GDC08: Critiquing mobile games (and how it applies to all gaming)
by Ross Miller 
{ Feb 19th 2008 at 9:30PM }
When we first walked into the session, "10 Things Journalists Hate About Your Game," we were excited to hear an insightful debate between reviewers and the developers who have been on the worst end of their words. Two minutes into the session, we realize the session is completely focused on mobile games, and 95% of our readership loses interest.Despite the mobile focus, we still feel like mobile-centric journalist Stuart Dredge outlined concerns applicable to the entire games and game review industry.
So what do journalists loved? According to Dredge, variation, attention to the little details, free-roaming and replayability are good traits, among others. He praised instruction-free titles that provide alternatives such as first-level tutorial (he cites GameLab's library as a good example). Also lauded were frequent awards (achievements anyone?), a plot or some content-centric reason to pursue the game to the end, and side-depth, also known as the "easy to use, hard to master" game mechanics. Dredge talked about simple controls and how they typically score very well in reviews.
As for the hate, Dredge cites derivative genres, unfair and stupid AI, band sound and stupid/unfair AI. We liked his talk of brand usage. "I don't think journalists don't like brands ... but we are strict on them," he said. Our favorite story from the session was a time when Dredge was trying to describe to girls at a pub a simulated wet t-shirt contest game he was reviewing, which reminds us of having to write impressions for DOAX2.
Concluding the session, Dredge "turned the table" and presented a list of five things game developers hate about game journalists. With commentary from us:
As for the hate, Dredge cites derivative genres, unfair and stupid AI, band sound and stupid/unfair AI. We liked his talk of brand usage. "I don't think journalists don't like brands ... but we are strict on them," he said. Our favorite story from the session was a time when Dredge was trying to describe to girls at a pub a simulated wet t-shirt contest game he was reviewing, which reminds us of having to write impressions for DOAX2.
Concluding the session, Dredge "turned the table" and presented a list of five things game developers hate about game journalists. With commentary from us:
- "You get things wrong and miss best bits of our games." Dredge said playing guides are starting become more prevalent.
- "You focus on the big publishers."
- "You're too hardcore." How can we fairly rate a Hannah Montana game when we're most assuredly not the target audience?
- "You print the wrong screenshots."
- "The games you like don't sell." And yet we'll still push Psychonauts and Zack and Wiki.
- Critter Crunch (Disney)
- Sola Rola (Eidos)
- Emergency Mayhem (Player X)
- Blades and Magic (Fishlabs)
- Cuzzle Mobile (PopCap)
- Playman Extreme Running (RealArcade)
- Urban Attack (Vivendi)
- Mobile Battles: Reign of Swords (Punch)
- Crazy Window Cleaners (DChoc)
- Table Tennis Star (Player One)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jerk Face @ Feb 19th 2008 9:37PM
Yep. I'm included in that 95%. Cell phone games FTL.
I realize that was a pretty irrelevant and uninsightful comment.
I realize that a lot of my comments probably are that way.
...
See you in Hell, kids.
Rob Accomando @ Feb 19th 2008 9:49PM
2 word critique for Cell phone games: They suck.
Anticrawl @ Feb 19th 2008 10:09PM
Yep, perhaps when they start making good cell phone games I'll turn my head up to see whats up. The only cell game I've ever been inclined to buy was a Duke Nukem remake and well it isn't available from my provider. So there is part of your problem right there.
Syn @ Feb 19th 2008 10:15PM
Casual games are the future...
Who the hell thinks that...
Cell Phone games = terrible.
PSN, XBLA games... You play them a few times and you move on. And because of this, Ive stopped buying downloadable games.
Casual games are not the future.
velocitystrike @ Feb 20th 2008 5:09AM
I disagree with that, actually. Since the release of Carcassonne, I've played it frequently. Same goes for Boom Boom Rocket, and I'm sure the same could be said about N+ - It's quite ignorant to immediately label a downloadable game as ephemeral. And no, I couldn't think of a simpler word to use there =/
t_m @ Feb 20th 2008 2:07AM
"You're too hardcore." How can we fairly rate a Hannah Montana game when we're most assuredly not the target audience?
Erm... you get reviewers who reflect the target audience?
It doesn't apply to joystiq in particular, as you aren't a reviewing site, but an editorial site with a niche audience. But the big gaming sites are gonna find themselves becoming more and more niche if they don't start hiring a few reviewers who reflect a wider audience.
I'd imagine very few people buy movie magazines these days for reviews, and instead get their reviews from the mainstream media. Same is happening, or will happen to gaming.
PS/ But I just got my levitation merit badge in Psychonauts on gametap and it does indeed totally rock. (if you have a gamepad). Its non-selling is purely down to bad marketing and the wrong console.
David @ Feb 20th 2008 3:21AM
I made a cell phone game once. It was a clone of the brilliant shareware title "ganga farmer", which is a clone of the ever brilliant paratrooper game. It wasn't brilliant, but was bit more fun than most cell phone games i've played. I couldn't find a content company willing to carry it - apparently shooting at the police to defend a field of marijuana is frowned upon?!?
Logic Bus @ Feb 20th 2008 9:02AM
Isn't it "ganja" with a J?
Stakker @ Feb 21st 2008 12:50PM
So I guess you people haven't actually played any of the games on that list. How about playing them first before making comments. The fact that you have tried some crappy mobile games doesn't mean they all suck. I recommend Playman Extreme Running and Sola Rola. Naturally a decent handset is a must.