Words, phrases, and tendencies you have my permission to stop using on www.backloggd.com
Playstation Greatest Hits version, edited for 2024.
Don’t worry, we can still be friends.
Don’t worry, we can still be friends.
23 Games
“Gameplay loop”
Seems like a word people say to make their opinion more important than it is. You can probably just say “the game” or “gameplay,” even
Seems like a word people say to make their opinion more important than it is. You can probably just say “the game” or “gameplay,” even
“Janky"
There are 80,000 words in the English language, can’t you think of another one that means “this controls strangely.”
Bonus points also for each instance of "Janky" = "I personally think this controls strangely and do not have the patience to figure it out, even if it might not be that hard to control after all"
There are 80,000 words in the English language, can’t you think of another one that means “this controls strangely.”
Bonus points also for each instance of "Janky" = "I personally think this controls strangely and do not have the patience to figure it out, even if it might not be that hard to control after all"
“Holds up”
Some games came out as early as the eighties, deal with it, man. You’re the only one making you play an old game
Some games came out as early as the eighties, deal with it, man. You’re the only one making you play an old game
"Aged poorly"
I like Star Fox! You aged poorly, dickhead
I like Star Fox! You aged poorly, dickhead
“What else needs to be said about _______?”
Then why bother? You’re the one posting. Come up with something or go away
Then why bother? You’re the one posting. Come up with something or go away
“Mid”
What are you, twelve? Get a thesaurus
What are you, twelve? Get a thesaurus
“Peak”
See “mid”
See “mid”
“Banger”
See “Peak”
See “Peak”
“Based”
See “Banger”
See “Banger”
“Kino”
See “Based”
See “Based”
“Soul”
See “Kin…”
Wait, hold on, what the hell does this even mean. I really don’t know
See “Kin…”
Wait, hold on, what the hell does this even mean. I really don’t know
"Poor level design"
As in "I personally do not like this particular aspect of the game" = "poor level design"
As in "I personally do not like this particular aspect of the game" = "poor level design"
“That (terrible component of a game you're complaining about) was actually intentional”
Okay. I still hated it. All that means is the developer should have known better
Okay. I still hated it. All that means is the developer should have known better
“_________ on crack/acid/barbiturates/etc”
Prohibited by law, unless you can prove you have indeed done crack/acid/etc and therefore know what you’re talking about
Prohibited by law, unless you can prove you have indeed done crack/acid/etc and therefore know what you’re talking about
“Get good”
This is the only argument that dick-measuring gamers had against easy modes for years. They’re like transphobes who identify as a helicopter
This is the only argument that dick-measuring gamers had against easy modes for years. They’re like transphobes who identify as a helicopter
“Skill issue”
Oh no honey, I beat it, I just didn’t like it. See the difference?
Oh no honey, I beat it, I just didn’t like it. See the difference?
“I wish I could play it for the first time again”
It’s a nice sentiment but you all say it too much
It’s a nice sentiment but you all say it too much
“One of the games of all time”
I think you’re trying to say something like “well that was certainly A GAME” and okay fine but… why are you all saying this. STOP IT
I think you’re trying to say something like “well that was certainly A GAME” and okay fine but… why are you all saying this. STOP IT
Discussing a piece of trivia about the game that is by now common knowledge.
Yes, we know what inspired Shigesato Itoi to create the Giygas boss fight. We all know
Yes, we know what inspired Shigesato Itoi to create the Giygas boss fight. We all know
A long preamble discussing the main content of the game we already know because we all just played it too
What I mean is people who feel the need to write a huge synopsis before the review as if they’re writing for gamespot.com, even though we’re not and we’re all on here because we already played the game.
It’s repetitive, you see. It’s the tendency to give us information we really don’t need because we already heard it once before.
It’s irritating when the writer doesn’t understand that we get something once and feels the need to really make sure we do by putting unnecessary information in that we already are well aware of.
As a wise man named David Byrne once said, “you’re talking a lot but you’re not saying anything/ when I have nothing to say my lips are sealed/ say something once, why say it again?”
What I mean is people who feel the need to write a huge synopsis before the review as if they’re writing for gamespot.com, even though we’re not and we’re all on here because we already played the game.
It’s repetitive, you see. It’s the tendency to give us information we really don’t need because we already heard it once before.
It’s irritating when the writer doesn’t understand that we get something once and feels the need to really make sure we do by putting unnecessary information in that we already are well aware of.
As a wise man named David Byrne once said, “you’re talking a lot but you’re not saying anything/ when I have nothing to say my lips are sealed/ say something once, why say it again?”
A status update and nothing else in the review, e.g. “100% in two months,” “emulated on my raspberry pi”
Put it in your log, man. This is letterboxd for games, I assure you no one gives a shit
Put it in your log, man. This is letterboxd for games, I assure you no one gives a shit
A link to your YouTube channel with no other content in the review.
