Reasonable on 02 February 2009
I think you answered your own question as to why the fanboys get all sweating over the score.
As for myself I take them with a pinch of salt, particularly metacritic as the number of sources can vary widely, making comparisons tricky.
I do find them useful as a 'one stop' place to get a feel for the spread of reviews by source. Normally I'll pick a few high plus one or two of the lower ones to actually read.
I also find the sites useful to list available games and get a feel for their general review status.
Mostly I prefer to rely on demos, videos and word of mouth. I'm always happy to wait before buying, unless I'm very sure of the purchase.
Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...
