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GAME REVIEWS ARE AS MUCH ABOUT THE REVIEWER AS THE GAME - by Mr biffo

6/11/2017

21 Comments

 
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It has been a pretty good year for games hasn't it?

I mean, we're not even done yet - a couple of the big franchises are still to drop - but any year in which you get Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, Horizon Zero Dawn, Sonic Mania, Cuphead, Resident Evil 7, and - alright - Player Unknown's Battleground and Destiny 2, can only really be regarded as a bit of a banner year.

Even though I had a big span of several months right in the middle of 2017 where I didn't really play anything - I was otherwise preoccupied - I've had some of the best gaming of my life this year. 

And now... I'm sort of flitting between Call of Duty: WW2, Wolfenstein 2, and Assassin's Creed: Origins, while picking up my Switch during the cutscenes and mopping up the moons on Mario. I've not really played any enough yet to give my review - barring Mario - but I'm enjoying them all, and the weird thing is how much I'm enjoying the familiarity. It's an embarrassment of riches.

Oddly, though, given that all of the aforementioned games are almost too comfortable and safe, if they'd been released at any other time of year I might've not looked so fondly upon them. Playing games pre-Christmas adds a little semi-indefinable something for me. In short, I'm unable to look completely objectively upon games... almost as if the fact I'm a human being who has a life and a load of inner workings somehow impacts upon how I view them.

Wha... wha... whaaaaaaa?!?

Yeah, it's, like we don't see things as they are - we see them as we are...
LUCKY MAN
See, I've been lucky the past couple of weeks. I've had a bit of down time between finishing Found Footage, and starting the work that'll carry me into next year. I've had time to indulge in some serious gaming for the first time in months. But, and this might sound odd, this is my favourite time of the year to play games.

Due to the fact I work in kids TV, most of the work is done between January and August - because the typically school-age casts need to do the bulk of the filming during the summer holidays. It means I'm usually panicking about where my next pay cheque is coming from (no real change this year - but at least I've got paid work on the horizon for once), and twiddling my thumbs.

However, that enforced holiday normally allows me to play games with a little less guilt than I typically would. Plus, being inside when the weather turns, means that gaming in the autumn and winter months is kind of guilt-free in that respect too. I don't have to justify to myself why I'm not outside enjoying the garden, or going on a walk to look at a horse.

And then there's Christmas. Gaming began for me at Christmas - Horace and the Spiders, thanks - and the two are synonymous.

I like tradition. I like knowing where I am at any given point in the year, and - much as it pains me to say it - I like the annual instalments of Call of Duty, even if the games are all becoming much of a muchness. Combined with the weather changing, combined with having a bit of free time, combined with Christmas on the horizon - it gives me a warm, fuzzy, feeling, like a pair of rotting slippers that I've heated up in the microwave.

If they released CoD or Assassin's Creed at any other time of year it would feel wrong, but this enforced gaming break has given me the chance to sort of reflect on where we are with gaming, and it really is a blessed time. Consequently, I'm aware that it's colouring my opinions.

But... at least I'm aware of it. Things get troublesome when somebody isn't aware that their view of the world is affected by all sorts of internal and external sources.
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GRUMBLES
See, it's just worth stating - given that last week I got called a "fucking moron" for expressing a "political agenda" in my Mario review (though how wanting equality for all can be viewed as "political" or an "agenda", rather than - y'know - just basic decency, is beyond me) - that I can't separate my self from my reviewing, even if I try. A review is a snapshot of a person at a point in their life as much as it is a document about a game.

To suggest I've got any sort of agenda is hilarious to me. I don't see myself as a part of the left or the right, or wherever the battle lines are drawn these days. I don't define myself with anything so reductive as a label and a list of things I must agree and disagree with; I'm just who I am; a complex, shifting, mix of stuff, built up over a lifetime. 

However, if any games journalist tells you that they can switch off all of that - that their reviews are anything other than a product of who they are - then they're lying both to you and lying to themselves. You can choose to hide your feelings and opinions and talk about nothing other than gameplay mechanics, but that is a choice that is also influenced by time and space and place and life and people.

I'm lucky in that I am, at least, aware of all this. I spent two-and-a-half years training to be a psychotherapist, and in that time I had to strip myself down to nothing, and look at every part of me (matron). As a result, it's rare that I can have a feeling or an opinion without asking myself where it comes from. It can be exhausting, but I trace everything back to its source.

