Hyperboles in over-enthusiastic journalism

The worst kind of journalists are those with a skin-deep interest and even less zeal for diligent research, but three times the reasonable amount of "enthusiasm" and "empathy". They wade through one hyperbole after the next in a desperate attempt to show "they get it". But of course they don't. Nothing screams ignorance and wannabe more than overdoing and overplaying it.

Which is exactly what Jack Russel of The Inquirer does in his feeble attempt to pay homage to upcoming Doom 3 and its creator John Carmack. Apparently, the release of Doom 3 will only be rivaled by the Second Coming or AMD's Athlon 64. What!? Besides being completely without foundation, it's an incredibly sloppy metaphor, and what seems to be a random likening to a processor.

Heralding Doom 3 with such fanfare discounts the entire history of Id Software and the gaming industry at large. Before Doom III, there was Quake III, Quake II, and Quake -- and even Doom II. All games that at their time was extremely anticipated. But we don't even have to look at Id or at the past for much-wanted games. Star Wars Galaxies by Sony, Half-Life 2 by Valve, The Sims 2 by EA. All big games that'll probably earn better than Doom III.

But of course that's not the point. When you're only in the game for a single play, you can afford to blow all your hyperboles at once. You don't have to worry about how to top a likening to the Second Coming when the next promising title arrives.