I have no respect for game journalists

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From the ongoing mistreatment of a certain blue hedgehog even when a good game gets released. "Oh, he hasn't had the best jump to 3D" Beat that dead horse a little more why don't you?

Then there's journalists with no skills in video games given review copies and this is what I see.

His review: "the controls are slow and klunky, can't even beat the tutorial"
The Air Dash was staring him right in the face!

And finally, there's Kotaku who's always pushing out these stupid woke articles. What's worse is that they continue to use the boogieman that is Gamergate. Let Gamergate die, please. I'm tired of hearing it.

I quit paying attention to game reviews a long time ago once I realized that, like movie reviews, the reviews are all rigged.

If I want reviews for a game, I look at fan reviews. Not reviews from overpayed hacks who serve to inflate hype for major titles.

Why would 3D Sonic games even attract attention (if all one wants to do is complain about them) when they still make 2D ones? I guess they're masochists?

Exactly!

I have a few sources that I use for videogame information/journalism, and it is often for particular things, because not every game journalist can be everything. There is that skill ceiling thing, where at best you are look for some things just not meant for people of bellow certain levels of skill, which probably can be pretty easy to forget that there are a lot of people that just did not have that sort of experience, and just can barely play a game. Probably represented by the people that have no right to even review a game for the regular audiences of games.

But I won't be dismissive of social analysis of games, which I do look from a lot of game journalists. The types that are going to look at trends, and what themes could inform for larger culture. Some people may not like it, but some sort of socio-politics will play some part in games whether you want it to or not, and as media and art there is usually something to take away. And those who often say that they are not, the kind of journalist who says they want politics out of games, tend to be the same kind that would rather their own politics in there, like video game heroines to be "prettier".

I don't pay attention to gaming promotion/reporting anymore. I'm mostly a retro gamer for one, number two, I feel video game company employees, and review companies, are the most toxic, wishy washy, mood swinging, flip flopping, two faced, and unpredictable people out there. Which is why you see so many people who worked for Sega or Sony or Nintendo or Xbox or wherever and whatever, just up and leave like that, and their replacement or incumbent, will follow suit as well.

With the review and promotion and distribution companies such as IGN, Gamestop, Steam, whatever, they usually have no idea what they are talking about. "DLC cost too much in IRL money/too difficult to get, that's really a shame as our rating for this game goes down for that." "Unlockable content can be obtained in a half an hour. We are taking points off our rating because of that.". Smh lol. Like really? You can't win, and they will always find something to nitpick at.

So yeah, I feel because gaming is so widespread now. Used to be, back in the day, video games were more casual, and there wasn't politics, or flame wars, or turf wars, or controversy. People played video games with their friends and family etc. Everybody middle class or higher, had a Sega or Nintendo or Sony Playstation under their TV set in the living room. Now, people are constantly shelling thousands of dollars in periods and increments, on gaming PC's, streaming, game modding, console and company wars, handheld vs non handheld gaming etc. Online RPG's, or more like Online life simulators as I like to call them. So yeah lol.

It's very complex and puzzling, but yeah. I do see what you mean OP, and I wholeheartedly agree.

To be fair, has that blue guy had a 10/10 game since the Genesis? From where I'm standing he's been on life support for a long time...though I'm not fond of him anymore and wouldn't miss him if he were taken out back and put out of his misery, so maybe I'm just biased.

Game journalism is a joke though. Not only do some writers make it apparent that they're terrible gamers, but they often don't even perform adequately as journalists. Compare the standards of a journalistic article in any other subject to that of a game article and tell me that they're of the same quality. I'm sure there may be the rare exception, but otherwise they're more than likely not.

Of course, it's far easier to become a game journalist. I wrote articles for Enthusiast Gaming for a while. On the other hand, I only made $5 an article, and that is if they paid me. I would assume that those who write for the actual big sites get something more closely resembling proper pay, but it's probably somewhat akin to minimum wage.

As the bar for entry into this particular pastime is incredibly low, one doesn't even have to have so much as a post-secondary English credit. I'll let that sink in. So, many such journalists only gain experience by writing articles...which can definitely help over time, but if you compare that to the credentials someone needs to become a proper journalist...oh man.

Regardless, I don't think there's anything in the way game journalism works that is particularly conducive to matching the standards of journalism in other fields, so in all fairness, it isn't necessarily because there's no talent among the writers. Just, if there are talented writers, they probably learned as they went along, and they're chronically underpaid and are probably planning their exit to something where they can make a proper living.

I don't believe in 10/10. I believe in 7 to 9 is good enough. I don't think developers should try to chase after that perfect 10 otherwise they'll go mad trying to perfect every flaw and there'll always be flaws no matter what.

I'm used to bad games coming from the Blue Blur himself. Even in the his toughest times, IGN reminds us that he "was never good". I've never seen a more harsher statement that makes me sick and my blood boil. Having grown up with the Genesis myself and reading that statement is like being stabbed deep and they twist the knife for good measure.

Eh, fair enough. I used to be a fan of him too, and ignored the common sentiment. I only started agreeing with it now that he's dead to me. If you're still a fan, all the power to you. I just don't think he'll ever be in his prime again.

I think that at the moment where your article start to be influenced by other company, you are no longer a journalist, that's why for me, game journalists become advertisers when they start lying about games to stay in the good grace of a company.

I've heard of that Cuphead example. I think it was actually a Kotaku writer who wrote that particular review, although I last saw this a while ago, so details are hazy.

any opinions on Jim Sterling? - I don't play an awful lot because I am a snob and play only artsy stuff. I'm in it for an experience with a clear endpoint, not to spend years if my life with games. But his (or her? I'm not sure) reviews line up with my opinion, whenever I actually happen to have played any of the games. Other thsan that, I find him wildly informative about the state of the industry...

Jim Sterling? I like his takes on the corruption within the AAA game industry. It's not like I buy any AAA games frequently anymore. Very few if any catch my attention.

Game journalism is nothing but paid promoution for AAA titles. Read Steam Reviews instead.

That's a good idea as long as a game is not being review bombed for stupid reasons. I've had to write reviews for games that were unfairly judged.

I've written 94 Steam reviews so far.