As a critic I get asked a lot about the games that I play and how I feel about them from several people I know personally as I tend to be ‘that guy’ who you can ask about how a game is and if they should purchase it. Something however that tends to come up fairly frequently however when dealing with people I actually know is when they themselves make a game and I find myself playing and reviewing it.
At the current moment there exists a project in the works by someone I know which I plan to fully review for the site when I get the opportunity as it seems like a really great project but the problem then comes about how I put aside personal bias. Now I like to think of myself as a critical thinker and capable of putting aside personal beliefs and relations in order to give games a fair review but on the other hand these articles are all inherently personal views and as such giving my personal opinion that may be biased is pretty much the only way to properly review a game.
It’s a tricky situation and something that must be taken into account by almost all critics in the world as ultimately my duty is to inform you all about good and bad products while ensuring that I do not dissuade or confuse you about your purchasing decisions. It’s why I tend to only review games on this site that I am personally interested in rather than just taking every single game I find and slapping it onto here just to gain some extra viewers. Ultimately keeping personal feelings aside is a difficult thing to do when dealing with someone’s personal project but as long as I keep reminding myself that being harsh about a project is as good for them to make some changes and learn about their mistakes as it is for my reviewer integrity then I believe I should be fine.
What are your opinions on this? Do you believe reviews should contain a more personal approach to game criticism or should it be clinical facts only? Be sure to comment and let us know! That’s all for now, and as always. It’s not just a game, It’s a Life.