CW's Guide to RPG Reviewing
The biggest downside is the fact that writing any review, even a ridiculously short one, is work. It can be a lot of fun, especially when the review is finished, but the process often has all of the joys of the 8-5 job with the added bonus of taking place at the end of an already busy work day. Those who are comped feel this to an even greater extent, as now the reviewer has already been given something in return for writing the review. While I have never, ever had a publisher harass me about hurrying up a review, getting that job out is always in the back of my mind and can even result in stress since it's yet another thing that must be done.
Many people view the review copy as compensation for the review and note the bias this creates in the mind of the reviewer. I think that there's some merit to this, but I also feel that the honest reviewer's perspective isn't being considered. First, consider how many hours go into the production of a review for a game. At a minimum a careful consideration of the text is in order, often followed by playtesting or at least tinkering with the mechanics. Writing the review can be time consuming, especially for the writer who wants to accurately use game terminology and carefully explain mechanics without any embarrassing mistakes alone the way. Turned into an hourly wage, reviewing pays very little. The compensation here is really in the realm of the good feeling one gets for contributing to a loved community, especially for regular reviewers who treat it more like a part time job.
Speaking of the time commitment, this can change how an active reviewer roleplays. Review products may take priority over other events, and finding time to write can interfere with finding time to game. I've managed to maintain a balance, but there have been times, especially during my time as an ENnies judge, when the main campaign had to take a back seat to trying out anything and everything in the evaluation stack. It takes a great group of friends to make this happen, and even then it can be stressful to frequently prep new games with new rules for people to try out.
I've always viewed a promise to review as a contract and have taken it very seriously. For similarly ethical reviewers a downside emerges in that eventually a product will be accepted only to turn out to be a miserable experience to review. This need not be a comment on the quality of the product, as everyone has different preferences. I've given high marks to great products that I've found to be downright unpleasant to read and play, not because they weren't excellent but because I wasn't the proper audience. Then, of course, sometimes the game is just terrible but the reviewer is going to have to finish it anyhow. For a lengthy game with involved mechanics this can quickly become a headache, and I've found that situations like this can hold up the entire review process for weeks until I can find the energy to finish evaluating the game.
Another downside is that functioning as a critic can be frustrating. While there are many people who will offer insightful comments on a review, there are also some who are happy to dump on it for the tiniest of reasons or who are so tied to a given game that they refuse to accept even mild criticism. The best reviewers will stay with their reviews to address questions and comments, but doing so means taking in all the good and bad of the online community. Fortunately, this can be somewhat mitigated by only posting with a cool head, retaining a friendly disposition, and honestly admitting any flaws with the review.
There are downsides to writing reviews, there's no doubt about it. Those who lack the time, dedication, and support necessary to keep it up may have a better time sticking with playing or writing only the occasional review. Nevertheless, I've found these obstacles to be surmountable and while any hobby has its good and bad days I continue to love supporting my community through my role as an RPG reviewer.
