Poll: Do you try games before you buy them?

[Hitty25]

Usually, i just do a minor amount of research. If it's something that doesn't seem cheap, and that looks enjoyable, I'll then go onto professional reviews. After checking the reviews to see if the game is not broken, i go onto user reviews, or ask a buddy who has it, and see if they recommend it.
Then, Viola! Done.
So, no, i usually do not try out demos.

 

[luna_moth]

I usually just play demos if they are available. If not I just buy it then if I don't like it sell it on ebay or something.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

I just look at the box. if its shiny enough i buy it

 

[Upturned Walrus]

I just look at the box. if its shiny enough i buy it

lol i do that alot too it's mostly the shiny game boxes that are the best games

 

[Willwillwritehiswill]

I play demos sometimes. Most of the time i know what i want so i just go and get it. I've bought a few games on the merits of the demos alone though. Red Faction Guerilla and Mirror's Edge being the most prominent ones.

 

[Harlemura]

I used to rent games, but the rental shop near me closed down. So now I either play a demo or get it and hope for the best.

 

[I Stomp on Kittens]

I usually look at the gameplay and then watch a couple of reviews.

 

[EeveeElectro]

If a friend has it, I'll borrow it off them. If not, I'll make my boyfriend lend me it and if I like it, I'll ask him to buy me it.
He likes sex, so he says yes.

 

[The Shade]

I watch gmaeplay footage usually. But I'll often buy it and just hope for the best. So far I've been pleasantly rewarded by most purchases.

 

[Finnboghi]

[ol]
[li]Pirate[/li]
[li]Play enough to ensure I like it[/li]
[li]Decide to buy it or not[/li]
[li]Keep playing pirated copy because of no DRM, leaving purchased copy NRFB[/li]
[/ol]

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

Um, sometimes.

I know what I like and haven't bought a game I didn't like for the past years. And I've only ever bought a few that were bad.

Sometimes a demo or rental convinces me to buy a game I was probably not going to buy (BioShock recently).

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

I pirate before I buy.

If it works well on my computer and I enjoy it, I'll buy it.

But then, I only try out games once in a long while, meaning I buy even less.

Right.

I wander how many people who pirate actually buy the game after the have "checked out" the full game. The temptation too just play the pirated copy is just too high. Unless it's a online game that won't work if it's pirated.

I do this too. I keep no pirated copies for more than 3 days (rentals are 5 days here) and then I uninstall. Keep in mind I've only done this when I have no alternatives like Rentals or trying at a friend, or a demo, etc. - but thanks to this I've bought some great games like Dead Space, and didn't waste my money on other crap games either.

I'm more strict and I have a lot more self-control than others but my point is, checking it out is a good method too (but for me it's a last resort).

Though I do bet a ton of people pirated it to check it out, beat the game 100% and then decided "I don't like it." >_> like a few friends of mine, who deserve a slap in the face.

 

[HentMas]

i rent them... no answer about that

 

[Pimppeter2]

No, I can pretty much assume I'm going to like a game before I buy it. Or a friend gets it and tells me it rocks

 

[S.H.A.R.P.]

Yarrrr mangy sea scrubbers! I be tryin' out me games befurrr I buy em.

That said, there are some exceptions of games I just know I will like (Empires: Total War), and that said, I have been disappointed by doing so (Unreal Tournament 3). And it's just useless to try out multi player games, besides perhaps demo's but I shun them.

 

[Azazcyh]

I rent them, via Gamefly