When criticism kept you from buying a game you REALLY wanted

[DanielBrown]

The Darkness II, probably.
The Darkness was my first new game this gen and I was blown away by the graphics. Really loved the game. When I heard they were making a sequel I got really excited... until I checked some reviews and what people had said about it.
Eventually got it through a bundle and I couldn't agree more with the negative criticism.

SimCity 2013 would be another. Had recently gotten into city building games and thought it was awesome that game was coming out soon. So glad I decided not to buy it.

To counter the bad games I'll add Mass Effect too.
A friend of mine had played it and said it was an awful piece of shit, so I ignored the game and all posts people made about how awesome it was. One day I found it cheap and decided to try it myself.
While not a favorite game of mine it was not what I expected, and Mass Effect 2 turned out to be one of favorite games this gen.

 

[GundamSentinel]

I was really stoked about the new SimCity before I heard about all the problems and issues people had with the game. I put the brakes on right there, which is a shame because I was looking forward to it until it got a panning!

It should have been sorted by now though, right?

Don't get your hopes up. The biggest problems of the new Simcity were inherent to the design of the game itself. And they're still pretending that an offline mode is not possible and that bigger maps would ruin the fun.

Overall I did have a good time with the new Simcity, but some of the fundamental flaws just weren't fixed and there's a good chance they won't be.

OT: I don't think a critic ever stopped me from buying a game I wanted. If critics say it's bad doesn't automatically mean I can't enjoy it. Still, I do like to read reviews to confirm (or refute) my concerns about a title, but I never let them guide my purchases.

 

[Milanezi]

Never happened to me... Not saying that many times I SHOULD have listened to the critics. What does happen though, is the other way around:I often bought games the critics found amazing and I was either really bummed by it, or just found it didn't live to the hype at all.

 

[Milanezi]

GTA V, I had money saved up, was already to pick it up from work on my way home, then I read a couple of reviews, heard about the torture.....

Nope, nope, nope, nope! I'll save my money thanks!

A 15 minute mission in a 20 hour (atleast) long game stopped you from buying it? Really?

I second Delta4062, not to mention it's one of the most hilarious moments in GTA V lol And I mean, morally speaking, this sequence was easily one of the least "morally heavy" missions lol

 

[evenest]

I don't think that negative reviews affect my purchasing choices so much as game-play discussions do. One example I can think of though I cannot recall if it was yahtzee or another reviewer who talked about a particularly frustrating section of Driver: San Fransisco. He lauded the game but mentioned a part of it that was designed poorly. I don't play games to be frustrated but to be entertained, so I have avoided purchasing that particular one. Similarly, I have avoided Dark Souls and Demons Souls for the same reason.

 

[Soundwave]

Single pilotable ship.

Like, you perceive the game from a single ship? Because that's how it's been in the other games in the series. You can still own more ships, you just have to "buy software" so that you can automate them. In X3:TC I have a fleet of twenty or so "universal traders" that utilize my extensive satellite network to buy and sell goods automatically.

OT: I didn't buy resident evil 6 when it came out. Bought it on sale on halloween for like, 17 dollars and had the really good time with it that meta critic told me I wouldn't.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I'm more inclined to be put off by a friend's criticism than that of a professional critic, but I do pay attention to what critics have to say.

With friends, in conversation, I can ask all the questions I want, find out specifics, something not possible elsewhere. My friends also know what I like and dislike and so can tell me in advance what would or wouldn't appeal. I've been put off by, and put many friends off with simple word-of-mouth. It's the most powerful form of advertising after all.

With critics, though I don't take any single review as gospel, it's very easy to get a feel for major shortcomings and issues with a game. I'm a big fan of Aliens, but avoided Colonial Marines like the plague. Would've liked Sim City, but then the online requirement put me off even before the major issues it had. The Escapist review of the last X-Men game (Destiny something) was enough to put me off it.

At the same time, Yahtzee's review sold me on Spec Ops: The Line (since like him, I loathe MMSs with a passion) and Far Cry 3. Probably others too, though I can't name them right now.

