After listening to the stream with Raph Koster yesterday, I've thought about the importance of people who critique a game based from a cultural or political stand point. In that stream, Mr. Koster made a distinction between reviewing a game and critiquing a game.
Reviewing the game, as I've perceived it, seems to be about whether the game is worth the so and so dollars and what one can expect. Critiquing the game, as I see it, is about analyzing the game from a certain cultural or political perspective with an emphasis on the subtext of the work.
Personally, I feel that reviews can contain some critique but not to the point where the critique on a few cultural/political pitfalls can overshadow the other aspects of the game.
As for critique, I feel that it serves developers better than it does consumers. Critique can allow developers to explore new stories and new PoV. New stories and new PoV is always good if one is seeking to be be fresh and/or stand out from the crowd.
Captcha: Take wrong turns
What?
Reviewing the game, as I've perceived it, seems to be about whether the game is worth the so and so dollars and what one can expect. Critiquing the game, as I see it, is about analyzing the game from a certain cultural or political perspective with an emphasis on the subtext of the work.
Personally, I feel that reviews can contain some critique but not to the point where the critique on a few cultural/political pitfalls can overshadow the other aspects of the game.
As for critique, I feel that it serves developers better than it does consumers. Critique can allow developers to explore new stories and new PoV. New stories and new PoV is always good if one is seeking to be be fresh and/or stand out from the crowd.
Captcha: Take wrong turns
What?