Automatic block if you do this
Automatic block if you do this
A long explanation on your profile of what your star ratings mean
More stars on a rating means you think a game is better than than one with less stars, five being the most and 1/2 being the least. It’s not that deep, guys
More stars on a rating means you think a game is better than than one with less stars, five being the most and 1/2 being the least. It’s not that deep, guys
50 Comments
Haha I meant Wild Hearts. Can't even get the name of the game right?
4-8 I'll grant you, But I'll never stop saying 1-3 sorry. I'll propose "defending a hated aspect of a game by saying that it was intentional and pretending that that in itself justifies everything"
also "soul"
I abuse "game loop" too much, but only because I personally dislike the term "gameplay loop" more. Then again, we could always get into the needless debates around gameplay and its cognates, ex. bookread, moviewatch, etc.
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@gare I'm a prodigious abuser of "peak," and that reminds me of the other worn-out phrases in my tool chest: "great atmosphere" and "oozing with style".
I am presumably guilty of using "gameplay loop" out of automaticity. But if we're going that route, I would have to say not using capitalization or punctuation. Especially for longer form reviews.
@LordDarias what’s the quintessential example of your suggestion, in your opinion? Also what do you mean by “soul,” like souls games?
that youtube one drives me up the fucking wall lmao
i seem to be mostly alone on this, but i got really tired of seeing based, kino, raw, etc everywhere. maybe it's just because i deliberately don't follow people who consistently post reviews using only those words ad nauseum, but it does seem like they don't appear quite so much lately. still, i'd have those on my list.
You really got me with ''janky'' there.
I always try not to use overused words related to videogames when discussing them but sometimes it can be a bit difficult to find the words to express something, especially when English is not your mother tongue like in my case. Still, I want to keep trying and this list may help me to remember to try and express things differently, even tho I don't use most of the expressions here anyway.
And yeah, reviews that only have a YouTube link really put me off, like, if you include it in a review, that's totally fine, but when there's only a link is pretty lame.
I always try not to use overused words related to videogames when discussing them but sometimes it can be a bit difficult to find the words to express something, especially when English is not your mother tongue like in my case. Still, I want to keep trying and this list may help me to remember to try and express things differently, even tho I don't use most of the expressions here anyway.
And yeah, reviews that only have a YouTube link really put me off, like, if you include it in a review, that's totally fine, but when there's only a link is pretty lame.
@weatherby kung fu treachery
"Holds up" and "Janky" are ones I am particularly guilty of in reviews. Another thing that I am guilty of that could apply to this list is using the same word to describe something in the same review more than once. I'm not always the best with words but I am trying to get better at that.
Also "this happened to my friend ____." Why is this everywhere and have we not run out of names?
As a compliment to 'holds up', 'aged poorly' also belongs.
there are multiple peaks in a mountain range
I can't remember off the top of my head what games have it the most, but I see "vapid" more on this site than most places, I guess?
as controversial as it is I think I've some people here aliken Chrono Trigger as such. it's a great adventure but it's not challenging or stimulating
as controversial as it is I think I've some people here aliken Chrono Trigger as such. it's a great adventure but it's not challenging or stimulating
of the "that was actually intentional"? Nothing specific comes to mind, though its usually done to defend shitty gameplay and/or art direction. By soul I mean games being described as "soul" or having soul, and just not explaining what the hell they mean by that
@zn0 can i be your arch rival
"Mid" has been rubbing off on me lately I'm afraid, I've been mostly free of the other vernacular that the youngins have been using though.
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"Filtered" is probably one of the ones I don't enjoy, mostly because it just tends to be used to shut down anyone who didn't enjoy X game.
The realisation that I’ve done about 3 of these has forced me to commit ritual Seppuku
This list is like the peak of mid on crack but it still holds up
"It's something else" (?)
"It has something for everyone!" (?)
"It has something for everyone!" (?)
One that's been really getting to me recently is reviews that just say something like "Good game, I have nothing interesting to add". Why post a review if you have nothing to say!?
This more so applies to the whole website rather than a single game, but this user base has a tendency to act like anything that's below a 9/10 or 10/10 isn't worth your time. Either something is "mid" (aka bad) or a masterpiece.
I've seen too many reviews on this in which someone gives a game a 7/10 and proceeds to call it "okay", "mediocre", or "extremely flawed". If I had to guess, I think it's because since video games take a lot of time to finish, people are afraid of trying something that people don't universally call a masterpiece in fear of not liking it.
I've seen too many reviews on this in which someone gives a game a 7/10 and proceeds to call it "okay", "mediocre", or "extremely flawed". If I had to guess, I think it's because since video games take a lot of time to finish, people are afraid of trying something that people don't universally call a masterpiece in fear of not liking it.
cowboyjosh
1 year ago