GameBlurg

Verticals: Alongside

Originally uploaded by manganite

I’ve expressed my feelings on critiquing videogames before. The self-induced caveat in posting about reviews this lies within crying about antiquated problems about the dire need for intense interpretations in videogames, but that’s fine. Hopefully, you’ll understand how strongly I feel about the dismissal of the core experience that flutters amongst dry videogame examinations and realize that this isn’t just another rant. To put it quite clearly, I don’t personally enjoy stereotypical reviews because now that I have an understanding of the elements of videogames, I don’t need to rely on an external source to enlighten me about the monotonous elements that cohesively create the experience: game controls, graphics, longevity, etc. These elements are the easy part that lies with creating a game, as well as the easy part that lie within creating a review/analysis.

Naturally, from a developer’s standpoint, in order to create a functional game it must contain concise controls, appealing graphics and technological housekeeping (steady frame rate, lack of graphical malfunctions, etc.). The underlying challenge lies within generating a desire in the player to discover an artificial universe and mold it into his/her personal playground. Not necessarily promoting “freedom” and interactivity, but promoting the feeling of embracing a role with the identical passion that rivals that of its creators. The latter is what I want to discover as I read about games that I’ve expressed interest in playing: a logical, comprehensible and precise discovery of an experience through another’s eyes. The effects that the game will have on the player’s psyche, the discovery of why adopting certain roles is rewarding, and other things beneath the radar should be addressed in order to assess situations such as why it’s so appealing to murder aliens, play the bad guy or why the gamers enjoy chilling, scary experiences.

I personally haven’t been able to discover a consistent source for introducing personal experiences that one has felt while playing the game. Questions such as: “If you know enough about the game, then why don’t you just play it for yourself, instead of relying on someone else’s opinion?” are valid, but I don’t believe reviews and critiques have one simple goal of merely explaining how good or bad a game is.

Much like movie critics, videogame journalists have the inherited objective of preserving videogame history. Being that I am fairly young, I am dawned with the fact that I could not have played older acclaimed titles such as Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998) or Vagrant Story (2000) when I was younger and use reliable information to judge videogames with influences other than the “cool” box art. Critiques should have the distinctive goal to explain why the entire experience is either a timeless, engaging tale of glory or a rotting pile of cringing embarrassment. From reading the text, critiques should evoke an emotional response, cultivate interest and lead to the direct discovery of the videogame.

I am not upset about the current state of reviews, I am just in the mood for something different that holds my attention as a growing “gamer”. My ideal critique (reading, or writing) would just encompass the ability to clench readers and allow that reader to adequately understand the critic’s train of thought as they transgress throughout the complexities of specific stages of the game. However, there are a few bumps in the road to the transfer of these experiences from one to another. The global vernacular, or lack thereof, that enables journalists to educate and inform videogame industry veterans and passive games alike is the partial blame for thea absence of penetrating views of videogames. Another attributing portion of our problem could be that some games are on such a minuscule scale that some believe that the lack of substance doesn’t warrant a profound analysis. Possibly the “vultures” of our community of online users who swarm from source to source in search of quick material that can be digested within minutes could be the cause of the disregard of long & thoughtful summaries.

In the end, it’s merely my curious appetite that greedily lurks about the endless resources that the internet and publications provide, searching for more than just the graphical capabilities and controls in a game. There has always been speculation, and attempts, but the concept hasn’t gained an audience, or a performer for that matter. Partially this path is abandoned, out of fear, and partially out of an obscure road that hasn’t proven to become successful enough to accompany (or rival) the platitudinal review system that comfortably resides without a physical threat to suggest change. Maybe “we” should just…try? That is, afterall, what these platforms of unsupervised expression are for: to let go and express new intriguing ideas. So we’ve decided to do so, and give our opinions on what you all truly care about: videogames. In due time, we’d like to think that GameBlurg will become a source for intelligent analysis. Surely, there are people with experience in our field that eclipses that of our own, and there are those who are more than capable of delivering comprehensible experiences, but instead of continuing the wave of countless whining (except for what’s above!) and speculation, we’re just going to give it a shot. The road will probably be shaky, but if you’re not making a mess, then you’re probably approaching your problems a little too carefully. Look for more information soon and wish us luck!