Reviews: positive or negative

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don't like "negative reviews". or at least not rants.

I prefer if the system is described in some detail and the features the author liked are highlighted and those that didn't work, too.

I prefer positive reviews, since the tone is just more... friendly or optimistic (usually). But I also want to see some substance so that I don't just know that the reviewer liked it, but why he liked it allowing me to form an opinion on whether I might also like it.

 

[Perram]

I would like to say that I prefer balanced reviews, but honestly I feel that many 'negative' reviews are often just thinly veiled rages or rants and the system was never given a fair shake, especially RPGs.

So of the options that seem to be out there right now, I prefer the positive reviews, though I do not tend to like the overly fanboy ones too much.

 

[Treebore]

First I prefer that perfer be spelled "prefer", this isn't about debt collection or the like, this is about "preferences".

As for reviews, I used to write them and read them, but I found out that all too often I didn't agree with reviewers, so I just bought it and made up my own mind. Its worked really well. OF course, I do the buying, normally, after people I game with tell me they think "X" is cool, and why. That doesn't always work either, because I still haven't bought Cortex and other games my friends rave about.

 

[pogre]

The most valuable reviews to me are playtests that explain the group's playstyle generally, how the DM/GM used the product, and their general impressions of the same.

 

[Crothian]

Adventures are good to play test but most supplements and games it just isn't possible for people to play test everything. It would be really time consuming in a small book like one of the power books.

 

[jdrakeh]

Adventures are good to play test but most supplements and games it just isn't possible for people to play test everything. It would be really time consuming in a small book like one of the power books.

Play testing is for publishers, not reviewers. It's part of the development phase. If people honestly expect reviewers to play test every mechanic in a game or game supplement, they're off their rocker. With apologies to Eric's grandma, those people can get bent.

 

[Starglim]

Neither. When I choose to read a review, I want to know about the significant qualities of the product and facts that might influence whether it will be useful to me in my own circumstances.

If the reviewer wants to comment whether particular parts are well or poorly done, that's reasonable and probably helpful. I'm much less interested in the reviewer's final opinion of the product. I don't find much use for reviews primarily written to push such an opinion.

 

[jgbrowning]

I mostly prefer positive reviews. I think that making a good negative review is a more difficult task.

joe b.

 

[Imban]

Whenever I go read reviews for something, if it has multiple reviews I only read the negative reviews. See, I don't generally read reviews except to find out more about something I would already be inclined to purchase, and as such I want people to tell me exactly why it sucks and I shouldn't.

Then if I think they're right, and the product sucks, I don't buy it. If I think they're full of balderdash, I buy it, because I was already going to buy it and even the people who hate it seem to hate it for stupid reasons.

Admittedly I'm a bit of a negative person, though.

Play testing is for publishers, not reviewers. It's part of the development phase. If people honestly expect reviewers to play test every mechanic in a game or game supplement, they're off their rocker. With apologies to Eric's grandma, those people can get bent.

It'd be nice if publishers actually did it, then! I don't think reviewers are expected to *actually* playtest every mechanic in a supplement, but one of my favorite review sets was one during 3.5e which went through all the prestige classes in each supplement under review and pointed out which ones were worth taking ever, and which ones would merely destroy your character.

 

[Glyfair]

As for reviews, I used to write them and read them, but I found out that all too often I didn't agree with reviewers, so I just bought it and made up my own mind. Its worked really well. OF course, I do the buying, normally, after people I game with tell me they think "X" is cool, and why. That doesn't always work either, b

The local paper used to have a reviewer that I loved. I disagreed with his conclusion in about 1 in 5 of his reviews. However, I could tell based on his review whether I would like a movie based on his reasons for liking or disliking a movie.

Find a reviewer like that, and follow his reviews. That's my real goal.