How much do reviews impact your purchases?

[Cowabungaa]

A little, mostly to find out whether the game is at least technically competent. After many of the debacles especially in the past two years I'm wary of new releases. Whether I like the content/tone/setting/etc of a game is not something I usually don't figure out from releases, except maybe if it's a work derived from another, like Alien: Isolation.

That game, for instance, I only picked up after I was assured by Jim Sterling that it was indeed A: technically competent and B: actually managed to capture the feeling of the first film. I didn't want to run into another Colonial Marines scenario. Man am I glad I never actually got around pre-ordering that game. Same goes for Assassin's Creed: Unity.

 

[Xerosch]

I'm reading reviews, but opnly to check for possible negative points that aren't apparent at first sight.

Aside from that I have a good judgement for which games work for me. I can have a lot of fun with titles that are widely despised by players. But hey, it's a hobby and if everyone is happy with what they play so be it.

 

[kasperbbs]

A great deal i'd say, i have found at least 3 reliable reviewers that help me make up my mind and ofcourse theres forums, gameplay videos and whatnot. Most of the time i watch the reviews to find out if the game is any good and then watch TotalBiscuits videos to find out if it's a shitty port. If i didn't i probably would have picked up Unity because watching some random let's play's looked like they were having a blast, but it turns out that it's the same shit that they released before Black flag, only with more bugs.

 

[DSK-]

Escapist reviews don't. The times I did take their input I was bitterly disappointed with the games I purchased. Whether it's down to differences in taste or other things I do not know.

I used to watch Gametrailer reviews because they'd discuss the game quite broadly but I haven't been on there in a long time. I discovered Angry Joe, and as well as being quite entertaining (particularly in that Destiny review) I find it quite informative, down to earth and somewhat objective.

I trust my friends' opinions a great deal when it comes to games, too.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

They don't have any impact on my purchases because i don't bother reading reviews anymore. I think it was the late 80's / early 90's when i started to realize that reviews were often paid for by the companies selling the reviewed game and then decided that as such they have no value, imagined or real. Since then i pretty much just check the genre and buy it, play it to completion whether i hate it or not and then pass it on to the next friend who i think might like it.

 

[Veldel]

None whatsoever I can tell if il enjoy a game on my own I don't need some biased person to tell me what I should like or not.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Not at all. I use gaming sites (primarily this one) to follow games in production, so that I can decide before release whether the game looks like something that I would enjoy playing. This nearly always means I have made up my mind whether to buy (or not) a game weeks or even months before reviews get posted online.

I'd be interested to know the age of those who are saying "not at all" as being something of an old fart, I'm still sentimentally attached to a good review.

33 over here.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Not a ton, unless it's revealed the game is full of bugs or glitches. If the game is getting consistently awful reviews (like below 50% across the board) then yes I'll be very hesitant.

 

[Kotaro]

Depends on the source of the review. If it's from a site that's known to be unreliable, like IGN or GameSpot, then I won't even read it. But if it's from a site I like, then it can affect my purchases quite a bit.
I've seen overwhelmingly positive reviews for games I had no intention of getting, gotten the game, and had a great time as a result. Similarly, I've backed off from games I planned to get when the reviews were awful.
I generally don't preorder unless it's a game I know I'm going to get no matter what (like a Megami Tensei game), so it's easy for me to use reviews as a tool to help me decide what to get.

 

[RedDeadFred]

First I look at the Meta score, then the user score, then the Steam user reviews (top ones are usually quite helpful). Then I go to Youtube and watch a lot of gameplay and video reviews. I usually watch TB and Angry Joe. I find them both to be quite honest and passionate about what they are doing and you can tell they care about giving their viewers the best idea of what the game is like. They probably influence me the most since half hour videos provide a lot better insight into a game than reading a dozen 5 minute reviews that all recap the game in the same way (Escapist is USUALLY one of the few exceptions to this since they often provide multi-paged reviews that offer a lot more depth than others). For example, if I had just looked at the Meta score for Destiny, I may have actually bought it.

 

[NPC009]

When I come across a game I little/nothing about I check a few professional and/or user reviews before buying. Not to blindly follow their advice, but to dig up the information I need to make an informed decision. One of my strategies is to go to Metacritic and read the review with the highest score, the one with lowest and something in between. When there are no professional reviews available (happens quite often with smaller titles on Steam) I check a few positive and negative user reviews.

I'm not into let's plays and video reviews, so when I do watch one it's because of the reviewer and not of the game being reviewed. Worst case I just get a decent laugh out of it, best case I have a new game to add to my wishlist.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Ive bought and enjoyed loads of games that got low scores. Also there are games that get rated high that end up being crap. So you have to judge games based on your own likes.

 

[JennAnge]

I depend highly on reviews just to let me know what's out there. That's how I knew Shadows of Mordor existed, had come out and, on the balance of reviews and comments to the reviews, didn't suck. Same for Dishonored awhile back. I got some good buys that way, games I really enjoyed and that I might never have heard of or thought they'd appeal to me.

