Interested in letting other video gamers know about a certain video game? Writing a video game review might be just up your alley. In order to write a high-quality, informative and objective video game review, there is one preliminary step you have to complete first, which is as follows...
Play the Game
It is not enough to hear other's opinions on a video game or to watch game trailers; you only get their interpretation of the game and not your own. You have to actually play the game firsthand in order to develop a genuinely honest opinion based on your gameplay experience. Playing the game will also allow your ideas to flow more freely once you begin to write your article draft as you will not be clinging onto the opinions of others for inspiration or ideas.
After you have played the game, you will be ready to write an unbiased review based on your gameplay experience. Consider these factors when writing your video game review:
Synopsis
Be ready to explain the game's purpose and storyline (if applicable) in order to give the reader an idea of the video game's direction. Be prepared to discuss the main characters involved, the setting and location, and key items (such as mystical artifacts and the like) that may be paramount to the main story.
Beware not to divulge any spoilers, though. Nothing turns a reader off more than blabbing the secrets hidden within a video game that are instrumental in providing exciting plot twists and scenes to hook the player. The inner game secrets and plots are meant to be enjoyed through "natural" progression of the video game, not by you.
Remember to be careful with your wording. Only talk about the main synopsis in very general terms and also try not to insinuate (or hint at) any spoilers either. Readers are smarter than you think and are very good at taking hints.
Age Level
A good factor to write about is the appropriate age level for the video game that you are reviewing. Oftentimes, concerned parents will search for review on video games in order to determine if they are age appropriate for their children. Many of your article views can potentially come from these parents so it is a good idea to highlight the age group in your review. You can even go as far as explaining how much blood or gore is in the game or if there are any scenes of a sexual nature. Also note the frequency of abusive language within the game as much as you can.
Number of Players
Want to play a game with your friends? Be sure to include if the game contains single- or multi-player (or both) as this is important for the reader to know before they decide to buy or rent it. This is where your review may come in handy. Specify the number of players available in the game modes as well as the diversity of single- or multi-player game modes available also. If the video game supports it, you can even include information about possible online multi-player modes (if applicable) to the reader as this may also sway his/her decision to get the game depending on your information.
Difficulty
Let the reader know if the game you are playing is easy or difficult and if the option to change the difficulty level is available. Hardcore gamers may not be too fazed if a game is difficult as this provides an exciting challenge; casual gamers may be put off if a game is too difficult because, in most cases, these gamers just play for a short amount of time per turn (~1 hour).
Fun Factor
It is very important to include in your review if the game is genuinely fun to play. It doesn't matter if a game as terrible graphics, bad voice acting or a horrible soundtrack, the game could still be fun to play. For example, the PS2 game "Chaos Wars" is infamous for its repetitive music and atrocious voice acting. However, the game is TONS of fun and worth a try just for the laughs. Don't be shy to tell that to the readers. Different people experience the same video games in different ways and informing them of the fun factor is another key criterion for prospective game players to try out a game or not.
Replay Value
After you beat the game, will you want to play it again and again? The ability to attract a player to play a particular game numerous times defines its replay value, which can be accomplished by alternate game modes, "epilogue" gameplay (the ability to play the game after you beat it, usually with extra content and goodies), and rich multi-player game modes. If you are looking for things to say, you can bring up the replay value of the game you are reviewing in order to show readers the depth of the game, or lack thereof.
Sound
Just as important as the game itself is oftentimes the sound factor: the sound effects of the game environment, the voice acting, the music and how all of the sounds work together to create the ultimate gaming experience. In describing the music, referencing the names of the game composers (famous or not) as well as voice actor names in your review can provide a useful illustration as to the depth of the game's sound quality and is useful when making comparisons to other games. Include as much detail about the sound factor as you can.
Overall Rating
After elaborating on as many factors as you like, be prepared to give an overall rating for the game based on your own internal gaming experience, preferably from 1 to 5 stars. Your final rating should be a recommendation to readers whether they should buy the game, rent it only, or just plain forget about it.
That's it! After following these steps, you will have a complete video game review! I hope this article has helped you in learning how to write a video game review. Take care!
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