Is there professional criticism of VNs in Japan?

[starlessn1ght]

Just curious... Aside from bloggers, does anyone do that as a job in Japan? For a newspaper or something?

[Clephas]

Not that I've seen... but then, I wasn't really looking.  I hate 'professional' reviews, because the people who write them have a tendency to miss the point ninety percent of the time. 

[starlessn1ght]

Not that I've seen... but then, I wasn't really looking.  I hate 'professional' reviews, because the people who write them have a tendency to miss the point ninety percent of the time. 

 

Perhaps they just don't match your opinion... They may have a different outlook, since they study that and follow certain patterns. Usually, professional critics' opinions don't differ that much from each other, compared to amateurs.

[Satsuki]

Hmm...I know a lot of bloggers, but no one "professional"...

Check out this list if you want.

[sanahtlig]

Not that I've seen... but then, I wasn't really looking.  I hate 'professional' reviews, because the people who write them have a tendency to miss the point ninety percent of the time. 

I'm going to make you read my Venus Blood Gaia review when it's finished.

[Clephas]

Mmm... a few examples of missing the point. 

 

A reviewer that plays a VN, then complains about the lack of gameplay.

 

A reviewer that plays a roguelike and complains about grinding.

 

A reviewer that plays an MMO and complains the people around him in the game talk too much.

 

A reviewer that plays a classic-style console jrpg and complains about the fact that they didn't 'go outside the box' in anything except the story.  (lol)

 

These are all examples of reviews that caused me to form my opinion.  I've had twenty-something years to grow to hate professional reviews, and this is just a small portion of what I mean by 'missing the point' (the extreme versions,

I'll admit but no less true for all that).

 

Edit: This is a tendency any reviewer tends to develop after they've been reviewing for a while.  Heck, I find myself doing it sometimes, though I try to filter it through a 'this is the type of person who would like to play this type of game' filter. 

[Satsuki]

Mmm... a few examples of missing the point. 

 

A reviewer that plays a VN, then complains about the lack of gameplay.

 

A reviewer that plays a roguelike and complains about grinding.

 

A reviewer that plays an MMO and complains the people around him in the game talk too much.

 

A reviewer that plays a classic-style console jrpg and complains about the fact that they didn't 'go outside the box' in anything except the story.  (lol)

 

These are all examples of reviews that caused me to form my opinion.  I've had twenty-something years to grow to hate professional reviews, and this is just a small portion of what I mean by 'missing the point' (the extreme versions,

I'll admit but no less true for all that).

 

Edit: This is a tendency any reviewer tends to develop after they've been reviewing for a while.  Heck, I find myself doing it sometimes, though I try to filter it through a 'this is the type of person who would like to play this type of game' filter.

[Fred the Barber]

I hate 'professional' reviews, because the people who write them have a tendency to miss the point ninety percent of the time. 

[Clephas]

 

 

A reviewer that plays a VN, then complains about the lack of gameplay.

 

A reviewer that plays a roguelike and complains about grinding.

 

A reviewer that plays an MMO and complains the people around him in the game talk too much.

 

A reviewer that plays a classic-style console jrpg and complains about the fact that they didn't 'go outside the box' in anything except the story.  (lol)

 

[starlessn1ght]

Apparently there was a magazine called Famitsu Sister that reviewed VNs, but it's now out of circulation...

Edited June 8, 2015 by starlessn1ght

[Clephas]

Sorry, I've had nothing but bad experiences with reviews (a particularly blatant bit of petty bribery that everyone knew about at the time was the Game Informer reviewer Reiner getting a character renamed after him in Dragon Force for the Saturn).

 

Edit:  To be blunt, you can't trust most established sites to give accurate reviews, even if it isn't the reviewer's bias getting in the way.  You can pretty much depend on any big name company to get an extra point or two on any given review unless it is so obviously horrible nobody sane would believe it was good, and small companies tend to suffer unless they do something so superlative that reviewers can't help but praise them.

[Conjueror]

There is very little professional criticism in Japan in general. I was curious about this actually, and from what I gathered from my friends: it appears the notion itself is something Japanese feel culturally opposed to.

The only professional thing dealing with criticism I know here is Famitsu, so unless it starts covering VNs one day; no, there's likely no professional sources of VN criticism in Japan. Your best bet is to surf erogamescape if you want opinions; some people over there treat their work very professionally actually.

