Poll: Do you take Yahtzee's reviews seriously?

[TornadoFive]

If he trashes a game, then no, of course not. That's what he's known for. But if he gives it a positive review, and I like the sound of it, I'll check it out. I got Just Cause 2 after he named it his GOTY 2010, and loved it. Crysis 2 as well. But some of my favourite games are ones he's really laid into. So no, I watch his videos for entertainment, not a review.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Hmm maybe if Yatzee had a guest spot on My Little Pony

...

That...I don't know what that would be like, but it's an intriguing idea.

 

[Cavan]

Only time I take his views as a hint towards whether or not I will actually enjoy a game is when he says "oh shit guys, I actually liked that game and anybody who didn't is probably a cock on fire hurtling into the moon" or the kinda thing he says.

Basically his job is to criticise and be funny at it, so if he's actually praising something for being fantastic I usually go and check it out a little more, although that's no guarantee in the end, I didn't feel like I got my moneys worth from either dead rising 2 or just cause 2 even after picking them both up at massively reduced prices.

 

[Toriver]

While ZP is good entertainment and I will watch it for that, I find him to indeed be overly cynical and I actually in some cases rather strongly disagree with many of his more serious views on games in general. So I can laugh at his comedy, even when he tears apart games I like, but I would rather not listen to him or take his opinions seriously when it comes to deciding whether to purchase games.

 

[Creator002]

I watch his reviews for fun, mainly, but I also get the most general idea of the game he's reviewing.
I usually buy games regardless of any review though and, if I don't like it, EB Games will take it back and refund my money as long as it's within 7 days.

 

[merck88]

You know what...I actually do take them seriously. I mean, I do take everything he says with a grain( for shaker full) of salt, but there are games that I ended up buying because he seemed to enjoy them (Amnesia) and games I didn't buy because of his reviews (Mirrors Edge). Basically I see them as saying 'This is all the crap in the game you will have to put up with.' If its more than I want to deal with, then I don't buy it, if it sounds reasonable, I will.

 

[Ursus Buckler]

I enjoy watching the reviews, but taking his highly critical style into account you have to realise that the good stuff isn't funny to talk about which is why it isn't taken into account much either. Furthermore I also don't buy games very often, regardless of what Yahtzee says.

 

[Zanakanishi]

When I watch it I either look at reviews of games I have played and think along the lines of "oh yeah, i can totally relate to that" but if it's for a new game that I have not played and want to find out about I watch an IGN reveiew to see all the good aspects of the game, then I look at ZP to hear about the bad parts so I can compair and decide if I want to buy it, so far it has helped me find some good/fun games, and it has let me see how horrible others look in comparison.

So I guess I take it seriously for the most part, but only for a kind of measurment type of thing.

 

[Jake Martinez]

Game reviewers are pretty shitty in general. Its sort of the dark seedy underbelly of criticism - most reviewers have no training or education, are relatively poor critical thinkers. They believe objectivity amounts to saying things like, "But if you happen you be a one armed pirate with a penchant for sodomizing monkeys, then you might enjoy this game".

That being said, I find Zero Punctation funny. I don't however find it informative very often (which is a problem for a review of any type).

I probably also don't share many of Yahtzee's views on gaming, some of which I actually find tantalizingly close to being well thought out. This is also a tricky area. For instance, while I probably don't agree with the man very much it's not enough for me to scream "YOU SUCK YAHTZEE!" when I see him at the Mana Bar.

Frankly I think the best thing Yahtzee could do is go out and play more games - and not just console games. I think if he had a broader pallette of experiences to choose from, he'd be a both a funny and informative reviewer. That's just my opinion though.

 

[Gustavo S. Buschle]

I think it's hilarious that someone would refer to his show as a review. To me it is a comedy show, and I love it.

 

[Zhukov]

Yes, to a degree.

Just because he has on occasion trashed a game that I like, I'm not going to dismiss him entirely on the basis of, "Oh, it's just comedy." The guy makes a lot of valid points and it's nice to see a critic with high standards.

PS. This thread has been done literally dozens of times before, possibly hundreds.

 

[Azulito]

It's a mix for me. I'll take them as what they are, comedic. But subconciously I'll judge a game based on some of his 'nitpicks'. xD

 

[Kiefer13]

I take the general gist of any point he makes seriously, but obviously tone it down a bit. Yahtzee never really makes up faults, he's just hyperbolic in his assessment of them for comedic effect. I wouldn't give any of his videos the same weight as a realistic and balanced review, but they do often give an insight into a game's more glaring flaws.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Please. Yatzhee doesn't take Yatzhee's reviews seriously.

 

[Alphakirby]

I take any review with a grain of salt because it is simply someone else's opinion on the game. It may or may not be close to how I feel about it. ZP has a very cynical and satirical approach of reviewing games, and so, if you keep that in mind while watching, you can take it seriously. Just remember what kind of opinion the person has when watching the review.

The thing is that because he's cynical if he says a game is good,it's usually a pretty damn good game for the other people that have played it.

OT:While I take Yatzhee's reviews more seriously than others,I do not take them seriously enough to influence my buying decisions. Like all other reviews,Zero Puncuation is merely a talk about the person's opinion on the game,as well as some of the flaws a game has.
Hell,Yatzhee even recognized this in the Mailbag Showdown episode when all the fanboys were hate mailing him.

 

[Phenakist]

Search Bar? This has got to be the most common thread about...

But no, I might take the gist of it and make up my own mind.

 

[Woodsey]

They're not reviews. Anyway, he doesn't make a point unless he actually thinks it, but it is overblown for the sake of comedy. The only time you should particularly base a purchase decision off of what he says if he actually recommends something.

 

[BRex21]

Yknow, if he really tears into a game and calls it utter shite it wont do much for my pre-existing notions about the game, but if he points out that the controls are bad or that it does something that it a major pet peeve of mine it usually pushes it into the demo or rent it first category.

 

[mikeybuthge]

I watch his "reviews" for comedic value mainly, if i really wanna try a game, even one he hates, i'll rent it first, or borrow it from a friend

 

[Bebus]

I take the points he says with a large pinch of salt, but always remember:

> He is a critic, not a reviewer

> He is paid to find the tiniest flaws and rag on them in a hilarious manner. Example: the beggars in Assassins Creed. Sure, they were as annoying as hell. But I only came into 1 scenario in the whole game in which they actually impeded me; the rest of the time I just ran across the rooftops.

I watch his shows for fun. Then if possible I play a demo, then I read peer reviews to see if the flaws he mentions get in the way of the good stuff to a level that makes a game unplayable later on. I have only ever made one decision on his words: Psychonauts, and that was a game he reviewed rather than critiqued. I have bought dozens of games he has flat out hated, and enjoyed every minute of them despite the problems.