Game Reviews- who do you trust?

Vashin

I'll start by saying that i like to read multiple Gaming magazines, as im sure alot of others do as well. there have been some gaming magazines that i can trust and relate to when it comes to reviews, and their are others that i cannot trust at all

Play Magazine

i have learned to never trust a single review these guys put out. if any game has a hot female lead these guys will go crazy for it and hype the hell out of the game. they even gave Sonic the hedgehog for the 360/PS3 a 9.5 out of 10 claiming it was game of the year material. I do not trust this magazines reviewers.

My personal taste for reviews always come from game informer, or these very forums. i cant count how many games i have bought a game because of the hype a game has received here even though it didnt receive high review scores.

so what web sites, game magazines, or anything eles do you trust for a good solid review of fun games?

LewieP

Eurogamer
etoychest
VideoGaiden/ConsoleVania
I take into account edge, and famitsu, but see them for what they are.

but the biggest two things - G&T + my wallet.

jclast

I write for etoychest/snackbar, so take this as you will, but I really like Jason's reviews. He's good at what he does.

Other than that, I like Nintendo Power for print mags and these forums for actual gameplay impressions.

DisruptorX2

I don't really read game informer anymore, but thier opinions are generally close to mine. Game "media" is sensationalist bullshit and often just paid advertising.

I come here to see whats coming and whats good. I wouldn't even have known about Silent Storm, for example, without PA.

FreddyD

I only trust people that invest a lot of time and money into a game before they review it. A forum browser has much more sway over me than someone who is paid to play a game.

I will usually check reviews on big name releases to make sure they didn't totally drop the ball. Reviews aren't really relevant for low budget games. IGN usually does a good job of demonstrating if a game is fun and Gamespot usually has a good eye for quality.

Cherrn

I usually only read reviews for the basic info. More often than not I can figure out whether or not I like the game that way - I generally don't have much interest in some faceless reviewer's opinion.

DisruptorX2

Cherrn wrote: »

I generally don't have much interest in some faceless reviewer's opinion.

Indeed, thats probably why the only print source I ever really read was GI, they let you know who their reviewers are, what type of games they prefer, photoshopped their faces onto silly things, etc.

Szechuan

LewieP wrote: »

...the biggest two things - G&T + my wallet.

Limed for truth. I'm up to around 15 games in a row purchased and satisfied.

2868

Metacritic...

And these forums. Usually I hear about a game on the G&T forums then go to Metacritic.

TroubledTom

Game reviews are basically unnecessary given G&T for qualitative info, and aggregate scores on Gamerankings. I only read Nintendo Power right now, but its reviews are a decent guide to the obvious. Like if something is terrible, they will tell you. Unlike EGM or GI, I haven't noticed any cheap reviews in there, based on a personal hatred of a character or genre.

DisruptorX2

Isn't nintendo power owned by Nintendo? Not exactly an objective source...

Hotlead Junkie

G&T all the way, then maybe a stop over at gamerankings if I'm still curious, but I hate hate hate reading reviews before I play a game. I love not knowing what to expect when I grab a game that looks cool.

Mr Peepers

GameSpot gave PDZ a higher score than Twilight Princess.


Lets just say we're not gonna trust them.

Rehab

I have actually made a couple purchases off of game info that I have come to acquire from threads around here.

I usually don't pay too much attention to game reviews as something that will actually determine whether a certain game is going to be a purchase for me or not, but I really enjoy the reviews from Game Revolution.

LoneIgadzra

Szechuan wrote: »

LewieP wrote: »

...the biggest two things - G&T + my wallet.

Limed for truth. I'm up to around 15 games in a row purchased and satisfied.

Mostly the same here, but to be totally honest I usually operate under a massive backlog of games that I know I definitely want to play at some point, so I rarely ever have to do any actual research. I mainly increase this backlog by keeping track of sequels of games I like, or keeping track of upcoming games and new releases and then later checking by word of mouth and reviews as to whether it's worth buying. And by reviews, I mean G&T. I do read review sites like gamespot, but only to get a general sense of whether or not a game sucks.

devoir

I tend to read game reviews for game information, in terms of features, storyline, graphics, mechanics. Gamerankings, metacritic for a general overview of how it's impacting the world, and then trawl some forums for hands on impressions that are fairly well shot from the hip.

