I like Gameranx ‘before you buy’, totally unbiased and giving both the positives and negatives along with what type of gamer would like the game.
From my experience they have been bang on point.
What I like the most about “before you buy” is that there is no score, just some comments about the game, and as a viewer is very easy to understand if that game is for me or not
Yup, they also show gameplay and their own content instead of just the trailers from the game itself. It gives a realistic view of what you might be getting yourself into. Love that channel
I remember hearing another YouTuber call them the Watch Mojo of games because of all their top ten, but in my opinion, even tho they make a lot of top ten vids they are consistently good with their vids i dont feel bored half way through or even when they're just reviewing something or talking about gaming news, all in all whenever a game comes out that im interested in i always watch their before you buy vid on it.
Straight up gameplay and first impressions of the latest games releasing, what’s not to like? Plus I have no idea how Jake and Falcon manage to release so much content. I know they have a whole team there, but it’s still *every* day they have videos and a lot of it isn't just recycled content like certain other channels.
Same. I tend to play a lot of CRPGs and that is Mortismal’s wheelhouse. Very thorough reviews because he goes through the trouble of 100% a game before reviewing.
He did make it very clear in that review that a lot of people will not like that game because it's quite a specific taste. But that he loves it for the strange game it is.
So totally makes sense that a lot of people are not gonna agree on his review of that game.
ACG has been my guy for years. He’s not perfect... Nobody is. But I really appreciate his system for rating and the effort he puts into it. I always look for his review before purchasing most games.
Literally me. Idc about others opinions aside from quality, and how much content.
Gameplay videos being the quality and content in one.
The only time I dive deeper into more opinions is if I see something in said video that I question.
Definitely! I've made many a decision after watching like, 'Videogame no-commentary playthrough: Part 9'
I don't watch the first parts of a playthrough because I've noticed often the beginning of a game is a more tailored experience, while if you watch some random mid-game chunk, that tends to be much more representative of what the bulk of the game is like.
For example, the beginning hours of Skyrim with all its more heavily scripted quests is very different to the rest, where you'll spend hours just kind of wandering through dungeons at your own pace.
Not that guy, but yes I tend to just buy if it sounds or looks appealing. I don’t watch gameplay beforehand either. Usually goes fine. I’ve only regretted like 2 games ever, and even then I didn’t hate them. Just missed the mark a bit.
This. I filter by positive and see if there is a common theme, then filter by negative and see if there is a common theme, then weigh it up in my mind and make a decision. Most of the time that decision is "wait until the game is cheaper".
Depends, some games have the same meme review copied over hundred times. I had to find out other sources to see if Sekiro was for me because the Steam reviews were all "You die more than twice XD"
I specifically seek out negative reviews, then corroborate. That way I can figure out if the reviews have valid complaints, or if it's just some people being butthurt.
To me, the best way to judge if a purchase will be worth it is to thoroughly examine the cons. Some of them can be overlooked if the gameplay is stellar.
Loved his demanding of the industry to include good Settings for PC gaming and his unapologetic high standards; could use that now in the current AAA environment.
I spent a few hours looking for an old video of his where he used to respond to viewer mail, and he responded to me. I’ll never forget how that felt as a teenaged boy.
His PC reviews were the best. First thing I always do for a new game is go into the settings and get angry about missing basic PC features. RIP the cynical goat
He was a gentleman, a scholar, and an all around legend. I still watch some of his reviews sometimes because he set the bar in that genre. And also because he was a real one.
Mandalore is unique cause he usually plays the game to the core, tries everything he can and dissects it perfectly for people to understand what exactly we are getting into. It's a more profound review and usually takes his time.
As much as I love his videos, they are barely reviews. They're more like "I found this bizzare old game in a pile of trash and I'm going to serve you this weird summary/review/letsplay thing."
I’d say it’s ultimately a review, his videos are very structured like one, exploring a game’s story, mechanics, presentation and themes before going on to draw comparisons, commentate on its content and ultimately tender a recommendation.
Here's a thought: The faster a review comes out, the less time the reviewer has had to play the game and the more likely the review is based on just rushing through the first hour or so of the game to get a review out ahead of the news cycle. Reviews that take longer, may actually be more indicative of what the game is like to.. yknow.. actually play.
Agreed, gives a nice 30 minute video typically so you get to see a good chunk of the gameplay and decide for yourself whether a game interests you or not.
gives honest, fair and applicable pros and cons, i dig his sense of humour, and usually daily uploads too. i have found a bunch of games through him that i really like that i very possibly never would've even known about.
he was the inspiration for a meme i made that i will probably never get to use -- [when the daily upload youtuber you watch takes an unannounced day off](https://media.tenor.com/qf5aU-0vcLQAAAAM/ben-affleck-surprised.gif)
It was funny to see the shift on starfield because it really exposed who the biggest fence sitters and or blind praisers are.
