I do want to discuss this a bit further but don't want to overly influence your answers, so for now I will just ask the question - How often do you read game reviews? (That's anywhere not just on SG)

i always look and read reviews about games i care about, as well as the reviews of games i want to fail lol :P

Apart from games made by trusted devs I usually try to find video reviews of games I think I want to play. Video only because I like to see the game play and graphic style of the game more so than what the person is saying. I rarely take the end score into account though, some of my favorite games got maybe 6 on metecritic.

I usually just check Metacritic scores. I used to read EGM and 1up reviews but ever since Ugo entertainment bought out the 1up network and stopped publishing EGM, I stopped reading their reviews.

I subscribe to PSM3 UK and reviews take up a lot of the magazine so yeah i do. But only ones I'm interested in and not like the ranndom 24 ones that take up a small column

I look at a lot of reviews about games before I buy them. As Artemas said, I prefer video reviews because it gives me a chance to get a look at the gameplay and graphic style. I still read reviews often as well, and I check out a couple different websites before I commit myself to the purchase

I voted quite often but I don't actually read reviews at all, instead I just watch video reviews. They're much quicker to digest and more entertaining

Of course I read. My experience with ratings make them useless. Not so with WHY they get the ratings they do.

I watch all the IGN videos reviews on youtube but thats it

I don't read a review unless I am not sure about the game. Otherwise I can run on opinions from podcasts and recommendations from friends.

If it's a game I am slightly interested in, or just curious about how it turned out (Prototype for example), then I will look at the final score, but not read the review. Generally, I stand firm with the games I plan to buy, so I don't read too many critiques. For instance, I am huge fan of Insomniac, Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch, and generally buy their games regardless. The only time I actually read a full review is if I am truly torn between purchasing/not purchasing a game. Though, that is rather rare.

I generally skim the reviews. If it's a game I'm interested in, or catches me eye, I'll read the whole review about it.:thumbsup:

As a side note, I like to read game reviews while I'm eating lunch, or when I'm on the pooper. Yeah, that's more than you wanted to know, but I felt like I should share it.:cool2:

Reviews give me a foundation upon which to set my expectations. Even though, I'm slowly losing faith in major sites like IGN and Gamespot Its always interesting to read/hear the opinion of an industry "professional"

I barely ever read reviews anymore. Usually I just go by what friends have said, or from what gameplay footage I've seen and if the game is to my taste.

I usually listen to reviews in podcasts

As AjC said, watching the reviews actually gives you a look at the game in action, which is as close as you can get without actually playing it. Screenshots, I've found, can be a bit misleading.

I read the reviews mostly to get an idea on how "finished" the game is, how technically proficient it is. Any big bugs, glitches, or some other programming issue might turn me off to a game, at least until it's been resolved. If a gameplay mechanic is so annoying that it makes an entire paragraph in a review or a couple of minutes in a video, there's a good chance it will annoy me, as well. (I'm looking at you, Too Human.)

Essentially, they are a good place to start, but never take it at face value. Your best bet? Rent it if you are unsure.

Never read a game review. I either go by gameplay or word-of-mouth.

I prefer video reviews on gametrailers or ign. I like being able to see the game in action as they often show footage of the good and bad points of a game. I occasionally read the full reviews if I'm really borderline about getting the game, or if it just gets such a low or high score that I want to know more about it.

I usually always read a review of a game I'm looking into buying already.

Unless it's by Valve, then it's a buy without question.

I check out game related news, blogs, forums trailers and reviews on a daily basis.

If I'm not sure about buying the game or want to find out about the game then I'll read a few reviews. Otherwise, I just trust my own judgement.