Multiplayer editor Stephen Totilo examined the process of reviewing games with interviews from reviewers, developers and publicists. Check out his reports:
- Totilo wrote about what reviews really mean to developers in his MTV News report.
- In an attempt to document the best review process, Totilo, with notes from his interviewees, drafted a Game Reviewer's Bill of Rights.
- For some game developers, low Metacritic scores = no royalties.
- Are downloadable games ignored by reviewers? Capcom and Sony weighed in.
- Meanwhile, popular PC puzzle game "Peggle" was totally skipped. Reviewers and publisher PopCap discussed the oversight.
- Sources say they were told by Konami not to mention certain things about "Metal Gear Solid 4" in their reviews.
- Former GameSpot reviewer Alex Navarro said that a PR person asked him to hold his review if he gave a game a low score.
- Should reviews ditch scores? Ted Price and Denis Dyack disagree.
- A sampling of key quotes about reviews from Jeff Gerstmann, Pete Wanat, Ted Price and Chris Kramer.
* Patrick Klepek spoke with Phil Harrison about how "Alone in the Dark" fixes a big problem in gaming, but he's not sure if the game will support the PS3's Home service or trophies.
* Harmonix claimed that the Wii version of "Rock Band" wasn't an afterthought and that white plastic is meant to get dirty. Meanwhile, we confirm "Guitar Hero: World Tour" will have licensed downloadable tracks.
* Yoshi takes the top spot for reptiles and amphibians in our search for the Greatest Animal in the History of Video Games.
* How is the new "Indiana Jones" movie like a video game? Klepek broke it down.
* Nintendo takes a vacation? For the first time in years, there are no first-party titles out in June.
* The week in "120 Seconds:" See the first two minutes of "Iron Man," "Speed Racer," "Terminator 2," and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End,"
* Meet DJ WiiJ -- he mixes and mashes music with Wiimotes. No joke.
* Zen Studios, an XBL developer, defends Microsoft's de-listing policies.
* Klepek learned that laughably bad Wii/arcade game "Target Terror" is a response to 9/11, and there's also a sequel coming.
* The best feature of "Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway"? Could be the rain.
* We find out how the Wii Balance Board works with the new "Shaun White Snowboarding" game.
