A wretched hive of scum and villainy...
...not really. NeoGAF is like any other gaming community on the internet; full of conflicting opinions, fan boys, and flame wars.
But it's also so much more. The sheer number of active users on GAF is staggering, which means that there are reams of new content and discussion appearing on a minute by minute basis. While this can initially be overwhelming, as less popular threads sink from view very quickly, there are useful search tools built in to the forums (though these aren't accessible for guests - you must be logged in).
NeoGAF is probably the most influential gaming community out there, with devs and publishers regularly appearing to respond to criticism, or to announce new games or content. While the attitude of some users can be a little heated at times, the strict moderation rules mean that any user who steps too far out of line is gone pretty quickly. It can seem draconian at times, but this serious approach to moderation means that the valuable discussions can continue free of too many trolls.
The one negative side of GAF is the arduous wait for approval before being allowed to reply to threads (you'll need to wait an equally nebulous amount of time before becoming a full member with posting privileges). This all could be communicated more openly, so that users aren't left for months (really) with no idea of whether or not they will be approved.
Aside from that, if you are looking for the latest gaming news, or discussion on anything from the Atari, to the PS4, GAF's the place to be.
May 1, 2014
Unprompted review