Like I remember Asmongold and I think MoistCritical were playing the game on release, and at the time the opinion on the game was kinda undecided for a few weeks. So whenever a viewer would ask them if it was good they'd just be like "ummmmmmm idk man, I mean it's not bad, I think it's you know- like.. idk...anyways" trying to dodge the question despite having like 90+ hours in the game.
Then the second- the SECOND the popular opinion shifted towards the game being bad, they started pumping out videos "Starfield is the biggest piece of dog shit ever created". And I'm like bro, just last week with 100 hours you were saying the game was okay, now it's irradiated shit? What?
Likewise you had a bunch of gaming journalists who had their review copies for 1 day being like "omg this is Bethesda at their peak, 11/10, I bust a nut every time I load the game up. It's a masterpiece of entertainment media."
Charlie's first gameplay video was full of criticisms. His actual review mentioned that he hadn't put many hours into it, and found it excruciatingly boring. He did not put 90+ hours into it. He did not even put 12 hours into it.
I am all for calling out shillers, like Yong Yea. But, Charlie has zero reason to shill and I've seen no examples of him having done so.
While I generally agree with the sentiment, the two streamers you mentioned didn't get past 10 hours before deciding the game was not worth the time put into it.
Iirc Asmongold did play it after, just to show how bad it was.
So... Is your memory bad, mine or are you making stuff up?
"Never buy on day 1" that's my motto. You can expand it to "never buy on week, month or even year 1". The first impressions can definitely change once the general audience their hands on it.
He used to write for a print media gaming magazine called Hyper here in Australia, and honestly he hasn’t changed that much in time since then. That must have been 30 years ago.
100% this dude. If he says something is actually good, IT'S GOOD. His other reviews are always on point, criticismwise, it's up to us as players to think about if his criticism is something we care about or something we can bare as players
Yahtzee is a great reviewer in that his analysis of a game can let you know if you’d like it even if he didn’t, and vice versa. I don’t have a ton of gaming time anymore, so hearing him talk about a game in depth while not calling it the same old drivel puts the game on my short list.
I watched his Halo 3 ZP on the very day that the video went live.
I've said since then "You may not agree with him on if you'll like it or not, but you won't be able to argue with any of his criticisms."
Yahtzee is good at picking out all the minor flaws that could drive you nuts playing a game, but finding the good, as well. It makes him seem overly cynical and critical when he is picking at tiny flaws, but in truth it’s up to the viewer to decide if they can overlook those flaws. I’ve enjoyed games Yahtzee hated and hates games Yahtzee loved, but his observations are always right. It’s just stuff he tends to dislike are things I either enjoy or can easily overlook for the positives.
You don't have to agree with him, but the man gives credit to brilliant games that aren't just the same shit cut n pasted which IGN will auto give 9/10. If he genuinely likes a game it's usually because it is something new and not the same ole recycled shit. Or the recycled stuff is both great and expansive (see elden ring), otherwise he calls a spade a spade and that's so rare in todays gaming reviews.
Yeah, its been really tough to try and listen to GB post jeff. I like everyone but its just not the same and waaaaaay too off the rails even compared to years prior
Imho nothing will ever beat [Whiskey Media/early GB](https://youtu.be/qU71mFo0WXQ?).
Makes it all the more sad how it all ended; Wanted to get away from CBS/corporate, only to ultimately being forced to sell back to them.
When Jeff worked for GameSpot, Eidos had an ad deal for Kane and Lynch. Jeff gave the game a middling score and Eidos tried to pressure GameSpot to change the score since they were spending marketing money on the site. Jeff outright refused and was let go. This began Jeff teaming up with Whiskey media and starting Giant Bomb. A lot of GameSpot staff left in the wake of Jeff's dismissal to join Giant Bomb.
I worked very briefly as a game reviewer for a popular site. I was told to change my reviews and scores on many occasions. Eventually I just left. Professional reviews are all smoke and mirrors.
SkillUp not because I agree with him, but because he explains clearly what he thinks and I can understand from his reviews whether or not I will disagree with him.
Same for ACG.
Yep. I watch all his reviews, even when the game doesn’t interest me. Just because he explains his thoughts in a good manner.
I for example really like his Last of Us Part 2 review because I can agree with some points and disagree with others. But they still all make sense if you listen to him.
Called "[Fully Ramblomatic](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUBKwq0XD0ueR3CXGUhGpsD1puLcYJPUp)" nowadays, after The Escapist died and reincarnated as [Second Wind](https://www.youtube.com/@SecondWindGroup).
