Why no Video Reviews this year?

Hey Giant bomb, why haven't ya posted in video reviews this year?

I mean then has been high profile enough games to justify it like Mass effect 3, Old Republic, Halo 4, ect.

So what gives? Whats up?

I don't care for a scripted review of them talking off a teleprompter which would just be a summary of the review text, when I can just listen to the podcast or watch a Quick Look.

the GB crew are camera shy and would just prefer not to.

I was wondering that as well. Maybe they don't think it's worth their time?

New office.

It's none of the above. It's simply too much of a hassle to have it all done in time for a review embargo. Any time wasted after the embargo before putting up the video correlates with a huge drop in traffic so it's either ready to go when the embargo's up, or a waste of time.

Plus you get everything you need from a text review and quick look combo anyway.

Edit: It's either mentioned in a Jar Time video or a Bombcast, but good luck finding it.

I think by now I prefer quick looks more than video reviews. I get to actually see the game as it is being played so I can judge it better for myself.

They didn't have most of their equipment this year.

They don't have any cameras with which to film a video review.

Don't know if you've noticed, but it's been a pretty crazy year from them in terms of their tech and equipment; they only just got their shit together in time for the BLLSL. Also, sounds like Jeff is in a weird place with reviews at the moment, so maybe they've had a change of heart about the usefulness of video reviews.

I don't need video reviews; I only skim read their text reviews as it is, and mostly get their opinion on games from the Bombcast.

probably a combination of the change over to the new office and that quick looks get a lot more hits and give a good impression on what they like and don't like about the game that a video review would be redundant.

@laserbolts: How long until people stop using that excuse?

I hate this GB movement against video reviews... Its just a different median for expressing final views. STOP HATING. I want it back too though they have said repeatedly that they don't like the current set-up but will probably add it at some point.

Stop beating this dead horse.

Because reading is FUNdamental.

Video reviews are like paraphrased text reviews. They don't add anything to the conversation and take forever to cut. More video reviews = less Vinny.

i really want more video reviews, but not at the cost of other stuff.

and this is why i think there have not been one for almost a year.

making a video review takes not only time but man power which could and is being used on other stuff. just like the ILM has been reduced to a cam instead of what it used to be. And ofc the regular explenation of new office

but i will still recommend to watch the soul caliber IV review and after that the braid review since its just so fucking awesome

but really i use QL's as video reviews now since it usually ends with the same if not better result for me personally

I'm always curious when I see this demand for video reviews. They don't tell you anything their written reviews can't communicate to you. I know it's fun to see the Giant Bomb crew on camera talking n' stuff, but it always seems like there are better ways to spend resources than repeat stuff on a green screen. Granted this is Giant Bomb, so I know you can use that argument for a lot of stuff they do.

Does it have to do with body language? Is there something about movements and hand gestures people need with reviews?

Does it have to do with documenting Brad or Ryan with certain hairstyles or beards to bring up later like with Blonde Ryan and Super Bearded Brad? Cause I'll admit that is a lot of fun.

I'm pretty sure its just not cost effective, making a video review takes ages, they have to turn the text review into a script, then someone has to play through large chunks of the game capturing footage, then they need to record the review, and unlike a quick look that can be over in 20 minutes or so I imagine it can take a while to get it right and sounding natural (depending on who is on screen and their own level of competence and comfort with the process) After that its a hell of a lot of editing compared to most other things they do, and really are they that important? You already have the text review and a quick look and usually a fair amount of discussion on the bombcast so it probably doesn't bring anything new to the users.

That's my take anyway... I may be wrong.

I could've sworn they discussed this topic before on one of their features about the site in general and none of the actual editorial staff was too keen on continuing video reviews. One of the formerly Whiskey Media Radio Shows, maybe?

Hasn't Jeff been questioning the viability of reviews in general lately?

My best guess would be that Quick Looks have pretty much completely outpaced/replaced video reviews at this point.

@Kaiserreich It was reality, not an excuse. Have you noticed how much content they've been pushing out now that they have a dedicated set and the required gear? Tons of quick looks and pretty frequent premium content. It's almost as if they were telling the truth when they said it was just taking longer to get the stuff they needed than initially thought.

How many threads ask this exact question?

A few points worth noting

1. I thought the point of being bought by CBSi was that they would use the extra money to do more stuff, instead they are doing less

2. Jeff himself admitted on the recent Bombcast that all these meetings he has been going to have prevented him from doing text reviews, so its not just video reviews that are suffering

3. Saying that you don't like video review or that you don't find them as useful is irreverent to the question, they were doing them before and did so for every year up till this year, the question is why did they stop?

They have said many reasons, it takes time and they have less time now since they are in a lot more meetings. They also don't hav the setup they would need for video reviews. Hopefully they get a good setup for the GOTY stuff.

