It’s just a game!

Someone whose website I read for reviews recently decided he’d had enough. He deleted his website and Twitter accounts and has decided to make a major change to what he does and how he does it. Eric decided that he’d had enough of not getting enjoyment out of doing game reviews, and that the gamers have become jaded and there’s a trap when it comes to reviewing games. The Reviewer will only give good reviews because it means getting more games to review, and I understand his point, but it makes me feel like I need to clarify something.

I have not done a review of a game that I didn’t buy or haven’t backed on Kickstarter. I’ve gotten one free game to review and will be looking to pay that debt in a different way, as I have not done the review of that game. My opinions are my own and do not represent what anyone else feels for the game. I love many games, but there are games I just don’t like. You are welcome to agree with me or disagree. I would love to have a discussion with everyone about what makes games good or makes them bad. I know some gamers who can’t stand to play anything that lasts over 90 minutes, where other gamers love games that take all day and night to play.

Some games are abstracts that don’t have a theme, where other games have books and books of back story. Some games are very strategic, where one wrong move in the first few turns can end up costing you the game. Other games are very luck based, where there are lots of dice rolling and not much in the way of decisions. Heavy games are hard to approach and require a time commitment to learn, where light games are easy to pick up and play without too much planning.

I enjoy abstract games that don’t have a theme, like GIPF.
I enjoy theme heavy games, like Arkham Horror.

I enjoy deep strategy games, like Power Grid
I enjoy luck based games, like Can’t Stop.

I enjoy heavy games, like Age of Steam.
I enjoy light games, like Wizard.

I like lots of different kinds of games because I haven’t gone in “knowing” I wouldn’t like a game for some reason. I enjoy playing lots of different games for lots of different reasons.

If you enjoy boardgames, please love the hobby for what it brings you and the pleasure you get from playing the games. If someone doesn’t like your favorite game, that’s okay. Your enjoyment of that game should not be changed by their opinion. If you don’t like a game, that’s fine too. Just understand that your dislike is your opinion and someone else may think it’s the best game ever made. Each of us like and dislike different things, it’s part of what makes us human.

Now that Eric is “Full of Chit,” he’s going to focus on the hobby rather than individual games, and I hope he does well. I appreciate his honesty and (usually) enjoy his sarcastic nature. He can get very opinionated, and he’s certainly not for everyone, but I consider him a friend and feel you may want to give his writings a once over.