Topic: Do you read reviews anymore?

[PyroMenace]

I really don't anymore. Its actually been a while. I dont even look at metacritic or gamerankings. Its always really been about the writer for me and ever since Gamespot took its plunge and lost most of its crew, Ive kinda been browsing for a new writer to connect to, but I think Im at a point now I dont even pay attention to gaming reviews that are published on the major sites anymore. I use gaming sites just for news, announcements, and previews. If a game scores well, then I automatically make the judgment that what the game was attempting to deliver was successful and thats all I need to know, any other details or little faults I learn from friends and message boards like here. And since most games are sequels or some sort or part of a series than I already know most of what to expect.

[scottws]

I don't read reviews, previews, or news on professional gaming sites at all.  I rely on this site about 90% and people at work 10%.  I just don't have the time or money, so there's no point in getting me worked up over some upcoming game.  I mean I still don't even own Twilight Princess or Metroid Prime 3.  I'm behind the curve at this point.

[Quemaqua]

I pay attention to them, and I read them occasionally, but for me I think it's always been more about just checking something out for fun rather than needing info.  Most of the time I'm pretty well versed in whatever game I'm looking at, or I've followed the development enough to have a very good idea of what it's going to be even before it comes out.  You can't always predict everything, but when you spend as much time with this stuff as I do, eventually you can guess with a pretty high success rate.

But yeah, I know what you mean.  Lately all this stuff just seems sort of subjective and stupid.  I mostly just browse sites for news and junk too.

[ren]

I watch Zero Punctuation videos. Other than that all my gaming info comes from forums and peoples general impressions there. I don't think I've read a review on over a year now, possibly longer.

[MysterD]

Oh, yes -- I read reviews. Lots of them.

Usually, reviews often tell me things that say a gameplay video or a trailer can't tell me -- such as, if the game right out the box has any game-design issues, if the game has bugs, if the game has performance issues, if the game has any technical issues -- things of that nature. Usually, that's my biggest concern in a review.

Also, I find it important to know how long/short a game is; usually reviews tell you this. If a game's short and doesn't have much replay value, I'll just wait for a price drop.


I also find it important to try game demos and look at a game's Tech Boards, too. If there's nasty issues on certain hardware I own or if it's laced w/ a certain protection scheme I don't like (i.e. StarForce or Securom Internet Edition), I'm likely going to holding off for a while.

[sirean_syan]

Reviews have mostly turned into something that I look at after the fact to get other views on games that I've already picked up, much like Que. Some still serve the purpose of actually informing me of something that slipped through the cracks. For the most part though, I don't even like to read reviews anymore because I'd like to be surprised when I get into a game. Generally I've learned to pick up on what will be good enough to look into without much info and rarely want more information than that because learned how a game works as I'm playing it is half the fun now. I might glanced at the score numbers to see if a game mostly delivered, but that's about it.

Funny enough, when I do actually read a review before I've played a game it's usually something I don't have much desire for or wanted to see how badly it failed.

[Quemaqua]

Heh, I hadn't thought of that, but Sy's right.  A lot of the reviews I read are like that too... if it's something I don't plan to pick up or if I want to laugh at something that bombed.

[Cobra951]

I go to Metacritic first now, and scan the quotes.  If I see something that looks interesting, I'll go read the rest of the review.  I don't trust anyone implicitly anymore.

[ren]

That's what I do with movies. I read the reviews after watching to see how I line up. Then I read the trivia section at imdb for random facts and then memorable quotes to relive it. Well, that's all if I liked the movie. if I didn't like it memorable quotes is out.

[K-man]

I do.

[gpw11]

If I'm thinking of buying some game I either know nothing about or very little about then yes.  I'll generally check gamerankings.com or gamespot.

[Ghandi]

I'll skim reviews, but I rarely read the whole thing. Generally I'll just look at the score if I haven't read about it on here first to make sure that it's not awful.

[idolminds]

I do pretty much what Cobra does. Check metacritic to get an overall look. If Im still interested I will read one high scoring review and one low scoring review and make up my mind from there.

Though mostly I can pick up on a games worth with forum buzz and from you guys.