How strongly are you influenced by review scores?

Honestly I never really care about the review or score that much. If a game looks cool I'll get it.

honestly no.

if i like a game i like it,if i dont i dont end of.

The only time I'll stop to reconsider is if a game gets universally panned.

Review scores are one thing. The statements in it are another. I'd say its important to at least check in on reviews and see what they have to say, ignoring the score. Make a decision based on that after a good number of sources. After all, they are only opinions for the most part, but you dont want to make a regretful purchase.

Not at all.

I'll usually take interest in a game if the publisher/developer is great (Capcom, Atlus, Nintendo, etc).

And then I'll watch gameplay vids and such to see if it looks like something i might be interested in.

Sometimes I will read thoughts about the game, but mainly only if it's a big purchase like a $50 game.

But I always just look at review scores as someone else's opinion as there are AAA games I really just do not like at all like God of War, and AAA games that I'm just not overly interested in at all like Zelda games (though I have begun playing older 2D Zelda games, but I've only beaten one Zelda game ever)

Pretty well, I check the major sites and usually take the highest (I'm usually wont to enjoy a game). I went against them twice, got burned both times.

Only when the reviews are really negative

Between 'not often' and 'not at all'. Review scores are only a small indication of whether or not a game is qualitative: the review itself is a good indication of what I'm gonna like and dislike about a game. The final decision will not depend on the review, however, and the only source I take seriously these days is a local Nintendo magazine. I will most likely decide to buy a game if it's part of a series I like, or when there's a certain aspect of a game that appeals to me.

People who only buy games that get over 90% greatly limit themselves.

I'm not. One of my fav games this gen got a 3.5 here.

The CONTENT is sort of important to me. Reviews tell me if a game is too short, has horrible bugs, awful controls and whatnot. Scores are System Wars fodder.

Strongly. If the game's got an average score of 60% 9 times out of 10 it won't be worth paying full price.

Scores? not much.

Reviews? a bit.

I guess some what. I've seen some complain about how a website is taking forever to release their review of a game, so in that sense I guess it matters. But when you actually played the game and have your own opinion already, reviews doesn't matter anymore. In this economy, I'm more picky when buying things so I do research around and hear what other people have to say about the games just to get a sense before I make my purchase.

It a game gets below a 7 I usually stay away. But above a 7 i usually dont care for reviews.

Anything above a 7 is a game I want.

Edit: Even some games below 7s I want. Like WKC. The cons dont really make it seem like a 6.5. It seems like an 8 type game.

If Toy story got something like a 6.0 and a MC average of 7.4,then i would be really uncertain about the game,there must be something that really ruined the experience,so the reviews do effect me abit

although if GS gave 7 and a MC average is 8.5 i'll get it regardless,anything thats below 7.5 on mc means i'll dislike it (or rent it)

0%

If a game looks good to me, I don't care what others say.

They never affect my gaming purchases or opinion of any given game. Independent thinker here.

When they are done right I'll take them into consideration, but most of the time the reviews themselves feel more like a personal take on the game. I can't remember the last time I read/watched an actual critical review of a game. EGM, in its heyday, had very good reviews. In fact, most of the magazines from that era were pretty good. Occasionally this site puts out decent ones. IGN on the other hand--lord that site needs help.

I'm not. One of my fav games this gen got a 3.5 here.

Andrew_Xavier

Which, if I may ask? Not Godzilla: Unleashed, by any chance?

By the bye, Rampage: Total Destruction for Wii is one of my favourite games this gen, got a 5.1 here.

If the game is from a developer or series that i trust and has a good track record it usually doesn't matter. However for new IP's, i will only purchase games with a low score if i'm hyped for if, and won't buy it at all if all reviewers give it a low score ( 7 or less).

I only buy games that score 80% or more on Metacritic and GameRankings. Games that fall below that are out of the question. I may have the money to buy a lot of games but I don't have the time to play them so it would be a waste of money if I went out and purchased however many games. I might as well just stick with the great games.

The only time I'll stop to reconsider is if a game gets universally panned.

Lionheart08

I will read the review but with the understanding that it is just an opinion. There are not very many reviews that I agree with though. I would have given Uncharted 2 twice the score of MGS4. I also enjoyed Crackdown tons more than GTA4.

Trusting proffesional reviews these days is a no-go for me. I rather look out for user reviews.

Trusting proffesional reviews these days is a no-go for me. I rather look out for user reviews.

Cyberfairy

Now that you mention it, the user score is usually a lot more reliable than the critic/gs score, even if most user reviews aren't very worthwhile.