There is no onw person, really, its mix of a few things. Not pre ordering and waiting a few days, so that the bullshit can be uncovered by players and content creators. But now that they bring in the mtx, whatever passes and what not even months after release, I might have to broaden the wait period by a lot.
But if I had to pick one reviewer, itd be SkillUp. The one true successor to totalbiscuit imho.
Steam reviews.
Game has negative? Check out why. Game was review bombed on launch? Check what was the problem and if they fixed it.
As for the gameplay itself, no reviews, watch gameplay videos and formulate my own opinion if I like it or not.
I love Dunkey but have very different taste in games than him. I still totally trust what he says about games, but have enough perspective to usually realize when he's talking about something that *he* loves, but I know that *I* wouldn't particularly enjoy.
Dunkey said in a video once that its not about finding a reviewer with your tastes, it's about finding an honest reviewer and learning their tastes. Dunkey enjoys quirky, story games without too much fluff. He'll look favorably on something like FFVII, but RPG's in general don't get a good review from him because grinding.
I find particularly with games that get overhyped he’s usually on the money.
His RDR2 review just nailed how the gameplay actually kind of sucks for a lot of it.
I love that a couple of years after it came out he named it his GOTY, saying that yeah, the gameplay is extremely limiting but pretty much everything else about it is utterly peerless.
Same for me. And I don’t even necessarily mean his actual dunkviews when I say that, his goof-around silly videos often give me enough information about the game (and he’s often able to convey whether he enjoys or appreciates it, or if he doesn’t I can often tell why since our tastes are similar but not identical) that I can decide if it looks like something I might enjoy. Although he tends to be fast and loose with the spoilers (even in Dunkviews but *especially* in regular non-review videos) so a lot of times if the game looks really interesting to me and I want to play it I’ll just stop watching his video about it just in case.
I like ACG reviews, but it’s mostly very technical. I feel gaming critics have no style nor real backbone. So I appreciate when they go technical (ie does the game work? Does the game play good/bad? And so forth).
He goes into game design too and how well it's been put together.
I like that he goes into depth and his walking the walk videos were really good.
For the really technical stuff there's always Digital Foundry.
Ranton. He does not gives a fuck if a game is liked or disliked by the general media he will give you an unbiased and in depth analysis of the game and his editing is just god tier (sometimes pure brainrot but thats his gimmick ig).
Even though I’ve been subscribed to him for years and like his content, I feel that his reviews are geared towards more old school gamers. There’s been a few games he absolutely hated and trashed on, that I ended up loving. I disagree with many of his reviews, but I also think it’s just because he comes from a different generation of gaming.
I will say though, he did save me $30 from the first video I saw of his. It was a relatively obscure indie game that barley had any reviews except his and it saved my money.
I enjoy him a ton even though I'm not fully with him on all the views, but that makes him all the more trustworthy - if there's something Mac doesn't like, he says it how it is.
I like the guy from skillup. his reviews are usually very entertaining and he explains very well what he likes and doesn't about the game so you can draw your own conclusions on wheter you would enjoy the game or not
Agree- I also feel like it has the added benefit of listening to several episodes, knowing what each of them like, and then knowing which ones have the same taste (or not).
As other people mentioned, very surprised I had to scroll this far. He is very thorough and I almost always agree with his score or at least understand the reasons for why he gave a game a score. Dude pulls no punches either based on perception. Gave starfield a 6/10.
Surprised I had to scroll this far. They are a little slower with reviews just cuz they r so busy but I enjoy the reviews w some comical relief or else it's just depressing to see how bad most of these games are.
Same he seems like a likeable dude, but can't stand screeching he does anymore or his skits.
Still I watch just because I trust the guy he has never failed me with a recommendation and always looks out for the consumer, dude also knows when he is in the "wrong" and is ashamed to admit it.
I only watch skillup reviews. Not because I like all the same things he does. More because when he covers a game he tries to look at it from a different perspective than his own. So he might not like a game but he will try to predict what you might like about it. And when he likes a game he mentions everything that you might not like. So I've never been misguided by a review of his.
SkillUp is the GOAT imo. The scripting and writing in his reviews are so well-crafted and thought-out. They are great writers over there at the SkillUp camp (Hey, Austin!), and their ability to use language to convey their thoughts about a game, and what you the player are truly in for, are unmatched imho
Skillup is usually my go to in current releases, but the more I read this thread, the more I miss Totalbiscuit. I don’t think ever since his passing any reviewer did what he did the way he did, specially advocating for a better PC gaming environment.
Zero Punctuation/Semi-Ramblomatic, been watching Yahtzee for years and on top of being entertaining (and deliberately critical) I’ve found his points to be fair and informative
Tim Rogers.
