We already mentioned a long time ago (as long as I can be allowed to say about this site) that we’re not too fond of the rating system most reviewers use. Putting numbers, which are in nature objective, on a subjective matter, is a debate that will go on for ages and ages. A lot of the people that will stop at only reading the score, will do just that, no matter what, and will only read the review, most likely if they disagree with it. That is the dilemma reviewers have been dealing with since the dawn of the video game history.

So the idea came to us to try and find a new system.  We’ll be doing a test-run of this idea, and we’re hoping to get some feedback, be it positive or negative.

So how many times have you bought a game, and thought it was good, but just not $59,99 good, and felt a bit ripped off at having paid full price for what ended up a short-lived game.   Maybe $39,99 would have been just right?  Then again, there’s always those times where you find a game for $30 and after playing it, realize you would have paid $50, and wouldn’t have felt bad over it.

We’ll be trying to create more situations like the second one, and less like the first one, with the help of the Save Factor system.  With this completely subjective system, we’ll try our best to be objective and put the sweet spot price we think you should pay for a game.  So you’ll know you’ll be finding a good deal or a bad deal when you step in a store, or when you’re shopping online.

This system will consider mostly: the gameplay; the game’s length and its re-playability; its presentation; and when applicable, other factors will come in, like story or features specific to a game.

One of the reason we came up with this solution, was because the gaming industry seems to be fixing prices.  Games that takes 6-9 months development are being sold at the same price as a game taking 2 years, and I think, there’s something wrong here. Heck, Amazon.ca already knows they’ll be selling God of War 3 for $69,99.

Jobocan and I are in Canada, but for the sake of the rest of the world, we’ll be using USD standards for our prices, simply because it’s easier for everyone to compare those to their own currency.

We do realize this system has short-comings, mostly in the long run. A Save Factor given this week will be outdated in a year, or even before that.  So we’ll try our best to find a way to trump this problem, and any that would arise from this.  If it just doesn’t work out, it just doesn’t work out, and we’ll find something else.

Anyway, I’ve rambled for more then enough. Here’s how we will be presenting the Save Factor, alongside a few new standards for our reviews.

Developer:
Publisher:
Date of Release:
System(s):
Alternate versions(if applicable):

Genre:
Number of Player(s):

whole review (for inside this part is still up to the reviewer)

Pros:  (in a point-form format)

Cons: (in a point-form format)

The Save Factor: $X USD
The Pros and Cons should help explain our choice for the Save Factor.

And that’s about how our reviews should look like from now on.  Readers are welcome to input on the Save Factor if they can bring up valid reasons.  Sometimes, we’ll put up two of those, if we feel there’s two different crowds targeted by the game. You know… those niche games or those that rely heavily on a franchise?

Finally, on an unrelated note, we’ll soon be welcoming a few new authors that will join our team and I look forward to work with them.

David A. Announcements, Review