Anyone need a games reviewer?!?!

[PCuser21]

Hey guys,
I love my video games and I really love writing about them. Does anyone have a games site that they need reviewers for, or does anyone know any sites looking for reviewers. I would like to be sent the game to review and I could send a sample of a review of a game I wrote if needed.
Thanks
Dave

[Zak33]

i'll ask the main games man...but do NOT hold ya breath

[Zak33]

yeah....he wants me to review some!

nutter! But I think we're full of reviewers right now. Soz

[Whiternoise]

you can always just write em up and post them on the forums and with a bit of luck - the nice guys at Hexus might link it with the main review (i'm thinking of the Oblivion review by Kalniel here)

[PCuser21]

Well, I would like to get the game sent to me, because currently, im quite poor and cant afford many games If theres any placements for reviewing here Zak, could you tell me?
Thanks
Dave

[Steven W]

Well, I would like to get the game sent to me, because currently, im quite poor and cant afford many games If theres any placements for reviewing here Zak, could you tell me?
Thanks
Dave

PM sent.

There's plenty of reviewing jobs out there, unfortunately most don't pay, but you'll get the games for free.

[PCuser21]

PM sent.

There's plenty of reviewing jobs out there, unfortunately most don't pay, but you'll get the games for free.

Well, I don't want a paying job, I don't mind writing reviews as long as I get the games. I would do it for a passion, and som fun.

[Nick]

Hi PCuser21,

If I may, I'll give you a couple of tips.

First, saying that you want the games and in return you'll write a review just isn't going to go down well with many sites. 90% of a PR dude's job is making sure he's not sending precious copies of his game to some bloke who's just going to keep it and never write anything about it. 10% of my job is working with these PR dudes to secure code, so as an editor I'm not going to be too inclined to send a game to someone who's stated motivation is to get games for free.

Second, judging by the few lines in this thread, you need to work on your grammar. Sorry if this sounds harsh but take this sentence:

I would like to be sent the game to review and I could send a sample of a review of a game I wrote if needed.

What that says is you wrote a game and you're going to send me a sample of a review of it. I know that's not what you mean but there are literally thousands of folks out there asking the same thing as you, if you're going to secure any work, you need to be better than them.

Third, don't expect any AAA titles until you've written several reviews to an acceptable standard and delivered them by the set deadline. This means you'll get budget re-releases and relatively unknown games by small publishers. You'll get a lot of stuff you don't even have an interest in playing. Can you force yourself to play Pro Cycling Manager for 15 hours to see as much as the game has to offer?

Given that many sites pay around $15-20 for a review, you're getting a good deal if you think one review pays for keeping the game. Websites know this, so you can expect them to demand a high standard and any editor worth his salt will make you re-write and re-write a piece until he is happy... Seeing as you're getting roughly $50 of gear for doing something he normally pays $20 for, he's going to want quality and to not have to sub-edit your work.

All in all, it's not the bed of roses that everyone thinks it is as Steven W will no doubt agree.

Hope this helps!

Nick

[PCuser21]

Hi PCuser21,

If I may, I'll give you a couple of tips.

First, saying that you want the games and in return you'll write a review just isn't going to go down well with many sites. 90% of a PR dude's job is making sure he's not sending precious copies of his game to some bloke who's just going to keep it and never write anything about it. 10% of my job is working with these PR dudes to secure code, so as an editor I'm not going to be too inclined to send a game to someone who's stated motivation is to get games for free.

Second, judging by the few lines in this thread, you need to work on your grammar. Sorry if this sounds harsh but take this sentence:


What that says is you wrote a game and you're going to send me a sample of a review of it. I know that's not what you mean but there are literally thousands of folks out there asking the same thing as you, if you're going to secure any work, you need to be better than them.

Third, don't expect any AAA titles until you've written several reviews to an acceptable standard and delivered them by the set deadline. This means you'll get budget re-releases and relatively unknown games by small publishers. You'll get a lot of stuff you don't even have an interest in playing. Can you force yourself to play Pro Cycling Manager for 15 hours to see as much as the game has to offer?

Given that many sites pay around $15-20 for a review, you're getting a good deal if you think one review pays for keeping the game. Websites know this, so you can expect them to demand a high standard and any editor worth his salt will make you re-write and re-write a piece until he is happy... Seeing as you're getting roughly $50 of gear for doing something he normally pays $20 for, he's going to want quality and to not have to sub-edit your work.

All in all, it's not the bed of roses that everyone thinks it is as Steven W will no doubt agree.

Hope this helps!

