I recently wrote a review for Wii Cricket. I gave it 2 1/2 stars out of five.
Now, in attempting to reduce the quality of a game to an arbitrary number system, this was perfectly fair. It has a number of huge issues that do detract from its production qualities.
However, I loved the game, and if you read the review itself it points out that there may well be enough in the game to justify a purchase. I enjoy the game a lot, and play it regularly. For me, it's good fun, despite its faults.
This is my problem with the few hundred "I GIVE THIS GAME A 4/10!" posts or "IGN gave this game a 4.6!!!" threads. They're missing the point of a scoring system. A game review is about as about as reliable as an indication of the quality of a game as a price tag is of the quality of a product you buy at a shop.
Out of hundreds of games that are released, the score is the first thing I look at. If it seems decent enough then I go on to read the review. I will not be going through reading every lengthy review to find out what a score should tell me. The review should explain the score given in more detail.
Edgey, Gumshoe, Godot, Sissel, Larry, then Mia, Franziska, Maggie, Kay and Lynne.
I'm throwing my money at the screen but nothing happens!
I always say that if you're interested in buying a game you should read the review. My friend bought Brutal Legend after seeing it recieve pretty good scores but never bothered to read the damn review. He was in for a shock when the gameplay didn't match what he expected.
Oh, and: 79.99 AUD=72.94 USD (!!!)
"The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."
That score matched the review splendidly. Matter of fact, that was one of the best reviews I've ever read, simply because it admitted all the game's horrid flaws while still being able to convince me that there might be fun to be had in it. Though to be honest, those problems would be deal breakers for me. Not that it matters, since this game isn't available in America and I know even less about Cricket than most organized sports.
My Backloggery Updated sporadically. Got my important online ID's on there, anyway. :P
Out of hundreds of games that are released, the score is the first thing I look at. If it seems decent enough then I go on to read the review. I will not be going through reading every lengthy review to find out what a score should tell me. The review should explain the score given in more detail.
That's a good way to read a review. If you're interested in the game, and review scores are overall negative, then it's good to read a review or two to find out why - it could be the faults the reviewer has with the game don't bother you.
I generally find it's best to read 4 reviews - one with a high score, one with a low, and then two others from sources I have found over time I agree with. It's enough to give me an overall picture of the game.
Once I start reading a review, though, I don't pay attention to the scores any more.
That said, when it comes to writing I wish I could choose not to put in a score. I'd rather readers read the review rather than base their opinions on what I write from the score. Unfortunately, it's required
Oh, and: 79.99 AUD=72.94 USD (!!!)
Typical cost for a game these parts. PS3/ Xbox360 games usually cost $100-$110
Not that it matters, since this game isn't available in America and I know even less about Cricket than most organized sports.
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Topic: A case study in why paying attention to game review scores in lieu of the review text is unwise
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