Why do I not like Jonathan Ross's annual Halloween party? Because, if you must know, it reminds me of not being one of the cool kids, and hating how some people get labelled as "cool" and others as "outsiders", for the most arbitrary reasons.

Want to know why I get so het up about the current sexual harassment scandals? Because it reminds me of being bullied by those with more "status" and "power" than me, and those who use that power for selfish, abusive, ends. Because I hate feeling powerless, and don't want any human being to have absolute power over any other.

Because I don't want them to have power over me... 

G-G-GHOST!
I only realised last night that the mantra "keep political opinions out of game reviews" is something that began with Gamergate, but if you think I can avoid mentioning that there are Nazis in CoD: WW2 and Wolfenstein 2 - the latter even features the Ku Klux Klan walking around openly on American streets - then you're deluded. 

All too often it feels like "keep politics out of things I like" translates as "keep the opinions I disagree with out of things I like".

If I'd written that Mario Odyssey review to say "Yeah, good for Nintendo keeping with tradition, and not bowing to political correctness by making Peach the hero" then they'd have probably been fine with it, but I'd have had grief from a whole other audience. Also, again, I'd have been lying to myself, and to you.

Fact is, regardless of whether we all agree on stuff or not, we have to accept that opinions are opinions, and we're never going to agree with everything that someone else thinks. Doesn't mean you can't respect where they are at, or what they believe, when they write a game review.

Dismissing someone's opinion as a product of a political agenda, or because they're some brainwashed snowflake, because you don't agree with it, is beyond nonsense. And not liking what I write because it's not like the stuff I wrote 25 years ago, on a service that broadcast on a defunct technology, is ignoring the fact that a person changes a lot over the course of their life, and they grow and evolve. Yeah, even those who clutch to their beliefs as a form of security blanket. 

So, here's the thing; you can call me a moron, or fat, or stupid, or brainwashed, or a child, or a a lefty who can't do memes, but you're not going to bully me into changing. I'm 46 years old. I'm pretty secure in my beliefs, but secure enough to know that what I'm feeling might change with the seasons.

And, unfortunately for you, being aggressive or name-calling is only going to reinforce to me that you're wrong and incapable of seeing the world clearly, because I'm secure enough in myself to know that I sometimes have to peer through the surface fog to see the world. And that sometimes I see the world in a way that feels wrong to me, or is worth commenting on.

Also, if you get aggressive or passive-aggressive all it's going to do is underline that my beliefs are correct and morally secure. If you attack, the other person is going to instinctively go on the defensive. 

Think about that next time you don't like something you read. Try going in there with something more akin to reasoned discourse. You've got a better chance of getting people to take you seriously than starting the discussion with abuse.
21 Comments
Glyn
6/11/2017 11:27:40 am

25 years ago you inspired me with nonsense and vaguely disguised 3-bit willies. Today you still inspire me, these words are wise, brave and massively reassuring.

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Neptunium
6/11/2017 11:56:39 am

To be honest, I disagree with your Mario Odyssey opinion, but I have no issue with you having that opinion. I have no issue with the "damsel in distress" cliche as much as I don't have a problem with Rey in Star Wars being a strong figure that doesn't need protecting by blokes. I don't want the male characters in everything I read/watch to be the same gung-ho suave everyman, and nor would I want the same for all the female characters.

Reviewers absolutely need to put some of themselves into reviews - after all they're describing an experience, and they have to convey what it feels like so that the reader can sense whether the game under test would suit their tastes, but it's a fine balancing act. In the early 00's during the NewGamesJournalism debacle, some reviewers got that balance completely wrong (including one of your close contributors) and the reviews became such that you might as well have been reading the reviewer's diary.

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Darren link
6/11/2017 12:16:48 pm

The Mario criticism is not a new thing. The "why does so-and-so rescue the damsel in distress?" thing has been rattling on for as long as I can remember. Personally, it doesn't bother me because they've tried mixing it up with Yoshi rescuing baby Marios and what-not. The thing is that if they did a Daisy/Peach whatever game where she rescues Mario unless it is absolutely genre-defining and groundbreaking, it is going to pretty much die on its feet. Why? The same reason people go to see Star Wars reboots. The same reason people watch Marvel movies. The same reason people tune into soap operas and what-not.

