The Review System is Broken

There is something wrong with the traditional video game review. The key word here being “traditional.” I’m talking about the media outlet or content creator getting a game early from a publisher then reviewing said game under a set of guidelines, all with the goal of publishing said review when the embargo lifts.

An embargo, in this context, is a ban on talking about a product before a time specified by the publisher. For agreeing to these sets of rules, they will grant you access to the product early so you can produce your own content surrounding the game, movie, tech, etc. It’s a scratch my back, I scratch yours sort of relationship…on paper.

In games, it has become quite common to get games, not so early. Maybe a week before launch, two if you are lucky. With big budget AAA games swelling in scope, these games can take 40 hours to complete. That’s a work week. On top of your work week.

Of course, media plays the SEO game and it is believed to be vital to have your coverage up right at embargo. So bum rushing through the game is therefore vital to have coverage at launch. Consumers don’t play games that way though. It warps your perspective on the product. You are playing a vacuum.

Throw in the fact that more and more games are straight up arriving broken and you have yourself a catch-22. No review exemplified this issue more than Patrick Klepek’s “review” of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor this week.

It’s been fun. I’ve had a good time. It’s also been a time marred by gnarly performances issues on my PlayStation 5 copy of the game, resulting in…well, that’s where this whole review conceit falls apart. See, I could give you two paragraphs of the frame rate issues that partially defined my 10 hours, but those issues seem to have largely disappeared when a last-minute patch for the game dropped. Frame rate hiccups bother me less than other people I know, but still, they did notably impact my ability to play the game, and those experiences affected my impressions of Jedi Survivor. But it all happened in a version you’ll never play?

Part of the reason I capped myself at 10 hours was because I was told the patch might break my save. That’s admittedly unusual for the review process—usually patches during the review period don’t post any danger to your progress. But I was faced with the choice between sprinting through the whole game before the patch came out, or possibly replaying a ton of the game after losing my saves, or I could just wait and see what this patched version was going to be like. I tried to split the difference, and I’m not sure who it helped.

Patrick’s piece is swell. It reminded me of the golden age of Kotaku. Mainstream press doesn’t write like this. I guess that could be part of why Vice shutdown Waypoint the following day.1

This scenario of games releasing undercooked to press and consumers is unfair to devs and players. The system has been manipulated into a marketing tool and everyone seems to have just gone along with it.

This extends into all facets of the review from the structure to the score. Metacritic scores smash the accelerator in the race to the bottom. Reviews are distilled into bullet point snapshots blasted out in a ephemeral story post.

Reviews should be the voice of the critic. The audience is there for that person’s take. I get excited when John Linneman is behind a Digital Foundry video. Kirk Hamilton wrote one of my favorite reviews ever. I implicitly trust Greg Miller and Colin Moriarty’s takes on Naughty Dog. Why?

Because I have come to know these folks, their tastes, and how they align (or don’t) with my own. That’s where the real power in thoughtful criticism lies.

That’s why, since I left mainstream press, I stopped giving out scores. I never liked attaching an arbitrary number to my reviews. If you read my reviews (or as I call them—to SEO’s detriment—“Thoughts & Impressions”), you’ll know how I feel about the game.

Scores, early access, bending a knee to SEO, it’s a game I am so tired of watching. My feelings have bubbled over with Jedi: Survivor. The system is broken. And I’m glad that I have a place and platform to be the change I want to see.


1. Or it could be that Vice may be filing for bankruptcy.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Review

Heads up: I wrote this review from my perspective as an Uncharted fan. There was more to The Lost Legacy that I wanted to discuss than how it plays or looks. Due to this desire to dig deeper, this review contains spoilers for The Lost Legacy. Please read this after beating the game. It’ll take you six to eight hours. Not long at all.

The legacy of the Uncharted franchise is anything but lost. The strength and allure of Nathan Drake’s adventures grips their audience from beginning to end. Uncharted is essential to not only the PlayStation brand, but the video game industry at large as the developer, Naughty Dog, has proven to push the medium forward.

When Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End launched last year, Naughty Dog was adamant about it being Nathan Drake’s last adventure. Sticking to their guns, A Thief’s End wrapped up Nate’s story perfectly. I was so enamored with A Thief’s End after my journey that it cemented itself as my favorite game to date (and it still is).

As Naughty Dog began to approach the promised single player DLC, the studio asked itself one question—”Could we make an Uncharted without Nathan Drake?” Thus, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was born. It is an interesting question to ask about a beloved series, especially from a studio as prolific and talented as Naughty Dog.

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Firewatch Review

Firewatch Review

By Max Roberts

At a distance, Firewatch is a good looking package. It has a gorgeous art style, stellar acting, an allure of mystery and intrigue. When pulling back the layers of the orange and yellow hued packaging, there is a grounded story of one man’s lot in life. Campo Santo’s debut game has stuck with me like sap on a tree; it’s careful cultivation of story, world design, and themes seep out of the digital cracks to create a deeply rooted first person experience.

