are there game journalists that you actually DO trust?

[J-Machine]

I usually watch gameplay videos to see if I'll buy it or not.

 

[TripleSMoon]

I'm not saying there aren't genuinely bad gaming journalists and even entire review sites out there. But the main problem I have with the vast majority of criticism towards them is that it tends to boil down to "they gave a bad score to my favorite new game, so they're not good reviewers!"

Good grief, reviews are based more or less on opinion, regardless of what hard facts are involved (mechanics, controls, gameplay, etc). A reviewer's opinion of a particular game (or even whole collection of games) differing from yours isn't basis for them being a shitty reviewer (much less the whole site being shitty, just because of that one reviewer).

 

[DinohScene]

Only game journalist I can trust is meself.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

Jim Sterling.

 

[PolloDiablo]

This guy

he is the best
and Cosmic Carnage is the best game ever made

long live CGR and the 32X!!!

 

[FAST6191]

I'm not saying there aren't generally bad gaming journalists and even entire review sites out there. But the main problem I have with the vast majority of criticism towards them is that it tends to boil down to "they gave a bad score to my favorite new game, so they're not good reviewers!"

Agreed that a lot of criticism of reviews/reviewers is by whining morons which then goes on to risk creating a circle of unpleasantness as said whining morons get elevated to reviewers but do you have a list of reviewers that know game history (whether they were there or not is secondary to them knowing it), know storytelling methods or can sideline desire for such a thing when necessary, know other fields (books, TV, film, stage....), know basic philosophy/morals and how it works through human history, know game mechanics (actual game theory and related fields would be nice but "know it by a different name" works too) and have a rough appreciation for the development, technology and industry side of things?
In a sense it is risky to make a direct comparison for it is open to serious misinterpretation but I will anyway; unless you are otherwise a noted creator of such works all of that is a prerequisite to review basically anything that otherwise counts as entertainment and given games can theoretically be just as complex.....
There are a few that approach or embody that, many of which have already been mentioned in this thread, but a nice list could work. Amusingly for me is one of the few that pulled it off were the seemingly token games reviews that the TV guide in the Sunday Times around here buried/used as filler.

 

[mightymuffy]

Ha I actually know 3 reviewers as mates and STILL wouldn't trust what they say! Like has been said, the best reviewer is yourself.... Usually I end up reading a review basically to confirm what I already know (and get a bit more stoked about the game while I'm at it!) If I'm not 100% convinced about a game, not even 10/10s across the board will make me buy it.

 

[yuyuyup]

I trust KOTAKU. I don't give a shit about the writers; if something is reported poorly, it will be revealed in the comments, which are integral for corrections/criticisms/further insight.

 

[FAST6191]

it will be revealed in the comments, which are integral for corrections/criticisms/further insight.

Maybe but how do you deal with the signal to noise ratio being rather unfavourable to those that enjoy their signal?

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

Jim Sterling maybe Avgn if you could call it reviews I guess

Oh and IGN is the fines.... *snicker* sorry couldn't finish that last line without laughing

 

[Gahars]

I don't know, I'm not much of a fan of Jim Sterling - while I agree with him on a few points, he's pretty much the Michael Moore of games journalism.