Nick

Im sorry, but I think I misinterpreted what I am saying. I don't usually tend to write with very good grammar on forums, if I write a piece, the English language will be MUCH better. Also, I wasn't trying to say I will write reviews because I get free games. I was stating that I do not need any pay. So I guess I can't get a job here. I am very sorry for sounding rude in my last post, but I did not mean it in that way.

[Ferral]

I can honestly concur with Nick on titles you receive.

I have done a few reviews now for Nick, rewrites come as standard at times. Even on a personal level if you arn't happy with it yourself. I am currently working a a game that is huge in size, I don't want Nick to have to go through it with a fine tooth comb before it is published, minor changes and edits can and do happen. However the bulk has to spot on so very little has to be done by your editor.

Not forgetting at times, games do actually have to be sent back to PR companies or your editor for many reasons. It could well be preview code, or the software may be needed for a competition.

[djhworld]

One thing I'd like to input into this discussion is, do you really think the editors of this site will give you a writing job within the grounds of "wanting free games"?

Personally, I think you should write a few sample reviews of games you currently own to give prospective sites a taste of your style and ability.

Just my two cents

[PCuser21]

OK, I think everyone misunderstood me. I am not saying I want to write reviews to get free games. I meant that as long as I get sent the games to review, then I'll be fine. I would be more than happy to send the games back when I complete the review, but I have read on other sites, that you get to keep the games, so its my mistake. Should I send a sample review to you Nick?

[Nick]

PCuser21,

I'm not trying to be mean or elitist or anything at all like that, I'm just being honest.

Your best bet for getting a job reviewing games is to put together a short, relevant CV and include a review of a recent title.

Have a read of the reviews on the site you're applying to and see if their style matches yours.

Drop an e-mail to the guy in charge and politely ask if he's got an interest in taking on a part-time reviewer.

Be realistic and tell him that you're not expecting twenty copies of Chromehounds in the post tomorrow.

Attach your CV which should have FULL contact details including landline numbers for home and work as well as a postal address and mobile. Include any other e-mail addresses you use too. This shows the editor you're being open and honest and giving him every means of keeping in touch.

DON'T say you want the game as payment for work, he'll bin your e-mail straight off.

Offer to work for free, for the pleasure of playing the game and say that you'll return the game when the review is completed. If you've reviewed it properly, you'll have played at least 50% of it anyway...

Include a sample review, matching the website's reviews in style and size if possible. It shows you can already produce work to their standards. Don;t be afraid to send in a review where you've slated a game. In fact, dig out one just like that and send it, but make damn sure you can back up all your complaints about the game in question. This will show the editor that you're not afraid to slag off a poor game and you have the language skills to inform readers WHY the game is crap.

Give the editor a rough idea of how long it would take you to write a review from the time your recieve the code. Don't forget, he'll expect screenshosts sized to the websites needs as well, so you need to make time for that too.

Oh and one last thing... Be prepared to get LOADS of rejections... Like I said before, everyone is trying the same thing as you, so you've got to be better than them.

As for HEXUS, you haven't queered you chances here by a long way, we're not that cliquey!

So if you want to send something in to me then please do, I'll certainly give it a fair look but I have to say that we've no plans to take anyone on right now, even on a casual basis.

However, we are looking for a full time technical writer...

[PCuser21]

Thank you very much for all those tips! It will help me A LOT in getting a part-time job reviewing. I understand why you don't want to take me and have no problems whatsoever with it. Thank you for giving me all these tips!

[kalniel]

you can always just write em up and post them on the forums and with a bit of luck - the nice guys at Hexus might link it with the main review (i'm thinking of the Oblivion review by Kalniel here)

Heh, well I wasn't trying to get a job, I just write the odd review from time to time when I've got an opinion on a game and/or think that other reviews I've seen haven't covered a game well enough (and no Oblivion review is ever going to cover everything).

Reviewing games professionally would take a lot of the fun away from playing them. Maybe if you had the time to actually enjoy the game first time around it wouldn't be so bad, but with the length of PC games in particular I don't think I'd have time to go through first time for me, then start again again for the review. You'd have to constantly make notes about your thoughts, the process, and include some objective thoughts as well as subjective - I know *I* might like this game, but how might someone else who's not a fan of this genre think?

I was the same when I got into beta-testing games - I thought it was a really cool opportunity to play yet to be released games for free. But in reality it is a job, even though it's fun, it does spoil the game for you if you are taking it seriously.

Technical writing sounds fun though, as you can't spoil a graphics card by seeing it in advance The only downer would be having to send it back if it was really good!

[Whiternoise]

Tech writing would be fun.. but you need to know too much for it..

And yeah, as you said - imagine getting a pair of 7950GX2's and then being told that you have to give them back..

Anyway.. doesn't Hexus get labs to do all the fun work?