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The Legend of Zelda– New Year Resolution

A couple of weeks ago, I had an idea for a video game resolution for 2015. The idea may have been late for the start of the new year, but better late than never.

Over the course of the winter break from school, I watched some of AGDQ 2015. Specifically, the Legend of Zelda speed runs. It is safe to say that the skill and knowledge those players possess about their game of choice is bonkers and masterful.
Last year, I started learning to speed run the latest Zelda game, A Link Between Worlds. It is challenging and exciting to learn how to break a game to a point of mastery. I am nowhere close to mastery, but I have fun every time I pick up my 3DS to run it.
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Shovel Knight Review

Being born in 1994, I missed out on both the NES and SNES eras. Although familiar with 2D games, I grew up playing 3D games at home, while 2D games provided a portable experience. That’s not to say I never played the classics. Super Mario Bros. 3 stands to be one of my favorite games. Unfortunately, I did miss out on Mega Man, early Zelda games, Duck Tales, and other classics that hold a special place in gamer’s hearts.

Yacht Club Games has given me a taste of all the best parts of that early era in gaming. Shovel Knight has put all the best aspects of iconic titles — thoughtful combat, unique level design, stunning pixel art, a dope soundtrack — into, what I easily consider to be, 2014’s best game to date.

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Destiny Preview

Let me be clear: I was not excited for Destiny.

I admired Bungie’s goal and mission for their new space saga. A vast digital universe filled with unique, diverse players that are constantly connected is something to be admired in the gaming space (ba da chhhh). The game just did not appeal to me.

I am not a FPS fan. I don’t care for character creation. I certainly prefer to play alone for most games.

What made my passive attitude toward Destiny even more surprising (to myself) is that a vast majority of the gaming community is eagerly awaiting destiny to let them play Bungie’s newest game (last one, I swear). People are stoked to shoot aliens in first person vicariously through their own, user generated character with friends and strangers alike.

When Sony gave all the attendees of the “E3 Sony Experience” access to the brief and PS4 exclusive Alpha for Destiny, I challenged Destiny and Bungie to make a lasting first impression. They met that challenge with an alarmingly fierce sense of direction, beauty, and wonder.

I am sold on Destiny.

From Thursday, June 12 at 12:00 PM PST through Sunday, June 15 at 11:59 PM PST Bungie granted a small pool of PS4 owners the ability to try a slice of Destiny. Featuring one story mission, a few side quests, a raid, a public event, the central hub, and one VS mode, the Destiny First Look Alpha took me by the hand, like a child in a theme park, and decided to give me the grand tour.

Shall we play?
Shall we play?

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Left Behind Live Stream Schedule

Here is the final schedule for the live stream and giveaway. The trivia for the prizes will happen during the show itself; not during the pre and post shows. Winners will be emailed there codes after the show.

March 4, 2014
All of the times below are EST

5:00-6:00 PM- Pre-Show; Multiplayer and general discussion
6:00-9:00 PM- Show; A full live stream of the Left Behind DLC for The Last Of Us (end time subject to changing if play through takes less or more time)
9:00-11:00 PM- Post-Show; Multiplayer with fans and friends!

If you would like to play factions after the main stream with me, tweet at @GoLeftGaming your PSN and I can add you into the party. If the list is larger than four, a rotation pattern will be implemented. Microphones are encouraged for multiplayer! Hope to see you on Go Left Gaming’s Twitch channelschedule!!

Left Behind Review– Welcome Home

Left Behind Review– Welcome Home

By Max Roberts

Editors Note: Due to the nature of the DLC and where it fits into the entire story, spoilers for The Last Of Us appear in this review. Please, if you wish to go into the main campaign spoilers free, do not read this review or play the DLC until completion of the story. Enjoy.

Developer Naughty Dog is often praised for creating top notch games that are unmatched in quality, experience, and fun. Rightly so too. They, truly, have not made a bad game.

I want to praise Naughty Dog for something else in this review. That something is pure, sacred, and innocent. “The Kennel” crafts beautiful, rich, powerful and meaningful relationships. One relationship in particular is the beating heart of The Last Of Us’ DLC, Left Behind.

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Left Behind Live Stream- 03/04/14 Details

Welcome! Wow, this is the first post of 2014. I’m sorry if this seems a little late, but I have such exciting news! Go Left Gaming has been pushing the multimedia aspect of journalism on its YouTube and Twitch channels. Content includes weekly vlogs, live streams, and walk through videos. It’s super exciting to be creating the content and learning about this aspect of the industry. As a part of this multimedia push, Go Left Gaming is hosting a live stream of The Last Of Us‘ DLC, Left Behind and the factions multiplayer mode!

