Reviews - affects your game purchase?

yeah I do - more often now, it usually is a good indicator, I've sometimes bought/rent a game just because of it's good reviews, and it's backfired like MGS4 or Batman Arkham Asylum, and I probably won't try out Mafia 2 because of the reviews, but generally i find there on point

Hell no. I tend to go by gameplay videos and developer interviews. Reviews are primarily based on the reviewer's opinion, or a review could have an agenda, to pave the way for a bigger title.

I am of the opinion that people who let review scores affect their purchases are unable to come to their own conclusions. There is far too much corruption, bias, ignorance, and elitism in the game journalism world to let a hobby I enjoy so much be affected by it.savebattery

Hell no. I tend to go by gameplay videos and developer interviews. Reviews are primarily based on the reviewer's opinion, or a review could have an agenda, to pave the way for a bigger title.

LikeHaterade

I can't let other people decide what I should and shouldn't buy. If I am looking foward to a game, I would get it regardless of the score.

I can't let other people decide what I should and shouldn't buy. If I am looking foward to a game, I would get it regardless of the score.

HaLoMaStErJT

(Suppose we are talking about an original game from a company you don't know much about.)

Professional reviews do play a part in my game purchase decisions.

If a review lists serious bugs, then I'll skip that game and simply not play it...not worth the frustration.

Up to a point. I don't really care about numbers or how much a reviewer likes or dislikes a game, but if the reviewer is talking about issues I care about I pay attention.

I had been looking towards Enslaved after a fun demo but decided not to get it just because despite the fact all of the reviewers really liked it, but they all seemed to agree that while the pacing, story and characters were excellent, the gameplay left a bit to be desired (not much depth, not much gameplay progression).

Nothing they said conflicted with my experience with the demo, their implication just seemed to be that things didn't get much deeper. Player impressions supported what the reviewers said so I decided to pass on Enslaved (at 60 bucks anyway).

[QUOTE="LikeHaterade"]

Hell no. I tend to go by gameplay videos and developer interviews. Reviews are primarily based on the reviewer's opinion, or a review could have an agenda, to pave the way for a bigger title.

StopThePresses

Hehe, well I just listen for how the game is supposed to play and try to black out the flashy adjectives. :P

[QUOTE="Dracula68"][QUOTE="MrGeezer"]

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

MrGeezer

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."

No.

I gave up on reviews some time ago. The main thing I want to know is how stable the game runs. Since critics have never taken steps to find a good way to test this and include it in their reviews they are not much more than the opinion of someone who probably does not have the same tastes as me.

To some degree, yes, reviews can affect my purchase. If there's some serious issue with the game I for once would like to know, everything else is about personal taste, that's why I tend to read the review written by person with similar views as me. In the end I trust my own instinct and experience the most.

A little. An example of when it doesn't: Black Ops is going to be better than Modern Warfare. If it doesn't get the reviews and ratings of Modern Warfare, it will still be better. Owning Modern Warfare 2, I'll get Black Ops instead of Modern Warfare 1, even if the reviews and ratings say it isn't as good.

I take into account what reviews are saying rather than the general scores. If reviews aren't amazing, I still usually pick up the game later at a cheaper price.

Not if it's something I really want. However, in marginal games I'll look at the review...not the score per se....but the body of the review to get an idea about problems that might be present and decide from there. And if I'm not interested in a game I don't care how high it scores.....LJS9502_basic

Good to see you around these parts!

Yes they do. There have been a few games that I've passed buy because of the negative reviews from GS & gamers. There have been some that I've disregarded and got anyway and have wasted money on. Now I take even more consideration into what others reviews are.

yes, but i dont just read one review it helps me a lot if im unsure about buying a game

[QUOTE="savebattery"]I am of the opinion that people who let review scores affect their purchases are unable to come to their own conclusions. There is far too much corruption, bias, ignorance, and elitism in the game journalism world to let a hobby I enjoy so much be affected by it.LoG-Sacrament

My process for buying games pretty much goes like this:

1. Attention drawn to game (usually via forum response and friend reccomendations)

2. Watch a some gameplay to get a grasp of the concept

3. If that intrigues me, scan Metacritic for critical response

4. If the score is acceptable, find a way to play the game

5. Play the game, and make purchasing decisions based on that

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

sonofsmeagle

I don't usually read reviews, I tend to go by game demos. Reviews aren't really worth the time to me, i'll look at them and go okay and why am I caring about what you have to say?