Why do people defend low scoring games?

The apologitic nature can range from fanboyism to just differences in opinion. The gaming community is not monollithic, and it has a diversity of opinions on games.

Because they enjoy them but I still have no idea why so many people defend Sonic 06.

I played great games that had average score and crappy games that had great score.

Because maybe they disagree with the score another person gave it?

does Einstein's theory of relativity apply here?

A better question is why so many people make a big deal out of low-scoring games.

I've liked games that received scores below 6's before. I know it's a shocker.

For example, I thought Grasshopper Manufacture's Killer is Dead was pretty decent and I would recommend it to people looking for something in the vein of a Takashi Miike film.

Because they think they're being hip and cool.

Perhaps a better question is why people think a review score is supposed to reflect how much they will like the game. News flash; most reviewers don't know you personally, and even if they did, they are not going to tailor their reviews to a target audience of one. Therefore, the review score must reflect the quality with which the game was made and not just how much you will enjoy it. Heck, I love making a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese and throwing a can of tuna in it, but I'm not going to call it great cuisine. There's a difference between a great creation and something you love. Being great doesn't mean you will love it, and loving it doesn't necessarily mean it's great. You may enjoy a game rated 7/10 more than a different game rated 9/10, that doesn't automatically mean the scores were wrong. It just means you enjoyed one game more than the other.