New Games Journalism-Sequence

New games journalism is simply ANOTHER way of reviewing and choosing a good video game for you personally. There is no right or wrong way as to how these articles should written but rather there are different options for gamers to read about them. I don't think there is any reason for people to argue and decide which is 'better' but rather which method best helps you choose a game. In the past video games were reviewed/ described by what actually made the game. The graphics, the storyline, audio, etc; which are all things that can/would help a person decide if the game was worth it to buy them. With new games journalism the emphasis is more on the experience of the game. What did the player feel while playing the game, what were his experiences, what was their personal experience? Even though these questions are all subjective, it's one more way for a gamer to decide if it's worth it for them to buy the game.
For my final project in this class I would like to write a new games journalism piece on my favorite video game. I have been playing the Sims for many years and find the game fascinating and entertaining. I love creating people, their personalities and then guiding them through the life I’ve created for them. The idea of escaping your life by creating and living another one is a great place for the new age journalism. I want to put an even bigger twist on new age journalism and write about the person I have created through the game. Not only is the reader of the review getting an understanding of how I felt playing the game; but also one can follow the character I have created so they can get a better idea about the things my character did and how they may have felt as well. Here are 2 sample paragraphs that would come from new age journalism pieces. 1. Is from my point of view review and 2. is from the point of view of my character in the actual game.
1. As I begin my new game and begin to design my new family, I decide to only create one character this time. I want her focus to be on making money so I can build and buy a big, “tricked out” house. I create my character to have an outgoing personality, to make lots of friends and get good promotions, and also her main aspiration will be fortune. After I have created my brown haired, greened eyed Sim I decide it’s time to build a modest, inexpensive home for her to live in until she saves up some money. I build a house on a small hill and create a square house on top of a higher foundation. Because it’s so high off the ground I add stairs and some minor landscaping. Inside I make a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room; although there is not a lot of money to fully furnish it like I would like to. I do make a nice kitchen because my Sim’s main aspiration is to become a famous chef.
I move my Sim in and the game begins. My Sim decides she wants to check out a few things in her new home. There are curious bubbles above her head. I let her explore of a bit until I have her walk outside to pick up the paper. I click on the paper and select for her to choose a job. She walks out greets the mail lady and begins to look at the available jobs. The best one that meets my Sims aspirations is the job flipping burgers at the local restaurant. Although this job only pays $160.00 a day it’s a good job to start at to get promotions in the cooking profession.
2. I look in the mirror and see that I’ve been constructed as a middle aged woman with long brown hair and a funky, wide nose. I have green eyes and it looks as though I’m the only person in my family. Well apparently I’m going to have a pretty boring life without any family, but hopefully I’ll live in a highly populated area and make lots of friends. My first task as a Sim will be to get a job. I walk into my average house, which is not fancily decorated, and look for my computer. I see after looking at the fridge, the couch and the one rug I see that I do not have a computer. So I then walk out the front door, down the stairs and out to the front yard. The mail lady has just delivered the paper so I’m in luck. After a quick hello, I set down and begin looking for job ads. I settle on a job flipping burgers at the local restaurant for $160.00 a day. I accept this job because one day I aspire to be a chef in my own restaurant.
These are two different kind of new game journalism articles but both accomplish the same thing. The reader can get a feeling of what it’s like to experience playing this game. One can experience the game through the eyes of the player or the character itself. What makes a good review of a game is having many different points of view from all sides of the table. With any decision, the best decision is an educated decision. To get points of view from fact as well as from opinion would help with any decision, especially in a decision as to whether or not a particular game is for you or not.