supose to notice by passing them off as a conspiracy theory or some kind of crazy dream-like thought before ones death. Which would be a totally kick-ass plot for a game or short story.
I didn't agree with the actuall review part, but whatever. Everyone has they're own opinions on things. I think The Dude already said it best:
His article (the story part at least) plays off of the tropes of modern video games. It's a neat way to think about the limitations of a game that you're not supose to notice by passing them off as a conspiracy theory or some kind of crazy dream-like thought before ones death. Which would be a totally kick-ass plot for a game or short story.
I didn't agree with the actuall review part, but whatever. Everyone has they're own opinions on things. I think The Dude already said it best:
Kahunaburger said:
People really do throw the word "pretentious" around a lot.
To an extent where it has lost pretty much any semblance of meaning whatsoever, one might say.
To an extent where it has lost pretty much any semblance of meaning whatsoever, one might say.
