Take Reviews Lightly

I've played a lot of games lately, most of which I've liked. Three recently-played games I enjoyed are particularly notable: Red Steel (Wii), Shadow the Hedgehog (various), and Deep Labyrinth (DS).

Why are they notable? Because they all got awful reviews. If I had let the reviews stop me from trying them, I'd be missing out on a whole lot of fun. True, Shadow and Deep Labyrinth aren't the greatest games out there, but I like them much more than reviewers seem to. As for Red Steel, I absolutely love it.

Even if you disagree with my liking those games, I hope my point is clear: don't let reviews scare you away from a game you think you'll like. If it looks good to you, try it. If you don't want to waste money on a game you might not like, I reccommend Gamefly; it's a great value. You've got very little to lose. And if you're sure you'll like a game despite what reviews say, just buy it; that's what I did with Red Steel, and I don't regret it at all.

Similarly, don't waste money on a game that doesn't appeal to you just because it gets good reviews. I never had much interest in Final Fantasy VII, but since everyone raves about it, I decided to give it a try. The result? I absolutely hated it. Don't get me wrong; it's good to try games outside your normal favorites, but don't rush out to buy a game just because it's greatly hyped.

Reviews are ultimately one person's opinion, and even if reviewers do their best to take an objective look at a game, it's impossible for them to take every gamer's tastes into account. Nobody has a better idea of what you'll like than you do, so if you think you're going to like a game, give it a try.

Here's a good example of reviews not reflecting the average gamer: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon got awful reviews from pretty much every source, but it sold extremely well. On the flip side, Psychonauts got excellent reviews but did not sell as well as one would think. I enjoyed both games (Psychonauts more than PMD), and I played them before hearing any reviews or reading any sales stats.

So clearly, reviews aren't always right. Trust yourself, and you'll get the most out of your gaming experience.

How to End the Console Wars

I'm a blogging machine today; this is my third post in a row. I have a lot to say, so I'm saying it.

Previously I wrote about why the console wars are harmful and pointless. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. The other half is actually fighting it, and that is more difficult. We as gamers need to put an end to the console wars as they exist today, but we are not alone in our responsibility.

The first people I wish to address are the console manufacturers themselves. Competition is necessary for a business to thrive, but the big 3 console makers have been perpetuating fan competition, and that needs to stop. I don't mean to sound biased, but other than a couple low blows from Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo has been pretty good about this. That doesn't mean I'm excusing them; I'm just saying they don't do it nearly as much as Sony and Microsoft. Guys, if people want your consoles, they'll buy them. Stop attacking each other, and understand that there's no point in someone from your company saying your company's product is the best. If you really care about your customers, stop giving us reasons to get into heated arguments so we can spend more time enjoying your products.

Next, I wish to address gaming journalists. That includes both my fellow bloggers and big-name media outlets. Stop pitting systems against each other. Every time a new set of consoles comes out, gaming media outlets pick a winner. That just gets people angry, even though they usually tell people not to take their winners too seriously. Review, praise, and criticize systems all you want, but don't pit them against each other. We can make our own choices. Declaring a winner means declaring a loser, and that's what gets people angry and defensive.

Now I will address the group of gamers that lives for the console wars, intelligently declaring "PSWii suxors", "Nintendo Weenie is for babies", "Xbox 180 is for l00sers", etc. What in the world is the point of all that? Comments like those will definitely not change any minds, so quit being annoying.

And finally, to the rest of us gamers: if you're going to discuss your preferences, do it rationally and civilly. Don't bash other people's views. And more importantly, don't blindly follow one company. Keep an open mind when making your choices. If your preferences are objective, you won't drift to one side of the console wars. Now, if you happen to select one company's systems every time, that's fine. But don't be a blind follower. Remember all the things I said in my first post about the console wars, and you won't fall into the trap of fighting for a company that won't know about it anyway.

I heard a story from a friend recently, and it told me just how important this advice is. He told me that another friend of his is going to buy a Playstation 3 just to spite Nintendo. Barring medical disorders, I think anyone smart enough to read is smart enough to realize that this guy's plan is stupid. Not only will buying a Playstation 3 not hurt Nintendo, Nintendo won't even know about it. This story is an example of what people will do when the console wars get out of hand.

I don't mean to sound arrogant here; I'm just as responsible for the console wars as any other gamer. We all need to respect each other's choices and be civil. Are you with me? Awesome.