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Zucas on 09 January 2010
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naznatips said:
Zucas said:
naznatips said:

Where did anyone say they were wrong in a review they wrote? All Tor said was he feels differently about a game later. That's not the same as the review being wrong, it's just someone's opinion of a game changing.

Reviews are analysis. They are personal analysis but they are analysis nonetheless, and there are aspects of those analyses that are undeniable fact. That's not the same thing as opinion. You need to find yourself a dictionary. An analysis is not, by default, an absolute truth it's a breaking down of and description of the concepts of the whole. Absolutely people disagree with analysis, but just like literary analysis, it's not a random opinion statement (like you seem to have way too much of), but an actual determination based on visceral factors. 

We have editing to try and make sure games get reviewed fairly. It's absolutely true that every person is different, and their analysis of a game is effected by personal factors, but you cannot call it the same thing as just a stated opinion. There are clearly definable factors that lead to the conclusions established in a review, whether you agree with the conclusion itself or not is immaterial.

What's important is that the game was reviewed fairly, completely, gives all pertinent information about the game to the reader, and makes a well-justified conclusion about the general quality of the game. There are multiple correct analyses of any work of literature, media, or entertainment in general. There are no absolutes in analysis, but there are fair and traceable factors into determining and our reviews absolutely use them. 

Changing such a thing because some whiny forum member who happened to feel differently of the game than the conclusion of the review suggested thinks xxxx should have been scored higher or lower and yelled it out in all caps and 4 words is ludicrous. 

Bolded part is all I've been trying to say.  It is their opinion and don't hamper it.  There are analytical parts in every review but the important parts are how the reviewers react to them.  Sometimes people like to call those opinions, btw.  And there is wrongness in opinion if you personally think your opinion is wrong.  Don't need an outside source to rethink and opinion.  That would be quite the false dichotomy to think that. 

Try not to read into an argument to find everything you can't agree with instead of reading for what is actually being said.  Could have helped here.  All I've been trying to say is if the reviewer thinks they are wrong then let them change it.  Don't hamper freedom of speech. 

If a reviewer thinks they are wrong they need to figure that out before the review goes live, or at least within a few days of it going live. After that a review is part of our archive, and as long as it's factually correct and justified then it's considered our analysis of the game. As I said, there are multiple correct ways to analyze a game. The VGC reviews are just ours. It's not a big deal if you don't completely agree with it. 

Well I wish reviewers could do it perfectly the first time.  Hell I wish reviewers actually could accurately comment on the factual quality of a title.  But that's a little to idealist.  I guess I can go along with this though, but I see that as asking way too much from a normal human being. 

But I'm not talking just about VGC, but reviews in general.  Personally I just wish reviewers would spend more time formulating their opinions reasonably.  Guess we have a difference of opinion on actual justification.  I can live with that.