Choosing your games..

Admiral Huddy

Admiral Huddy

Admiral Huddy

Man of Honour
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How do you choose which games to play?

What deciding factors do you take into account?



Since my time playing games is limited, I tend to only choose the top titles and I like to think that the games I play are good enough to finish. The amount games I haven't completed can be counted on one hand. So, with this in mind, I go by what the critics say and the rating they give them. But what if they are wrong? There are some games in past I'd have love to have played even knowing I wouldn't finish but to me this is a waste of time. It's like going to the movies and walking out half way. I've only ever done that once. I would have like to have taken a gamble from time to time. After all, we are all different in tastes?


What has really caught my eye recently, is the disappointment in reviews of Clear Sky and Crysis:Warhead.
 
I never go by what the critics say anymore, and I never go by player reviews either. I always try either a demo or a beta, and base my decision on whether to buy or not solely on my own experience of the game.
 
Demos. Never reviews. Try and sus as much out of a game from this forum.

Decided to wait for WAR (Demo) from what people have said (Not negative stuff - just the facts)

Also price can help. I may have missed Warhead if i couldnt have picked it up for £14, im very very glad i did get it.
 
Tombstone said:
I never go by what the critics say anymore, and I never go by player reviews either. I always try either a demo or a beta, and base my decision on whether to buy or not solely on my own experience of the game.
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Aye good way to go tbh.
My friends tend to buy games when they are released. I normally go round theirs and check games out have a play and maybe buy it if i think its worth a go.
Although there are the odd exceptions that i tend to buy straight of the mark. But then thats going with gut feeling. Sometimes that gut feeling is wrong tho :p
 
I read a couple of reviews first, you very rarely have a bad game getting more than 1 good review and catching you out.

Apart from half life 2, which was garbage.
 
bushmins said:
Demos. Never reviews.
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What he said. PC Gamer used to be my bible, but thev're just gone completely to hell in the last year or so with some completely off the wall scores, and since PC Zone is owned by the same publisher now, don't trust them either.

I've also never forgiven PC Gamer for their The Witcher score :mad:

Games TM is the only mag I take at all seriously, but even then I'll grab a demo first.

I never go by a beta - if I'd beta'd Tabula Rasa, judging by everyone's reaction, I'd have hated it and would have missed out big time, it's one of my favourite mmo's.
 
generally theres the titles you cant avoid hearing about like Fallout, GTA4 etc and i usually end up getting those.

The vast majority of m purchases come from games on offer or older titles which have hit the 2 for 25 quid shelves. Ive picked up so many games this way that turned out to be fantastic and would have completely went under the radar for me at full price.

I never base a decision ona review unless its a purchasers review def not on magazines or ign etc.
 
sharpygsxr said:
The vast majority of m purchases come from games on offer or older titles which have hit the 2 for 25 quid shelves. Ive picked up so many games this way that turned out to be fantastic and would have completely went under the radar for me at full price.
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Aye i do this more than i should tbh :p
It really can be a hit or miss you can end up with great games and you thing how the hell did i miss this and then you end up with games where you just think why the hell did i buy this :eek:

:cool:
 
Sleepery said:
What he said. PC Gamer used to be my bible, but thev're just gone completely to hell in the last year or so with some completely off the wall scores, and since PC Zone is owned by the same publisher now, don't trust them either.
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Yeah PC gamer has become a joke for me too, Crysis Warhead 60% was the final straw. They used to be so good.

I can understand them personally not liking the game, as everyone has different opinions. But it is blatantly not a "poor" game. Timeshift, one of the generic unreal engine 3 shooters got 78% ffs.
 
I buy whatever is on offer on Steam :p

Seriously, I'm a sucker for Steam discounts :/
 
Email subscriptions from some developers and game sites bring my attention to games. I usually like to play demos etc. I don't like to read reviews (too much) as with STALKER it was kind of slated, so I didn't buy straight away. Then it was improved with patches. After only recently playing it I loved it. I used to just buy any game that came out in the genre I like. After so many games just being released and being pants I have stopped doing that now and I'am more selective.

B
 
Normally take a few things into account.

If I'm intrested in it, or its a series of games.
Who made it. Valve for example I Trust them to give me a good game.
Word of mouth, and what you lot and other reviews say about it.
If it looks good, I can spend hours looking in HMV/Zavvi/GAME ect ect, I'm the same with DvD's, i have about 500 odd DvD's and probably just as many PC games built up over the years.
 
A combination of demo's and reviews, though when it comes to PC games I rely more on the latter. I usually only buy games if they get 8/10 or above on IGN, but recently I have enjoyed Mercenaries 2 even though it got a poor review, so its not always accurate. Most of the time IGN are spot on when it comes to the game reviews though, usually very accurate.

Edit: also like Tummy said above ^ I also really take in to account the game developer who made it, so I almost always buy games made by Relic, Valve and Creative Assembly.
 
Read online reviews and other peoples comments.
If i can i try a demo.
I usually make sure ive seen at least some screenshots.
I tend to look for games by publishers i know or have been very pleased with in the past.
If its an mmo and i like the look of it i almost always buy it or try to get into the beta , joining an mmo late sucks... you feel left behind etc, it is important to build bonds from the start and get yourself known.
I always look at the genres im interested in.
 
Tombstone said:
I never go by what the critics say anymore, and I never go by player reviews either. I always try either a demo or a beta, and base my decision on whether to buy or not solely on my own experience of the game.
Click to expand...

I'm the same. I generally won't listen to what people think of a game, I'll get a demo or "procure" the game and then decide if I want to buy it. My criteria for choosing to buy a game is simple: Do I like it? Y/N.

If no, I'll ask myself why. If the game is crap then I sack it off, but it might be that the game good, though not worth the money, in which case I'll just wait for it to drop in price or buy it second hand.
 
And always use multiple review sites as some are biased towards certain publishers :)
gamespot
ign
gametrailers
kotaku
1up
If you can visit the community forum for the game if there is such a thing.
 
I always went by PC Gamer :o.....man what have I been missing?

They hated The Witcher whereas I loved it!!!

All down to taste..also use Metacritic to see pros/cons..

Best way just try a demo! :)
 
Same as above i tend to ignore reviews and have learned to just buy what looks good and interesting to me (same goes for films).

I tend to buy games i have heavily researched and looked into, i dont think i have ever bought a game after i was a kid that i have not looked into to see how well it looks, players and plans out. Story games entice me the most so i tend to go for RPG games and shooters.

Anything else has to come well recommended or my friends have to have them so i can play co-op. I also tend to buy unique games on a whim even if i have not heard much about it (Mirrors Edge as soon as it comes out, Portal, TF2 etc)
 
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