The Polygon / DOOM Conundrum: Should Critics Be Good At Games?

This is by no means unique to game criticism; critics across all media are often accused of being out of touch with the general public by denouncing works that are vastly popular, but there is a particular dynamic that crops up only in game journalism: How accomplished should critics be at actually playing games?

[IGiveHugs2NakedWomen]

They should at least play video games. Watching YouTube videos is not the same thing.

[nowitzki2004]

Yeah I agree. I also find it hilarious that some people can say "I dont need to play this game, Ill just watch it on youtube"

When has watching ever been the same as experiencing the thrills and everything else that goes with playing games?

[cleft5]

Should they be good at games? Well maybe they dont need to be the best at them. However, they should be competent. The person in that Polygon review looked like they never played a game before, let alone a FPS. They dont need to be pro or even good, but they should be competent. A concept that seems to be lacking in the Game Journalist department on more than one level.

[Shubhendu_Singh]

Exactly.

As their reviewers skill goes. There is a large difference between "being good at games" and "touching controllers for the first time" skills.

[ninsigma]

They should at the very least be capable of playing games if they're going to talk about/review games.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

If a player (or reviewer) is bad at game, a person my criticize the game for being poorly designed or unfairly hard. When it is actually the players lack of skill that is causing them to be more critical of the game they're playing.

[Kleptic]

agreed. There is no way to hold any objective view point about a game's mechanics/features if you're incapable of using them.

[pompombrum]

That person in the polygon video has absolutely no right reviewing Doom... if you can't play the games properly, how are you supposed to give a "professional" opinion?

[nowitzki2004]

They shouldn't be good but they should be gamers to some extent. I just hate when someone reviews a game based on their opinions or someone review a type of genre they never liked. We need some rules for who can review games and whos reviews actually matter and should be counted.

[Kallisti]

No one's saying these "professional" critics need to be complete experts at the games they critique but they should at least be as competent.as an average gamer of whatever genre they're playing/reviewing. If a big name website like Polygon posts a video of DOOM being played badly, it could potentially lead people to believe the game controlled poorly as opposed to the Polygon critic just being trash at the game. Thankfully in this internet age it's not hard to find better footage of the game played by actual gamers. I heard Polygon was run by a bunch of SJW's so I avoid them like the plague now anyway..

[Goldby]

SJW has absolutely nothing to do with this article or comments, so why did you bring it up?

[Kallisti]

This article was regarding Polygon and I was just expressing that I personally don't visit their site or watch their youtube videos because of their reputation. Anyways that was just one throwaway sentence at the end of my initial comment,, did it trigger your precious little feelings? Sorry, not sorry

[Goldby]

Does Polygon Trigger your precious feelings about SJW.

what i stated was there was absolutley no point to bring up that bleak and weakass defense of SJW for Polygon. yes they arent the most reputable bunch of people out there. but to label them as SJW (in a negative way) is just plain sad.

[Gwiz]

I'm glad he/she did lol.

[Surt]

Watch a someone or a 4 yr old play dark souls or doom. Not exactly the best representation of the game is it?

They have to be at least a gamer first. So called journalist second. Not the other bleeding way around.

[Perjoss]

They certainly dont need to be pro gamer level, but that polygon video was just a joke, the very first time i picked up a controller i played better than that.

[pyroxxx]

Well ,.. it was A.) they knew it was bad and wanted an outrage (for whatever liberal retard reason)
B.) they knew it was bad and wanted to hurt the game
Either way it is bad for them (they showed they are unprofessional shits),.. They are even more of a joke site as they always were.

[game4funz]

No they don't. But.
Their lack of ability should not reflect the score. With doom for instance if he says the controls are clunky or the aiming is horrible it isn't true. His aiming and ability to control is horrible. There is a difference and a reviewer should be able to make the distinction between his ability and the game.

[suli12345]

Critics should be hardcore gamers, i don't want a girl critic complaining about the colors or a male critic complaining that he doesn't want a female protagonist, in fact i believe critics should have a license to review games

[Gwiz]

That wouldn't be a bad idea,on the other hand that also means that people on Youtube would need a license as well.
Especially those advertising and promoting products.

[suli12345]

Yes i think that also should be done, If you have a license thats when you get ads shown on your channel and such, there should be certain qualifications that should be met, because if i want to watch a video i want to see the game in proper action!

[5p4c3d]

bottom line. YES!

Part of video games is playing them. If you cant play any video game reasonably well just by picking up the controller, you have no credibility as a critic IMO.

Personally something that drives me crazy is when they don't mention a game has different difficulties or what difficulty they beat the game on.

[Gwiz]

How are you objectively to have critique when you don't have a questionable nature of a game's mechanics?
Looking at that specific Doom review makes you believe the movement in that game is anything but smooth while in reality it has a perfect FPS balanced movement.

" It's a personal experience from someone other than the reviewer " That makes it even more prevalent to have a synced experience with the review.

[Paul_Cesar]

Why do people think calling someone a "social justice warrior" is supposed to make them feel bad? That's like trying to make somebody feel bad by calling them a crime fighting hero. You got em, I guess?

[Nevers0ft]

I think the implication us that your "average" SJW doesn't have an agenda or even much of an opinion, they're just looking for the next thing to be triggered over.

[Paul_Cesar]

Sure, but if what they're trying to accomplish is make fun of them, you can't really do that by calling them something that sounds awesome.

[quent]

Should writers be good at writing ? (Game)-(journalism)