Newswise — Americans bought more than $21 billion worth of video game systems, software and accessories in 2008. This year, Wake Forest University students have created the blog, VGameU.org, to help players and parents evaluate new video games for the holiday season.
Four students enrolled in the first-year seminar “Video Games: Research and Theory” created the blog, which mixes their reviews with tips for parents and insights gained from academic research.
The blog offers a unique perspective. “On the one hand, the bloggers represent the largest proportion of gamers, young males ages 18-34,” said Associate Professor of Communication Marina Krcmar, who teaches the class. “On the other hand, they have spent the semester immersed in academic research—game content, effects on adults, effects on children, parents’ perceptions and concerns. As a result, they see both sides. They understand the academic perspective and yet they themselves are avid gamers.”
Ford St. John describes what makes this blog different from other game review sites. “A lot of reviews out there are by 30 to 40-year-olds writing for video game retailers, I’m only 18 and offer a younger perspective.”
The students evaluated six categories: challenge, graphics, replay value, narrative, ease of controls and social playability. In the section geared toward parents, they also evaluated objectionable content (including sexual content and violence) and addictiveness. A section devoted to the “academic perspective” focuses on current academic research on video games.
“They are university students, so, of course, each game gets a letter grade,” Krcmar said.
In her class, topics have included the video game industry, motivations for game play, the effects of virtual environments on learning, and the effects of violent video game play on aggression.
“Students learn that video games can be studied analytically,” she said. Krcmar studies the effects of games and the influence of video game violence on children and adolescents, as well as the effects of video game realism on aggressive outcomes. She expects the reviews the students post to the blog to be a valuable resource for parents.
“The T-rating and M-rating for video games are not very consistent and not very informative for parents, so parents need more information,” she said. “I would like parents to use the blog to help them make sound media decisions for their kids.”
The students—Sal Scifo, Matt DiDomenico, Ford St. John and T.J. Scholberg—volunteered to spend time outside class to review games. Based on what they read and discussed in class, they worked with Krcmar on criteria for the reviews.
St. John says he thought about everything he would want to know when considering a video game purchase. “Now that I buy everything with my own money, I’ve learned to become an informed consumer. We’re trying to make the reviews as helpful as possible, so people won’t make purchases they’ll regret later.”
He also thought about what his parents would want to know regarding the latest research on the effects of video games.
In addition to providing consumer reviews, “we describe for parents what is really going on in the game,” Scifo said. Beyond the blog, the class has had an impact on how the students think about one of their favorite pastimes. “The class has shown me some of the negative effects of video games,” he said. “Knowing more of the research might affect my video game choices and the amount of time I play.”
Scholberg said, “I have learned how much more in depth and complex people's responses are to games and how complex their interactions with them can be.” The blog has given him and the other students a public forum to share that knowledge.
The students, not Krcmar, chose all the games to review.
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