IGN is getting worse and worse over the past year; I find it laughable they still have to justify the ridiculous score they gave GTAIV by rating is so highly on their 'top 25' lists. 

Yamauchi:1
Reviewers: 0

For the 2nd time this week (and the second time in my life) I feel the need to defend IGN.

Reviewers CANNOT play games in their entirety. Well, some games they can - those that last about 6 hours. The majority of reviews are done to make money, which we cannot blame them for - everyone needs to eat. How long would you guess it would take to full experience every facet of GT5? It's just impractical to expect a reviewer to sink that much time into a game, especially when they need to get the review out as soon as they can, in order for it to actually be useful to anyone.

When reading reviews (and I do hope you read reviews in their entirity) you must always be aware that the reviewer did not play the game as much as you will over your  life.

This made my day. :D

Yeah, but you can't review a game like GT5 the same as most other games. It has such a long winded career mode that you need dedicate more time than usual to get the true feel of the game IMO. That has just been proven with the progressive damage system.

sorry to all

NOTHING from what is said is really proven at this point
as was saying someone at GTplanet :

http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=132933&page=43

The worst u can get is when u get "sandwtiched" by others cars and it is acutally ulgy and unrealistic

This can't be serious?

Then why play RPG for more than a few hours....? Some games start great and then go downhill fast towards the end. IGN had to go back and change their reviews (content) before as well, it's just pathetic.

and for the bolded, you are wrong. Being helpful means giving a proper review with correct and 'complete' information. Getting reviews out fast only helps them (in the short run anyways) no one else, definitely not the readers.

There is no 'need' for them to rush a review, why do they do it?  Just for the sake of getting a review out there asap. IGn for example could ahve taken their time, inform the readers that they are taking their time due to the large amount of content, and take a week or so do a proper review. THAT'S what 'should' be done as professionals. This will help them with their credibility as well. 

It is my understanding IGN and others often, and did in fact for GT5, have copies of the game in advance. Its not like these people get the game on street date. They can/should sink enough time to do their job.

If its their job they should do it, do it well, if something like this happens they owe it to their customers to either alter it or at least contact PD or developers for a complete grasp on the game.

The bottom line its all about hits, not integrity, IGN is a perfect example of this, its what the majority of reviews have become.

That's like reading the summary at the start of the textbook and then blaming the writer because you didn't magically learn quantum physics. Like turning on a romantic movie just in time for the final kiss, and saying it's a bad movie because it didn't make you cry.

Ahh, so many response, not gonna reply to each individually.

If reviewers gave each game the proper time it deserved, they would not still be in business.

Reviews are commercial advice to consumers. They are not designed as some sort of penis measuring competition, they are so that people who are on the fence can decide whether or not to buy GT5. Consequently, a late review does not help these people, they will either have bought the game or forgotten about it  (internet forum dwellers obviously excluded).

Reviewers did not get GT5 all that far ahead of time, and they have many games to review. Sinking a hundred hour into it is impossible.And to claim that GT5 is special just shows that you would not be happy with anything other than a perfect review for the game. It is no longer than many, many games this generation, and no more special than many too.

You criticise IGN for focusing on money, not credability - it is a business, and profitability must be the top priority. To demand any else is to demand too much