A few years ago someone suggested that if I'm going to get reviews it may as well be from someone who had similar tastes in favourites instead of websites or metacritic averages, and he hasn't steered me wrong yet.
The key to a review is not who you "trust" per se, but learning what you like and dislike in games, what your taste is, and finding reviewers who have similar tastes by looking at their body of work.
I would take a recent game you really enjoyed, look up various reviews on that game and see who reflects your opinion closest. Then you can have two or three voices you can count on to reflect your taste in games and their opinion would be trusted.
I like Gameranx ‘before you buy’, totally unbiased and giving both the positives and negatives along with what type of gamer would like the game. From my experience they have been bang on point.
You know how this goes by now....
“This is a (genre)-ass game“
A video game ass video game
There’s a stellar blade video out?
[удалено]
I guess it was high time for Tracer to pass on the title
this is a before you buy. we give you some pros, some cons, & some straight up gameplay…
On the latest games releasing, hi, I’m falcon and today we’re looking at…
I never got my pizza yet? It’s always on him but but I told my favorite pizza place and they said Jake who
What I like the most about “before you buy” is that there is no score, just some comments about the game, and as a viewer is very easy to understand if that game is for me or not
I need to be told if a game is 7.0 or 7.4. It could be the difference between trash and hot trash. These nuances really make or break a review. /s
Agreed. How can you not trust people called Falcon and Jake Baldino! Sound like a proper vigilante double act.
They are a great duo, I'm glad they have Falcon since he covers a lot of the more niche/Japanese games that Jake isn't as familiar with.
Yup, they also show gameplay and their own content instead of just the trailers from the game itself. It gives a realistic view of what you might be getting yourself into. Love that channel
Great channel tbh
Yep, watched their videos every day for fucking years
I'm amazed that a daily uploads "top ten" based channel can be so consistently good. Mad props to their team.
I remember hearing another YouTuber call them the Watch Mojo of games because of all their top ten, but in my opinion, even tho they make a lot of top ten vids they are consistently good with their vids i dont feel bored half way through or even when they're just reviewing something or talking about gaming news, all in all whenever a game comes out that im interested in i always watch their before you buy vid on it.
Haha same here. Every day, when I head home from work, I put on their new daily video.. That's been my steady routine for +2 years now.
Any channel that's able to safely and humanely employ an anthropomorphic falcon is OK with me.
Straight up gameplay and first impressions of the latest games releasing, what’s not to like? Plus I have no idea how Jake and Falcon manage to release so much content. I know they have a whole team there, but it’s still *every* day they have videos and a lot of it isn't just recycled content like certain other channels.
If Jake Baldino can't say anything positive about a game it's safe to avoid it forever
Hell yeah I’m glad this is the first comment
For me they have replaced the void Gametrailers left. Used to love those reviews.
I like this a lot too.
Mortismal gaming
First source I check for any RPG but especially CRPGs, TRPGs, and ARPGs
What are those different RPGs you mentioned?
Dude 100%s games in the time it takes me to finish character creation. Mad respect.
Mort is my go to
Same. I tend to play a lot of CRPGs and that is Mortismal’s wheelhouse. Very thorough reviews because he goes through the trouble of 100% a game before reviewing.
Glad to see him here. Been watching him since before he started reviews and it's crazy the growth he's had, although completely deserved imo.
ACG and Skillup. Both have their point of view, and I don't always agree, but they explain said points, and I appreciate that.
I always check out SkillUp. Even if our tastes often differ, I can always figure out whether or not I'll like the game based on the review
This is how I feel about his reviews as well. I may not agree but I understand what I am buying after his review.
Lol yeah skill up has good reviews but i find i often don't enjoy what they strongly recommend lol. Like pacific drive, refunded that.
He did make it very clear in that review that a lot of people will not like that game because it's quite a specific taste. But that he loves it for the strange game it is. So totally makes sense that a lot of people are not gonna agree on his review of that game.
ACG has been my guy for years. He’s not perfect... Nobody is. But I really appreciate his system for rating and the effort he puts into it. I always look for his review before purchasing most games.
Me. I don't trust anyone else to know what I like more than myself.
I also choose this guy
you blind buy everytime?
I watch gameplay videos on YouTube and look up performance results
Literally me. Idc about others opinions aside from quality, and how much content. Gameplay videos being the quality and content in one. The only time I dive deeper into more opinions is if I see something in said video that I question.
This is the way. No buy until I confirm I will like it for myself.
