1. Play the Game in it's entirety:
That one may seem obvious, but unless you are focusing only on first impression reviews (which almost never work unless you are Total Biscuit) you need to play the whole game. Sometimes it may take you 4 hours, sometimes it may take you 40. If you don't play through it you could miss critical points that may redeem a lackluster experience, or kill a great one. This is your job, so make sure you do all of it. There are a few exceptions to this rule. Non story driven or multiplayer only games can't be beaten, so you have to decide when you've collected enough information to write a review. Also, when games are broken or so bad you just can't make yourself play it then you don't need to beat it all the way. You shouldn't torture yourself.
2. Use Your Words:
Too often you see reviewers using phrases like "the gameplay was solid and fun" or "the story was interesting enough to keep me involved in the campaign". I'm even guilty myself of using such phrases from time to time, but that is lazy writing. It really doesn't tell the reader anything about the game. You need to do 2 things to write reviews well. First you need to compare a current game to past games or other comparable examples. Saying that a games story "is as long as a Final Fantasy Story, but only as deep as an episode of Jersey Shore" tells readers much much more than "it wasn't very interesting".
Second, you need to use more robust words. It's ok to say that a part of the game is good from time to time, but you need to use more. For example in a recent review I did for Daylight (a new horror game) I could have said "The game definitely produces a good scare thanks to its nice understanding of what makes things scary". Instead I said,
"This game really is scary. Not FEAR or Saw scary, but Stephen King Scary. It does have some jumpy scary moments, but what makes this game truly scary is the atmosphere. You are in a dark, dank, disheveled hospital with no idea how you got there or what’s going on. You have to find out, but there Is always this eerie presence around you. Like you are being watched and preyed upon by something, but you never see it. Or you do, but it’s too late by then."
See the difference? While both make the point that the game is in fact scary, the second uses both of my suggestions to better and more fully convey just how scary the game is.
3. Tell the Whole Story:
No matter how good or bad a game is, it is extremely rare that it will perfectly good or bad. That means that all games have good and bad points. Make sure to list them out on both sides. I personally do a Pros and Cons list, but many other methods work. The key point though, is to make sure you are addressing both sides of a game. Even Skyrim had its bad parts, and Ride to Hell had a couple of good ones.
4. Be Respectful:
While it isn't as common anymore as it used to be, reviewers can be disrespectful of games. That doesn't mean you have to be dishonest, but calling a game bad is very different from insulting the dev team, studio, or publisher of the game. You don't know what the dev team went through to produce the game. Perhaps they were forced to make a game on a short time frame or with a low budget (most movie video games), or perhaps there were unforeseen circumstances like a hurricane taking out part of their office building. The game these teams make may be bad, but don't insult them for it. Just call the game bad, point out why, and move on to your next review.
5. Ask for Help.
A lot of times we will get locked into one perspective when it comes to games. That means that sometimes we will get stuck when we try to figure out what to write. Have someone, or a couple of people, who can be your sounding board. Getting their perspective can help you get past a writers block, because they will see it differently than you. Good people to talk to would be your parents, significant other, a child, and any friend you have that is not a big gamer.
6. Don't Use an Alpha-Numeric Rating System.
Numbered scores are useless to readers because they don't have a universal meaning. Typically AAA titles get 9-10 scores no matter how good or bad they are, because they have paid to have the game hyped up and reviewed well. Then for every other game if it isn't scored at a 7 or higher, nobody pays attention to it. That makes 0-6 scores meaningless, and it subtracts from the overall meaning of the rest of the scores. On top of that there is no standard for how to give a score. Some reviewers include price in a score while others do not. Some will include how many options a game has while others wont. Some include a games lack of features in the score, and others judge it only by what is there. Overall number or letter grades are worthless, and I wish the industry at large would get away from them.
7. Do Rate Based on Recommendation:
You should still rate games, but do it in a different way. I rate games based on Recommendation. If you check out some of my reviews, you'll see a conclusion section at the end of each. I summarize all my above points in a few sentences, and then make a recommendation. I will list the games current price, and say whether or not I feel like you are getting what you are paying for. I'll then recommend to buy it, wait for a sale, or stay away at all costs. If you have given a good, full, clear, and concise review then your reader will not need a number grade to know whether or not they want to buy the game.
8. Expand Your Horizons:
Start with the games you like most, but never stay there. I hate horror games, stealth games, platformers, and puzzle games. Yet, I have reviewed all of these types of games, and have found games in those genres that I actually like. Plus, I now have a new perspective and set of references for comparing other games too. You also tend to be more honest with genres you either don't like very much or aren't very familiar with. Do your best to not be overly critical, but pushing your comfort zone will push you to be a better reviewer.
Conclusion:
These tips in no way guarantee you success. It took me a couple of years to build to what I have, and I still have a long way to go if I hope to get even a tenth the popularity of IGN or the Escapist. Above all else, remember to keep at it, and do your best to have fun. Gaming for reviews is different from gaming for fun, but I still enjoy the process of discovery, critique, and writing. I hope my tips and reviews themselves have helped you if you are interested in writing reviews. If you have any more questions please feel free to either post the in the comments or tweet me @jma4707 I'll respond as quickly as possible.
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