After years upon years of gaming I have come to this conclusion:

Stores, such as Game Stop, and websites, such as Game Spot are selling their collective gaming souls to the corporate devil.

For the people who need what I'm saying spelled out, here is the cycle.

1) Game company announces new release of game.

2) Gaming retailers, websites and magazines preview the game and to give us a taste of what is coming and wet our button/trigger-happy palates.

3) During these so-called previews, the previewers then proceed to tell us that these games (Gears of War, Bioshock, Dead Rising,and Halo 3 just to name the most recent) are revolutionary, mind boggling and all in all "AWESOME".

4) Said game comes out and is reviewed by the aforementioned soulless sellouts. Low and behold they rate these games 9.5/10, 5 stars, 4.8/5 and so on. Now stop and ask yourself "Who pays these people to do what they do?" Answer: THE GAME DEVELOPERS AND ADVERTISERS (GAME DELEVOPERS) AND CONSOLE COMPANYS (GAME DEVELOPERS) AND OTHER PEOPLE (GAME DEVELOPERS). So basically the game companys are paying these people to review their games. Can anyone see the shark in the dirty water?

5) The gaming masses (most of whom are teenagers which, no offense, have no historical perspective on gaming) eat it up like candyporn.

Horray!!! All is well Babylon! Except for those of us who know better. When asked why these games are so "awesome" the response is something to the effect of " Oh dude. The graphics are amazing!" And this is true. ALL of these games graphically are phenomenal. But since when was gaming mostly about graphics? Remember Pong? Now I know some of the games I previously mentioned have cool story lines and are pretty fun to play. Buts that is exactly what these games are - cool. Pardon me for saying, but these games are not that great. With exception of the graphics, they do nothing to advance the world of gaming and DO NOT stretch the human imagination.

So what do I have against todays big gaming hits. Nothing. I think they are really good games. But excuse me if I want more. More plot, more innovativeness, more sound, more thought, more gameplay. Let us take the gaming world one step further and chill on the "awesome" graphics.

What do I have against Gamespot and the rest of the like-industry? First of all, let me apologise for calling you "soulless". That was a bit much. But I do believe you people have sold out. I know, I know. When you first started this website you were just a bunch of nerds living in your mom's basements. Somewhere along way though, you lost your path. I'm calling on you, because I have faith in you (not that grungy clerk at Game Stop who keeps telling me every game is "awesome"), to stop the madness and DEMAND MORE FROM THE GAME DEVELOPERS AND STOP THIS CYCLE OF MEDIOCRE GAMING. When I say more I mean a more complete and well-balanced game. Plot, intellect, sound, gameplay and innovativeness.

Just one man's opinion. Who's with me?

P.S. - I will take you for cowards and soulless sell outs if you erase or ignore this editorial Gamespot. Let the people speak their minds on this one.