You're certainly not alone and you are absolutely right it is a cop out. It gets the reviewer out of needing to delve into many of the mechanics in the game except those that differentiate it from an already established formula. Now that said it is a very common thing to see in reviews these days. Just look at the reviews of mny open world games and see how many times Ubisoft open world design is brought up as a reference or comparison.
But, while it is a cheap and easy route for reviewers to take when detailing the game or relaying their criticisms, it also exists for a reason: there are notable similarities. So, when a new IP comes out and exhibits many of the same compelling game design choices of a very popular existing franchise I could certainly see the desire to make comparisons in an effort to elevate the new IP and hopefully garner more attention/sales just by virtue of it being associated with said established franchise.
Personally I'd prefer them to avoid making the comparison and explain and critique the game solely in relation to its own merits and not those of an entirely different franchise. Unfortunately people like you and I seem to be in the minority with that opinion though so I don't see it changing anytime soon.
Hehe, somehow I had a feeling we'd be in the minority.
The reasons for the comparisons are very clear, and I don't disagree with others on that.
However, it's worth questioning the integrity of the reviewer if indeed they're more concerned with making "an effort to elevate the new IP and hopefully garner more attention/sales."
If a review site is referencing another game in order to elevate a new IP/sales, then surely that's representative of bias, and suggests they aren't able to look at a game objectively on its own merits.
On the other hand, if they're referencing another game in order to garner attention (to themselves)...well, that just comes across as unprofessional.
If you absolutely must compare, I'm inclined to say it'd make more sense to have a clear "Peer Comparison" list (or use YouTube to document a video on the differences, like many people do already).
But in the review body itself, it's a blatant cop-out, and creates a vicious cycle as gamers expect comparisons to be made, because that's the only way they feel able to understand how a game plays (when in fact it only reinforces a superficial understanding).
Sorry everyone for this turning into a rant. I probably have enough to say about modern reviews to make a thread, but that's probably been done a hundred times already...