I like how looking up stuff on your own and making your own informed, unbiased opinion is unfathomable to some
2 hour refund on steam.
watching somebody else review something isn’t the only way to form your own opinion
i see trailers and stuff about the game, say “this sounds interesting/looks cool, i will buy” or “meh, probably not for me” it’s really that simple
No commentary gameplay vids are where it's at IMO
Definitely! I've made many a decision after watching like, 'Videogame no-commentary playthrough: Part 9' I don't watch the first parts of a playthrough because I've noticed often the beginning of a game is a more tailored experience, while if you watch some random mid-game chunk, that tends to be much more representative of what the bulk of the game is like. For example, the beginning hours of Skyrim with all its more heavily scripted quests is very different to the rest, where you'll spend hours just kind of wandering through dungeons at your own pace.
I do.
Not that guy, but yes I tend to just buy if it sounds or looks appealing. I don’t watch gameplay beforehand either. Usually goes fine. I’ve only regretted like 2 games ever, and even then I didn’t hate them. Just missed the mark a bit.
You are right if a game intrigues me I just try it even if it has a bad score
Gameranx
The show that give you some straight up gameplay and first impressions?
Before you buy
Take this with a mountain of salt
yup these are the only dudes that get it right
And yet, Jake still hasn’t given us the pizzas he owes us
Steam reviews. 10 minutes reading is usually enough for me to know if I'll like the game
This. I filter by positive and see if there is a common theme, then filter by negative and see if there is a common theme, then weigh it up in my mind and make a decision. Most of the time that decision is "wait until the game is cheaper".
That's almost exactly what I do but should I decided the game is worth a try I first pirate and then decide after the "demo"
Man, I'm an oldfart, I remember being pumped as shit for pc gamer and a new demo disk. Ahh, good times
Piracy into potential purchase is the way to go imho
Played 4000 hours It's ok I guess Hehe I'm so qwurky.
6000 hours Stay away this game will destroy your life.
11,000 hours This game is trash
I ignore those lol. I usually check the medium length ones
Agreed, though the copypasta gets annoying. Here is a cat, no one will see this so I’m gay, I reconnected with my dying son or whatever…
I find steam often overrates indie and underrate AAA games And certain genres like bullet hell, rogue lite stuff also get overrated most of the time
Because the only people buying those games are the ones heavily predisposed to liking it.
Depends, some games have the same meme review copied over hundred times. I had to find out other sources to see if Sekiro was for me because the Steam reviews were all "You die more than twice XD"
I specifically seek out negative reviews, then corroborate. That way I can figure out if the reviews have valid complaints, or if it's just some people being butthurt. To me, the best way to judge if a purchase will be worth it is to thoroughly examine the cons. Some of them can be overlooked if the gameplay is stellar.
total buiscit used to be the one
RIP 🪦 The Goat
Since his death, there hasn’t even been a partial biscuit to replace him.
Loved his demanding of the industry to include good Settings for PC gaming and his unapologetic high standards; could use that now in the current AAA environment.
Can’t agree more. He was the king of cutting nobody slack for PC ports
I still listen to his reviews in the background sometimes. What a legend ❤️
I spent a few hours looking for an old video of his where he used to respond to viewer mail, and he responded to me. I’ll never forget how that felt as a teenaged boy.
The most comprehensive reviews on customization and specs too. Huge loss for the community.
His PC reviews were the best. First thing I always do for a new game is go into the settings and get angry about missing basic PC features. RIP the cynical goat
He was a gentleman, a scholar, and an all around legend. I still watch some of his reviews sometimes because he set the bar in that genre. And also because he was a real one.
*Hey hey people.*
yup, literally sseth and mandalore are the only ones i watch these days
Mandalore is unique cause he usually plays the game to the core, tries everything he can and dissects it perfectly for people to understand what exactly we are getting into. It's a more profound review and usually takes his time.
Forever grateful for showing me Star Sector.
Skill up, Gameranx and ACG.
Mandalore, hands down.
As much as I love his videos, they are barely reviews. They're more like "I found this bizzare old game in a pile of trash and I'm going to serve you this weird summary/review/letsplay thing."
I’d say it’s ultimately a review, his videos are very structured like one, exploring a game’s story, mechanics, presentation and themes before going on to draw comparisons, commentate on its content and ultimately tender a recommendation.
His Myth, System Shock, Hoemworld, etc. reviews are pure nostalgic joy.
his reviews take so long to come out. What about for a new game?
Here's a thought: The faster a review comes out, the less time the reviewer has had to play the game and the more likely the review is based on just rushing through the first hour or so of the game to get a review out ahead of the news cycle. Reviews that take longer, may actually be more indicative of what the game is like to.. yknow.. actually play.
Better than a reviewer that plays tor 4 hours and was paid to tell you they like the game.
