I know, Saint and BlackHeartedWolf will probably get upset by that title, but let me explain. I am really glad Saint tried to get the campaign to get the user review section to be a community like the blogging community. I think that is a great thing to attempt, but sadly it appears not to have worked. I do not have money to purchase new games, so almost all of my games are older than the games that have pages on Gameinformer. I posted a review for Donkey Kong Country Returns a while ago, but never posted another since then.

The User review section is a wonderful idea. Take the thoughts you have of games, write them down, and let other people read them and see how good the game is. I love reading real user reviews. Whenever someone post a review in the blog section, I usually look at it, because I know it will be a good one. I know the people who post here, and they write high quality stuff.

Unfortunately, the user review section is not that at all. 

The first problem is the early reviews. It is really annoying to see a review that goes something like this: "Skyrim looks amazing, I loved Oblivion, so it should be AmAzInG." That is super annoying. It is even more annoying when you see a review on November 10 that says this about Skyrim: "I have rarely ever put so much time into a game as I have put into this game." How did this person do that. First off, the game shouldn't even be out, and even if he did get it early, then how did he put so much time in, when it just would have come out. It doesn't make sense. Often, the early reviews claim to have played the game, which would be pretty impossible.

Second thing is the lack of real review. This is often the case in user reviews, and it is quite sad. A review goes somewhat like this, " This must be the best zelda game ever ign and this site gave it a 10!!!!!!!"

First off, this is an early review for a game that is not out until next week. Second, that is the entire review. Are you kidding? At least tell me why you think it will be amazing, or something. The sad thing is some actual reviews are that size as well.

"..what an experience it has been.  Sure, I have had my rear served up on a platter being a N00b and all, but its actually kind of fun with this game!  :o)  The campaign is even cool.  Glad I purchased it!!!" Real review, no kidding. How does someone get an accurate impression of a game with a "review" that long. You can't. All you can tell is that dude liked the game, but you have no idea why, or if it is any good for you.

Then there is the rant review. These are particularly annoying because they really don't even talk about the game. Why even put up a "review if you are just going to complain. Here is an example:

"Apparently Dead Rising 2 and Resident Evil 5 are equally as good as Fallout 3, Oblivion, and Skyrim. Dead Rising 2 was cheap, lame, quick, terrible, and shoddy. Compared to RE4, RE5 is a laughing stock. This is why people shouldn't take what Game Informer says seriously. I bet if Capcom made the game, it would have gotten a 10. They rate games too hastily. Just the fact that awful games get the same ratings (sometimes better ratings) as amazing, well-put together games like Fallout 3 and Oblivion, makes my brain hurt. I definitely don't think New Vegas was nearly as good as Fallout 3, but an 8.5? Seriously, Game Informer? Skyrim deserves a 10. Don't let these people tell you otherwise. Listen to actual customers' reviews- people who know and love video games, not people like Game Informer or any other site like it. You might as well have the idiots at Game Stop give a review too."

Legitimate review in the reviews section for Skyrim. This is what bugs me. A review is an opinion of the writer. If a writer believes that a game deserves a 9.5, such as the reviewer for Dead Rising 2 or Resident Evil 5, then that is there right. A person can not declare what game is infinitely better. No one can, it is a matter of preference.

People also need to realize that a review is based on something else. Comparing Skyrim to Dead Rising is like comparing Halo to Tetris. The games have nothing in common. I don't think people get that. A game review is based on the actual game and what other offerings are available on that console or in that genre. Giving a N64 game a 10 and then giving an Xbox game a 9 doesn't mean the 64 game is better, it means they are both good and one was the best game of its time. The Xbox game isn't the best of its time.

Then this reviewer even goes on to say that Gameinformer doesn't know and love video games. Really? That is there job to know video games. No one would have a job in video game journalism if they didn't love video games, so that comment is just ignorant.

Having blatant fanboy-ism doesn't help either. I really want to know if this guy has actually even played the game.

That's not all- at least this review was well written and didn't look like it was written by a two year old. That is exactly what I would use to describe the next review. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

"any one gave this game under 7.50 is a bf player!even if you dnt mention it!we all know!bf campaign is a 10!that frost bite 2 looks so beautiful!multi is an 8!so 9.50 all together BF!mw3 gets a nine just because bf graphics are better!SO....LETS ALL BE REASONABLE NOW!that user rating is showing some HATERISM!!"

I don't even remember what game this was for. I can't tell by the review. I think it was on Modern Warfare 3, but it looks like it is praising Battlefield, but the score was a nine. I just don't know what to take from this review.

Scratch that. I know that this is a key reason why I have nothing to do with the review section. People like this. He is probably five, or I guess, just by the way it is written. So many exclamation points and horrible grammar. Haterism? I love the made up word as well. It's like text speak gone horribly wrong.

That doesn't mean all reviews are bad. Matthew Fugere, a blogger whom has put out some great stuff, left a review on Portal 2. It is a really cool review o say the least. It is quite lengthy, so I'll just post a link to it.

This is what gives me hope for that section of Gameinformer, intelligent people posting high quality reviews. That is why i love our bloggers, all of our post are like that. Still until I see some improvement in the user review section, I think I will avoid it.

What are your opinion on the user blogs? Is there hope or are they gone and beyond redemption? Do you submit reviews, do you read them? Do you think I am over reacting?