Reviews - affects your game purchase?

oh yeh they make a big difference i was gonna buy AVP when it first came out but since it got such a bad review i havt touched it

Very much so. I base many of my decisions on whether or not to buy a game. If hundreds of people tell me a game sucks, I think it's pretty indicative of the quality of the game. Even if many of them are just face-value reviews of the game, if enough people tell me it's not worth my time, I'm prone to stay away.

At the very least, I'll rent it first.

There are some games that I have been playing for a while now and thus have an understanding of what to expect from them. I know what to look forward to when a new Pokemon game comes out for example. I know that they haven't exactly been the most innovative over the past few years, but the game will still be solid. I base many of my decisions upon the expectations of the game, if I've played it at a friends house or something, and the reviews it's been getting.

It's essentially a multi-step process.

It influences my decision somewhat, but not always.

Final Fantasy XIV got a 4.0, but I would still like to try that game out.

It influences my decision somewhat, but not always.

Final Fantasy XIV got a 4.0, but I would still like to try that game out.

A_Mobile_Doll

I was on the fence about trying out FF14, but due to the vehement reaction to the game overall, I'm not touching it with a 10-foot pole.

If nothing anybody says is going to change my mind on whether or not to buy a game in the first place, I see no reason to even bother reading reviews for it. So I'm not ashamed to say that yes, reviews do influence my decisions on the games I buy.

One review isn't enough, but if the general consensus is that the game is awful, it probably is. I find video game reviews to be much more accurate than movie reviews.

It's whats keeping me frombuying MoH, with all the hype surrounding it I thought it was quite odd that it didnt get a launch center, Then again I was unimpressed with the beta.

Not since the 9.3/10 Gamespot gave to Battlefield 2 in 2005. A buggy mess that started out worse than the demo, and with very few maps worth playing on aside from the one in the demo. Also, the lack of competent bots for singleplayer was laughable.

I read reviews to see how other people view these games, and as points of discussion (we can't discuss facts, so that's why we need opinions for a forum). Basing purchases off of a review score, or averaged review score, will in no way give you an accurate means of determining whether or not you'll enjoy the game. Just look at this gen; most of the games I've loved most have scored between 7.0 and 8.9... and the ones I've liked the least are ones that have scored over 9.0.

Not since the 9.3/10 Gamespot gave to Battlefield 2 in 2005. A buggy mess that started out worse than the demo, and with very few maps worth playing on aside from the one in the demo. Also, the lack of competent bots for singleplayer was laughable.

I read reviews to see how other people view these games, and as points of discussion (we can't discuss facts, so that's why we need opinions for a forum). Basing purchases off of a review score, or averaged review score, will in no way give you an accurate means of determining whether or not you'll enjoy the game. Just look at this gen; most of the games I've loved most have scored between 7.0 and 8.9... and the ones I've liked the least are ones that have scored over 9.0.

foxhound_fox

Uh...there's a difference between a review and a score.

Of course scores don't give you an indication of if you'll like a game. After all, that's just a meaningless number. However, reading the review, the part which actually discusses the games flaws and merits, sort of DOES give people a better idea of if they'll like the game.

i only let the reviews affect whether i buy a game or not if i am unsure about that particular game.

The overall rating they give is irrelevant to me but I do listen to the positives and negatives listed by a few trusted sources.

depends how bad the review is, obviously if the game is unplayable with bugs or control issues then yes i would not buy it.

but as long as it gets a 7.0 or maybe a 6.5 i will still probably get it.

not because of the Number itself, but usually what the review points out:

For example, the final fantasy 14 review drew my attention to many issues I wouldn't have known about had I had I not watched a video review for it.

But sometimes 'the issues' in a negative review aren't a problem to me (for example, if a game gets a bad review for not having a multiplayer component. doesn't affect me at all).

I like to do my research before buying games. I'll look through multiple sources and make my judgement after that.

Uh...there's a difference between a review and a score.

