Comments on Hey, PC Game Reviewers: I Think We Should Take Our Own Screenshots

By: A concerned Fan

2013-11-01T19:47:10Z

Hey Chris. This is probably not the place to contact you about this, but my girlfriend recently asked me to write reviews, video game reviews specifically, for the school newsletter. Being a huge fan since Livin’ in Oblivion, and having read every single one of the articles you posted since then, I immediately went to check out your PCGamer page for new articles, but my phone, iPad and laptop could not find your page, saying it was deleted/removed. Any idea what’s up with his?

By: Joannes

2013-09-12T11:04:50Z

I couldn’t agree more. I always take my own screenshots for my reviews and I also try to match them to the surrounding text as much as possible. When I’m describing the enemies and their crappy AI behaviour, I want a screenshot of a guard facing the wall while I am shooting at him. When I’m pointing out lapses in visual fidelity, I want a screenshot of a flowing river that looks like a solid object with a crappy animated texture.

By: Danielle

2013-09-11T20:58:05Z

For what it’s worth, Chris, your screenies (esp for your comedy work) really add an extra special touch to your work. My friend and I still reference the creepy dockworker man from one of your sim playthroughs. BWAAAAM.

By: Chris Evans

2013-09-11T20:05:10Z

Totally agree, I don’t see much (if any) reason not to take screenshots on a PC Game. Most games work fine with the Steam overlay which takes shots, FRAPS is free (for basic options admittedly) and of course, there is always the handy print screen button.

I might never go back through to get ‘perfect’ screenies, but I do try and take quite a lot through the game I am playing to tell the story of my experience with it.

By: Christopher

2013-09-11T19:54:27Z

In reply to Ian.

I think because I blogged about gaming on my own for so long, and had no choice but to use my own screenshots (PR isn’t in the habit of sending media kits to random no-name bloggers), I just never considered using anything else. There was nothing else to consider!

When I started writing for PCG, they reinforced my habit with their “take your own shots” policy. I think that’s part of why I was so surprised to see only about a third of the reviewers doing the same. I just assumed everyone did it.

By: Ian

2013-09-11T19:34:42Z

I come at it from another angle: I’ve spent a lot of years covering events, and going to be a photojournalist is just as important as being there to observe and write. When I review or preview a game, I’m doing both, and the screenshots are my camera.

With this in mind, it never occurred to me to not use my own screenshots. “This is my experience,” as you say, is a good way to put it.

By: Christopher

2013-09-11T19:24:15Z

In reply to unacomn.

My screenshot count for Outlast: 421 shots taken. 95% of them, of course, are images of me JUST MISSING the image I was going for.

And I know what it’s like to lose screenshots, or find out after a couple hours that Fraps hasn’t been taking pictures, or that you changed the keymapping and you’ve recorded nothing. It’s the worst.

By: Christopher

2013-09-11T19:19:22Z

In reply to Johan Thams.

Yeah, I typically don’t read many reviews, so it was a bit of a shock that the majority of sites (at least in this case of this game) weren’t using their own screens. I guess it’s not that rare, though.

By: unacomn

2013-09-11T19:18:34Z

The only time when I didn’t use my own screenshots was when I simply couldn’t. My main PC died, with about a hundred screenshots from Dead Rising 2 Off the Record on it. All that hilarity, all that ridiculous carnage, lost. I had to use the stock PR shots.
I agree that everyone that reviews games should use their own screenshots and their own footage. Otherwise, it just seems like they didn’t do much of an effort. Just a few. I’m not asking everyone to make 500 screenshots in Deus Ex HR and then choose 15 for the review.

By: Johan Thams

2013-09-11T19:13:45Z

I always use my own screenshots, I find it’s as much a part of my review as the text. It’s my experience, my impressions – and my interpretation of what I believe people want to know about the game. I’m surprised at how rare it is for reviewers to actually use their own screenshots. What better way to differentiate your review from all the others? Great write-up!