On Oct 30, 5:22 pm, juliantai googlemail.com> wrote:

I have worked as a product (and video game) reviewer in the past and
while the temptation of free stuff can be a draw it really shouldn't
enter into the equation. The allure of free stuff will wear off in
less than a month, guaranteed. All too often people would get into
reviewing for that reason and find themselves out of it in days/weeks.
I have only received free samples once (which weren't tied to an
order) and I really didn't go out of my way to cover them.

Never let "free" taint your reviews because once you have, your
credibility is lost forever. The other thing I used to say all the
time is that the glorious image of being showered in free swag, is
false. Nine times out of ten the stuff you get won't be something you
are into... you don't get to pick free stuff. So for every great game
I reviewed, I spent a lot of time and effort reviewing utter crap like
Britney Spears Dance Beat, or Elmo goes to school, or Mary Kate and
Ashley go to the mall. I would have gladly just bought the one good
game and enjoyed it rather than wasting my time and effort on junk.
I'd imagine tea would be no different.

"Reviewing" things is the quickest way to ensure your love for that
subject will diminish to drudgery. It no longer becomes a hobby,
passion, or past-time but a chore. Covering something after the fact
that you enjoyed or disliked is much more fun and has none of the
trappings.

Just my 2 pence from a battered and well seasoned reviewer.
- Dominic

(To this day I rarely play a videogame)