Tired Old Hack

To some games journalists, ‘list’ is a dirty word.

Much like some people feel puns are the worst things ever created by the human race (though I personally think they’re punderful), there are those who believe list features should be taken round the back and shot in the heart.

I can understand why some would feel this way. There was a time, back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when a list feature in a games magazine felt like a special event, a lovely break from the usual ‘news, letters, previews, reviews, tips’ structure most mags followed.

These days, however, they’re considered too ‘easy’, with the likes of Buzzfeed milking them to saturation point and turning a once-loved article style into something loathed by many writers.

Not me, though. And to explain why, I’ve put together this list of eight things I want to say about list features.

You see what I’ve done there? I’ve made a list feature about list features. I’m so clever. Stephen Hawking actually has a restraining order out on me, in case I come within 500 yards of him and make him look like a big bloody idiot by comparison. Continue reading “8 things I want to say about list features” →

Well, it’s been a while.

Those of you who were eagerly anticipating the second part of my article on the wonderful world of game reviews probably lost some of that eagerness a while back, seeing as the first part was posted a month ago now.

The reason is a simple one: I was offered a load of freelance work I wasn’t expecting, and as such paying the bills had to take priority. Apologies, then, for the delay.

Either way, back to business. Since part one was posted so long ago, it may be worth checking it out again to give yourself a wee refresher. That said, let’s proceed.

While part one focused more on the (often frustrating) world of embargoes and the journalist / publisher / PR dialogue that goes on surrounding them, this time I’ll be looking at the actual process of writing a review.

So, for the last time for a while, allow me to once again summon my nameless fake interviewer for some mock Q&A goodness.

Aaaah, it’s good to be alive again. Let’s cut to the chase then, Chris: how do I write a review of a video game?

Sorry, but the short answer is there’s no specific way of doing it. If you’re reading this and have started dabbling in writing your own game reviews and are looking for pointers on how to structure them or what to write about, I’m afraid the answer is “you figure out”.

There are so many different ways to lay out a review, from the tone to the style of language used, to the aspects of the game you choose to focus on, that I’m simply not arrogant enough to say “here’s how I do it, therefore here’s how you should do it”. You have to develop your own style and experiment with it until it becomes something people enjoy reading.

What I can do is tell you my own review process so you can see how I do it. I’ll stress again though, this isn’t me telling you how to review games.

My own personal process depends entirely on the type of game I’m reviewing. If the game has a linear path and/or a storyline (i.e. a third-person action-adventure game, a platformer or an RPG), I’ll usually just play through it first: always on the default difficulty setting, because that’s what most people will play it on.

While I’m playing, should something strike me as particularly notable, I’ll take a note of it in my notebook. Sometimes these notes are as basic as plot points or character names (so I don’t forget them later), sometimes they’ll be specific thoughts that come into my head (like “these save points are too far apart” or “fuck this frame rate”. Continue reading “The corrupt* world of video games reviews – Part 2” →

If I had a penny for every time I’ve been asked that question, I’d have around £1.13. What can I say, I’m a realist.

It’s completely understandable. Playing video games for a living? Who wouldn’t want a job like that? Of course, the real thing isn’t quite as straightforward and stress-free as that but let’s not bullshit: in the grand scheme of things, tight deadlines and low wages aside, it’s still great fun.

The short answer to this question is an annoying one: there is no answer. Pretty much everyone working on a games publication took a different route to get there, and no single method is better than the others in my opinion.

Therefore, I can only really tell you how I did it, and hope it gives you an idea of how much of it was down to ability and how much was down to sheer luck. Afterwards, I’ll give some advice on how you can give yourself the best possible chance to get your foot in the door.

Before I do though, here’s the most important tip: if you just want to do this so you can get free games, you might as well not bother now. The point of this job is to use your knowledge and expertise to advise readers on the best games they should be spending their hard-earned cash on, not to build your own Xbox One library on the cheap.

If you’re only in it for the freebies, get a different job that pays better (trust me, there are plenty) and use that extra money you make to buy all the games you like.

Continue reading ““How do I become a games journalist?”” →