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The stream will be held on March 4, 2014 at 6:00 PM EST! That is when I will start the Left Behind DLC from start to finish with all the collectibles and conversations. This will be a ton of fun. A little bit before and for quite some time after the DLC, I will play The Last Of Us online multiplayer.

Also, as a part of the stream, to share my love of The Last Of Us and it’s brand new DLC there will be a giveaway! A total of three prizes will be given away! There are-

1) The entire American Dreams prequel comic series (4 issues in total)

2) The Left Behind DLC

and the grand prize-

3)  The Last Of Us season pass (which includes Left Behind, all the multiplayer DLC, and the documentary) AND the American Dreams prequel comic series

How the winners will be decided and the details of the contest will be set in concrete at a later time, but those are the prizes!

You can RSVP for the event on our Facebook page or just click here! Hope to see you on March 4, 2014 at 6:00 PM EST on Go Left Gaming’s Twitch channel for Left Behind!

DualShock 4 Unboxing & Impressions– PS4 Week

Sony has taken an interesting route during the week’s building up to the PlayStation 4’s launch. They have removed the street dates on all titles and peripherals, allowing consumers to go buy what they would like before the PS4 is out. In my opinion, this is a smart move. It builds even more hype for the launch, letting gamers stare at game boxes and useless add-ons. But there is one that is not entirely useless. That would be the DualShock 4, the brand new controller for Sony’s new system. Customers may buy the DualShock 4 and hold it and get a real taste of what the next generation will feel like. BEYOND that, the DS4 even works with the PS3 in some capacity, allowing users to play first-party games with the controller plugged in. This is the closest taste the public has to the next generation’s feel and let me tell you it feels mighty good.

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The Game Boys- Episode 002: Counting to Three is Fun

Episode 002: Counting to Three is Fun

Hosts Max Roberts, Mitchell Morgan, Alex Wray, and Rocky Ankeny are back in episode 002 of The Game Boys! In this episode we discuss billions of dollars, more Super Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS characters, Metal Gear Solid V’s ups and downs, and the future of Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us. Our Topic of the Week is the amazing fact that Valve can count to the number three! For a list of all the news stories and their respective links, just scroll down below and click the respective link!

Head over to The Game Boys official blog to listen to the show online! Click here

Subscribe to us on iTunes! Click here!

Have any questions or topics you would like us to read on the show! Tweet at us or send us an email! Check out our contact page for the proper information!

Audio Format–

Listen here!

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Guest Review- Catherine

The world of video games is vast. There is no way we could play every single game. Some of us pick up the greats, while others play the duds. As a result, some of us miss out on true gems in the industry. A few weeks ago, Jeriah King, a reader and fan of Go Left Gaming, reached out to us. He asked if he could write a review for the site. Humbled by his request, we graciously accepted his offer to write exclusive content for us. Jeriah went straight to work and wrote us a review for Atlus’s puzzle platformer, Catherine. Below are all of Jeriah King’s thoughts on this game changer in the industry. If you would like to write a review for Go Left Gaming, check out the contact page and let us know what you would like to write. We would love to hear from you. Thank you for your time and enjoy Jeriah King’s review for Catherine.

Catherine Review

By Jeriah King

Coming from Atlus, the makers of Persona, Catherine is unique in its own way, giving you the feeling that something amazing is happening right before your eyes. Performing obligations and choosing right from wrong is what sets this game apart from other Japanese, anime style games. Coming from such an immensely popular title as Persona, Atlus had to raise the bar once again to impress gamers everywhere. Replaying Catherine almost a year later, this game still lusters and proves to be a worthy title for any gamer’s collection.

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Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

By Max Roberts

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is bold. Uncharted 2 not only proves that Drake is here to stay, but that video games can be ambitious. Featuring world traveling set pieces and an intense, beautiful cinematic story, Uncharted 2 raises the bar, not only for future Uncharted games, but for the industry as a whole. Improving the game’s core third person shooting and platforming mechanics, Naughty Dog pushes Uncharted to the edge. It’s a stunning achievement and nearly five years later, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves still shines.

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Google Chromecast Preview

Television is evolving. With cable becoming a dying fad, the ability to stream video from computers or internet services has really changed the industry. Companies like Netflix are even making enough revenue to produce their own original content. In response to this streaming boom, companies have created small, box shaped devices that combine all these streaming services into one, smooth, user friendly experience. Honorable mentions are Apple TV, a small black box packing all your streaming needs and then some, and the Roku, a powerful multimedia streaming tool. Today, I am here to introduce the newest streaming tech on the block, the Google Chromecast.

Dollop of fairy dust not included
Dollop of fairy dust not included

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