SlorgNet on 06 May 2008
Hmm, tough question.
Let's face it, reviewing is a tough job, and our mainstream media is especially awful at it. My own thoughts:
(1) Reviewers must know their media history and media culture. This means more than Hollywood -- you should know about the major works of Bollywood, Nollywood, all the major EU film cultures, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Brazil and Mexico.
(2) You should know some of the major literary traditions -- especially Third World and postcolonial novels and fiction. Being well-read gives you the necessary tools to formulate your critique.
(3) Playability trumps watchability or listenability. You should know and respect the limits of each game genre.
