With the advent of video games as a physical product, buyers have to take into account the importance of game reviews, bug reports, and other features when considering a purchase. To the uninitiated, it can be a daunting task to sift through the massive torrent of info surrounding each game release, but fear not — IGN has done the hard work of navigating the tricky waters of game reviews and bug reports, so you don’t have to.
IGN’s method is to focus on the review scores first, then dive into the bug reports. IGN starts with a rigorous in-depth review of each game, making sure to consider all aspects, including the graphics, sound design, playability, and more. After they have come to a conclusion on the overall quality of the game, they’ll look into the reported bugs. If a game has a large amount of bugs, it will often receive a mixed review, with greater emphasis on the bugs than the game’s other components.
An IGN game review is meant to give you the best analysis of a game in the most unbiased way possible. They rely on the views of their in-depth reviewer, as well as input from other experienced editors to give a comprehensive take on the game. It’s important to remember that these opinions are just that and you should still assess games personally; never buy a game just because IGN wrote something positive or negative. This is especially important for games with buggy releases, as each individual may have a different experience.
However, IGN is often a great resource in navigating the sometimes-fraught waters of buying games with bug issues. Combining their reviews with the more specific bug details found on other sites (forum threads, Reddit posts, etc.), you can more accurately assess which games to avoid and which ones to buy. Obviously, it can be risky buying games with known bug issues, so be sure to look into as many reports as you can, or wait until the issue gets resolved with a patch.
At the end of the day, no one source has all the answers. But when it comes to reviews and bug reports, IGN has the experience, resources, and expertise to give you a comprehensive assessment of any game. Be sure to take both their words and the words of customers to heart before making a purchase.