Whether you’re hoping to break into the competitive world of entertainment journalism or just a die-hard gaming fan with a lot to say, simply being good at games is not enough. To review games of all stripes and to provide value to the community of players, you need to be able to write well and know what you’re talking about.
Reviewing games can be a great way to get more out of a hobby or to launch a highly successful career in the entertainment industry. Being able to write a solid game review that provides genuine value to the reader is often the first step. Here’s how to do it.
1. Consider the Essentials
First up, you need to note down what you’re actually going to discuss in your review. This essentially means the basic specs of the game that your audience will need to know about before they buy. Consider the graphics, sound quality, and any device compatibility issues as a starting point.
Then you can move on to discuss things like plot, controls, replay value, and customisability. After this, you can start to consider the bigger questions, such as where the game you are reviewing fits into the genre, or what a particular game’s release says about the wider industry.
2. Consider Your Audience
Next up, you need to narrow down your audience so that your review has maximum value. Understanding what your audience is looking for will help you avoid filler and focus on the things that matter. For example, a review for an online casino game would have a very different focus to a review for a multiplayer console game.
Online casino players will be looking to learn more about game features such as RTP, progressive jackpots, and slot paylines. To learn more about what such an audience is looking for, you should take the time to look at the site of a well-known online casino gaming platform like Mr Green, which features reviews from users that tell you a lot about what makes a good casino game.
3. Have a Unique Tone of Voice
It is not enough to simply lay out the features of a game. You need to bring a unique tone of voice to your review that tells your audience instantly why you are worth reading. Every successful reviewer has a unique perspective that they are able to bring to the table. Perhaps you have a dry sense of humour that you can apply to the games you review.
Perhaps you prefer to look at the bigger picture and consider how each game fits into a wider cultural canon or industry trend. Whatever your niche, make sure to flaunt it throughout your writing, as this is exactly what will keep your readers coming back for more. Finally, don’t forget to keep your criticisms strictly constructive – make sure to offer recommendations where games appear to have fallen short.
Knowing how to write a good review is more than just a career skill – it is also a way that you can contribute to your fellow community of gamers.