Kyougu

I usually find that Gamespot tends to give pretty harsh reviews, which I appreciate.

Big Dookie

You know, now that I think about it, I really don't trust any professional reviews anymore. It's basically a combination of what looks interesting to me and what normal people on different forums (mostly this one) think about the game. It's been a long time since I've bought a game based on a review - several years, probably.

LoneIgadzra

Kyougu wrote: »

I usually find that Gamespot tends to give pretty harsh reviews, which I appreciate.

Yeah, I find that as well. I used to get pissed when I'd read a review of a game I liked for entertainment, but lately I really appreciate how critical they are. Though they may be unfair to some games, I know when GameSpot says a game is good, it's good.

Bursar

I look at GameRankings and G&T. You jerks are costing me so much $.

I can't believe what companies say about their own games, especially after I started writing press releases.

Whiniest Man On Earth

Eurogamer's reviews are thoughtful and usually much better written than anyone else's.

elevature

I don't trust individual reviews, but I will go to gamerankings to look at aggregate scores. I do the same with metacritic for cds and amazon for books. If something has a good score overall I figure it's pretty good.

Generally, though, I just get feedback from G&T. I've bought EBA, Trauma Center, Hotel Dusk, and Shadow of the Colossus all because of how people here were talking about them and I haven't been let down yet.

slash000

I never trust any one source. I read a lot of different reviews to get as many different opinions as I can, and I listen to people here to see how they feel.


The issue is that a gameplay mechanic might be awesome for one person but suck ass for another, for exactly the same reason.

Renzo

I find that I can't really trust anyone except one of my friends when it comes to game reviews/impressions. I think I've said this before, but the majority of G&T is like a reverse barometer for me. Not all, but most.

That said, Gametrailers.com is about the only publication that comes close to my taste in games, and even if I don't agree with the review, there's plenty of video in there to allow me to come to my own conclusion.

Dashui

I often check gamerankings.com, as I imagine many people do, but as for a single review site I do prefer Gamespy. Oh, and just to say it, I love your guy's opinions on the forums a lot (I've bought so many games because of this forum); but for those that just use the forums, I don't think that's completely wise. We can't cover everything, and we don't, and there are still games out there that I play or am looking forward to that we've never had a thread about.

slash000

I tend to try to read about what reviewers say about the actual gameplay mechanics, rather than what they say is "good" or "bad."

Generals

Gamespot and IGN for gaming reviews, then look up at the average score for the game from every gaming site that reviewed it. It's pretty much first impressions right here.

RidleySaria

Gamespot is garbage. I'll never trust those morons. But I really don't trust one single source anyway. I evaluate reviews from various sources and look for points that repeat themselves. I also use my eyes, watching gameplay videos. If I'm unsure I monitor the forums and see how certain games are accepted. The opinions of my peers mean a lot more to me than the opinion of reviewers. They tend to have distorted perspectives, having reviewed so many games, being so immersed in the industry and blasting through games quickly in order to meet deadlines.

slash000

I tend to go to Metacritic for a specific game, then read the highest rated scores, the lowest rated scores, and then a few in-betweens. That, while listening to what people here have to say. I get a pretty good idea of what I'll like based on all that.

But never just use 1 source is my advice. Even if your one source is this forum.

LewieP

I also find that more and more these days I am enjoying games for the good and unique things about them, and more seeing past any flaws, a great example is Breakdown, which has been discussed alot in the "if japan made an FPS" thread.

I describe it as what it would be like if some japanese developers played doom once, when it came out, and then like 10 years later decided to do their own take on it. They avoid alot of the conventions of the FPS genre, and has lots of really origional touches, but they also ignor most refinements that have been made for FPSs over the years, in terms of control and interface. Its the type of game, that judging it by its own merit, its not great, but is very intresting, and I would urge any developers making an FPS to take a look at it.

Bursar

Interestingly enough, if a particular reviewer gives an abnormally low score for a game (like a 6 if the average is 8), I'll give it a read to see what that reviewer didn't like about it. However, a lot of reviewers seem to think that they're working on a 3-point scale: "pure gold," "meh," and "utter crap." This makes them write like anything below a 7 is the worst thing they've seen in years, when a 70% is, as a number, indicitive of an "above average" game.

