What Do You Find Most Useful In A Review? Options

[metalhead212]

I know this is not a review, but i am wondering. What does everyone find the most useful in a review? Do you like to know about the story, the price, the graphics, the sound quality, what? What is it that makes a review good. Is the when the reviewer goes beyond technical and becomes more personal with the review?
I ask this because i am curious to know what everyone likes. I enjoy writing up these reviews, so i would like to know what i should focus on. I am sure that with this knowledge myself and the other people who do game reviews will be able to better describe a game and critique it for everyone who reads this part of the forum. I know what i like, what do you all like?

Also, please be honest and reasonable. Don't just say stuff like:

"I like it when I see b00bz"
"I like blood and guts and stuff"
"I want duh axtion muh peepz all get crazie when doze gunz r blazin"

Helpful information only please!

[DuDeR MaN]

How I personally enjoy reading..and writing reviews is this...

first get the facts out of the way, say what the game offers in each category and then give your own first hand experience on what you think of it. State your opions and give a rating in each section.

categories that seem to be the most popular...
-Gameplay
-Graphics
-Sound
-Controls
-Storyline
-Multiplayer
-Bonus Materials
-etc.

Now you don't have to get into major detail with every category shown but if you touch on each one in it's own way, you got yourself a killer review that people will enjoy.

Another thing I see people do which is nice to see is a pros and cons listing. This helps the reader understand the balance of the game. If you are not into writing that sort of list at least incorporate the good and bad within the review. If there's a glitch, let readers know. If theres one thing, whether big or small, that you especially enjoyed about the game, let us all know.

A good review is one that lets you know what the games all about and then say how it really is. Also sometimes you have to be fair to other gamers taste in gaming. Say, for example, you hate turn-based games (like myself)... well then it may not be the best idea to review final fantasy and give it a 3/10. If there is part of a game that you may not have enjoyed but you can see where others would like it, state that.

And just remember, every great review is written to grab the readers attention and let him/her feel that they can trust the reviewer and their opinions on the game on topic.

[DuDeR MaN]

and for scoring a review...

most people like to rank out of 10. it's all up to the reviewer but x/10 is the common way to score a game.

It's always a good idea to give one of these scores in each category you touch on in your review. Then at the end of the review you have a little recap with all those scores together with the final score in big bold writing, this is for those lazy readers who just want to get the bottom line.

thats probably the ideal way to score you review in this forum.

[chilin_dude]

Screenshots definately, and hopefully a link to a video of it.

[kaioshade]

I have always tried to take a unique approach to my reviews. Without going into set categories , give explanations of how the game plays, looks and sounds, without going into too many cliched categories (nothing wrong with them, jut saying i like to be a little different).

The problem is people seem to want this template and anything else is overlooked. I also try to cover games people might not have otherwise have heard of, but this seems to backfire as well.

I like a review to show intelligence on the part of the writer, and will actually make the reader pay attention to what is being written, rather than going straight to seeing Graphics (9), Gameplay (7), and so on. That defeats the purpose of a review and makes it nothing more than a series of tallied numbers.

[DuDeR MaN]

I completely agree with you. I only posted the other seggestions because that is really what the "general" public want to see and read. Of course there are a couple of us who don't mind taking the time to read the review and understand what the author is trying to say about it. But then there are the others who on'y look for those magic numbers. I think you have to find a middle ground, one that pleases the 2 types of readers.

[jiminyglick]

I guess you definiutely want to know if the graphics and sound totally rock or totally suck, but I really like the subjective parts of a review- if stuff just blew them away, bored them to tears, etc

[XBL_SUCKS]

I like it when people take the time to review a game and tell the good and bad parts without running the story or posting spoilers. My fave site is game faqs for game reviews or OXM. Also there is this good show on called Electronic Playground and Reviews on the Run.

[wardeworth]

Hello.
It's easy to pick up on incredible one-handed catches, laser-like passes and bone-crushing hits due to the specific weapon that performed that play. On the Xbox, these spectacular plays don't really stand out. While you'll still pick up on some slick receptions or some nice stops at the line by a defender, they aren't anything you haven't seen before in previous installments of the game on the system.

[KaedeRachel]

Probably helps to get an idea about the standard of the game and most of all meant to create the excitement among the gamers. Another point is anybody could come up with their own opinion as well.

[beastJane02]

For me - most useful in reviews are screenshots and adventages and disadventages.

For me - most useful in reviews are screenshots and adventages and disadventages.