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I can remember the 1up Show, and how interesting and solid each discussion featured on the show was. After watching this week’s Area 5 show, I’m afraid to say that Area 5 is sorely lacking.
In contrast to the 1up Show, when Ryan, Jason, Cesar, Jay, and Matt were filming some of the most articulate writers the video game industry has seen, the show was highly entertaining. The idea of inviting other video game writers is a plus, but on this week’s show, I could barely understand what Cesar was trying to convey during the Call of Juarez discussion . When he was trying to say how he felt about Call of Juarez as a whole, he kept rephrasing what he said a few seconds ago.
Cesar alone is not to blame. Let’s be honest, there’s a reason the Area 5 guys aren’t invited to podcasts. They are spectacular video producers, and I commend them for that, but they are not the most articulate game critics. They certainly do a great job explaining their personal experiences, but can barely make a solid critique about a game, which is why they made such an appropriate fit making the 1up Show with the verbally articulate 1up guys.
I can understand how stressful it can be improvising these discussions (whether they are or are not), but as an honest consumer, I felt like no one on the Call of Juarez discussion clearly indicated whether it was something I should look into or not. Maybe I’m harping too much on the Call of Juarez discussion alone, but relative to Area 5’s quality work in the past, this simply didn’t seem to fit.
No offense Area 5 guys, just some constructive criticism.