Welcome to the section that makes up the LIFE BLOOD of RVGFANATIC
You might notice... my reviews are unlike any other you'd find. A lot of reviews follow the same ole pattern. I've always walked to a different beat, and strive for a *NEW* vision... a breath of fresh air in a domain that has become, by and large, vanilla. Don't get me wrong, there are many enjoyable reviews out there, many of which my friends and peers have written. But I've always had my own style and pride myself on the fact that I do things a "BIT" differently from the norm
I believe the best video games are experiences. Likewise -- for the best reviews. That's my vision. My raison d'être. Before you dive into my reviews, here's my scoring guide Oh you're too kind Yoshi... too kind!
HOW REVIEW SCORES WORK AT RVGFANATIC
I absolutely love EGM's old format: if a game averaged a score of 8, it received the Silver Award. 9 average Gold and straight 10's the PLATINUM award
I'm using the same format... except this is a 1-man operation, not 4 or 5. Also, I'm adding the BRONZE award for any game that scores 7.5
I rate games 1-10, with .5 increments
Like EGM, a 6/10 score is NOT a 60% grade, or a D. In other words, a 6/10 isn't a "bad" score, per se. It's just a slightly above average game; a game only big fans of the genre would derive any pleasure from
1 - The biggest piece of crap I ever had the dis-pleasure of playing
2 - Flush it
3 - Really bad
4 - (Sizably) Below average
5 - Ho-hum, average, mediocre
6 - Slightly above average
7 - Flawed, certainly, but solid and worthy
7.5 - Ya did good. Good enough to earn yourself the Bronze Award
8.0 - Not an EXCEPTIONAL example of the genre, but it's fairly darn good in its own right
8.5 - Not quite great enough to be a 9+ game, but any game in the 8's gets the Silver Award
9.0 - Now we're really talkin'! Any game that can net at least 4 cups is excellent
9.5 - An almost perfect example of the genre. Any game scored in the 9's gets the Gold Award
10!
Awarded only to a scant few, these masterpieces are without question must-own's if you consider yourself ANYTHING of a Super Nintendo fan. In my experience there are a couple deserving of this honor, and as time goes on you'll see which games I consider to be "virtually flawless." The Platinum Award is given to any game which scores a perfect 10 out of 10
WHAT IS RATED BESIDES OVERALL SCORE?
I look at:
Graphics - How good the game looks, in relation to the time period the game was released and the genre of the game
Sound - Quality of the game's sound effects and music
Gameplay - How well the game plays, in relation to the time it was released and its genre
Longevity - Since RPG's generally lack in "replay value" I'm doing "Longevity" instead -- how long the game lasts me the 1st time, how often will I re-play it, and is it a game I can see myself playing a year or 2, 5, even 10 years from now? It's a combination of all those. To get a 10 in this category, ALL three points must be matched
Please take note of the I's in the longevity category. I can't speak on anyone's behalf but my own. These scores (longevity and everything else) are my personal opinion -- nothing more nothing less. Also note, longevity is theonly rating which I base upon my feelings today. Graphics, Sound and Gameplay relate strictly to the time of the game's release
OVERALL SCORE IS BASED ON:
The overall score is NOT an average of the four scoring areas, but of course they factor in, with gameplay being the most vital. Simply put, the overall scoreis how much I like (or dislike) the game. Here are three other key factors:
Year in which game was released
I'll be more lenient if the game came out early. After all, it's unfair to say Power Moves (Jan. '93) is not up to par with Killer Instinct (Aug. '95). I rate each game based on its peers upon release
The genre itself
I have different expectations for each genre based on what I think is the best example of that genre on the Super Nintendo
My own personal bias
I do try to be as objective as I can, but my own bias comes into play when deciding the overall score. Gameplay is still the ruling factor, but I may bump a game up by .5 for various reasons
In general, I'm a pretty easy grader. As long as the game is competent, enjoyable, made me sit up and say, "Hey, that was pretty dope" -- I'll probably give it the Bronze Award at the very least. In addition to standing up well among its peers at the time of release, mind. Though, I don't want to be Game Fan-easy! Trophies will not be given unless I feel the game really earned it
However, I won't be Super Play-hard, either...
Finally, it should be noted, however obvious this may be I don't know, but all these ratings are strictly my opinion and to be interpreted at your own discretion. Unlike a professional magazine that acts as though its score is the so-called "definite" score of a game, these ratings I have are merely that of my opinion and for, as the kids may say... kicks
THE W.A.S.P
And I'm not talking about the culture of the ruling class that's located predominantly along the eastern seaboard!
In each SNES review you'll find at the beginning, in addition to the publisher, developer, release date and meg count, the W.A.S.P:
Written:The date I wrote the review
Acquired:The date I've acquired the game in review
Status:Cart only or CIB (Complete in box w/manual). Based on time of purchase
Price:How much I paid for the game in review
Pretty much self-explanatory but clarified just in case. Why do this WASP thing? Why not? It serves as a quick FYI for each game review right off the bat, and makes things more personable
And if you haven't noticed, I'm pretty stingy as a buyer. I always had a "set limit" on how much I'd pay to buy Game X. Therefore, the WASP (more specifically... the ASP) serves as a subtle "How much did this game go for on average at the time it was bought?" type deal. Occasionally I would splurge, of course, but for the most part I paid well within the game's average going rate at that time, or significantly less. [Bit of a bargain hunter, this one -Ed.]
IN CLOSING...
Yes, I do own all these games. I play the actual cartridge first, and I do try to beat it, because I don't think one cantruly rate a game until they've seen it to the end. Not every game I'm able to beat, of course, but I go as far with each as I possibly can. That way the game gets a fair shot. My reviews are unlike the average game review you'd run into on the net. You could say I march to the beat of a different drummer... [I say you oughta walk to the couch of a psychiatrist! -Ed.]
I believe the best video games are EXPERIENCES. Likewise, the best reviews, I feel, should take the reader on a journey into a strange and fascinating world all its own. That's my vision. My raison d'être
Finally, you'll notice a lot of pictures which I've added text into. It's something new and refreshing I believe. My reviews are serious yet light-hearted, if that makes any sense. And I hope you enjoy browsing them half as much as I've had making them
-Steve
PS- * reviews denote games which were fan-translated, never released or other special reasons
REVIEW RAISON D'ÊTRE
7.5 - Ya did good. Good
8.0 - Not an EXCEPTIONAL
8.5 - Not quite great enough
9.0 - Now we're really talkin'!
9.5 - An almost perfect example
10!