Practice Reviews: Which are best?

[Danny]

I was just wondering what everyone thought is the better kind of titles to start practice their writing skills. I have a library of titles at home that I figured I would use to start my first couple reviews, but then I started to wonder which would be better to start with: good games or bad ones. Most likely doesn't matter, but I am going to get started soon.

Thanks !

(p.s first post, this site is great! Have already found a lot of great information and everyone seems friendly)

[Jared Newman]

I don't think there's a single person on this site who will look back at their first reviews and beam with pride. No matter what game you choose, you're going to grimace when you read it again in a year. So just pick whatever title you're most inspired to write about and keep practicing.

[Chris Cesarano]

I'd say start with good ones, as I find those the hardest to review. Bad ones are easy since picking the flaws apart are, well, obvious, but if you really love a game it becomes tougher to find an objective stance on it and think of design issues that may be problematic for others.

[Andrew Groen]

As practice, I'd say hard ones might be better. Part of what a reviewer needs practice doing is going beyond whether something is bad, and figuring out why it's bad. What mechanism is broken? Though trying to "practice" that might be a waste of time. I think that's something that comes with the territory after having played hundreds of games.

You're right though, good games are generally harder to review, because if a game is doing its job right then the elements that are engaging you are probably mostly invisible...unless it's a Pandemic game in which case you can just say "blowing things up is fun /review". (RIP Pandemic)

[Troy Goodfellow]

Start with a game you feel strongly about one way or the other. Don't worry about objectivity, since that's not our job - fairness and honesty are. In your review, try to explain why the game speaks to you for good or for ill.

[Mark Brown]

Go to GAME (or your national equivalent) and pick up some random preowned PS2 game that you've never ever heard of. It'll set you back a few quid, but you have no expectations or nostalgia to affect your creativity.

[Andrew Groen]

I'll second this. It's also a good way to fill out your backlog and build on your knowledge base. This generation is still young enough that lots of things are still building on what was established in the Xbox/PS2 generation.

Not sure how long you've been gaming, but if you want some game recommendations from that generation I'd be happy to provide some great ones that are still really fun and influential.

[Danny]

I've been a gamer for most of my life. Currently I am a twenty year old college student, but have been playing since I was pretty little. I'll remember that, I still have some old PS2 games in my library, but maybe I will go and pick up something random.

[Danny]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'll start with some of the better titles I am more acquainted with, then after a few reviews go pick up some new ones I have yet to touch and practice. Thanks all.

[Ben Kuchera]

Go buy a game you've never played. Give yourself 48 hours to beat it and write a 1,200 word review. :-)

[Troy Goodfellow]

Works for IGN! ;)