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[Marvel14]

Watching Starfield have detractor backlash a la TOTK has made me want to really tease out what is driving this phenomenon of people shitting on well reviewed games. I'm going to postulate some typologies. See what you think:

1. The tribalist: dudes that identify with a rival company and feel it is their duty to attack the competition and take them down a peg. Their aim is to dampen enthusiasm but for what purpose? To reduce sales, to undermine the competition's creative achievement in the public discourse, to ensure their tribe's pedestal is not breached? All of these?

2. The scorned perfectionist: folk with elevated expectations that are not met. ( See Starfield failing to crack 90+ MC). In their case it's betrayal that drives them to seek revenge of sorts by turning against the product. They may hold an existing grudge and this enflames the open wound. Does this really happen tho? Probably easiest seen in multiplats...

3.The Rabble Rouser of Chaos. Like the Joker, these guys are driven by shits and giggles. They do it because they can and because it's fun to try to piss on the success of others. Like the Joker there is also an ego trip in getting noticed and getting reactions from people- the more passionate and offended the better.

Edit: With thanks to Elysium44 Dick Jones :

4. The Taste Differentiator. As hard as it is to accept, some people just don't like what the majority likes. Not to be contrarian but because their taste is different for a given game type. And that should be OK so I am not counting them in the poll. Although if they take a nasty approach to airing their opinion, they are treading into Rabble Rouser territory.

Edit2: just seeing some of the replies and looks like there is yet another:

5. The "Mainstream Outrager": folk who view the mainstream opinion as having an objectionable non gaming agenda and believing they have to take a stand. Paradoxically of course, by focusing on the agenda they are perpetuating the act of not discussing a game on its merits. Don't know what to do with these folk except to say they risk turning themselves into the thing they claim to hate.

So that's my hypothesis. Three different types worthy of criticism with their own motivations and another that is not about videogames themselves that you can only shake your head at.

Personally the third one is the worst since it just seeks to destroy- and creating is super hard and risky. And we shouldn't shit on the act of creation for our own entertainment. And the ego trip is pretty unbearable too.

The first is understandable as a well established part of human behaviour that has been put to the wrong use ( follow a sports team if you want to relive tribes - not products you can enjoy without restrictions between them).

The second is worthy of some sympathy. If someone is so affected by a product, then that suggests there are larger personal issues at play and the person needs support not vitriol thrown back at them.

So what do you think? Makes sense.? Something missing or need a different framing? Which one do you hate most?

Over to you.

 

[odhiex]

I think generally people don't read, only see review scores as the final benchmark. For fanboys, scores mean the general affirmation on what they love/hate.

 

[tommycronin]

My favourite game has a higher number attached to it than yours therefore I am superior in all things games.

 

[Dick Jones]

The worst is the first as you have those same people defend utter dogshit as well for their brand. See the first days of Redfall, utter wank positive comments here from these clowns for a game that was released objectively substandard. We all knew it was a disaster but tribal idiots claimed the opposite.

Enjoy the games and remember some criticism of a game you like may be valid. A critical post doesn't always have an ulterior motive.

 

[Elysium44]

4 - some people just have a different opinion to you.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

I have a duty to my nation

 

[Xtib81]

The question should be : how can people give 10/10 so easily? Like, there's plenty of flaws but here you go, get your 10..

 

[Flutta]

Do you really care about well reviewed games being critizised or is this just about the ”GOAT” the ”GOTG” Sarfield?

 

[Bernardougf]

Because reviews and awards , specially in modern day "journalism" means JACK SHIT, too much political activism and personal bias is involved in everything, and plus that, you have the "access midia" doing what they can to not piss off the big bosses so they continue to get exclusive access to events and especial merchandise and all the gifts that comes to them....

We have many many cases of obviously bought reviews omitting glaring bugs and unplayable games, tales of publishers calling to "discuss" lower scores and cutting access for them, joirnalism bitching in their shows that they lost the "special treatment" and therefore will not talk well anymore about X subject , there is nothing like watching a Cyberpunk 2077 9/10 review from someone sitting in a brand new cyberpunk chair

So no I dont believe StarField (probably the cause of this thread, is a 9 or 10 game, with an outdated engine , almost sure limited gameplay mechanics and certainly full of bugs,as all this is on par from bethesda, and therefore not deserving of nearly perfect scores. As well I dont believe Last of Us 2 a game that is universally divisive amongst gamers to this day is an unanimous 10/10 30000 awards game.

Scores means nothing ... only if they matter to your ego and attachments to your favorite special plastic box or game of choice

 

[Chukhopops]

It happens for every exclusive, that’s just how it is in an enthusiast forum.

You simply can’t trust individual opinions since most people had made one back in 2019 already.

So it’s 80% tribalism with a few going the extra mile and being straight shitheads.

