It's a combination for me. I read reviews because games are expensive now. Back in the N64 days, games were cheap enough that if you didn't end up liking it, it was the same feeling as going to see a movie for two with snacks that you ended up not liking. Now that they're $50-60 a pop, I'm much more wary. Typically, the big games are a definite buy if they intereest me (ie I would have gotten Halo or Galaxy even if they got merely 'average' reviews). But if it's a game that merely has piqued my interest, I'll read the reviews and make my own opinions. A 70+ game like this is a purchase only if I'm very interested in it, and I rent it or play at a friend's house first.

Also, that's not counting the 'see a very cool-looking game on the shelf that I've never seen before but must have' syndrome that hits me once in a while

I read them and take them into account.

Yes. Why? Because I don't want to spend $50, blind-folded, and end up buying a shitty game. 80%+ on Game Rankings. Why? It's equivilent to 4/5 stars, or more, which I would consider, officially "good."

I no longer do... I did until last month. But after recent events how could you?

For example, the Gamespot - Kane & Lynch incident...

Also, I don't understand the desparatey in rankings between the different platforms. I have played many of the multi-platform games but see no difference. Then, I go to gamerankings.com and games like CoD4 at 94.4% on 360 and 93.7% for PS3... Seriously, I have played both for many hours and really don't see much difference at all between them... Especially a .7% difference...

I see reviews as media and advertising controlled too much now.

Lately, I have taken the demo approach. I will only buy a game after I have downloaded and played the demo for it... Or word of mouth with friends who have the games.

Maybe you should stop depending on "one" reviewer, and start looking at all the reviews, as a whole, on Game Rankings. It's far more accurate than a single review.

I definitely base my decision on reviews, for instance, I heard Assassin's Creed wasn't going to live up to its hype. I wasn't going to get it but a review at IGN or Gamespot, said that it was still very entertaining despite its control problems, so I brought it.

Reviewers are a good source of info. So is this forum. So are people you may know in real life. You have to weight the value of what's being said based on the person who's saying it and their own preferences and experience.

Screenshots and gameplay vids are a great source of info, too.

Topic title: Do you base your buying decision on game reviews?

No.

Long answer: HELL No.

Longer answer: Oh HELL No.

Longest answer: Aw HEEELLLLL Naw!

The only opinion that counts is mine when buying games for ME.

I find most good purchases that way.  

John Lucas 

Most of the time I don't really care about reviews. The only time I use them is if after seeing all the footage and what not and I'm still sitting on the fence.

 Of course Game Rankings is still useless, as most reviewers are hacks.