The game review has become the most popular and heavily debated feature of the gaming press, taking on many forms and styles. GameCity decided it was time to finally find the ‘definitive’ game review, and brought together a panel of renowned games journalists (and a few drinks) to write it.

The all-star panel of Steve Curran (ex-Edge staff and current presenter of ‘One Life Left’), Margaret Robertson (ex-Edge Editor), Owain Bennallack (Edge and resident cynic), Simon Parkin (freelancer for Edge and Eurogamer) and Rebecca Mayes (The Escapist) presented the night, attempting to come to the final verdict on timeless classic Pacman. As the discussion heated up, fun was poked at journalist pay rates (‘Edge pays ten pence a word’ complained Simon), the value of screenshots (‘A picture’s worth a thousand words, so that’s a hundred pounds isn’t it?’ joked Steve) and the uneasy balance needed between facts and personality.

Punctuating each section of the debate was Rebecca playing her own unique videogame review songs. The audience was treated to five of her best tracks, including her critiques of Resident Evil 5, Overlord 2 and Bionic Commando. Owain, having confessed to hating videogames reviews, claimed ‘this is the only way games reviews should be done’.

As the debate drew ever closer to its closure, the four journalists put down their heads to scribble out their definitive review of Pacman. Included was the necessary introduction joke (‘Knock Knock. Who’s there? A ghost. A ghost who? Hoo-woo-hoo-woo’), the vital screenshot (drawn with great accuracy by Margaret) and the punchy final verdict (‘'In conclusion, Pacman is *almost* the most rounded character in video game history').

In a post-gig interview, Rebecca explained about her current work and plans to expand her own unique brand of gaming journalism. ‘I’m working on Batman’ she said of her current project for The Escapist website. ‘I’m talking about how everyone loves the game, and that all the reviews of it have been really really good, but I like it because there’s no killing involved.’ But whilst Maye’s single work is all well and good, is there an album in the works? ‘Yeah that (album) is in the making. The plan is to release an album eventually when we’ve got enough songs. We’re nearly there I think’ she revealed. Talking about getting the compilation put together, she said: ‘I record the songs myself as I go along. So they’re all ready really in a way. We’ll probably get them professionally mixed and mastered.’ But whilst clearly talented, she denied that her skills were a natural ability. She noted that she worked hard on each song; ‘I do the best that I can with what I can do.’

And the future? ‘I’d really like to have a girl band, just because it’s such a male world.’