Maybe VGChartz could lead by example in this area?

I would prefer a real review a month after a game's release than a preview that's being hailed as a review.

Come on VGChartz, make us proud      

I had no idea about that. But it would be veeery easy to implement a tweet style service for PSN/XBL where we can follow what the journalists are doing. I think that would be a very interesting function.

Most are pretty open with their tags here, I know Machina has his in his sig

I just realized I don't have a single PSN friend on VGChartz (that I know of).

EDIT: Maybe its better that way! LOL

Seece is right, all the staff members I can think of are perfectly open with their PSN/XBLA tags, so feel free to check how much people are playing and if you see someone reviewing something on VGC and you don't think they've completed the game based on PSN or XBLA please let me know because we have a very stringent policy of needing to complete a game's main campaign and give everything else at least a try before you review a game.  

That's cool. When Uncharted 3 comes out I'll be watching like a hawk  :P

Good idea. I've always found it odd when a reviewer comes out and says they didn't get to finish the game, or play it online (especially when the online function can make or break a game now days), but the review comes out in a magazine like an entire month before the game hits stores. Wait until you can play it at least most of the way through before you "re-view" it.

 there are alot of issues with that. embargos is the biggest. trophies and achievements are typically embargoed so companies want to less people knowing they are playing game xyz before launch. We at VGC tend to use our personal accounts since we are small, larger companies like IGN have "review consoles" which tend to have no friends other than other reviewers on them for testing online.

I agree with this to an extent, th ough I wouldn't check it's a way to boost credibility. Particularly if you disclose the gamertag or psn name in the review.

My only fear is that achievements do not = content. In my opinion all achievements do not need to be obtained(I've never platinumed a game), but the main campaign needs to be completed. Which I think you were implying.

That's very nice, but the other 200,000 people who read our reviews want the opposite.

Not to say we don't finish games (that's site policy), we just can't play through several times and expect to get it up anywhere near release date.