A printed video game review?

So I saw something you don't normally see every day. Well, at least I don't. I read a newspaper review of Wolfenstein for the Xbox 360. This calls to mind so many questions. 1) Why is the San Jose Mercury news filling space with this? B) Aren't there enough reviews on the web to negate the need for a printed one?, 3) Does a newspaper reviewer know enough about games to give an opinion?

The first two questions are things that only mother nature, a psychic or possibly God could answer, so we'll leave those alone. But the last one brings up a good point. When I read this review I thought: what would a newspaper employee know about video games? Certainly not enough to review them. Then I realized, what makes "squeakybot356" any more qualified to review the same game (in an online forum or blog)? It's funny how being young and slightly tech savy leads you to believe that anyone archaic enough to work for a newspaper wouldn't know jack about video games.

So what does make a good review? My fellow blogger CoreGamesJonathan and I discussed this recently. He said that as a developer sometimes your game gets reviewed by someone who hates your genre of game. Why do that to a developer? Why have someone who hates puzzle games review a puzzle game. Or why have someone who hates football games play Madden 2010? In the end I've been asked to do that later recently. And while I get more frustrated than I care to admit playing football games, it was a good exercise in finding the beauty within.

Even if you hate a game, could you find its strong points? For me, even though I suck at being a quarterback, I can appreciate an in depth training mode that hones your skills and helps teach you how to play. How many games have you picked up and played, only to be so horrified by the game play that you cast them aside like a single sock, never to be worn/used again? I guess the point of this post is to encourage all gamers to look for bright spots in games; that and be careful who you trust writing your game reviews. Just cuz a game is hard to play, or isn't your cup of tea, try and see if you can find a glimmer of hope. Maybe a cool menu feature, or maybe a cool user interface.

Then again, there are some things in life that just aren't very practical. Kind of like the giant tooth growing out of a narwhal's face (see above). Sometimes innovation just isn't all that practical...