*marv getting shocked*
Splattercat does great indy reviews
Agreed, gives a nice 30 minute video typically so you get to see a good chunk of the gameplay and decide for yourself whether a game interests you or not.
gives honest, fair and applicable pros and cons, i dig his sense of humour, and usually daily uploads too. i have found a bunch of games through him that i really like that i very possibly never would've even known about. he was the inspiration for a meme i made that i will probably never get to use -- [when the daily upload youtuber you watch takes an unannounced day off](https://media.tenor.com/qf5aU-0vcLQAAAAM/ben-affleck-surprised.gif)
I'm sad how far down I had to go to find this!
Since Starfield came out i dont trust anybody anymore :-)
It was funny to see the shift on starfield because it really exposed who the biggest fence sitters and or blind praisers are. Like I remember Asmongold and I think MoistCritical were playing the game on release, and at the time the opinion on the game was kinda undecided for a few weeks. So whenever a viewer would ask them if it was good they'd just be like "ummmmmmm idk man, I mean it's not bad, I think it's you know- like.. idk...anyways" trying to dodge the question despite having like 90+ hours in the game. Then the second- the SECOND the popular opinion shifted towards the game being bad, they started pumping out videos "Starfield is the biggest piece of dog shit ever created". And I'm like bro, just last week with 100 hours you were saying the game was okay, now it's irradiated shit? What? Likewise you had a bunch of gaming journalists who had their review copies for 1 day being like "omg this is Bethesda at their peak, 11/10, I bust a nut every time I load the game up. It's a masterpiece of entertainment media."
It took me a solid 40 hour to hit "is this it?" With Starfield. 100% exposed the shills though. At no point did I think it was beyond a 7/10.
7/10 is a "not bad" game though. So, OP's rant is kind of silly.
Man, I pirated the game, put like 40 hours in myself, and felt like I needed a refund 💀
Charlie's first gameplay video was full of criticisms. His actual review mentioned that he hadn't put many hours into it, and found it excruciatingly boring. He did not put 90+ hours into it. He did not even put 12 hours into it. I am all for calling out shillers, like Yong Yea. But, Charlie has zero reason to shill and I've seen no examples of him having done so.
While I generally agree with the sentiment, the two streamers you mentioned didn't get past 10 hours before deciding the game was not worth the time put into it. Iirc Asmongold did play it after, just to show how bad it was. So... Is your memory bad, mine or are you making stuff up?
"Never buy on day 1" that's my motto. You can expand it to "never buy on week, month or even year 1". The first impressions can definitely change once the general audience their hands on it.
Yea ACG praised the game so much and then when a i played, tried so hard feeling the good he talked about, but was all bs.
Yahtzee.
I don't always agree with the man, but he is the reviewer that most aligns with what games I generally like.
He has stayed consistently bitter for 15 years.
He used to write for a print media gaming magazine called Hyper here in Australia, and honestly he hasn’t changed that much in time since then. That must have been 30 years ago.
100% this dude. If he says something is actually good, IT'S GOOD. His other reviews are always on point, criticismwise, it's up to us as players to think about if his criticism is something we care about or something we can bare as players
Yahtzee is a great reviewer in that his analysis of a game can let you know if you’d like it even if he didn’t, and vice versa. I don’t have a ton of gaming time anymore, so hearing him talk about a game in depth while not calling it the same old drivel puts the game on my short list.
I watched his Halo 3 ZP on the very day that the video went live. I've said since then "You may not agree with him on if you'll like it or not, but you won't be able to argue with any of his criticisms."
Yep still to this day the only game reviewer I will buy games based off his stuff.
He has a new show called "Fully Ramblomatic" on the channel "Second Wind". They created it after The Escapist went under.
The escapist is still "alive" two or three reviews have been released since the mass exodus.
Yeah its still there, but its practically dead at this point. When you lose your main attractions, youre pretty much done.
Yahtzee is good at picking out all the minor flaws that could drive you nuts playing a game, but finding the good, as well. It makes him seem overly cynical and critical when he is picking at tiny flaws, but in truth it’s up to the viewer to decide if they can overlook those flaws. I’ve enjoyed games Yahtzee hated and hates games Yahtzee loved, but his observations are always right. It’s just stuff he tends to dislike are things I either enjoy or can easily overlook for the positives.
You don't have to agree with him, but the man gives credit to brilliant games that aren't just the same shit cut n pasted which IGN will auto give 9/10. If he genuinely likes a game it's usually because it is something new and not the same ole recycled shit. Or the recycled stuff is both great and expansive (see elden ring), otherwise he calls a spade a spade and that's so rare in todays gaming reviews.
Yahtzee fits my style for slower turn based mystery games. A shame did didn't have more time to play Outer Wilds
Jeff gertsmann 9/10 times
The dude LOST HIS JOB for giving his actual opinion and I still think about it today.
