[03/08/2009] Perhaps my flamebait joke went a bit too far, because this week I received some pretty nasty (read: awesome) hatemail regarding my Star Ocean 4 review. Can't say I wasn't expecting it. In any case, there's some very important information to disclose to you all today, so pay attention!

RPGamer is looking for reviewers. At least two, possibly three. Since generic hiring calls often don't see the kinds of response we want, in addition to the fact that our application form is designed for newsies, not reviewers, we've decided to handle things internally. If you've ever wanted to be a reviewer for RPGamer, now's your chance, but be prepared to put up or shut up.

First, let me tell you what you're getting yourselves into. RPGamer staff reviewers are expected to complete at least one review per month, but we would very much prefer you to be able to complete more than that during particularly busy months. This is a volunteer position, meaning that there is no pay, but it's not without its perks. Our reviewers have regular access to review copies of games sent to us by publishers, often more than a month prior to the street date. In addition, as a member of the press, the possibility of attending gaming conventions such as E3, Penny Arcade Expo, or our own Run to the Sun event is there.

Now for what we're looking for. In order to determine the best candidates for the job, we're going to hold something of a tryout. If you're interested in becoming a reviewer, send me an e-mail that includes your real name, e-mail address, and a list of current generation gaming systems that you own (PSP, DS, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii). After that, you'll have roughly a month, possibly a little bit longer, to write and submit as many reviews as you can. But don't rush them. The reviews will be judged on several factors by myself and other members of the RPGamer staff, including quality, relevance (how new is the game), and scoring. Only reviews for games released in the last six months, which is what we qualify as new, will be accepted, and reviews written for games just recently released will be given a much higher consideration. Show us that you have what it takes to complete and review games both quickly and well! When we feel we're ready to make a decision, we'll send an e-mail informing those we've chosen to hire. Once the positions have been filled, I will say so in the next week's Points of View column.

This is your chance to have your opinions read by thousands of people each day. I hope to be reading many reviews in the coming weeks.

It's also March, which means the inevitable April Fool's Day is on its way. As always here in Points of View, we will have a special April Fool's Day spoof review edition. Please feel free to send in your spoof reviews any time. I will hold onto them until the day arrives. Until next week, see you all later.