It's about the comfort zone. It's about everything being "just right". It hinders and helps Nintendo when it comes to is IP. However, you don't tend to hear the same criticisms levelled at Metroid or so much the Zelda games.

But we live in times where it is everyone's duty to be annoyed with someone or something. It is the era of taking offence. So be annoyed, take offence, but it is the self-perpetuating ouroboros-like way of social media which is just a distraction from the real issues that need your attention. Ask yourself this: when has this annoyance or offence ever actually changed anything? It hasn't.

You're all just pissing in the wind...

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Neptunium
6/11/2017 12:59:03 pm

"Ask yourself this: when has this annoyance or offence ever actually changed anything? It hasn't."

I believe it has made changes "behind the scenes". I would argue that general online outrage and works by groups like Feminist Frequency is on the mind of many story tellers (authors, film makers, game makers) when they're putting together their works.

One one hand, this is a good thing because it encourages those story tellers to avoid elements that might put off prospective buyers of their games.

On the other hand, self-censorship may go too far and instead of a decent story, we'll get an experience that tries too hard to cater for everyone and thus caters for no-one.

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Somerfield Basics
6/11/2017 03:21:04 pm

They did do a game where Peach rescues Mario! Super Princess Peach on the DS, and it wasn't half bad. Although no-one seems to remember it.

It's up there with the other DS-based-legendary-series-spin-off oddities, Tingle's Rupeeland and Rocket Slime.

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Spiney O’Sullivan
6/11/2017 06:12:35 pm

Wasn’t that the one where her powers come from being wildly over-emotional? Like getting insanely mad or crying inconsolably for no reason at the drop of a hat (crown?)?

I wouldn’t point to that one as a game that really bucked the trend of Nintendo doing aging stereotypes about women with Peach.

Dozwell
6/11/2017 03:28:57 pm

"Ask yourself this: when has this annoyance or offence ever actually changed anything? It hasn't."

I love you like my own dad Darren, but this is the stupidest comment I have ever read on Digi

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Starbuck
6/11/2017 07:23:18 pm

"you don't tend to hear the same criticisms levelled at Metroid or so much the Zelda games". Though I remember a section of the fanbase getting their unisex knickers in a twist about the prospect of Link wearing blue rather than green, let alone those rumours of a female Link..

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Biscuits
6/11/2017 04:14:19 pm

GOTY so far is NieR:Automata, despite having a silly name. I'm saving for a Switch though so I'll have to let you know how the plumb-boy stands up.

Wait, Mario isn't a plumber anymore!

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Kara Van Park
6/11/2017 06:46:08 pm

I take it you posted your review before seeing the ending SPOILER - where Peach tells both Mario and Bowser to do one and goes off travelling with her new gal pal?

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Mr Biffo
6/11/2017 07:02:19 pm

Nope. Doesn't make a blind bit of difference to any of it. It's not about Peach's attitude - it's how she's seen through the male characters' eyes.

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Spiney O’Sullivan
6/11/2017 08:10:28 pm

That leads us to an interesting question:

Is it problematic to show an old-fashioned attitude at all, even if that attitude is being made fun of or otherwise shown as a bad thing?

It starts veering into iffy territory there.

Penyrolewen
6/11/2017 10:55:28 pm

But isn’t Bowser (almost) literally a dinosaur? Maybe that’s a social comment? And although I’ve never played Odyssey, I’ve played many other MARIO games and never seen overt ‘love interest’ behaviour from our Italian friend. (Feel free to show me to be wrong here. Still, MARIO and Peach are hardly portrayed as an ‘item’). Wouldn’t a friend rescue a friend regardless of gender?

Can’t believe I’ve got sucked into this.

S Hawke
6/11/2017 07:00:41 pm

I dunno, I recently wrote a review (about Found Footage!) and I was worrying about whether my writing style worked with the website, and second guessing what the editors would think. And I wasn't even paid!

So I think that conforming is a pretty big part of writing for media these days. Are you really going to jeopardise your livelihood and your social status by being too honest with your reviews and your political opinions?

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Mr Biffo
6/11/2017 07:03:22 pm

That's a completely different issue though. This is a personal blog. I don't bring my personal baggage to my day job that I get paid for.

