How do you research games you are thinking about purchasing?

[ZedClampet]

I've got to be honest, but I generally find written, professional reviews to be almost entirely useless. In the best case scenario, they'll mention a facet or two of the game that interests me enough to do further research. Most commonly, I just find the information provided irrelevant to whether I'll like the game or not. I need the finer details, not the broad strokes.

And I don't watch gaming videos on YouTube because I'm too impatient to listen to someone ramble on about a game for 20 minutes.

My usual method is to completely read the Steam page (even if I'm buying the game somewhere else) and then to read through a bunch of user reviews, including a lot of the negative reviews.

Now, you have to be careful with negative user reviews because a lot of them are written by people who, just moments ago, were in the game and angry and who may not have understood a game mechanic or, in more complex games, may just be playing the game wrong. Generally speaking, I have to see an issue mentioned by more than one person before I start to buy into it because I've read a lot of inaccurate user reviews (but I don't find professional reviews all that accurate either, as they are done on a tight schedule and mistakes are bound to happen.).

 

[Konquerah]

So the basis of this forum "PC Gamer" entire articles are useless? *Awkward tension now*

But all jokes a side, I think all reviews are utterly pointless. Everyone has different taste and opinion, the only real way of knowing is by playing the game yourself. There is only so much you can gather from articles, podcasts and content videos but all of this can be edited, glossed over finer details or perhaps be presented into a negative aspect that you may otherwise find fun, useful and enlightening.

You could just let @Brian Boru berate it to death because it isn't Civilization or Far Cry and base it off of that though as well?

 

[ZedClampet]

So the basis of this forum "PC Gamer" entire articles are useless? *Awkward tension now*

I find most professional reviews for games to be irrelevant to whether I'll enjoy the game or not. I didn't single out PC Gamer. I actually enjoy reading their reviews. I just wouldn't usually base whether I'm going to buy a game or not on them. I do additional research. I need a level of detail that is impossible to provide in a professional review of normal length.

 

[Pifanjr]

I typically buy older games that I've seen a lot of people talk about already, so I know what to expect. If I buy a new game, it's typically a sequel to a game I enjoyed or a game I've had a chance to try out at a friend's house/via Steam library sharing.

 

[Brian Boru]

@Brian Boru … base it off of that

Hah, nice try—but you have to know Zed is mostly interested in games from this decade …heck, even some EA from next decade… —so my widely idolized wisdom won't be available for quite a while yet.

I typically buy older games that I've seen a lot of people talk about already, so I know what to expect

Indeed, one of the many benefits for aficionados of Patient Gaming. Reviews at release time are almost all useless for the Patient Gamer, because they don't include the impact of patches, bug fixes, expansions, DLCs, mods or unofficial community patches.

Plus of course more than enough info for most people to make an informed decision.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

I dont have a set method. I listen to gaming podcasts, check metacritic, read critic reviews, watch a bit of gameplay, read some user reviews, remember someone on here mentioned it and look back for it. Some combination of that but not necessarily all.

Either then wishlist and wait for a sale or buy it right now depending on price and how excited I am to play it at the time.

 

[WilhelmScream]

Written&/video reviews. Twitch streams or Discord channels if i've any questions left unanswered. Official communication to get a sense of how/if feedback is gathered and what the post-launch support for the game is looking like.

 

[Zloth]

Written, pro reviews are great, but you have to know how to read them. If you try to read them to discern whether the game is good or not, you'll fail. A good review will highlight the things that typically please/annoy lots of people. Check through those and "correct" for your own likes and dislikes. Take this quote from the Starfield review:

I carefully explored the blandly futuristic city of New Atlantis, its generic sci-fi skyscrapers looking like something you'd see in the background in a Star Trek movie.

Chris didn't like the clean, gleaming city much because he's seen his fill. What about you? Maybe you've seen enough of these, too. But maybe you've had enough of grimy, edgy cities and could do with some shiny. In that case, you need to be able to read that sentence and take it as a positive! Not perfectly easy to do, but it can be done.

But yeah - these do tend to be decisions on whether to wish-list or not. When the sales come around, I'll check the Steam page to see if the game is still being developed and make sure nothing awful has happened, then buy.

I watch video reviews, too - mostly after I've already played the game. <shrug> Don't ask me why, Idunno.

 

[Brian Boru]

check the Steam page to see if the game is still being developed and make sure nothing awful has happened

Opposite too, especially for more recent big games—filter by recent reviews to see if the early bugs and glitches have been mostly fixed.

watch video reviews, too

On YT, search for Game Name and filter by 'This year' to find reports with more recent experiences.

 

[Zloth]

And, soon after posting that, I watched Mort's not-quite-an-hour-long video review of Starfield. <eye roll>

 

[Johnway]

For the most part youtube and twitch. i sometimes watch trailers to get a rough idea what to expect, i would then go to my various youtube videos from users to see gameplay footage or reviews. If i'm really tempted and there is a demo/trial, i play that.

i also of course look on PCG to see reviews and add that to info. Sometimes other sources like IGN, gamespot, eurogamer etc.

Worst case scenario i watch a bit on twitch to get a "feel" for average/typical gameplay.