[QUOTE="Cyberfairy"]

Trusting proffesional reviews these days is a no-go for me. I rather look out for user reviews.

DraugenCP

Now that you mention it, the user score is usually a lot more reliable than the critic/gs score, even if most user reviews aren't very worthwhile.

Alan Wake has a 1.9 on metacritic. That is all.

If the game appeals to me then I will get it, regardless. However, it is always nice to see games that I am anticipating get favorable reviews. I really do not care as long as I enjoy them, though.

If I'm looking forward to a game the only reason I wouldn't buy it is if it's getting below 5/10 across multiple reviewer.

I voted not too often. I have to read the whole review because points may have been taken off for things I don't care much for such as lack of multiplayer (if it's a singleplayer game).

Of all the games I own, FSX didn't garner the highest scores. No awards, nothing. Yet, it's my most-played game.

[QUOTE="DraugenCP"]

[QUOTE="Cyberfairy"]

Trusting proffesional reviews these days is a no-go for me. I rather look out for user reviews.

SgtKevali

Now that you mention it, the user score is usually a lot more reliable than the critic/gs score, even if most user reviews aren't very worthwhile.

Alan Wake has a 1.9 on metacritic. That is all.

I was refering to Gamespot, actually, but I'm sure the score on Metacritic will be compensated soon enough.

they hold some minor sway in my buying decisions, but not really.

when I find myself interested in a game, or I hear hype about something. I tend to look up gameplay and trailer video first to get an idea of what the game is going to be like. I'll then usually go to two sites and read their reviews as I often have pretty similar views. I tend to go by eurogamer and edge reviews. I often come on here to talk/discuss the game and I also participate/moderate an older TFC-community based message baord and talk about it on there, getting an idea of the general opinion about the game.

by buying games in this fashion, I tend to buy titles I really enjoy. Very few times I've been disappointed with my purchases.

Not very. They only help to make me aware of games I haven't heard of.

[QUOTE="SgtKevali"]

[QUOTE="DraugenCP"]

Now that you mention it, the user score is usually a lot more reliable than the critic/gs score, even if most user reviews aren't very worthwhile.

DraugenCP

Alan Wake has a 1.9 on metacritic. That is all.

I was refering to Gamespot, actually, but I'm sure the score on Metacritic will be compensated soon enough.

I know, but my point is that because of all the trolls on the internet user scores can be pretty useless.

Honestly I never really care about the review or score that much. If a game looks cool I'll get it.

SgtKevali

I think I'm alittle too influenced by scores nowadays. Gaming is more expensive now and random trips to block buster renting random games is not cutting it either. I'd like a score before I make a purchase now.

That being said i usually have a gut feeling about a game anywayz whether i would like it nor not. its usually correct.

strongly. i dont want to end up buying a game that sucks. games with 8.5+ rating = me buy

Any particular review? Not very much. Reviews in general? Very much so. Otherwise I wouldn't know anything about the games I buy. Even if a game scores a 6.0 the review will (should) still give me the information I need to decide whether or not I'll like it.

[QUOTE="DraugenCP"]

[QUOTE="SgtKevali"]

Alan Wake has a 1.9 on metacritic. That is all.

SgtKevali

I was refering to Gamespot, actually, but I'm sure the score on Metacritic will be compensated soon enough.

I know, but my point is that because of all the trolls on the internet user scores can be pretty useless.

Usually, the fanboys that give every game a 10 and the fanboys that give every game a 1 seem to balance eachother out rather well.

The only time I'll stop to reconsider is if a game gets universally panned.

Lionheart08

If it's a game or series I'm not familiar with then I'll have a look through the reviews first. I only bought Just Cause 2 once I'd read some of the reviews to see what it was like.

But some games, usually sequels (ME2, for example), I'll get anyway. It's only backfired in the case of SupCom 2.

I don't buy that many games, so usually I'm aiming for the "really good" ones rather than a game to fill the time.

With some games, Gamespot (specifically) reviews makes a difference between renting or borrowing a game or waiting for a platinum edition, and buying the game a couple of days after its release. now with other games, again, Gamespot reviews might influence "me" to wait and buy a collector's or limited edition of a game that's a sequel. like Mass Effect 2, after the GS review i got the collector's edition. and i say Gamespot specifically cuz they're picky and unforgiving, and that's good in video game reviews, cuz for some people some aspects matter more than others in a game and can't be overlooked, so GS lays down everything for you and you choose what you do and don't like about the reviewed game and base your buying option on that.

METACRITIC AAA Quality scores (90+) have not let me down yet.

It's Gamespot that can't be trusted.