Featured User review. What a nice surprise.

I came onto Giant bomb this morning, as I do most mornings, and started browsing the site to find the Persona Endurance run videos (I have watched up to, and including, video 26). After a short while I noticed a message in my inbox, but thinking it was probably a general announcement, I let it be. Eventually I opened my inbox.

Now, for me this is how a good day starts. I received a message informing me that my review for Pixel Junk Monsters would be a featured user review on the front page, from 25/09 for about 2 -3 days. This isn't something that happens to me, at all. I have started writing more reviews for games in the last few weeks, but have only posted 2 recently (The other review is for Wanted: Weapons of fate). The reason I chose to review Pixel Junk Monsters was because it is such a good game, and it is almost criminal that no one had reviewed it yet.

This is just the recognition I needed, as I often wonder if even writing a review is worth all the effort, but this definitely makes me keen to keep writing them. It is great when I see other people reading my reviews, especially if they like them, but I would still love some constructive criticism.

Currently I am playing Resistance 2. I have completed the single player and now am concentrating on competitive and Co-op, so hopefully I should have another review up for that game shortly. After that I am looking forward to Infamous, which I will hopefully get in a few days time.

I am curious about other peoples opinions on user review though, do you read them? Do you write them? If you don't write them, why?

I came onto Giant bomb this morning, as I do most mornings, and started browsing the site to find the Persona Endurance run videos (I have watched up to, and including, video 26). After a short while I noticed a message in my inbox, but thinking it was probably a general announcement, I let it be. Eventually I opened my inbox.

Now, for me this is how a good day starts. I received a message informing me that my review for Pixel Junk Monsters would be a featured user review on the front page, from 25/09 for about 2 -3 days. This isn't something that happens to me, at all. I have started writing more reviews for games in the last few weeks, but have only posted 2 recently (The other review is for Wanted: Weapons of fate). The reason I chose to review Pixel Junk Monsters was because it is such a good game, and it is almost criminal that no one had reviewed it yet.

This is just the recognition I needed, as I often wonder if even writing a review is worth all the effort, but this definitely makes me keen to keep writing them. It is great when I see other people reading my reviews, especially if they like them, but I would still love some constructive criticism.

Currently I am playing Resistance 2. I have completed the single player and now am concentrating on competitive and Co-op, so hopefully I should have another review up for that game shortly. After that I am looking forward to Infamous, which I will hopefully get in a few days time.

I am curious about other peoples opinions on user review though, do you read them? Do you write them? If you don't write them, why?

I try to read all of my friend's, but oddly not that many people write reviews up. And I base my purchases on what this great community thinks. And I do write them, I have a review for Dishwasher and trying to write up a review on Mushroom Men.

Congrats man, I'm thinking I'm going to start putting up some of the reviews I write for my blog here.

Thanks! I to look to the community a lot when making a decision of whether or not to buy a game, especially if the game is quite old, because you get a much better feel for how well the game has held up over the years. I understand why people don't write many reviews though, which is shame, but at the same time it is dissapointing when you put a lot of effort into a review and no one reads it.

I will admit that i will also only really read a review which is well written. Even though i do not always spell rights correctly and sometimes miss use commas, i don't really have the energy to read a review when the author hasn't even bothered to spell check it.

SynisterSpacer, i read your Dishwasher review and i thought it was good. Actually, i don't know if you are going to read this, so i will leave a comment on your review.

That should be good. I would be interested to hear what you think about it. I was tempted to pick it up, but my monthly gaming budget is going on Infamous.

congrats man, ill try to keep up on your reviews, they are pretty good, if only i could write good ones as well lol

Thanks. I do like getting feedback when i have written a review, it makes the whole process a lot more worth while.

Congrats first off.

Now for your questions at the end of your post:

Yes, I write reviews.  I wish I was much better at it, of course, but I feel with each one I get better.  I hope others read them, but I really don't mind if none ever do because really I find myself just enjoying writing reviews about games and finding out how I feel about each game and what all I feel I can say about a particular game in an objective voice (ok, not all are objective... but still that is usually the goal). 

I read many user reviews here because I like the community here.  This site was designed for people who are very passionate about gaming so I feel that most here will give a constructive review of a game.  I usually read reviews to older games I am considering checking out.  For instance, recently I read this review of Sly Cooper 2 because I have it on a list of older games I want to play through some day.  So I decided to research the game some and this person's review has helped convince me that it would be worth my time.  Now I have it in my Gamefly Q and as soon as I send back Valkyria Chronicles which Brad and Dave did a Quick Look on back in February.

So yes, we are out there, the few but proud who read and write reviews and I am glad that you were chosen for the feature so that you now have motivation to continue writing reviews.  Great work man!

Nice job, man!

I have written a few reviews. You can check them out in my profile if you'd like. I really only review games that stun me in some way or if I feel that it's a game worth reviewing. If I were to pick which of my reviews on Giant Bomb I'm most proud of, I'd have to say it's my Left 4 Dead one.

Usually when I think I'm going to buy a new game I'll go to the game's page and find out what this awesome community thinks of it. I usually only write my own reviews when I know I have a lot to say about it, and I'm pretty satisfied with my Dawn Of Sorrow review.

Also you wrote a great review with lots of detail that really deserves to be the featured user review. Keep up the great reviews.