[Brody]

My pet peeve of the week - and it's one that crops up occasionally: Reviews that aren't exactly reviews, and the people who respond to them, sparking further reviews that aren't exactly reviews.

I won't name names, that just clouds the issue. We'll call the reviewer Player X. We'll call the game Game Y. Player X writes a review that's not too favorable, but mostly talks about his own personal run-in with the staff. That's not a review. It's a complaint to/about the management.

The staff of Game Y sees this, and immediately rallies to respond with their denial of Player X's non-review. This causes Player X to respond with a retort against the denial by Game Y, which sparks Game Y to reply, and the game reviews suddenly turn into the Player X versus Game Y discussion forum.

Look, folks: Some people aren't going to like your games. It happens. Your game may be the best one on the planet. You may be a creative genius. Player X may simply be a clueless, childish newbie without the sense God gave a bucket of seaweed. But bad things will ultimately be said about your game by peevish, vindictive, small individuals, and you just need to shut up. When you get dragged into the muck with Player X, you end up looking defensive and, ultimately, just as childish.

I speak from experience here. Back a few years ago, when my game was just getting off the ground, I got very defensive about it, and I probably would have reacted similarly. Hell, I'm pretty sure I did react similarly, at least once. It doesn't pay off.

Let it go.

If Player X says something with validity, absorb it, learn from it and move on.

If Player X is talking out his posterior through a tuba, ignore it and he'll go away.

Thanks!