Voice Post: Alec Meer
Every day RPS posts a “Have you played…” post, where various authors write about a game that they recommend and why they recommend it. Last time we looked at one of the authors, Rick Lane. This time we are going to analyze the “voice” of another author, Alec Meer.
Each of the RPS authors has a very specific and recognizable tone, Alec Meer is no exception. This comes across in several ways both in what he writes about and how he actually writes. Unlike many of his compatriots Alec Meer talks about (slightly dated) triple A games. Such as Mass Effect 2, what he adds however is very important. He gives his views on why something is worth playing, contrasting it with mainstream views, and sometimes philosophizing. For example, his Mass Effect 2 post is mainly about how Mass Effect 2 is where Bioware got everything right. He starts the post by explaining that
“ For many, ME2 is a harbinger of doom, marking the point where Bioware most dramatically shifted from making what we deemed to be RPGs to the combat’n’conversation structure that, to a greater or lesser extent, characterises the studio’s output now.”
But for him, Mass effect 2 was special, and in need of recognition. He points out how instead of being the point where the games got bad, its the last moment of greatness before the descent into mediocrity. His voice really shines when contrasting his views with others.
In addition, he speaks incredibly plainly, simply saying “I love it” and more, this type of plain speaking is usually removed from games journalism. He has a very vivid and clear way of speaking, that makes his tone and subject clear. For example in his “Trying to remember everything you’ve ever played” post, he says “ If I sit here and try to remember everything I ever played in my life, I run out of answers fast.” He talks from first person, and tries to make us understand his thinking. As mentioned before he speaks plainly, but at the same time he also tries to speak about complex metaphyscial concepts, and makes them clear.
“ I’d love to have, essentially, a photo album made of everything I ever played — a screenshot of each one, chronologically. Memories of my life, in some cases far more potent and important than holiday snaps.”
In that quote he combines both aspects of his voice. He talks about an interesting of concept of games serving as memories, like photos in an album. But then he plainly states that these screenshots would be more important to him than holiday pictures.
Alec Meers voice is clear and this makes his writing interesting.
