Is a blogger not entitled to the sweat among his own fingertips?

• 31Oct 12

  The ShootumUP26 Review Syllabus

  Hello everyone! As you can all see I am back and swinging on the good ol gamespot.com. Our soapbox team is back up and I could not be anymore happy to hear such news. Expect me to post a lot more editorials, well mostly editorials, and some goofy updates to fill you in on my eventful life. For now I will fill you in a little bit of my life. I have literally just been going to concerts and playing video games, honestly that is it. BIG NEWS, in my life is that I am preparing myself for college! I have begun applying to schools and I hope to be attending Bowling Green University next fall as a Falcon! I am entering their Journalism program and I hope I can expand my literary knowledge and AP writing skills and write on the topic of Video Games as a free-lancer or a staff writer for Gamespot itself! That is honestly my only dream to be apart of the Gamespot.com staff.
  
  But now back to my blog! This is on how I review games, seeing as I am now going to be reviewing more games as well, its time I set the foundation for how I review. I have realized how important scores are to people and it is quite sad. They believe any game that gets a 6.5/10 is atrocious when really that is above average? Here is my syllabus and my standards for how I review games because honestly it is nothing how many people do.
  
  1-3 Scores: Abysmal/Terrible/Why would you make this?
  
  Sometimes games just go wrong, either the developer messed up or the Publisher pushed to hard to have a game be created and that lead to a medicore title. But sometimes games are just so bad you wonder why they even made it, that is what my scored games 1-3 represent. Almost laughable, these games are the worst of the worst. I would not even wipe my backside with the discs they are on. Lackluster gameplay, no story, linear and all around half-assed.
  
  3-5: Bad/Lackluster/Very Unpolished:
  
  Now lets get this out of the way, games rated 3-5 are bad, but that does not mean they are not playable. These are games I would still play and possible enjoy slightly, but as a game, it is just not up to the average par. Games like Duke Nukem Forever, I gave it a 4.5/10. I actually enjoyed it, amazing huh? But lets be honest, that game was terrible as a whole. Its how the gameplay adds up, the story, its ambitions before its released and its hype. The aesthetics of the game need to be good and frankly, these games do not reach the bar.
  
  6-7: Good/Worth a Look/Fun
  
  A game to be in this category is good, these games are your Wow this looks good! I will get it off Gamefly! kind of games. They are worth the look and ultimately pretty good games. They display decent gameplay, sometimes a good to phenomenal story and have the core mechanics of a good game. These games are average to slightly above average and generally symbolize a good game. Any game in this rating zone (in my opinion) should be honored.
  
  8-9: Great/Fantastic/Worth Every Penny/DO NOT MISS DEEZ FRAGGIN GAMES!
  To some 8 ratings are really not that good and 9 is the best, for me that is not the case. I think any game that reaches this rating is amazing, it is not easy for a game to hit my 8-9 mark at all. These games have near perfect gameplay, fantastic stories and solid core mechanics that games need to be successful. Many games get put in this category for professional reviewers which in my opinion makes these magazines and sites unprofessional as they hand them out like plastic trophies at a Rec Center baseball league. I treat games in this rating category as Gold Medalists and ultimately give these games heavy praise. Most of my favorite games are in this Category.
  
  10: Perfect...there is nothing else to say.
  
  Tens are rare, they are the rarest of all ratings I give. To earn a 10 you do not simply have to be good or great and just breeze in for a ten, no, you need to be flawless. Games that earn tens from me have flawless gameplay and I mean very very very very little to no hiccups, decent to great graphics, a good story to a phenomenal one and it needs to be overall created with flair and imagination. I have only had two games fall in this category ever and even then that is a lot of games. I DO NOT GIVE THESE OUT OFTEN AT ALL.
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  There you have it! Now remember these guidelines when reading my reviews
  
  -Ryan

  • Posted Oct 31, 2012 10:21 am GMT
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• 21Oct 12

  Buy it or Don't: DLC

  

  Thanks to psu.com for the photo

  Browsing Gamespot there has been one topic that I have consistently seen in comments, blog posts and even in webisode specials produced by Gamespot themselves. This topic is Downloadable Content and quite frankly I am amazed at how heated the discussions have gotten. Downloadable Content or DLC, as most gamers refer to it, is an add-on or extra meat added to any given game. Sounds awesome on paper, but then throw in the fact most DLC cost quite a lot of money for sometimes so little content. But what DLC breaks down too is this, do not buy it if you do not want it.

  Many gamers argue that Hey! We want the full game! Why couldn't you just add all this DLC content on with the original release version of the game?. Of course I paraphrased that from a compilation of comments and blog posts I have seen, but still, this is a common and similar idea to the opinions I see. DLC is not supposed to be on the full game, thats the point. DLC is meant to enhance and lengthen your time with a game, not make you feel gypped. Many developers work hard trying to give you more, and sometimes many DLC take a lot of time to create, showing that some dedication is involved.

  I spent multiple hours playing Fallout 3 when it first came out. I found myself mesmerized by the vast landscapes and hooked on the fantastic gameplay that included the famous V.A.T.S. system. When the game ended and I watched the credits roll, a sense of disappointment and thrill overcame me. I was finally done, I had done it. But deep down I was craving more, I wanted more story, more characters, more weapons, new environments and most importantly; more stuff to kill. My wishes were granted, via a genie nicknamed DLC. Bethesda released five of these DLCs, each with its own flare, challenges and extra goodies for me to enjoy. Of course some were better than the others, but still, I had the chance to download more and enjoy more of this game I already had 125 hours devoted too. I downloaded every single one and spent a hefty price on each. I was a satisfied customer and I got my fill. I was grateful that Bethesda took the time to create more content. I did not have to buy the DLC, but I did anyway.

