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The 100 lamest game-industry clichés

Learn the lexicon of laziness that makes all game reviews sound the same

Words: Mikel Reparaz, GamesRadar US

70. Button-masher - Really just slang for "this game takes zero skill, strategy or thought to play." Whether or not that's a good thing is up to you.

71. A different beast - Not the beast we were just talking about, but a different one. And by "beast" we mean "game." And by "different," we mean "I probably shouldn't have wasted your time by bringing up the first one that this is so different from."

72. Brings its A-game - It's probably a sports game, and it probably doesn't suck. Probably.

Above: PROBABLY.

73. Exciting new adventure - Publisher-speak for an adventure that's eerily similar to every single one you've already played, and only half as exciting.

74. Action-packed - There's some action in there, if you squint really hard. It must be packed in pretty tightly.

75. Rip-roaring - An exuberant adjective meant to conjure visions of rollicking good times and rollercoaster rides from start to finish.

76. Ever since… - Almost always seen at the beginning of reviews that start in with a historical introduction about the game, its series, its genre, its developer, the developer's family or what the reviewer found in his stool that morning. A clear sign you can skim down to the first mention of the game's title, which will probably be on the second page.

77. Test your might - Every game writer over the age of 25 is required by law to use this when writing about any Mortal Kombat game, in order to show how "old-school" they are for playing games during the mid-'90s.

78. Incredible value - $29.99, according to most publishers.

79. Solid gameplay - The gameplay is neither liquid nor gas. Also meant to imply that the experience of actually playing the game - as opposed to watching its cutscenes or navigating its menus - is good. Not great, but good.

80. Turn off your brain - This game is incredibly stupid, but the reviewer enjoys stupid things. However, he or she was born without the gland that differentiates "fun stupid" (Earth Defense Force 2017) from "stupid stupid" (Charlie's Angels, Big Mutha Truckers, the phrase "turn off your brain"), so it would probably be a smart idea if you avoid the hell out of whatever it is he or she is touting.

81. Extending our lead - Publisher-speak for "lagging behind somewhat less in sales."

Above: Oh, shit, did we just go there? Sorry about that

82. You'll take on the role of… - You'll play as this guy. See Step into the shoes of.

83. Rave reviews - The game in question got, or is getting, reviews that averaged somewhere above a seven out of 10.

84. Chain together combos - Hit a bunch of buttons in sequence to make the little man onscreen visit horrible acts of violence upon those around him. Ooh, pretty.

85. Pick up and play - A quality touted by makers of simple games that don't require reading a manual or going through a mandatory tutorial to understand how to play. Of course, they'll make you go through a mandatory tutorial anyway, just to make sure you know how to jump and move in a straight line.

86. What could be better than that? - Oh, lots of things, actually.

87. Sets a new benchmark - Will require the purchase of a new PC in order to play.

88. Realistic physics - Industry-speak for "you can attach a string to a cinder block and push it off a cliff to solve a puzzle."

89. Addictive - Reviewer shorthand for games that keep you going for "one more level" until suddenly it's 5 a.m. and you've aged 30 years. It's also publisher shorthand for "please say this is addictive in your review please I've got kids to feed pleeeeeeease."

90. Gritty - Filled with manly he-men who live in an urban wasteland, grimace a lot and kick the crap out of each other without ever changing their expressions. Alternately, it's industry shorthand for "there are hoboes in this game."

Above: GRIT!

91. Wreak havoc - Would be one of the most overused phrases for describing outrageous, unrestrained violence, if only videogame reviewers could learn to spell it right.


 
10 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
Kirbykiller4  - 11 months 7 days ago 
I don't actually think I could snap a controller in half with my bare hands anyway.

And no,I'm not saying first,most sites ban people for saying that,and I'm sure this site will eventually.

FFFFFFFUUUUU- I just said it
Chicago  - 10 months 2 days ago 
Nos 25, 96, and 100 are the best. But for 96 what game is that?

Recaptcha for this

legal $53.620,924.90
GamesRadarMikelReparaz  - 7 months 10 days ago 
That would be Resident Evil on GameCube.
AlpineGuy  - 5 months 9 days ago 
How DID that PSP break, anyway?
Regardless, great article!
caboose4400  - 5 months 8 days ago 
i dont think i'd be able to break a controller in half xbox controller no normal person could break but PS2 maybe....any way great article
winner2  - 5 months 6 days ago 
number 69 made my day lol
Danomeon  - 5 months 5 days ago 
I generally find that all of these cliches are unavoidable in writing a review. The point of a review is to inform others how good or bad the game is, and some of these phrases are overused simply because they get the job done.

Everyone knows what "Action packed" means, and that word is a good descriptor. I hear people say that a game is "Beautiful" alot and do I mind it? No, mainly because it is the most simple way to describe the graphics.

Not to mention the fact that some of these words can be used to further bring others towards a good game. For example, if you said that Okami (You know you cannot resist this game!) was "Revolutionary" and "Action packed", people would want to purchase it more.
CombatCat120  - 3 months 24 days ago 
Never knew that so many words used in reviews meant the same(See All in All)
theschwartzb  - 3 months 4 hours ago 
Hahahahaha. "This game sucks shit throug ha giant straw", that is classic GR, and also why I come back for more.
olio  - 1 month 10 days ago 
Man, this article suddenly makes me self-conscious about my own writing... It was still funny, though. There's a lot of spinning going on in the gaming world, and it's funny to see that somebody's finally getting called out on that crap.
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