 

[Bernoulli]

in Starfield case we we were sold a revolutionary game with scope and vision but it ended being a skyrim space skin with no real space/ships use

but that can be because the engine is outdated and couldn't handle the vision

if it was released 5 or 10 years ago it would've been sitting at 96 or higher

just imagine if this was released in 2022 without polishing

 

[rofif]

It happens for every exclusive, that’s just how it is in an enthusiast forum.

You simply can’t trust individual opinions since most people had made one back in 2019 already.

So it’s 80% tribalism with a few going the extra mile and being straight shitheads.

It's not because a game is exclusive. At least it's not everything.
Games are often overrated and people like to be contrarian

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

We're not clones and have opinions and tastes.

 

[Shifty1897]

Each detractor is likely a mixture of all three personalities, but the makeup can be different.

 

[Flutta]

We're not clones and have opinions and tastes.

Some fanboys/shills are trying their hardest to turn this place into an echo chamber like that purple hell hole.

 

[Montauk]

Oh my god, more of this, seriously?

Are some of you never going to understand the concept of opinions? Will it finally click on your deathbed, or is it forever beyond your grasp?

[sees someone with a different opinion to themselves or a plurality]:

REEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Setsuna Mudou]

OP is starting with a wrong premise.

The implication made is that review scores are impartial and have no agendas behind (be it done by fanboys, paid shills or done for clicks). Also there's the assumption that marketing and hype can't affect them at all, so that somehow they are an objective standard of quality for a game (or any other piece of media).

Why not read the specific criticism that people find in those supposed highly reviewed games and try to understand how it speaks to that individual's tastes?

Someone saying that they don't like Zelda because whatever reason (i.e. weapons breaking, no good combat, etc) does not diminuish the game for those that don't value those aspects as much. No need to find a hidden agenda, it's just that we all look for different things in this entertainment medium.
I would rather ask why people feel so strongly about defending a game they like from any and all criticism and engaging in quite hostile back and forth about it. It's especially egregious when said game apparently got that initial positive review consensus.

May I remind that Cyberpunk 2077 also came out to GOTG reviews initially?

 

[squarealex]

 

[Skifi28]

Or maybe the product in question has flaws that people can criticize without labeling them.

 

[RoboFu]

I would say mostly its fanboyism of course.

But for some others in the case of starfield the game literally has the worst beginning. It takes a few hours of the worst missions to get to be a full constellation member and get to the real game.

 

[SenkiDala]

I think generally people don't read, only see review scores as the final benchmark. For fanboys, scores mean the general affirmation on what they love/hate.

Yeah exactly and I've seen a trend recently on French twitter, Sony fanboys (who never touched an Xbox) playing "FairPlay" prior the release of Starfield like "it will be great, good games to our Xbox buddies, I can't imagine a score under 95 MC" juste to pretend disappointed and that it is an "average/ just good" game since it got 87...

Yeah sure if you pass an exam and get 87/100 it's such a failure.

 

[SenkiDala]

Or maybe the product in question has flaws that people can criticize without labeling them.

If they don't actually play the game they can just shut up, no more. :/

 

[Bernoulli]

Some fanboys/shills are trying their hardest to turn this place into an echo chamber like that purple hell hole.

Twitter, Reeee and Reddit became the biggest echo chambers i've ever seen

idk why but it started when the Series X specs were announced
now i experienced in the leaks and rumors sub, gaming, xbox, series x subs on reddit anything that isn't cheerleading or positive get's you banned
even if you point out an error you get banned,
Mods on all those subs control the narrative, at least here we can have opinions

 

[Chukhopops]

It's not because a game is exclusive. At least it's not everything.
Games are often overrated and people like to be contrarian

It’s a big part, multiplat games simply generate less drama here, especially when they review poorly.

 

[kirby007]

nah nah it all comes back to hoes mad

 

[Beer Baelly]

 

[Portugeezer]

TOTK and Starfield are two different situations.

Zelda is too good and therefore overrated.
Starfield isn't as groundbreaking as some hoped.

The bigger they are; the harder they fall, something something.

 

[Skifi28]

If they don't actually play the game they can just shut up, no more. :/

Maybe they want things to improve in order to play the game. One can always go to North Korea if they don't like people speaking their minds.

 

[rofif]

It’s a big part, multiplat games simply generate less drama here, especially when they review poorly.

Hmmm maybe so. Now that you say, FF16 generated very similar drama to starfield

 

[Pejo]

I consider myself more of a contrarian than any choices in the OP. I just don't like things that are popular a lot of the time. I am not sure if it's just because they're popular or if things that are popular right now generally don't fit my tastes.

But at least I'm not a console warrior for either a piece of plastic or a multi-billion dollar corporation, and doing it for free. That's what lets me sleep easy at night.

 

[Aion002]

Some people hate Elden Ring, are they insane? Probably. But...

This hive mind thing that some expect is weird...

 

[Scotty W]

Some of shit from a higher principle. That we are spoiled man children, glutted with entertainment, standing so near the elephant and so impossibly fickle that we have lost all sense of reality.