I stick to Escapist reviews, though, rather than metacritic or IGNs. I find Escapist reviews address issues a bit more directly, and if they don't, the comment section will, in spades. IGN might mention issues but they'll be lost in the fluff piece (maybe that's changed, can't be arsed to find out). If I'm still undecided, I'll go see if Angry Joe has done a review. My main purpose in reading/watching reviews is to get a feel for the gameplay, the flaws, the type of story, and see if it has a chance of grabbing me. A negative review won't necessarily turn me off. I still bought Thief 4 - I know that's not the official name, but I am not calling it Thief, I played Thief before the millenium rolled around and it was awesome. But Thief 4 was okay, no buyer's regret. While a glowing review doesn't insure I'll get the game. Far Cry 3 got praised to the sky and even turned Yahtzee into a banana, but I never felt the urge to play it (possibly because I saw the trailer and realized there was not enough suspension of disbelief on the planet that could convince me or my character to risk life and limb and sanity in order to save those self-centered sky diving yahoos he called friends). 'Skyrim with guns' should have sold me, but then I just went and played Skyrim again for the nth time and had a good time and saved $60.


TL;DR: Reviews put games on my radar, but I only depend on them so far when it comes to actually deciding to buy.

 

[LaoJim]

Can anyone find me a review by a legitimate, respected journalism source that gave 'The Last of Us' anything other than a glowing, overwhelming 9/10 or 10/10 recommendation?

Have a look at Metacritic. Depends on your view of 'legitimate' but Polygon, GameSpot, the Toronto Sun, GameFront and GameCritics all gave the game 8 or under. Hardly damning, but there's a couple more than you might think.

When I come across a game I little/nothing about I check a few professional and/or user reviews before buying. Not to blindly follow their advice, but to dig up the information I need to make an informed decision. One of my strategies is to go to Metacritic and read the review with the highest score, the one with lowest and something in between.

Yeah, good strategy which I tend to do myself. The dissenting opinion is often the most useful. For example while Jim Sterling's 3/10 for Assassin's Creed 2 was a little over the top, the review itself told you a lot about the potential problems with the game that most other sites ignore. You don't have to agree, but its always worth knowing why someone might hate a generally well-liked game.

Not at all. I use gaming sites (primarily this one) to follow games in production, so that I can decide before release whether the game looks like something that I would enjoy playing. This nearly always means I have made up my mind whether to buy (or not) a game weeks or even months before reviews get posted online.
...
33 over here.

Fair enough. I think we all get a feeling from previews about what is going to be good and what is not. I sensed that Destiny and Watchdogs weren't going to be anything too special the more I learned about them from previews. On the other hand with a lot games and with new IPs especially its often more difficult to call. I though that Shadows of Mordor was probably going to end up in the 70-80s metacritic band, but the reaction to it was generally (a little) more positive than I expected. Similarly I didn't see The Crew as being a 60-70, I thought it would be at least solid.

 

[Nereus77]

I have several avenues of information that when combined provide a decent overview of the game I want to buy.

1. The trailer. Is it good? Does it give you that nagging feeling that something might be wrong? Most good games have decent trailers.

2. Forum/reddit buzz leading up to release. This can be misleading, but generally good games have a good following.

3. Reviews. Yes, its 3rd on the list, mostly because gaming journalism isn't what it used to be.

4. Forum/reddit buzz after release. Its here you dismiss most bad apples.

5. YouTube gameplay. The final step shows me whether its worth the purchase.


EDIT: Oh, yes forgot to mention that Metacritic isn't worth shit. Gamers are a fickle bunch and turn like a flock of Gallomimus...

 

[Tiamattt]

Depends if I'm iffy on buying something, if my mind is already set on it I probably wouldn't even read them but if I'm 50/50 on it then reviews are a good deciding factor. Movie reviews on the other hand I seem to pay a lot more attention to, like if a movie got terrible/really good reviews than that would definitely affect my decision whether or not to watch that movie. Of course they aren't always right/I don't always share the same opinions of the film critics but more often than not they've been a good way to decide on whether or not to spend my money.

 

[Ryallen]

Kinda sorta, but not by much. I will read one or two reviews from reviewers I trust if the game initially interests me, but if I didn't care to begin with, reviews don't really change that. I might read a review after I get and play the game, usually when I like said game and I want to see other people like the game as well. Go figure.

If it's after the game comes out, however, and the reviews are already out, then I might Google some reviews and skim the overall article or check out the Steam reviews. I used to check out WTF is... when I picked a game, but after I found out that TB absolutely hated Borderlands 2, one of my all-time favorites, I stopped trusting his opinions as much.

 

[babinro]

Extremely Heavily if not almost completely.

I can only of one example where I've gotten into a game that has received truly terrible reviews. That game is Marvel Puzzle Quest and even then it's a free to play title.

I ALWAYS research my game purchases and professional game reviews are my deciding factor. I trust IGN to give me the more positive fun elements of a game. I trust gamespot to highlight some of the genuine problems with a game.

If I'm on the fence then I'll check out forums to get understanding of the problems that aren't brought up in reviews. I'll watch twitch/youtube to get an understanding of the reality of the game without hype. Most of the time this added research is a waste of time but it would have saved me from some bad pre-orders like the PC version of Inquisition had I waited.

I'm surprised to myself the exception on these forums.

 

[duwenbasden]

Influence yes, not impact. If most reviews are not fond of a game, chances are I won't buy it. After that, I always look on Youtube for let's plays for the feel of the game. After that I might buy the game.

 

[SNCommand]

I read them to see if there's anything broken about it, the rest about story, gameplay, and "immersion" (isn't that the most subjective category ever) I decide for myself by watching a bit of gameplay if I can