Penny Arcade's Gabe had some choice words for reviewers of Assassin's Creed, and we couldn't help commenting on it. Sure, the game isn't for us -- at least, not yet -- but the sentiment behind his words is something that should be important to every gamer ... or at least, every gamer who reads reviews.How much do you trust reviews? We've discussed it before, of course, and we know that many people have reviewers they return to again and again, people who've demonstrated similar tastes in the past. But as occasional reviewers ourselves, we not only see the point Gabe is making, but agree with him. Reviewing a game within a particular time frame is wholly and completely different than playing it just for fun. It doesn't always make a huge difference in the way that you perceive or play the game, but sometimes -- as in this case, apparently -- it does.
So weigh in. Do you take that attitude into account when you read reviews? Our biggest regret in regard to Gabe's statements is that it just seems unfixable. Reviewers are almost always working within some sort of time frame, and some games are just long. It can't be avoided, unless we all want short games (and we don't).