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2B
6/11/2017 08:32:06 pm

Nothing wrong with presenting a review from a political perspective. I'd encourage it and enjoy reading it/agreeing with it/debating it/opposing it.

I only have an issue and push back forcefully if any of the following happens:

1, those putting forward a reasonable counter opinion are smeared, intimidated and harassed into silence. Often we see this via the use of strawmen or allegations of "ist this" and "ism that" in an attempt to discredit and damage the reputation of the person. Another common theme is the guilt by association tactic that tries to associate those putting forward reasonable counter arguments with the unpleasant trolls.

2, Developers are harassed, intimidated and smeared in an attempt at imposing the harassers will on the devs/content creators and against that of the wider consumers/markets choices.


I have seen all the above occurring over the past five to ten years both in gaming and other mediums.


Unfortunately many people start out with a perfectly decent political view and are so utterly convinced that their view is the one, just truth, that anyone opposing that view must therefore be evil.


This is absolutely fine if their view is "you shouldn't put kittens in the microwave". Anyone arguing against that is obviously evil!

The problem occurs when their initial reasonable view is taken to such an extreme that others (who may have agreed with the original premise) find themselves opposing the more extreme aspects of the political ideology even though they don't disagree with the underlying principle. E.g. all microwaves should be banned!

In this context, almost everyone agrees that it would be a "bad thing" on many levels if every game had a damsel in distress core plot theme for a multitude of reasons. I'd say that it would be unhealthy even if only 20% of them had that theme.

Fortunately societal and consumer tastes (and therefore "the market") have matured such that we are in a situation where I'd guesstimate that only one in fifty games at most are based on a simplistic male hero rescues completely helpless woman plot. Yet still people complain and object to that one rare title.

They are absolutely entitled to complain and object of course. Good on them! Keep objecting if you that is what you believe. No one should be forced to censor their views and I'd condemn anyone threatening that person into staying silent.

However now that their view has reached a position of relative absolutism, we have found ourselves in a situation where one can legitimately criticise that political view from a perfectly reasonable perspective (unlike the kittens/microwave).

E.g. such is the rarity of the plot, those objecting to it are *effectively* saying that it is unacceptable for that plot to be used EVER. This can lead to someone else who was originally on-board and felt that 25%, 10% or even 5% was too high, coming into opposition and saying "hold on, this is ridiculous. This plot can, does and will happen in real life, no plot is off limits so long as we have a diverse range of plots and products for people to buy".

Sadly we then see the person putting the counter argument being subjected to strawman smears, guilt by association and insults despite the fact that they were initially on the same side when the originator was pushing a moderate view.

Unacceptable. I condemn the people doing that as much as I condemn the trolls. Two sides of the same coin.

It's that old cliché of the hero living long enough to see themselves become the villain. Only they don't realise it.


I don't think Biffo has reached that point (dangerously close at times though), but some of his regulars often stoop that low.

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colincidence link
7/11/2017 10:48:47 am

No

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James Walker link
7/11/2017 12:06:18 am

I like pizza.

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James of the North
9/11/2017 08:55:27 am

With or without pineapple?

*mwahahaha*

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Jareth Smith
7/11/2017 08:34:26 am

Unfortunately, most gamers just explode with outrage at anything they don't like. It's one reason why gaming as a hobby still isn't taken seriously by so many people - when the fanbase is as loathable and puerile as that, how could you?

I wouldn't want to be a games journalist due to the reactions of gamers, although some sites really do shoot themselves in the foot. There's one called Slant Magazine I find hilariously pretentious - one reviewer gave a title 1/5 as he didn't agree with the way it depicted his god. Breath of the Wild - 3/5, too. Yep. Totally mediocre game.

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Lance Reddick
3/1/2018 07:48:07 pm

If you want equality between human beings, you can start by using your divine powers to make it physically possible first.

http://orgyofthewill.net/

32. Why there cannot exist two equal things. Because each thing is related to everything else in the universe. For two different things to be equal they would have to be related to all other things in the universe in an exactly equal fashion, including to each other, in which case they would have to be the same thing, i.e. not different things. I believe the mathematicians call this sort of proof "reductio ad absurdum".

Better yet, read some real videogame theory and learn how to be better at your craft. Jokes aren't enough. Criticism is a demanding vocation.

http://culture.vg/features/art-theory/on-the-genealogy-of-art-games.html

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