Review Information

Since today is the long awaited release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, I figured now would be as good a time as any to go over my review procedure (since, chances are, my review for Sonic 4 will be up tomorrow).

It isn't TOO complicated or painful (unless you hate reading).

Like most people, I reviews on a 1-10 rating scale. 1 being the game sucks harder than a Hoover, 10 being that you will orgasm at least 7 times before you beat the game. My scores are an average of 10 smaller reviews for each separate aspect of the game. These aspects are as follows:

#1) Gameplay: Enjoyability

THE most important aspect of every game (and a question every gamer should ask themselves before they submit a review to any site); is the game FUN? I don't see much of a point playing a game if you don't enjoy doing it, do you?

#2) Gameplay: Playability

Are the controls well implemented and easy to use? How long did it take to get used to playing the game (learning curve)?

#3) Replay Value: Play Again?

Pretty simple. Was the game fun enough the first time around to warrant another playthrough? And are there any legitimate reasons to do so beyond the main campaign?

#4) Replay Value: Extras

In this day and age, games need to give people a reason to play them over and over again. One way games do this is in the form of unlockable extras. Does the game have Extras, are they optional, and is there any point to collecting them?

#5) Graphics: Technical

Are the textures reasonably high quality? How does the animation look? Is the draw distance reasonable for the type of game? Generally, does the game LOOK good? Stable framerate?

#6) Graphics: Artistic

Are the environments dull and bland, or lush and magical? If at any point you have to stop and marvel at how mind-bendingly beautiful something is, chances are, the game had good artistic direction.

#7) Sound: Effects

When you hit something with a sword, does it sound like you actually hit it with a sword? When you're wading slowly through a pond does it sound like you're splashing around like a maniac? Are the sounds muffled or crisp and clear? Essentially, do things sound realistic for the environment of the game?

#8) Sound: Music

Does the soundtrack for the game make you cringe, or work well with what you're seeing on the screen? Is the music enjoyable to listen to? Would I put it on my iPod?

#9) Story

Is the story of the the game believable? Do the characters draw you in and make you want to know what happens next? Did you look at the clock and suddenly realize that you'd played 2 hours longer than you originally intended? Is the voice acting good (or even decent)? Hows the writing?

#10) Bang for Your Buck

In today's economy, gamers have to decide carefully what games they are going to purchase. Is the game worth your money? Does the content you get, match the price you pay?

And of course, The Final Verdict; which is just a summary of the previous points and an average of the previous scores.

And that's pretty much it. God that post ending up being more complicated than I intended...

Oh well.

Look forward to tomorrow's review for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (If all goes as planned); And pray my posts never end up this long again!