As long as (insert game I prefer here) scores higher than (insert game I don't prefer here), MetaCritic is gospel. All hail the Meta!*

*For now...

The amount of "mixed" score games which I love to pieces is disproportionately high, particularly when it comes to Japanese stuff, so I do not use Metacritic at all really.

As a tool in and of itself, it's fine. That and GameRankings (I honestly prefer GameRankings, the layout is more amateur, but it feels more comprehensive and I don't have to see User Scores ) have a certain role to play. If you take it as something to help form an opinion for a purchase, then it's fine.

But, as with anything, if you put too much stock into this glorified "opinion number cruncher" and turn it into a competition, well then you're not using the tool correctly and it loses its value (as much as the sites try to turn it into a competition because it gives him hits).

when I see a bad game and it gets bad score then im all for metacritic.

perfect example driveclub.

I never have and I never will. With all the content available to gamers to get a sense of how a game will be before it release, there's no point in me looking at an irrelevant aggregate score to make my purchasing decisions. Alas, sheep will be sheep, so Metacritic isn't going anywhere soon.

I use it for reference. I usually agree with its ratings.

-mod edit-

I rarely give a damn about reviews if you ask me.

I only look at them to get a general sense of what people think of the game ( look at meta and user reviews) but at the end of the day if I want the game I'll buy it regardless of what anyone else thinks.

I forgot about Metacritic. Haven't used it in years.