Over the years, I've come to realize what I really love about the old Gamespot days: that the Hotspot and On The Spot (and whatever shenanigans they did) was a peek into the personalities that ran one of the tightest, most stringent video game review cadres. It was a crack in the professional facade of Gamespot Editorial, the realization that: "Oh! there're humans writing these comprehensive opinions!"
That's exactly it: I miss the days of reading and hearing the crystallized and honed opinions about games from these people, when they were still editors. When they still wrote a lot about the deconstruction of the minutiae about games. The peek behind the curtain, the stories of videogame culture behind-the-scenes (the inside-baseball talk) was a treat.
Sadly, I saw Giantbomb transition away from that, towards more personality-based streaming. Over time, I saw that there was less and less money to be made writing about videogames and that their videos became their largest asset, for which I don't blame them for the change. I don't bear any ill will towards the current crowd who enjoy them as they are now. One day, I simply realized that it's not what I wanted from them, anymore. When I realized that a thing I've loved for nearly 14 years, a constant group of people in the background of my life (and always in my ears), was no longer the same.
I suppose, that very specific window of the Gamespot Editorial crew pushing back against corporate professionalism and letting their personalities shine through was the time I'll always treasure. Perhaps it was that struggle that polished the rough diamonds for me. Whatever it was, it helped me become a more articulate and critical person. For that, and for making me aware that there are actual people working within video games, I'll always be grateful.
Dan was a real wildcard. There were times that I was enraptured by him, and other times I couldn't stand him.
But that's life; you won't always agree with people, but you find things to love about them. Otherwise, you'd just be living inside your own echo chamber. For as fun as it was to malign Dan for his ignorance and crassness, there was also a sense of naive wonder. I was happy to take both sides.
Best wishes to Dan, wherever he goes. Just hoping he doesn't burn down the barn (well... not too much) over there.
@knoxt: I've always said that: the best thing a critic can do for you is disagree with them.
Let's not forget, the GB crew has had a long history of editorial reviews. If you're coming here for just the entertainment value and game showcasing, I can see why you'd miss their critical background. When you find a reviewer you like that can articulate their tastes (in context of their tastes, background, and history), finding something you disagree with them is the true growth moment. It forces you to articulate your counterargument, because you are counteracting someone who can justify their own opinion. I'm the kind of person that's always wanting more context for people's opinion beyond "it's good" or "it's bad".
Sure, in the end it comes down to "taste is relative", but that doesn't mean that being critical of something you like is always a bad thing. No game is perfect, and there can always be improvement. We tend to only want echo chambers for our own opinion. Nobody's asking you to immerse yourself in the opposing viewpoint for long, but acknowledging the major counterpoints is healthy to keep in mind. It helps solidify your thoughts about games (or any opinion, for that matter).
Granted, I'm with Jeff on Anthem, but I think people miss his point that the "game is alright", by what he said on the podcast. Anthem (the way it is released now) isn't shit, it's alright. Opinions can, and have, changed, especially with games that are designed to be continual experiences. Brad and Jeff think it doesn't stand out, with notable flaws in UI, mission structure, loot design, and narrative that's tedious in the long run, especially for a game that's meant to be repeated (ala Diablo or Destiny).
I've significantly disagreed with a lot of the things with the crew before (see Hollow Knight), but that doesn't mean the criticism is invalid. I've definitely enjoyed bad games, finding my own enjoyment in them (both Jeff and I had our love affair with Let It Die). "Enjoy what you enjoy and make no apologies for it" was the best advice my friend told me about music. Your enjoyment is contextual to who you are, the same way that the crew's criticisms are contextual to them. You're only stronger if you can crystallize your opinion in the face of disagreement.
Beth's is both the worst and the best place. It's the definition of "greasy" spoon and over-sized omelettes. There's a very local community feel to it.
When Jan said that he had a neighbor that hung his fish to dry outside their house, I thought:
"Jan is truly the Pinoy we need, not the Pinoy we deserve."
Pleasantly surprised to hear off-hand, subtle cultural references I can relate to.
That neighbor was probably making some daing, a favorite staple of mine. Jason, you better believe that the fish smell is an aroma that the Flips love. Take it from me.
@shinofkod: Nothing wrong with looking at it and thinking: "I think I'd like that." Just consider that it's 60 bones, you've seen pretty much all the gameplay, so is that worth the admission price for you?
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