I like to have an idea of what I'm getting into before I spend $60. For me, reviews are a way to help me decide if I'm going to invest the money, especially when I'm on the fence. I'm not going to spend $60 on a game to decide if I want to own it. All you have to do is find a reviewer whose opinions align with yours. Reading entire reviews is also helpful because details that a number can't express are usually found in the review. I also find that the thoughts of older gamers match mine, so Polygon, Kotaku and IGN generally seem fair to me. That doesn't mean I'll agree wholeheartedly, but short of watching every available moment of preview gameplay and going hands-on a review build, someone's opinion is the best insight you can get to a game without spending money blindly.