[TheFantasm]

An IGN reviewer, Jessica Chobot, was inserted into Mass Effect 3 for no good reason.  She voices that useless reporter character, Diana Allers, that is practically forced onto your Shepard.  One of the most boring and stupid characters in the games, actually.

http://youtu.be/n-znETlYvcs

[Chronopolis]

There is very little professional criticism in Japan in general. I was curious about this actually, and from what I gathered from my friends: it appears the notion itself is something Japanese feel culturally opposed to.

The only professional thing dealing with criticism I know here is Famitsu, so unless it starts covering VNs one day; no, there's likely no professional sources of VN criticism in Japan. Your best bet is to surf erogamescape if you want opinions; some people over there treat their work very professionally actually.

Yea some of the blogs/reviews delve very satisfyingly deep.

[Zalor]

 

There is very little professional criticism in Japan in general. I was curious about this actually, and from what I gathered from my friends: it appears the notion itself is something Japanese feel culturally opposed to.

 

Wow, that's pretty interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I think I like it. I think criticism is something best left to hardcore fans and the moment it becomes a profession it losses something (usually the passion) that non-professional criticism has. Also, while I can very easily understand why people who make and produce products deserve to be paid, I have a hard time understanding why people should get paid to criticize (and occasionally praise) stuff. I can make an exception for academics, however, since usually they don't criticize but rather analyze stuff and try to place those ideas into a broader perspective. 

[sanahtlig]

There is very little professional criticism in Japan in general. I was curious about this actually, and from what I gathered from my friends: it appears the notion itself is something Japanese feel culturally opposed to.

The only professional thing dealing with criticism I know here is Famitsu, so unless it starts covering VNs one day; no, there's likely no professional sources of VN criticism in Japan. Your best bet is to surf erogamescape if you want opinions; some people over there treat their work very professionally actually.

More than culturally opposed to, I think it stems from the notion that they believe professional reviews cannot help but be biased by industry ties. Given that Japanese culture is collectivist, encouraging suppression of dissent, this failing may be ingrained in their culture.

Also, while I can very easily understand why people who make and produce products deserve to be paid, I have a hard time understanding why people should get paid to criticize (and occasionally praise) stuff.

Because writing good reviews is hard work (I've spent a good 12hrs+ writing my Venus Blood Gaia review). Done right, it's a form of marketing that guides buyers to make better purchasing decisions, which is good for consumers and good for the industry. We pay companies to market their products to us (whether we like it or not). Why not pay reviewers for consumer-centric marketing?

[Arrakis]

"I'm sure you'll give the game a fair and balanced review.

We do hope our relationship will continue to be mutually beneficial".

 

 

Just kidding around, but I do feel that fan reviewers/non-professionals can often be more objective. I mean they have no need to step quietly around game studios, worrying about advertising contracts and getting exclusive game previews and interviews with the developers.

[firecat]

i agree what everyone said, reviews are so random at this era and almost anyone can start a review service. one game that has been getting mix reviews is "Freedom Planet", out of all the websites i can find only one person did it right. many reviewers saw freedom planet has a clone to sonic which of course is wrong, if they had ever played it they would seen more than just sonic stuff. these kinds of random reviews is what makes developers like me not want to ask for one. the fear of being called out on your games bad review is almost certainly not helpful, even when you try to get a job in the gaming development industry.

[Zalor]

Because writing good reviews is hard work (I've spent a good 12hrs+ writing my Venus Blood Gaia review). Done right, it's a form of marketing that guides buyers to make better purchasing decisions, which is good for consumers and good for the industry. We pay companies to market their products to us (whether we like it or not). Why not pay reviewers for consumer-centric marketing?

 

I'm not denying that writing a good review doesn't take time and effort, and a part of me also thinks that people should be compensated for that. It's just I think reviewers exist in a weird part of the economic food chain. Reviewers would have no job if creators and developers didn't make stuff, while on the other hand. If reviewers didn't exist, creators and developers would still exist. Meaning that reviewers are completely dependent on the existence of another class of people for their existence. However, I suppose that applies to a lot of other jobs as well. Not to mention that criticism can result in improvements. Also there is the other point you mentioned that reviewers are a form of marketing. So I guess I change my previous position. I can appreciate seeing why some reviewers get paid, but I still think it's an odd job to have professionally.    

[edwd2]

No, most players in the east don't take VNs very seriously. Fuwa is probably the most serious VN forum I've been, most others consist of mainly funny commentary, news, etc.