Think back to when you were just a young porker, you had a C64 / Amiga etc, internet wasn't in the mainstream and only nerds bought gaming magazines 
You didnt have reviews to go on, so you would go to a shop and get a game that looked or felt good... you would then play and enjoy the game, simpler times, but at the same time, its all one and the same, you paid money for a game and you should enjoy it.
Nowadays, games are killed or hyped before we even get our mitts on them. People stay away from games because 'they are told to' but haven't tried it for themselves. Conversely people 'buy' games because a preview has hyped it to the moon...
What i am trying to get at is, could you make up your own mind on a game without knowing anything about it, until you saw it on a shop floor? (probably not feasible in this day and age, but i bet people would find more gems than they do now)
For me, i am sucked in by reviews... i get told NBA 2K8 is more realistic than NBA Live 08, so buy the former. Same for NHL 08, that took my money over NHL 2K8.....
Did i buy Madden 08... nope, the reviews slate it - however if i hadn't read them, i would have picked up a NFL game, and probably liked it as i wouldnt be looking for the glitches that everyone tell me are there.
It is a shame that the world as a whole is like this (not just slating the games industry) - probably just thinking out loud on this thread, but i feel i miss out on stuff as i do take in reviews / previews and put myself in a 'if its not perfect...' mode.
A strange fact is, i have not bought a game on release day since GTA:SA ... i await community input before parting with my notes. What a buzz to miss out on.. release day gaming, always loved it...
I know all the obvious answers i.e i dont want to waste money etc, but do you not wish to be able to get that 'gem' that you never heard of and actually enjoyed it before, reading how 'the polygons are jagged on the horizon' carp.
mugs game is gaming
You didnt have reviews to go on, so you would go to a shop and get a game that looked or felt good... you would then play and enjoy the game, simpler times, but at the same time, its all one and the same, you paid money for a game and you should enjoy it.
Nowadays, games are killed or hyped before we even get our mitts on them. People stay away from games because 'they are told to' but haven't tried it for themselves. Conversely people 'buy' games because a preview has hyped it to the moon...
What i am trying to get at is, could you make up your own mind on a game without knowing anything about it, until you saw it on a shop floor? (probably not feasible in this day and age, but i bet people would find more gems than they do now)
For me, i am sucked in by reviews... i get told NBA 2K8 is more realistic than NBA Live 08, so buy the former. Same for NHL 08, that took my money over NHL 2K8.....
Did i buy Madden 08... nope, the reviews slate it - however if i hadn't read them, i would have picked up a NFL game, and probably liked it as i wouldnt be looking for the glitches that everyone tell me are there.
It is a shame that the world as a whole is like this (not just slating the games industry) - probably just thinking out loud on this thread, but i feel i miss out on stuff as i do take in reviews / previews and put myself in a 'if its not perfect...' mode.
A strange fact is, i have not bought a game on release day since GTA:SA ... i await community input before parting with my notes. What a buzz to miss out on.. release day gaming, always loved it...
I know all the obvious answers i.e i dont want to waste money etc, but do you not wish to be able to get that 'gem' that you never heard of and actually enjoyed it before, reading how 'the polygons are jagged on the horizon' carp.
mugs game is gaming