 

[darkman80723]

Never. If I truly want something then no power in the verse will stop me

 

[sanquin]

Duke Nukem Forever. I was a bit hyped to hear that a new duke nukem would come out. Back to that nice old school shooter format. But no, it didn't turn out that way... Bad reviews started flooding in the day it came out, a day before I planned to buy it. So I didn't, and I'm glad I don't buy it as it really does suck...

 

[Lieju]

Well, I was interested in Mindjack, but the negative reviews made sure I didn't buy it.

Criticism influences my buying choices. Not so simply as 'this reviewer gave this a 10, I must get it.', but if I hear bad things about a game, or that it's not the kind I'd like, It's not likely I'll buy it.

 

[Robyrt]

I was excited about GTA V. Then I read the reviews mentioning that the world was just as vile and crude an approximation of satire as it was in IV, and there was even less character development. That was all I needed to know.

 

[Images]

It had to be the new Simcity. I've been rather saddened at the lack of big management games like I loved in the 90's. I was thinking, "hell yeah! Sim freaking city. EA will not be so stupid as to mess with this baby".

But then the review facts started rolling in and I realised...

 

[Stryc9]

One soon to be released: X Rebirth.
I have been excited about this one since I first heard about it in 2011. Then one thing happened that has changed my decision from day one purchase to minimum 75% off sale. Single pilotable ship.

Meh, the first one X: Beyond the Frontier was that way too. The thing that keeps me from buying Rebirth day one is Egosoft is almost like a German Bethesda, every one of their games comes out devastatingly buggy and they have to be patched multiple times before they're really playable.

The one time that I can think of was Diablo III. I was really excited about it, I didn't even care about the online requirement at first. Then they announced the auction houses and very shortly after released the game where people were saying things like they're fucking with loot drops to force you into the auction houses and so on. I lost pretty much all interest in the game after that point. If they ever patch the online requirement out then I'll get it but not before.

 

[ExileNZ]

Any mention in a review about frustration or elements that shouldn't be there (example: puzzling in an action game) instantly kills my mood for a game.

Really? Because Half-Life had puzzles in it. Nothing mind-blowingly difficult, of course, but puzzles nonetheless.

 

[ExileNZ]

i detested the first assassins creed game.. stupid ass pc controls. and i have never touched another game in the series but the new pirate one sounded interesting until i found out there is whale hunting in it.

a few things are automatic lost sales to me and thats one of them

Don't forget that they're quite likely banking on your disgust as part of the experience.

Remember Dishonored? Everyone kept talking about how important whale hunting was and how whale oil would bring the world into a brighter future thanks to all these amazing inventions, but then you find books about how whales are carved up alive while suspended by ropes, or how for all the heroism and glory associated with whaling it's actually a frightfully dangerous and horribly depressing job. Not to mention finding that great rotting carcass near the end, surrounded by flies and, well, all the spoilery stuff associated with it.

 

[Mikeyfell]

That Xcom Declassified was crap...

I thought when they released Xcom EU I thought they had learned their lesson, and Declassified was going to be another strategy game... But no.

 

[DoctorObviously]

Any mention in a review about frustration or elements that shouldn't be there (example: puzzling in an action game) instantly kills my mood for a game.

Really? Because Half-Life had puzzles in it. Nothing mind-blowingly difficult, of course, but puzzles nonetheless.

Half-Life 2 didn't bother me. The exception that proves the rule I guess.

 

[FFP2]

Criticism has never kept me from buying a game I really wanted. I can form my own opinions.

Shit, I really wanted FF13. So I got it and guess what?

I enjoyed it. People on the internet acting like it's the worst game ever was never a factor.

 

[Keiichi Morisato]

for me it was GTA V, i heard that the story was utter shit so i didn't buy it. FFXIII, for the same reason. any Megaman game, they are too hard. and a few others.

 

[mirage202]

Single pilotable ship.

Like, you perceive the game from a single ship? Because that's how it's been in the other games in the series. You can still own more ships, you just have to "buy software" so that you can automate them. In X3:TC I have a fleet of twenty or so "universal traders" that utilize my extensive satellite network to buy and sell goods automatically.

No, as in you can fly one ship, and only the one ship.

No changing to new fighters, frigates, haulers, capitals etc. Just the one single player pilotable Albion Skunk corvette, that is it.

That holds no interest for me.