Most reliable game review source?

[LightPhoenix]

I'll generally try to rent a game that I'm really on the fence about now, if I'm not sure about buying it. While there are people whose opinions that I really respect (and most of them don't work for gaming sites), really the only person that knows if I'll like a game is me. For example, most people pan FF:MQ, but I kinda like the game.

With regards to the gaming sites, I don't trust them at all. It's standard practice for them to rush playing and reviews to be out for the games, which makes them much more flawed than they should be. Oftentimes reviewers will play a game for only a few hours, or play a game nonstop for two days, just to get a review out. Neither one represents how a normal gamer plays video games, and that always has to be considered. Black & White is an excellent example of the former. Also, there's a HUGE bias towards highly successful series. You will never see a Final Fantasy game ranked low, because all the companies are too busy... okay, I would offend Eric's grandma by going further. Suffice to say, there's a large degree of bias towards popularity and fan-service.

All that said, I'm sure I'll like Jade Empire, because I've liked everything Bioware has done. So I'm not worried.

 

[Welverin]

Also, there's a HUGE bias towards highly successful series.

Well, I know for sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

So, anyone else sense a bit of a bias against PC games? It has a bit of a justification, but they do tend to do consistently worse than console games.

You will never see a Final Fantasy game ranked low, because all the companies are too busy... okay, I would offend Eric's grandma by going further.

This is one of the series I was thinking of.

 

[jasamcarl]

Well, I know for sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

So, anyone else sense a bit of a bias against PC games? It has a bit of a justification, but they do tend to do consistently worse than console games.



This is one of the series I was thinking of.

When PC games are hot, they're hot, but when they're not, they tend to be a sloppy mess, because 1) There is more room for technical error because of the wildy different configurations of pcs and, I suspect, because the developer usually has an oppurtunity to patch later and 2) PC games, having access to more elaborate control schemes and other technical resources, tend to have more complicated mechanics, which can lead to imbalance, tedium, etc.

 

[John Crichton]

The biggest thing that keeps me away from some PC games is the simple fact that I am a computer idiot. If the game glitches out on me 1-2 times I'll typically just stop playing it and never come back. I'm the type of gamer that just wants to pop the game in and have it work right away with no worries after that.

 

[LrdApoc]

I'm biased..

I like these guys:

www.dispatch.com/gameon

But just because I know them so well.

 

[Thanee]

One of the computer magazines here in germany has videos on a DVD, where they play a selection of current games and comment on them. That's pretty neat.

Bye
Thanee

 

[reanjr]

I also use Gamespot's reviews. Monte Cook has never steered me wrong, either. I wish he did more reviews.