I know this might be hard to do at first, but why do people who say "i dont trust reviews" or "reviewers are wrong and inconsistent in scoring" still read reviews? I have avoided every review for games I could purchase for years now. The only time I read reviews is when the controversy over a score is creating threads on popular gaming sites, vgc included. If people stop reading reviews altogether, Metacritic and review sites would have no power. It might be hard at first to judge games on your own using screenshots, videos, demos, or whatever you need to justify a decision, but it would kill reviews and their power over sales and gamers.

if I don't read review, how would I know that FFXIV, which came from a long line of quality RPG, is going to dogs?

should I be punished to pay full price on a game, with no return policy and test it out myself?

it's no different from car reviews, reviews are there for a reason, it will never go away.

any controvesy extends from fanboys who want their games to have better scores.

I don't read reviews for scores.  I read reviews for info.  Buying games based on boxart hasn't worked out for me in the past.

Damn those games with big boobies on the boxart!!! >_<"

Well, I don't trust reviews for judging a game if it is good or not, it's more like a personal decision for this judgment, but i read them to see if certain games deserves being purchased, for exemple, what it can provide during the gameplay, the contents, and so on...

I only read EGM reviews since they've saved me from many bad purchases. As prices have gone down for game X, I went back and bought those average to bad games (PN03, Geist, and Super Mario Sunshine to name a few) and I'm glad I didn't pay 50 USD to play them when they came out.

The thread headline is the dumbest thing i have ever read on these forums. That is all.

I'm guessing that you are a wii owner?

I only read reviews for games that I don't know about, and watch some video reviews and previews for entertainment. I never trust them. However, I do rate them on their professionalism and imo gamespot had some of the best reviews I have seen, so I usually tend to watch their reviews more, but I never base my decision solely on them either. The game that reviews made me not buy is only GT 5 because they said it was very realistic and that a wheel was recommended. Whereas reviews for MAG made me buy it.                                  

Do you really have to guess? It says in on his sig :l