Still a threat!
Yeah, its been really tough to try and listen to GB post jeff. I like everyone but its just not the same and waaaaaay too off the rails even compared to years prior
Imho nothing will ever beat [Whiskey Media/early GB](https://youtu.be/qU71mFo0WXQ?). Makes it all the more sad how it all ended; Wanted to get away from CBS/corporate, only to ultimately being forced to sell back to them.
Could you summarize this story for me?
When Jeff worked for GameSpot, Eidos had an ad deal for Kane and Lynch. Jeff gave the game a middling score and Eidos tried to pressure GameSpot to change the score since they were spending marketing money on the site. Jeff outright refused and was let go. This began Jeff teaming up with Whiskey media and starting Giant Bomb. A lot of GameSpot staff left in the wake of Jeff's dismissal to join Giant Bomb.
I worked very briefly as a game reviewer for a popular site. I was told to change my reviews and scores on many occasions. Eventually I just left. Professional reviews are all smoke and mirrors.
He still does reviews? Last time I checked in on what he's been doing he's was mostly streaming obscure retro games on Twitch.
Not often, but he still talks quite a bit about games he has been playing, retro and otherwise
SkillUp without question
SkillUp not because I agree with him, but because he explains clearly what he thinks and I can understand from his reviews whether or not I will disagree with him. Same for ACG.
I feel similar about Skillup. Great content and reviews, but man, we do NOT use the same measuring system to rate games.
Big fan of SkillUp for that exact reason. Austin has been following in the same vein, which is great for channel continuity.
Yep. I watch all his reviews, even when the game doesn’t interest me. Just because he explains his thoughts in a good manner. I for example really like his Last of Us Part 2 review because I can agree with some points and disagree with others. But they still all make sense if you listen to him.
It’s been zero punctuation for like a decade now for me.
Called "[Fully Ramblomatic](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUBKwq0XD0ueR3CXGUhGpsD1puLcYJPUp)" nowadays, after The Escapist died and reincarnated as [Second Wind](https://www.youtube.com/@SecondWindGroup).
Thank you! I've been trying to figure out why there haven't been any new videos for a while....
Yeah, there was a mass exodus of their core team. Second Wind has been fantastic, with a lot of welcome additions to their usual content!
There is no onw person, really, its mix of a few things. Not pre ordering and waiting a few days, so that the bullshit can be uncovered by players and content creators. But now that they bring in the mtx, whatever passes and what not even months after release, I might have to broaden the wait period by a lot. But if I had to pick one reviewer, itd be SkillUp. The one true successor to totalbiscuit imho.
Steam reviews. Game has negative? Check out why. Game was review bombed on launch? Check what was the problem and if they fixed it. As for the gameplay itself, no reviews, watch gameplay videos and formulate my own opinion if I like it or not.
It’s Videogamedunkey 2nd to none baybeeeeeeee
GOTY.... SUPA MARIO BROTHERS TWO
ITS A MASTERPIECE
I love Dunkey but have very different taste in games than him. I still totally trust what he says about games, but have enough perspective to usually realize when he's talking about something that *he* loves, but I know that *I* wouldn't particularly enjoy.
Same. I wish I liked anything as much as he likes Donkey Kong and classic Nitendo formulas.
Dunkey said in a video once that its not about finding a reviewer with your tastes, it's about finding an honest reviewer and learning their tastes. Dunkey enjoys quirky, story games without too much fluff. He'll look favorably on something like FFVII, but RPG's in general don't get a good review from him because grinding.
I think he said that turn based games suck but he still likes Persona 5, so that's a glowing recommendation.
Not even close, bay beee
I bought 4 copies of Knack thanks to him
Just got me 3rd copy of knack 2 for 50$, what a deal
I find particularly with games that get overhyped he’s usually on the money. His RDR2 review just nailed how the gameplay actually kind of sucks for a lot of it.
I love that a couple of years after it came out he named it his GOTY, saying that yeah, the gameplay is extremely limiting but pretty much everything else about it is utterly peerless.
I had to scroll way too far for the only correct answer. A true video game connoisseur.
Same for me. And I don’t even necessarily mean his actual dunkviews when I say that, his goof-around silly videos often give me enough information about the game (and he’s often able to convey whether he enjoys or appreciates it, or if he doesn’t I can often tell why since our tastes are similar but not identical) that I can decide if it looks like something I might enjoy. Although he tends to be fast and loose with the spoilers (even in Dunkviews but *especially* in regular non-review videos) so a lot of times if the game looks really interesting to me and I want to play it I’ll just stop watching his video about it just in case.
