When a game reviewer looks at a game that may or may not be derivative, should they assume that their audience knows what they are talking about? 
 
I see this in reviews all the time.  Some games "borrow" ideas and concepts from other games and sometimes they down right rip them off.  The problem with this comes around when the game needs to be reviewed.  Often, the reviewer would say "This game is so much like God of War, you might as well just play that instead." Or something to that point.  The reviewer is assuming that the reader not only owns a PS3, but also has played God of War.  Is that assumption justified?  In this economy, not everyone has the resources to own more than one system.  
 
That assumption, I feel, is a little off.  Wouldn't it be better to review the game without assuming the reader has played every game released on every console this generation?  Especially system exclusive releases.  I'd like to see reviews of a game that don't really mention any other games but judge the reviewed game on it's own merits alone.  Sure the game might be a God of War clone, or a twin stick shooter, or another Diablo Clone.  But if you have never played any of those source games, then the concepts would be new to you and any comparisons between the two games would be lost on you. 
 
I could be wrong, but I feel that the majority of gamers out there haven't played every popular game on every console and any assumptions that they have is off the mark and invalid.