Akatsuki

Absolutely no one. For starters I think scoring games is totally wrong. I just see videos, get impressions from the most varied sources to find a common point and watch forums. I've been in the business for 20 years, this method hasn't let me down :P

Vann Diras

I'm with the majority on this one, as I really can't seem to trust professional review sites anymore. Often times they'll point out what they find to be a game's biggest downfall, and I'm left scratching my head as to how it's really a bad thing. Oh well.

But GnT is assuredly my primary source for finding info on a game. It's kinda awesome how my tastes in games matches up with people here. Plus, you people got be hooked on the DS. 19 games and counting, most of them suggested by you guys. All of them awesome. =P

JJ

1up. I have been not seeing any other sites since then.

If I see a lot of forum buzz I'll check ratings for it then go ahead and buy it.

etoychest

As a game journalist, and someone who writes about and evaluates both games and the industry for a living, I figure I'd offer my two cents, which incidentally echo some of those above my post.

No one person, magazine, or website should be used as the single source of impressions driving your purchases. Individual writers, just like friends or word of mouth channels, should be treated as such, but also regarded in a context that they originate from sources that however trustworthy still resonate an opinion that is likely to be removed from your own by varying degrees.

I consider it a real honor when someone IMs or email me, or just walks up to me at a show and said they picked up or decided to try a game out based on what I had to say, but few people in the field are so arrogant as to assume they are the guiding light to which all consumers should flock. Hell, I've shared dinners with some of the reviewer elite and we even balk at some of the stuff our own sites or magazines produce. The key is to take what you want from what you hear or read, but in the end make up your own mind.

There is no shame in liking a game others find repulsive or average. Just because I don't like Burnout Dominator doesn't mean I'll haunt you for thinking it's the cat's meow.

Dartboy

I prefer places like this forum because people can elaborate on specific points, and explain why X is good/bad in more than the review-typical 3 paragraphs.

However, I also have a little tool I personally use that I like to call the "GameFAQs Rule of Six". For this, go to Gamefaqs.com and go to the review section for your game of choice. You'll see review scores that go something like 9,10,10,8,9,10,2,6,9,7,8,10. 99% of these are pure garbage and not worth looking at, so instead, click on the review that gave the game a 6. What this usually means is that the person who played the game liked it enough to bother writing a review, but they found enough flaws that they aren't going to gush over it. The 6 reviews tend to go over good points and bad points enough to actually put together a meaningful picture of how the game stands. And again because we live in a world where game reviews exist in 2 categories, 7-10 and <7, 6 itself is right on the border in this magical land where people can't simply rant about a game without elaborating, and they obviously didn't like the game enough to gloss over negative points.

Of course, you should still take these with several grains of salt, like any other review, but I've found that this more often than not tends to result in getting a clear picture of the pros and cons of a particular game.

Rehab

I have to say that I prefer more vague approaches to rating games myself. Things like grades for the games or a simple thumbs up or down system gives you a good idea of how the reviewers liked the game without having to find the specific point to the nearest decimal in how exactly the game scored.

mynameisguido

I try and read a variety of different impressions from forums, game sites, etc. to get a feel for the game. Often times reviewers just don't "get" the game (God Hand and Gotcha Force being two great examples) and since it's hard to quantify how an interactive experience might work for other people, I rarely put much trust in reviews except as a way to get a feel for a game.

The only opinion I really trust is that of good friends, but since we don't always buy the same games I have to use a smorgasboard of different opinions in order to try and figure out if I might like it.

solsovly

G&T with a grain of salt. Sometimes the forum gets a little too caught up with some games. For instance Contact. Killer 7 is really loved here, but I don't really care much for it either. Otherwise there have been some excellent recommendations (shillshilllol?).

Brolo

I am totally reviving my dying reviews index thread and adding this stuff to it as soon as I sober up.

citizen059

My two platforms of choice are PC and DS.

For PC I generally refer to Games for Windows magazine & podcast. I especially like the podcast because you get to hear more of what they really wanted to say but couldn't put in print.

For DS, I usually go with G&T recommendations, followed by reading multiple 'net reviews to pick up common threads in the reviews that might not have been mentioned here.

I've recently begun spending more time getting as many opinions as possible before buying a game; being a gamer on a budget means I'm really wary to spend my money on something that might suck.