Early Praise

I’m so grateful to Dan Amrich. Now, when someone asks me how to become a game reviewer, I can bypass the ponderous email chain of heartfelt tutelage and simply say “Buy Critical Path.”
— Justin McElroy, founding editor, Polygon; former managing editor, Joystiq

Dan Amrich is the reason I have a job reviewing games, but it’s the guidance of Critical Path that keeps me from getting fired.
— Mitch Dyer, Associate Editor, IGN.com

If you’ve ever dreamt about playing video games for a living — and getting paid for it — Dan Amrich’s Critical Path is a must-read for its accuracy, clarity and hilarity.
— Marc Saltzman, syndicated video game columnist/USA Today contributor

This book is a long-needed resource for would-be writers, but is also insightful for anyone in the industry interested in the perspective of those charged with playing and critiquing the thousands of games produced each year. Amrich offers some of the most honest, insightful, and helpful advice any would-be writer could hope for, delivered in digestible bites with a sense of humor. Do yourself a favor and read this before quitting your day job (or starting a second).
—Ryan Jones, Director of PR, North America, 2K Games

Dan Amrich defines all that you need to hit the ground running in the competitive world of game writing, but also offers valuable behind-the-scenes insight from someone who’s been on the playing field for years. If you take games seriously, Critical Path is required reading.
— Andy Eddy, veteran game journalist

Dan Amrich does what he’s done so well in his career as a game critic: Provide universal truths in a uniquely Dan Amrich voice. This is a great primer for those trying to enter our esteemed field, but it’s also a fabulous refresher for grizzled veterans like me.
— Gary Steinman, Editor in Chief, GamesRadar.com; former EIC of PlayStation: The Official Magazine; PC Gamer; and Newtype USA

If you want to survive and thrive in this frustrating, time-intensive, murderously competitive field, you’d do well to learn and apply Amrich’s Critical Path.
— Sid Shuman, Senior Social Media Specialist, PlayStation; former Senior Editor, GamePro

From pitching yourself to editors down to pronouncing the word “tchotchke,” Dan walks you through every hazardous step of making a name for yourself in the industry. But Critical Path isn’t just about getting started—it’s also about pursuing the craft of writing about games with seriousness and integrity once you get there.
— Logan Decker, editor-in-chief, PC Gamer

Critical Path is a uniquely intuitive guide to navigating a surprisingly counter-intuitive career path. It’s a map for the minefield.
— Gabe Graziani, Ubisoft Community Developer; former GamesRadar Channel Editor; former GameSpy Associate Editor

Critical Path is a concise and entertaining guide to exploring the possibilities and navigating the pitfalls of a career in videogame journalism. With this roadmap in your pocket, and Dan Amrich’s carefully considered counsel in your mind, you’ll have the tools you need to join a notoriously insular but uniquely rewarding industry.
— Cameron Lewis, freelance writer (Official Xbox Magazine, E3 Expo Show Daily, GamePro, GamesRadar)

All writers love to hear themselves talk, but when Amrich does it for the benefit of other writers in Critical Path, you know you can trust him to guide you toward clean copy, a clear voice, and the sense of humor a games writer needs to survive the Internet.
— AJ Glasser, Managing Editor, Inside Network

Critical Path provides valuable, real insight into writing game reviews for a consumer audience.
— Francesca Reyes, editor-in-chief, Official Xbox Magazine

Critical Path should be considered the primer for anyone looking to break into the videogame industry as a professional game reviewer. Dan’s breadth of experience provides the necessary insight to help foster that long-term publicity relationship to assist the fledgling writer in developing a top-notch reputation as an ace game reviewer in this “hard-to-get-into” industry.
— Sarita Churchill, former PR professional (VU Games, Edelman, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)