So, I was thinking recently (I do this from time to time), sparked by the last episode I watched of Zero Punctuation's L.A. Noire "review". How much do you all use "professional" reviews to guide your game purchases? What sites do you frequent that you seem to get the most accurate info from?
I've read about a lot of Escapists that use Yahtzee's game videos as a review, of sorts, and condemn a game based on what he says. I see him as more a game commentator. Even the games he likes, he points out the flaws and whatnot, and he is really accurate at pointing out things I thought were odd too. I never see it as a "review" however, more along the lines of listening to a game designer and gamer talking about funny things that occur in titles he covers. And following this line of thought, I've never disagreed with what he's said.
Now, for my answers to the questions I posed above. I generally don't use review scores to dictate my purchases, I prefer user reviews and word of mouth myself. Or Let's Plays and the like to give me an idea of the gameplay. I rarely ever look at the scores until after I have the game, just to see what other people thought of it. And it's served me well so far, I've never made a purchase I flat out regretted before. One site that I put a lot of faith into though, when I am on the fence, is Giant Bomb. When they do review stuff, they seem to generally have the same thought patterns as I do, and their Quick Looks are invaluable for seeing how a game is and plays before making purchases.
I've read about a lot of Escapists that use Yahtzee's game videos as a review, of sorts, and condemn a game based on what he says. I see him as more a game commentator. Even the games he likes, he points out the flaws and whatnot, and he is really accurate at pointing out things I thought were odd too. I never see it as a "review" however, more along the lines of listening to a game designer and gamer talking about funny things that occur in titles he covers. And following this line of thought, I've never disagreed with what he's said.
Now, for my answers to the questions I posed above. I generally don't use review scores to dictate my purchases, I prefer user reviews and word of mouth myself. Or Let's Plays and the like to give me an idea of the gameplay. I rarely ever look at the scores until after I have the game, just to see what other people thought of it. And it's served me well so far, I've never made a purchase I flat out regretted before. One site that I put a lot of faith into though, when I am on the fence, is Giant Bomb. When they do review stuff, they seem to generally have the same thought patterns as I do, and their Quick Looks are invaluable for seeing how a game is and plays before making purchases.
