Reviews in the media are flawed and inaccurate, sure. That's, well, a fundamental thing about reviews of an entertainment medium, isn't it, since it inherently is subjective. I wouldn't say reviews "are on the decline" in any meaningful way, though. By that, I mean, even if there's a short term problem with reviews now, I see it being "fixed" over time as people start to weight reviews less or certain reviewers/sources higher than others. That's just the cyclical nature of things. I mean, how many "gaming" review magazines have spawned and died over the last 30 years?
As for a complaint about the scoring system, well, it's the same with used game prices. I mean, one would think demand would have enough of an effect that the price of a game would be a good indicator of the fun/entertainment/whatever of a game in a genre--as different genres should have different buy/sell patterns--, but for those who have bought even a few used games, there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to it there, either. That doesn't make the price meaningless. It just means it's silly to judge a game based on its price/cover.
In any case, if I had to make a wild guess about the "decline of reviews"--a wild guess as I haven't begun to read enough reviews really every to make a judgment on the general quality of game reviews--, I'd take it as more the 'inexperienced" part being a factor as so many games enter the market, there's a glut of shovelware and a glut of new reviewers trying to push a lot of reviews of it through (to filter out the "good" from the "bad").
Oh, and a small guess, but the whole RPG grinding being a complaint? Well, if you're a person trying to review several games, having to grind is a great way to make a game (a) feel monotonous--Pokemon, Animal Crossing, etc all do this too, but they at least try to color some of it with items or new monsters or whatever to it feels you're accomplishing something real instead of merely making stat X go up 15 points so you'll do 15*y points more damage per hit against the area boss--and (b) feel like it's holding you back from enjoying all those other games you've set out to review. I mean, one can sort of presume that a reviewer by definition is in it for the experience of playing a lot of different games--sampling them, really--and not devoting 80+ hours per game.
Just think of reviewers like doctors. You can always go for a second opinion. And in the end, it's our time so your choice on whether Pokemon really *is* a 10.0 or not. Me? I haven't tried out Pokemon and don't have much interest to, but that's because I'm too busy with a whole other set of games I want to play. More power to people who love or hate Pokemon or the games I love or whatever. And I'm sure I disagree strongly with a lot of people who love the games I hate or vice versa.
*tries to forget the Metroid: Other M plot*
As for a complaint about the scoring system, well, it's the same with used game prices. I mean, one would think demand would have enough of an effect that the price of a game would be a good indicator of the fun/entertainment/whatever of a game in a genre--as different genres should have different buy/sell patterns--, but for those who have bought even a few used games, there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to it there, either. That doesn't make the price meaningless. It just means it's silly to judge a game based on its price/cover.
In any case, if I had to make a wild guess about the "decline of reviews"--a wild guess as I haven't begun to read enough reviews really every to make a judgment on the general quality of game reviews--, I'd take it as more the 'inexperienced" part being a factor as so many games enter the market, there's a glut of shovelware and a glut of new reviewers trying to push a lot of reviews of it through (to filter out the "good" from the "bad").
Oh, and a small guess, but the whole RPG grinding being a complaint? Well, if you're a person trying to review several games, having to grind is a great way to make a game (a) feel monotonous--Pokemon, Animal Crossing, etc all do this too, but they at least try to color some of it with items or new monsters or whatever to it feels you're accomplishing something real instead of merely making stat X go up 15 points so you'll do 15*y points more damage per hit against the area boss--and (b) feel like it's holding you back from enjoying all those other games you've set out to review. I mean, one can sort of presume that a reviewer by definition is in it for the experience of playing a lot of different games--sampling them, really--and not devoting 80+ hours per game.
Just think of reviewers like doctors. You can always go for a second opinion. And in the end, it's our time so your choice on whether Pokemon really *is* a 10.0 or not. Me? I haven't tried out Pokemon and don't have much interest to, but that's because I'm too busy with a whole other set of games I want to play. More power to people who love or hate Pokemon or the games I love or whatever. And I'm sure I disagree strongly with a lot of people who love the games I hate or vice versa.
*tries to forget the Metroid: Other M plot*