Of course scores don't give you an indication of if you'll like a game. After all, that's just a meaningless number. However, reading the review, the part which actually discusses the games flaws and merits, sort of DOES give people a better idea of if they'll like the game.

MrGeezer

That's odd... I don't remember ever stating that one couldn't look at the text part of the review. :|

And clearly, several times I referred to the "score" explicitly.

foxhound_fox

Funny...I was under the impression that this topic was about REVIEWS. :|

I've been looking reviews in the face the past 8-9 years--every single day--but I don't let them sway whether I purchase a game or not.,Dracula68

It's kind of funny to hear that, coming from an employee.

Why are you looking at reviews of games you don't own if not to gain insight on whether or not to buy them? That's pretty much the entire reason for their existence.StopThePresses

Funny...I was under the impression that this topic was about REVIEWS. :|

MrGeezer

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]

Not since the 9.3/10 Gamespot gave to Battlefield 2 in 2005. A buggy mess that started out worse than the demo, and with very few maps worth playing on aside from the one in the demo. Also, the lack of competent bots for singleplayer was laughable.

I read reviews to see how other people view these games, and as points of discussion (we can't discuss facts, so that's why we need opinions for a forum). Basing purchases off of a review score, or averaged review score, will in no way give you an accurate means of determining whether or not you'll enjoy the game. Just look at this gen; most of the games I've loved most have scored between 7.0 and 8.9... and the ones I've liked the least are ones that have scored over 9.0.

MrGeezer

Uh...there's a difference between a review and a score.

Of course scores don't give you an indication of if you'll like a game. After all, that's just a meaningless number. However, reading the review, the part which actually discusses the games flaws and merits, sort of DOES give people a better idea of if they'll like the game.

I read through the review of BF2 and decided it was worth the purchase even though there were reports of problems with the game. I'm happy to say I was one of those who didn't have problems with the game. The only time I ever crashed the thing was when I tried a 64-player mod.

I trust the opinions of the people that have actually completed the games rather than people that have formed opinions based entirely on hype and speculation.

That being said, I've purchased badly reviewed games by reading between the lines and determining that I'd probably like what the reviewer didn't. "Baroque" was a fine example of that.

I'd be lying if I said they didn't influence me. If a game that I had been paying some, but not much attention to came out and started getting rave reviews it would definitely peak my interest and I might be inclined to check it out. On the flip side if I had been looking forward to a game that I thought was going to be really great and it ended up with a bunch of mediocre reviews it might turn me off of that game.

[QUOTE="Dracula68"]I've been looking reviews in the face the past 8-9 years--every single day--but I don't let them sway whether I purchase a game or not.,MrGeezer

It's kind of funny to hear that, coming from an employee.

[QUOTE="MrGeezer"]

[QUOTE="Dracula68"]I've been looking reviews in the face the past 8-9 years--every single day--but I don't let them sway whether I purchase a game or not.,Dracula68

It's kind of funny to hear that, coming from an employee.

Yeah it does make a difference. I thought that admins were actual employees, but I guess I was wrong.

But yeah...if you worked there, that'd be sort of like hearing a cook say, "man, I'd NEVER eat the food from my restaurant."

[QUOTE="MrGeezer"]Funny...I was under the impression that this topic was about REVIEWS. :|

foxhound_fox

And I made a 100% accurate comment about scores and reviews.

Reviews definitely influence me. Certain games I would never have ever picked up if it were not for the positive reviews that drew my attention to them in the first place. For instance, I probably would not have played Dead Space if it had received a 7 rather than a 9. The same goes for Mass Effect or Heavy Rain.

The only time i ever listen to reviews is if they say they game has too many technical setbacks and bugs...from nearly every reviewer.

hmm maybe 40% affects me but if i really wanna play the game i don't care about what people say about it.. it's their opinion

Depends, most of the time I rely on them to not waste money on crap, but I only trust the PTOM magazine for reviews. Unless the game looks too interesting to be missed, and when they're made by my favorite devs. Usually I ignore games that get lower than 4 stars.