Who do you trust when reading reviews?

[Jason]

Aside from metacritic and the like, which I usually use as a barometer if I'm unsure about a game, are there any websites or magazines whose opinions you hold in high regard?

For me, I've always been a big fan of PC Zone in the UK - for a long time they've always been honest and called a game a turd when it is a turd. There have been a few anomalies (I'm sorry, Spore never was and never will be a 95% game. Not ever.), but for the most part they're pretty close to the mark, and their editorial stuff is usually entertaining reading rather than mindless pandering.

Still, I don't subscribe to the magazine, and only tend to pick it up if I'm heading on a train journey or similar or they have something on the cover DVD I'd really like to get my hands on.

[Konrad]

There is a Polish gaming magazine called CD Action which generally conveys my views on video games. Unfortunately, they're an ocean away so I do not have regular up-to-date access to their reviews.

Other than that, it's metacritic for me. I generally check out IGN and Gamespot but don't hold their rating with much regard having been dissapointed on many occasions.

[MyNameDidntFit]

I can't say I've ever read and taken a review seriously under consideration. I look at reviews primarily for when they say "it has <feature> but lacks <feature>" which is about the only objective part of most reviews.

If I want to find out about a game, I go to someone who I know has similar gaming tastes as me and ask them about it. Or I talk to a person whose gaming taste I barely know and get them to give me their opinions on it -- which is what I did with Rob and BF:BC2 :p