  Now, you reading this may assume I love DLC and think its a flawless system, but its not. Not all DLC are perfect and many are very sloppy and horribly produced. Sometimes a company wants to make a quick buck and milk the cow dry. Sometimes developers milk the cow so dry it dies all together. Luckily for some games, they have enough milk in them to stay afloat. DLC can also be released to save a horrible game. Seriously, whose idea was it too release DLC for Duke Nukem Forever? Also pricing of some of these DLCs are outrageous. In todays gaming world multiplayer is all the rage and is enjoyed by millions of new coming gamers across the world. With online multiplayer, many Devs release maps and map packs giving you more to enjoy online. I remember playing counter strike and Halo, we got free map-packs, a little gift from the devs for we gamers so we could stay hooked on their title. Nowadays games like Call of Duty and Battlefield are charging anywhere from $10-$20 american dollars for map packs. Its not to say that the maps aren't good, its just that its amazing that they would charge so much for such little things. I am a victim of this. I adored Call of Duty Black Ops it was the only COD game I truly enjoyed and I purchased every single map pack and even the solo Zombie pack. I felt happy, but my wallet did not.

  DLC is here to stay, they are not leaving anytime soon. In a world now where technology and connectivity, companies can consistently pump out new updates, improvements and content, DLC will continue to thrive and be put out to the public. Do not get mad that they charge you, its a capitalistic society we live in, you need to make money to create things, they cannot be handed to you. If you want to expand your time with a game, buy the DLC they offer. If you do not want to spend the money, then don't, just be happy with what you played. How do you feel about DLC? Agree with me? Disagree with me? Kind of agree with me? Or just think I am an incompetent fool with no intelligence? Leave your comments below or talk to me on the Twitterzone @mattilasucks , I love feedback

  -Ryan

  • Posted Oct 21, 2012 2:58 pm GMT
  • Category: Editorial
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• 1Aug 12

  El Updateo

  Hey guys! Long time no blog eh? I have honestly missed the old blog. But I am back for a quick little post to inform my still faithful followers on what I have been up to. Honestly I haave been up to a lot. Working at a Bagel store which is fun and pays my expenses, soccer which is kicking my arse, partying which is always good but I will get to that in a minute, gaming which I always do and preparing for school which is sadly right around the corner. Which honestly scares me because it is my senior year of high school. It amazes me how fast the times are going by. It feels like just yesterday I was a freshman and scared out of my mind about all the responsibiities that were about to head my way. But I got over it and now I am Senior and one that is the typical "Dazed and Confused" hazing, punk kind of Senior's. Its my last year, why not be a jerk to freshman?

  But to the work part of my life, its going pretty well. Nothing much I can say about that. I slice bagels which is tedious and sometimes annoying, but it is such a simple job that I really should not complain. I honestly feel like the main protaginist of Office Space, I would rather do labor like I did just last night actually. I tore up linoleoum floors, knocked out walls and used my hands and felt sweat. It felt great as a little side job, I went home satisified and tired like a real man. Do I want to do that for the rest of my life? No. But as a side job through high school and college yes.

  To the soccer part of my life, I could care less. It is my senior year and not good enough to play in college. I am good, yes, but to the caliber of American colleges I just do not compete. But none the less I will still give my all for my team on the Varsity squad. I owe my school that.

  Partying now, it has got out of hand for someone who is only 17 at the moment. By out of hand I mean that I am loving this summer partying haha. It is the highlight of my summer, not always drinking to get drunk, but to have fun with drinking games. Our group of friends is so different form the norm its comical. My group of friends and myself all maintain 3.8 or above school averages, play sports, hold jobs and do not have criminal records. For the school partyers we are quite the odd group. But I love my friends to death and we like to have fun, not a problem if you ask me.

  But to that whole 17 thing, its amazing to know I have almost been here 5 years now, I will be 18 in a month and everything is feeling weird. I am almost to adulthood and it scares, but it is a good scare. I realize, kind of, what I want to do with my life. Government work or journalism. Also i want to backpack and hike in the national parks, I promised myself I would eventually and I will. Its my dream. Luckily I am close to the Appaclihian (I am aware I spelled that wrong, I am to lazy for spellcheck) Mountians which are 4 hours away. AND SPEAKING OF THE SOUTH!

  I have begun planning my trip to Virginia next summer for a little "Congrats Grad!" kind of trip for me and my friends who will always have been through their first year of college. But the main reason I am going down there is to see my friend @tntkng. My very frist follower on gamespot and ultimately my best friend through a pen pal kind of system. I love the guy and enough so to drive all the way down to finally shake is damn hand. Prepare Mike, it will most likely be one of the best times of our younger lives. I look foward to it.

  But to my gaming! I have been playing a lot of Sims 3, Skyrim and now this game I just picked up for $40:

  

  Most annoying Box-art ever.

  YES! One of the best Games of the Year last year and I got it for only $40. OF course if you any of you remember talking to me recently my Batman file was corrupted earlier this year so I threw in the towel and left the game for dead. But I said "NO!" my favorite super hero must be played. So I went hard and got the Supreme package deal with all the DLC's for free, well sort of. It was the best pick up I had in awhile and I cannot wait to play it when I get back from Florida, which I leave for Friday.

  But there you go guys! A little update, take care and live on.

  -Ryan

  • Posted Aug 1, 2012 7:46 am GMT
  • Category: General
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