To the Editor:
In a recent issue of The Mirror, a newly added game review section caught my eye. I was delighted to see a capable video game reviewer. It seemed he had not fallen into the hype-o-meter style of evaluating games that has plagued video game reviews for the past couple of years. Although I agreed with some of the reviewer’s points on many of the games he discussed, it is lamentable that a certain game was not given the justice it deserved. I am dismayed at the review given to “The Orange Box.”
A student who deserves an ‘A’ but gets an ‘A-‘ hasn’t received justice, and a game that should have gotten a five but got a 4.5 hasn’t received justice as well. A perfect score should only be given to a game that has excelled in its genre so much so that it sets a new standard for game style.
“The Orange Box” does something that most other games can’t, and that is to appeal to all game players. Whether you are new to the series or a longtime fan, “The Orange Box” is a merit to its genre.
The game comes with five games total: two games that were previously released, the next episode in that series, the revolutionary game, “Portal,” and “Team Fortress 2.” The older releases allow newcomers to catch up to the current state in the series. The newest game in the series excels in the new game elements it has introduced, while keeping the tried-and-true formula of the rest of the series. “Portal” completely blew away the video game community with its innovative puzzle solving and amazing writing.
“Team Fortress” satisfies as an exemplar multiplayer game. I am in consensus with the reviewer on all these points, but his complaints about any particular game were too short (such as “Portal,” but if you think about it, the novelty would have worn off if it had been longer), and his points about the price aren’t strong.
If you are new to the series, then the $60 price tag shouldn’t be a problem. Fans won’t mind paying the price again for these games because they would want to support the companies that are making the games. If they would rather go cheaper, you can get it on the company’s online store for $20 less.
If you want a particular game from the “The Orange Box,” you can pick and choose on the same online service for the games you only want to purchase. If that addresses your concerns, then I am happy I wrote this, and if you have anymore arguments, I would be content to address those for you as well.
Sincerely, Ronny Nunez ’09
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