Honestly though they are fine without them. They still review games and still have bombcasts, quick looks and a ton of other things were they talk about their opinions on video games. Quick looks fill those holes for most games, nothing is really more informative about a game then seeing it being played for a long time. As cool as video reviews are, it takes a lot more time on the editing side, and I like a lot of quick looks and wacky videos more then a bombcast member just reading their review in front of video of the game.

Ever since I saw the 50 Cent Blood on the Sand review... I've loved them ever since. It's safe to say I miss them.

It takes up a lot of resources.

But I don't get why the community seems to hate them so much, to me one of the best things about Jeff, Vinny, Ryan, Brad and Drew is their ability to produce and pull off hilarious scripted content.

Meh. Not missing that feature at all. I think their current format of writing then discussing it further on the podcast is perfect.

Without video reviews how will I ever know what they think about video games!?!?

@Kaiserreich said:

@laserbolts: How long until people stop using that excuse?

Once we get used to the new office.

Do we even need video reviews in the first place?

IGN and videogames.com have plenty of video reviews. Go there if you need them. Giantbomb still has a tiny staff and it's silly to waste time on something redundant like a video review.

@AlexanderSheen said:

Do we even need video reviews in the first place?

Not for such a video feature-heavy site anyway.

@probablytuna:The problem with QL's is that they're too unprepared for my tastes (sometimes), which leaves them being hit or miss. It's also often what makes them great, but I often just wish for a happy medium of the two.

With the amount of people on the staff that they prefer, doing video reviews is more of a waste of time than anything else. It's especially a waste of time considering none of them really like doing them.

@AssInAss said:

@AlexanderSheen said:

Do we even need video reviews in the first place?

Not for such a video feature-heavy site anyway.

Among the video content, video reviews are probably the least important ones.

I think the video reviews are probably some of the more work intensive stuff they produce and with the move and things being kinda crazy I can see why they fell by the wayside. Even written reviews take a while sometimes and those I'd think are the more important of the two.

@TheSouthernDandy: I think that's the case, too. Also, I don't know that a video review shows stuff that's fundamentally different from say trailers, quick looks, quick look ex's, etc. Often, it seems like video reviews are just someone standing in front of moving stock footage, rereading the actual review over it. I've never found them that much more informative over text other than showing how the game moves and operates--a function quick looks already serve pretty well.

Plus, everyone else does them at this point, so it doesn't seem like too much of a loss.

Look at a picture of them while you listen to the Bombcast.

@CrossTheAtlantic: Yeah pretty much. I think if any feature had to go I'd be fine with that one if it meant more general stupidity could be done in other vids.

It's CBS' fault.

This topic again. Must be Monday.

Don’t bother, I’m pretty sure most members will ignore the issue and tell people who are concerned to fuck off and leave. Then continue to throw their money at them like mindless dolts. The GB crew can literally do whatever the fuck they want at this point. They have their members on a leash and all they have to do really is throw a bone or two every couple of days and they'll be happy.

Don't get me wrong, I love Giant Bomb and the crew but this community seems so... disturbingly loyal.

@SargeGulp said:

@probablytuna:The problem with QL's is that they're too unprepared for my tastes (sometimes), which leaves them being hit or miss. It's also often what makes them great, but I often just wish for a happy medium of the two.

Of which two? Quck looks and video reviews? Well I would say that watching the quick look and reading the review of the game would be the best way. I don't see how a video review is ever needed at this point.

@OtakuGamer said:

Don’t bother, I’m pretty sure most members will ignore the issue and tell people who are concerned to fuck off and leave. Then continue to throw their money at them like mindless dolts. The GB crew can literally do whatever the fuck they want at this point. They have their members on a leash and all they have to do really is throw a bone or two every couple of days and they'll be happy.

Don't get me wrong, I love Giant Bomb and the crew but this community seems so... disturbingly loyal.

So true.

Because they aren't going to do them anymore.

@Gangway: Waste of resources. We already get plenty of audio/video 'review' in quicklooks and podcasts.

Giantbomb's slippin yo

THEY DON'T HAVE A GREENSCREEN

There should be a sticky up on general discussion to at least limit this topic coming up, as it seems to do so every other week. Video reviews take incredible amounts of time and effort for little payout and the Quick Look formula is much more in line with Giant Bomb's philosophy on how to cover games, which is why they've been steadily moving away from doing them in favour of content that has more of GB's personality (quick looks, live streams, the Bombcast and so on.) On top of that, Jeff and the others seem to have been seriously questioning whether the format of reviewing games as they've always done and still do to some extent holds up in this day and age. Considering video reviews tend to be little more than summarised versions of the written reviews with some footage layered over it, they no longer have a place among the quality content that justifies slaving over them so much.

That about sums it up.