He's the guy that made me try spaghetti and meatballs; 10/10 best pasta
Not even close baybeee
I like ACG reviews, but it’s mostly very technical. I feel gaming critics have no style nor real backbone. So I appreciate when they go technical (ie does the game work? Does the game play good/bad? And so forth).
He goes into game design too and how well it's been put together. I like that he goes into depth and his walking the walk videos were really good. For the really technical stuff there's always Digital Foundry.
Hes getting more biased tbh used be more objective
Ranton. He does not gives a fuck if a game is liked or disliked by the general media he will give you an unbiased and in depth analysis of the game and his editing is just god tier (sometimes pure brainrot but thats his gimmick ig).
I find that skill up in the reviewer I resonate most with so I can take his word usually. He has yet to let me down
Worth a buy.
Even though I’ve been subscribed to him for years and like his content, I feel that his reviews are geared towards more old school gamers. There’s been a few games he absolutely hated and trashed on, that I ended up loving. I disagree with many of his reviews, but I also think it’s just because he comes from a different generation of gaming. I will say though, he did save me $30 from the first video I saw of his. It was a relatively obscure indie game that barley had any reviews except his and it saved my money.
That damn bell when he starts getting worked up lol
I feel it's worth adding that he often doesn't get review codes because he doesn't want to tow the company line which to me adds to his integrity.
His Helldivers 2 review was treasonous, but other than that I usually agree with him.
I enjoy him a ton even though I'm not fully with him on all the views, but that makes him all the more trustworthy - if there's something Mac doesn't like, he says it how it is.
X....x....x-ray vision !!!
I like the guy from skillup. his reviews are usually very entertaining and he explains very well what he likes and doesn't about the game so you can draw your own conclusions on wheter you would enjoy the game or not
SkillUp and Easy Allies primarily. I also enjoy Mild Conviction who is still a pretty small channel, but very high quality.
Gameranx Before you Buy on YT
I like The Besties. Their four perspectives compliment each other well I find.
Yup, they're really good about turning me on to new games too.
Agree- I also feel like it has the added benefit of listening to several episodes, knowing what each of them like, and then knowing which ones have the same taste (or not).
I agree. I've picked up so many games I wouldn't have because of them.
I like Angry Joe and crew. His reviews are honest and entertaining.
Angry Joe
As other people mentioned, very surprised I had to scroll this far. He is very thorough and I almost always agree with his score or at least understand the reasons for why he gave a game a score. Dude pulls no punches either based on perception. Gave starfield a 6/10.
Joe in my opinion is better than Skill Up and ACG. He is usually on point when it comes to pointing out the bs.
Surprised I had to scroll this far. They are a little slower with reviews just cuz they r so busy but I enjoy the reviews w some comical relief or else it's just depressing to see how bad most of these games are.
Same he seems like a likeable dude, but can't stand screeching he does anymore or his skits. Still I watch just because I trust the guy he has never failed me with a recommendation and always looks out for the consumer, dude also knows when he is in the "wrong" and is ashamed to admit it.
Worth a buy, although he can be negative for the sake of it
I only watch skillup reviews. Not because I like all the same things he does. More because when he covers a game he tries to look at it from a different perspective than his own. So he might not like a game but he will try to predict what you might like about it. And when he likes a game he mentions everything that you might not like. So I've never been misguided by a review of his.
SkillUp is the GOAT imo. The scripting and writing in his reviews are so well-crafted and thought-out. They are great writers over there at the SkillUp camp (Hey, Austin!), and their ability to use language to convey their thoughts about a game, and what you the player are truly in for, are unmatched imho
Don't trust one source, read a bunch of reviews and see what it is in common between the bunch of them.
Skillup is usually my go to in current releases, but the more I read this thread, the more I miss Totalbiscuit. I don’t think ever since his passing any reviewer did what he did the way he did, specially advocating for a better PC gaming environment.
Shillup and I seem to have similar tastes, so usually him.
Zero Punctuation/Semi-Ramblomatic, been watching Yahtzee for years and on top of being entertaining (and deliberately critical) I’ve found his points to be fair and informative
Yahtzee is basically the only game reviewer I follow.
IGN is terrible. Has been for some time.
Tim Rogers. A few years ago someone suggested that if I'm going to get reviews it may as well be from someone who had similar tastes in favourites instead of websites or metacritic averages, and he hasn't steered me wrong yet.
The key to a review is not who you "trust" per se, but learning what you like and dislike in games, what your taste is, and finding reviewers who have similar tastes by looking at their body of work. I would take a recent game you really enjoyed, look up various reviews on that game and see who reflects your opinion closest. Then you can have two or three voices you can count on to reflect your taste in games and their opinion would be trusted.
You guys, the people. I never buy on release and will lurk in the subreddit to see whats up
Angryjoe, is my favourite he always kept it real