About GamePeople

Juvenile Gamer Reviews

Game Reviews
Home | Family Video Game GuidesJuvenile Gamer Reviews

Juvenile Gamer - Richard

Richard Murphy' Juvenile Gamer content:

Subscribe

Juvenile Gamer in your inbox:

Richard's Favourites

When we grow up we leave behind childish things. That's what keeps me up at night. Surely there's a way to be a gamer in an adult life? These reviews help me are treatise to keep something I dearly love with me without remaining a juvenile.

Videogames stand as a point of contention in my continued emotional maturity. I shouldn't be writing this; in fact, I shouldn't really be writing about games at all. I should be focusing my attentions on more important and adult enterprises like sorting out the finances and washing the car on a Sunday.

Leaving university and entering the realm of the grown-up is a shockingly revealing time for those of us that remain childish at heart and juvenile at head. When I discuss my future plans of videogame journalism the disappointment in my parents' glances is never quite adequately disguised. Games have grown up with me and although they can seem immature and downright delinquent at times, in other instances they can be profound and beautiful.

In many ways I think games are just like me; struggling to rid themselves of the cloak of adolescence and fit into the chinos of adult life. When I play a game I need to feel like I'm somehow improving myself by doing so. Growing up with games is not something which stopped when I became an adult, it is a factor of my existence which will continue as long as I keep learning new things.

In my reviews you'll find a selection of my musings, pondering and fretful flappings as I wade into the murk of adulthood whilst desperately clinging onto my juvenility. Will games be a hindrance or a boon to my continued leanings? Only time and gaming will tell.

Read more about me.

While initially seeming simplistic but stylish, I found a hidden depth to The Unfinished Swan that few games have matched... read now

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 Loading comments...

Morality and conscience are two vital attributes we must learn to abide by, but somehow Dishonored destroyed my sense of right and wrong in one fell swoop... read now

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 Loading comments...

When Journey was released on PS3 there was a lot of hype from the community. Journey was supposed to be gaming art, and these two words together make gamers flap and remonstrate and argue... read now

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 Loading comments...

Max Payne 3 is about shooting people in the face. As much as Rockstar want to dress it up in smart suits and snazzy dialogue, I found myself pumping goons full of lead more than relating to anything that was going on around me... read now

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 Loading comments...

While I enjoy Drake's adventures I do feel a great loss at the untold story of his relationships. Uncharted 3 cements these frustrations and provides a rollicking adventure that's as shallow as it is gorgeous. .. read now

Tue, 08 May 2012 Loading comments...

Final Fantasy XIII-2 takes another stab at telling the story of Lightning, Serah, Snow in a more open and wild world. Unfortunately it replaces the charm and narrative drive of the first game with confusion, convolution and complexity. .. read now

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 Loading comments...

Persona 4 PS3 captures the wonder of wasted youth. Spending time in the quaint Japanese town of Inaba has reignited my love for both JRPGs and oblique Japanese colloquialism. .. read now

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 Loading comments...

As with the films that have influenced it, Deus Ex's main strengths lie in its ability to craft a monumental story in an evocative world. The multi-faceted gameplay options and open ended narrative tracks only add to this masterful and very human videogame. .. read now

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 Loading comments...

My love for traditional RPGs is often tested by lazy design and sloppy implementation. White Knight Chronicles proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back. However strong the connection to tradition, a new experience should move thigns forwards if it is genuinely new... read now

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 Loading comments...

Picking up a control pad should be a moment to cherish and look forward to, but Under Siege's complicated button map and monotonous presentation sends my mind wandering to different, more domesticated pastures... read now

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 Loading comments...

More Juvenile Gamer reviews, chronological or alphabetical.

© GamePeople 2006-13 | Contact | Huh?

Grown up gaming?

Family Video Game Age Ratings | Home | About | Radio shows | Columnists | Competitions | Contact

RSS | Email | Twitter | Facebook

With so many different perspectives it can be hard to know where to start - a little like walking into a crowded pub. Sorry about that.

But so far we've not found a way to streamline our review output - there's basically too much of it. So, rather than dilute things for newcomers we have decided to live with the hubbub while helping new readers find the columnists they will enjoy.

What sort of gamer are you?

Our columnists each focus on a particular perspective and fall into one of the following types of gamers: