Poll: Do Yahtzee's reviews impact your game buying decisions?

[Swifteye]

Yatzhee is a reviewer that reviews games in a manner that brings up there greatest weakness or overwhelming strengths. This is valuable data if your trying to figure out what to buy and he has mentioned the games you plan to buy add whatever he said to the thoughts regarding the purchase. Also look at other reviews of the games Such as gameinformer and listen to people who have played the game who are everyday people and friends and see what they say. After that if you still want to buy such games find the list of games you want and buy the most affordable or the one you think you will have the most fun with.

That's my approach towards it. Reviewers don't tell they just inform and advise. As a indiviual we must use the information that is advised to us to form our own decisions.

 

[Gerhardt]

I would say that his videos are more of a trail guide. A summary of petty annoyances one may find in a particular game. While most of his reviews are angry shit-sling-a-thons, that's not to say there are some points that ring true.

I see him as more of a deal breaker/maker, if I'm on the fence about a game, I like knowing if it's worth the money or not. Having big-people things to worry about like bills, rent, etc; I don't get the chance to buy many games new, and it's nice to know if something is actually awesome, or just hype.

Of course I defer to my own judgment in the end, but having another view on a game is helpful. I was really turned off by Dante's Inferno when I first heard of it, a classic story that had no business being made into a hack-n-slash action game, so I felt validated when ZP trashed it. On the other hand, I did pick up Darksiders despite it's review, and I really enjoyed it.

I will say that what catches my attention on ZP is not so much what Yahtzee says is bad, but what he recommends as being good. Saint's Row 2, Prototype, Silent Hill 2, and Fallout 3 were all games I picked up mainly based on his commentary, and they were all freaking sweet.

So, no, he's not the pope of gaming reviews, but it is nice to have a second (albeit hateful)opinion.

 

[_Cake_]

A couple times. Like I finally got around to playing Silent Hill 2 and Bioshock. He helped with summarizing Fallout 3(now my favorite game) and making me take a look at it. For some reason every screen shot of Fallout 3 doesn't do the game any justice.

He kinda put me off Boarderlands but I was leaning on the no side already. I also trusted him that Alone in the Dark is crap when I saw it in the store for like 18$.

 

[thermo1]

nicely biased polls again.

It affects my decisions because it actually makes me look at some of the games i would not otherwise.

 

[Akalistos]

I'm just curious because I consider Yahtzee to be more of an insult comic and not so much a critic. He's certainly not a reviewer in my opinion. I love ZP and think they're mostly hilarious but it has little to no influence on my purchase decisions. How about you?

He is a critic. Sure, he make fun of some of the big release flaws but that's his Stick. As for I, yes. I listen to him before buying some game because they are flaws that disgust me from enjoying a game. Therefore, knowing what's bad in a game can influence my decision. But i don't let that in Yahtzee's hand alone. I look up some of the people that voice their opinions who are pretty similar to myself. Then i buy a game. That way, i can limit my mistake. Does anyone want a Free FF13 game with manual? They won't take it back....

 

[Iron Lightning]

An issue with most professional game reviewers is that they review games from a fan's frame of reference. For example, the IGN review of Monster Hunter Tri basically described the game as a grind sandwich, something which the reviewer thought to be quite in the game's favor. While I disagree, the rampant success of MMORPGs shows that there are quite a few people which quite like grinding.

I can respect Yahtzee for reviewing for himself instead of trying to review for everyone. Yahtzee doesn't like JRPGs simply because he doesn't like them, one needn't be offended by other people's opinions. I take his opinions for what they are, opinions, however I do consider his opinions to roughly coincide with mine more than average reviewers.

Of course, the best way for one to determine if they like a game prior to buying it is downloading a demo. If I like the demo fairly well, then I buy the game in question.

On the topic of the poll: I don't quite use his reviews to impact my game buying decisions all that much. This is because I usually buy older games since I put very little stock in graphical quality (I do, however, think art design is one of the most important parts of a game.)

 

[F-I-D-O]

If he reviews it, than usually he had some interest in it. This makes me interested in the game, and I may buy it after looking over it and reading other reviews to find bugs and good/bad gameplay from someone who points out the good with the bad.
I sometimes buy games that he says he LIKED. That's rare enough that I take notice and sometimes get the game, and I am rarely disappointed with this system (he convinced me to get Bioshock and Arkham Asylum, but I refuse to get that Dizzy game he always holds up).
Usually, however, I buy games that I'm interested regardless of individual reviewers. Metacritic has a bit of sway though. However, this is still in question because I got the new AvP and love it (Yay for mindless violence).
When I buy games, it boils down to what I want, and I don't care about the opinions of others.
And I have gone wayyyy off topic...

 

[Mattmayer]

I take a lot of his critique with a bag of salt, until I at least try the game for myself.

But saying that his reviews are pretty hilarious to say the least.

 

[Georgie_Leech]

In that I occassionally learn about games from him, yes. Beyond that, I'd sooner look to the Simpsons for what book to read next.

 

[Akalistos]

I also trusted him that Alone in the Dark is crap when I saw it in the store for like 18$.

It is bad buddy. I got it for my birthday from a friend. Everywhere I checked on the internet said it was a ok game. I've beaten myself to finish it and in the end, my friend saw that it was that bad and say to me:"Take it back, I won't say a thing."

Afterward, I found someone that said pretty much everything i feel about the game and i listen to him on game suggestions.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

Strangely, I was on the fence about Bioshock 2 until I saw his review, and went completely against it. It's an awesome game, 1 just didn't leave room for a sequel, and that's not 2's fault.

 

[Iron Lightning]

Not really, I mostly watch him mostly because hid reviews are funny as hell...

I agree. I watch his reviews for pure entertainment. Mostly to see what kind of inventive swear word combination he can come up with next. He is quite inventive and original.

Regardless of our differences as to the stock we put in his reviews. I am glad to see that we all find them entertaining.

 

[PrarieDog_319]

Actually, yes. (C-C-C-C-COMBOBREAKER!!)

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say a lot of people have said no just to look cool.

Psychonauts was an excellent game and I hadn't even heard of it until I watched Zero Punctuation. I also enjoyed Tom Clancy HAWX. So its possible I just like some of the same stuff.

The rants about SSBB and Halo were on the money, and even Nintendo acknowledged the fanboy issue: http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/ssbb/vol3_page1.jsp

as well as Bungie commenting on the quality of their franchise: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/better-than-halo-the-making-of-halo-2-article

Yeah maybe he's a bit harsh for comedic effect but with the games industry becoming ever more like the movie industry (uh oh) maybe that's exactly what people need to hear?

 

[WrcklessIntent]

I would say rarely do they ever really affect what I buy. They only really do if he says that the game is the nxt coming of Jesus which he has said a few times because if he says that then it must be worth a look. I do disagree with him though alot like on Alan Wake for example. I loved the game to death and so do a ton of my friends. I still think hes funny his opinion just doesn't matter to me most of the time.

 

[Milo Windby]

No, however I do take what he says into consideration but don't really take it as "omg, he did not like it... so I won't either".
He makes good points and I like listening to them, but in the end its my own opinion about a game the maters to myself.

 

[Chicago Ted]

Ha ha no.

Honestly, every time I see more of his stuff I become more skeptical of his opinion. Me and a friend actually have a lot of our opinions siding against him, and see himm as coming across as a bit hypocritical at some points or down right ignorant.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Never. I don't think Yahtzee would even want people to use his videos to make purchasing decisions. Yahtzee is a comic who rips games apart for our enjoyment. His "reviews" are really just rants on all of the negative aspects of the games he plays. There's nothing wrong with it, I quite enjoy his videos; but it's silly to base decisions on his reviews.

 

[kirbyfan8]

Quite often, yes. Yahtzee actually made me think more about what game genres I actually want to play and, so far, his opinions really haven't differed from my own.

 

[Pinstar]

If I was going to buy a game on brand alone (Like Civ V based on my experiance with the Civ series) I won't listen to what he says. Granted, this method purchase doesn't always work for me (See also: Buying Master of Orion 3 based on love for Master of Orion 2)

For games that I have no interest in playing at all based on genre (FPS, survival horror.) I won't take his recommendations even if they are mostly positive.

It is the game that I'm *thinking* of *maybe* getting that his review would possibly impact my buying decision.
He has yet to review any of these such games.