Originally wrote this on the bird site 6 months ago.
I feel a fundamental problem in the public's reaction to game reviews is that 1/3 of people think of them as product reviews akin to car journalism. Another 1/3 of people think of them as serious art critique. The last third just want a number to be big or small by gut reaction and what color team they are on (e.g. fanboys); they would take either side, depending on the situation. And a lot of arguments are about these views clashing.