I do think feeding binary thumbs up/down data to an algorithm like Steam is different from prose reviews or criticism, which is what I'm talking about. The latter serves a lot of purposes that a thumbs down doesn't.
It's a surprising challenge to communicate honest feelings, but then finding the right words is also the fun of it.
Obviously there are limits. You don't expose people to the glare of a spotlight if they're not equipped to deal with it. But if you're on Steam, promoting it through a big event, featured in indie showcases, working on your fourth game, selling it for money... Yeah, that's fair cop for criticism.
And as a critic, you're relegating yourself to being a cheerleader, or someone who is only able to authentically engage with commercial work operating at scale. A critical landscape that could criticise Marvel movies but not, I dunno, Clerks.
If we're in a place where you can only criticise big games, and only praise or stay silent on small ones, I think that's an artistic culture that's emaciated. I think that's saying developers of small games don't deserve grownup critical cosnideration, only head pats like they're children.
Criticism isn't an attack. All criticism is subjective, so even a negative write-up might let someone know about a game they'd like more than the critic did. You're also trying to critically survey a broader culture, which means considering the parts of it that don't quite work for you and why.
I see people argue that you can't criticise small indie games, and I always wonder: at what scale does it become OK, then? How many employees does the team need? How many games under their belt? How much money made? Do developers need to submit audited accounts before you can say it's only okay?
Everyone mentioned here deserves better, but shout out to video editor Alix who was the 'invisible' team member of the RPS Video gang. Edited our first six months of the channel, took my rambling notes and turned them into some early wins. Was an exciting, fulfilling time. Hope someone snaps him up.
Chris! This is too kind but thank you. I've become a huge Besties/Resties fan in the past few months and have been binging a chunk of the archive, so it means a lot to hear you're enjoying Jank.
Turns out they just bin the backups if you haven't touched a world for a while. Even if the world is still stored on the server. Even though you're still paying the subscription.
He wasn't even particularly upset but I still think about it every day.
A few weeks ago I used the command to kill entities and forgot to limit its area, and thus killed every entity on the server, including my son's roughly 300 wolves.
No worries, I thought, Realms keeps backups. But no. We've played on this world for years, but not for 6 months or so.
Minecraft 2 but interacting with any single part of your child's beloved worlds isn't emotionally equivalent to defusing a bomb.
Minecraft 2 but the only difference is that downloading a 14.3mb world on your Realm doesn't download a 13.8mb file and then list the size as 6.4mb in the local world menu.
Minecraft 2 but the only difference is when you download a save file from a Realm, it keeps the world name as its filename, rather than the realm name.
Congratulations on being released from prison
Tom and I had the same roles at ReedPop and Eurogamer/IGNE, and he always approached the challenges with energy and dry humour. You should hire him if you can.
Hoverbikes are cool. Having a fist fight after each race is also cool.
www.jank.cool/a-hoverbike-...
Ziff Davis are fucking vandals. The way they've treated these sites is a truly rotten business.
That this was 13 years ago is making me feel kind of ill, but the issue this was in is probably, annoyingly, still the best thing I've ever worked on.
have any of you read this
I still think about it all the time
It’s been long enough that so many people haven’t read what I consider foundational pieces of games criticism
www.pcgamer.com/hotline-miam...
They won't respond until they get one more payment out of you. That's what they did with me.
Jank has existed for less than a month and we've already published freelance articles in that time by @abeewords.bsky.social and Sin Vega, all made possible thanks to paying subscribers.
Much more to come at www.jank.cool
[in quieter voice]
love u rps
What's your best memory of "jank" in a game?
From disappearing towns to floating jaguars, 14 game devs tell us their favourite glitchy moments.
www.jank.cool/what-is-your...
Some news - today I’m launching One More Catch, an independent publication covering Pokémon Go and the next generation of Pokémon games: @onemorecatch.site
There's no "hero" in Mouthwashing, but there is at least an honest drunk.
www.jank.cool/swansea-from...
Jezebel is expanding our freelance roster. If you have strong opinions, chaotic takes, or a deeply unserious ranking yearning for a home, we want to hear from you.
Email submissions@jezebel.com with two headline ideas (please no full drafts!) and any clips you’ve got.
HELLO! We are about to go live with
@brendyc.bsky.social
to talk about Jank.cool! twitch.tv/aftermathdotsite
[threatening] I still have all the chat logs, Robert.
