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A Word on Mainstream
Gaming Sites
Video games
journalism has gone through a lot of problems in the past several years. We’ll
spare specific details here, but suffice it to say that several well-known
video game websites have suffered major breaches of ethics: collusion,
undisclosed financial ties, cronyism, among other behaviors.
For many gaming
sites, the focus has shifted away from reviewing games mainly on gameplay and
quality to emphasizing social and political issues above all else. Other gaming
sites have branched out to cover other forms of entertainment (e.g. movies, TV,
music) to the detriment of their gaming coverage.
We encourage you to
research these issues and draw your own conclusions about whether you want to
read such mainstream gaming sites. Whatever sites you do choose to read, it’s
important that you pay attention to the writers you’re reading, not just the
site. There really isn’t a “best game review site” since quality differs among
authors.
1. Destructoid
Destructoid is a
great all-around gaming site with a bit of everything. It publishes content
regularly, with dozens of articles appearing each day. This includes updates on
certain games, previews of upcoming games, and opinion pieces.
It’s not just a
gaming news site, though. Destructoid publishes reviews of console and PC
games, as well as mobile titles and even DLC. Its reviews are straightforward without
a lot of nonsense, and they follow a clear scoring system.
Top off this
coverage with video content, community blogs, and a section on movies and TV,
and you’ve got a solid video game website.
2. GamesRadar+
GamesRadar+ doesn’t
review the volume of games many other sites do. At the time of writing, the
site’s last 20 reviews date back about five months. This shows that its staff
takes their time and doesn’t rush out reviews.
In the reviews,
clear Pro/Con lists and a summary of the verdict make them easy to skim.
GamesRadar+ provides lots of content to check out, as well as quick stories for
staying abreast of gaming news.
3. Game Informer
Game Informer is a
long-running video game magazine, and it also has a website. Unlike other
websites that feature content for movies and TV, this one is all about games.
You’ll find news, previews of upcoming games, reviews, and features.
It’s an old-school
take on a game website in the overcomplicated modern age, which is welcome.
Many of the staff are longtime game players, and the site has a professional
feel to it. Reviews break down the most important points, like Graphics,
Playability, and Replay value.
Overall, Game
Informer is a website from people who love video games for the players. The
site doesn’t review every little game, but what’s here is excellent and there’s
no political nonsense to worry about.
4. Metacritic
If you don’t feel
like wading through reviews and just want a quick score to see if a game is
worth playing, Metacritic is for you. It’s not a review website in itself, but
instead aggregates scores from various game review websites (similar to Rotten
Tomatoes for movies).
Search for a game,
and you’ll see a weighted score from 1-100. You can click through to read
individual reviews or compare what the critics thought to user reviews.
A lot of the time,
it’s hard to sum up a game’s quality in a single number. Thus, many people have
issues with the weight placed on Metacritic, but it’s a fine place to start
your research on a game. Just remember that a score isn’t everything.
5. Nintendo Life
As the name
suggests, this is the best gaming news site for Nintendo enthusiasts. Nintendo
Life specializes in covering the Nintendo Switch, 3DS, eShop, and similar
topics. You’ll find reviews, news, features, and even original video content.
With a pleasant
community in the forums and comments sections, this is a must-visit for all
Nintendo fans.
The features
standout here. They provide guides to major games, such as how to unlock all
the characters in Hyrule Warriors or where to find secrets on Fortnite’s map.
The site reviews downloadable eShop titles as well as mainstream releases, so there’s
a lot of coverage.
6. GameSpot
GameSpot is a
well-known gaming site that’s worth a visit. You’ll find popular and recent
news on its homepage, along with tabs to filter by your favorite game systems.
The site reviews
games both popular and small on every platform. For something a little
different, you can also check out its video shows and forums to connect with
other gamers. There are some occasional quirks with its reviews, like the
writer mentioning that they didn’t play through the entire game. But overall,
it’s a quality resource.
7. Christ Centered
Gamer
With the above
discussion of bias in games, you might think a site with an obvious
predisposition is an odd choice to include. But Christ Centered Gamer has
received praise for its clear reviews from those concerned about the ethics of
mainstream game sites.
Unlike sites like
Polygon that let biases influence their ranking of a game’s quality, this site
separates its reviews into two scores. One scores the game technically on its
gameplay, controls, and other qualities. The other scores the morality of the
game, based on factors like language, sexual content, and similar.
If you’re a person
of faith or concerned about your children playing an inappropriate game, you
can take the morality score into account. But if you don’t care about that, you
can skip right past it and enjoy a quality review.
This isn’t as
well-known as some other game review sites, but it’s up-front about its biases
and hasn’t had concerning breaches of ethics. You may find it refreshing.
What Are the Best
Video Game Websites You Trust?
The best video game
websites aren’t necessarily the ones you hear about often. Every game website
has some drawbacks, whether it’s a lack of ethics, poorly justified review
scores, or a radical bias. But these seven sites are great places to get your
video game news and reviews.
In addition to them,
we recommend that you find some YouTubers or Twitch streamers that you enjoy.
Game websites employ dozens of people, which makes it difficult to find a
consistent voice. With a single YouTuber, you can understand their preferences
and see if a game is right for you. Plus, seeing a game for yourself always
helps
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