Famous game had colossal ambitions due to gamer demand. Gamers emotionally invest in famous game. Famous game had to be delayed repeatedly. Gamers are outraged by delays. Game makers are afraid of angering gamers, so they release a product a bit too early, and gamers are outraged all out of proportion, “forced to play” in the words of one gaffer. Am I the only one who remembers how terrible most of the 8&16 bit generations were? The idea that a game is mediocre because it didn’t make you achieve Nirvana is madness, and the height of ungratefulness. Yes, you have all the toys in the world and you are ungrateful.

This nonsense is every day.

 

[VN1X]

You're on an enthusiast discussion forum where people... wait for it: discuss games. Who cares if some outlet reviews it favorably or negatively?

I know Starfield broke many of you but man... Putting detractors in boxes is bizarre.

 

[K2D]

1) Seven out of 10 is not a bad score

2) I'm amazed at the number of threads this game has produced in the last hours

3) Bethesda is really unlucky with their release timing, not only hitting a year with a ton of goty contenders, but also great RPGs..!

...

See ya all again on the sixth..

OP is starting with a wrong premise.

The implication made is that review scores are impartial and have no agendas behind (be it done by fanboys, paid shills or done for clicks).

Care to elaborate, share any examples?

May I remind that Cyberpunk 2077 also came out to GOTG reviews initially?

With a lot of shadiness on CD Project's part.

 

[Banjo64]

I think over time it becomes harder to like games from certain studios due to the repetition and fatigue.

E.g. after playing TLoU & Uncharted, who can say with confidence that even if ND made a new IP, it would feature drastically different gameplay mechanics? It would feel like a reskin of those 2 franchises, a new coat of paint. It makes me more critical if something is a done thing.

Skyrim was the first BGS game I played. Wow. Amazing. 10/10. I went back and played FO3, FO:NV (Obsidian I know), Oblivion and then FO4. I knew straight away that Starfield would be TES/Fallout in space. Same game, new skin.

Someone with playing Starfield as their first BGS game might think ‘wow this is the best thing ever’ but if you’ve played all of their over games it becomes a bit like ‘spot the familiar quirks and similarities’.

Just my 2 pence.

 

[Shrap]

I think this is more of a case of you and quite a few others are just upset that starfield isn't as well reviewed as you wanted but are still trying to tell yourselves "it's still good. it's just a little airbourne. it's still good."

 

[X-Wing]

I think there is a mix of reasons.
There is a lot of console warring and there are also just different opinions.
You can also be critical of aggregated scores, in the case of Starfield the aggregated score is highly inflated by mostly unknown outlets and platform specific ones like Windows Central, XboxEra, etc.

 

[Griffon]

Please Phil stop making alts.

 

[Caio]

95% Console warring.
5% Very demanding players who were expecting more after the immense/out of control hype.

 

[X-Wing]

Please Phil stop making alts.

Stop that or EviLore will have another lawsuit for defamation to fight.

 

[Esppiral]

It makes them seem cool or whatever, that being said I can't stand Elden Ring.

 

[SenkiDala]

Maybe they want things to improve in order to play the game. One can always go to North Korea if they don't like people speaking their minds.

"I've haven't seen this movie but it is shit actors are shit directing is shit photography is shit, I've the right to say it I'm not in North Korea". Sure they have the right to do so. Their opinions are just irrelevant.

 

[Skifi28]

"I've haven't seen this movie but it is shit actors are shit directing is shit photography is shit, I've the right to say it I'm not in North Korea". Sure they have the right to do so. Their opinions are just irrelevant.

You don't need to have played a game to know if it's to your liking in its current form. Reviews aren't just about looking at the score in the end, there's words and explanations about how the game works along with tons of footage online. Nice try with the movie analogy though.

 

[Scotty W]

Each detractor is likely a mixture of all three personalities, but the makeup can be different.

Thank you for your kind words earlier today sir!

 

[Madjaba]

Why do people care so much about external and biased feedbacks ?

Just play the damn game, forge your opinion and then move to the next game.

The real question is why do people care so much ?

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Platform fanboys or people with unrealistic expectations.

Sometimes, very rarely people make a good point about why a game is bad, but well received by the overwhelming majority.

Anyway, games, like all forms of media are pretty subjective. Another man’s gold is another man’s shit, or whatever the saying is!

 

[Hudo]

I don't tend to shit on well reviewed games usually. In the case of Starfield however, I am confused because Bethesda's marketing suggested things that apparently ended up not being in the game. Like being able to fly freely around in space or that once landed on planets, you could explore them seemlessly. Maybe I am a retard and their marketing was perfectly fine but from my perspective they've been disingenuous in how they've chosen to present the game.

 

[IDKFA]

Tribalism.

It's human nature, although it's a little pathetic when it comes to video games.

We're all guilty of it one way or another. For example, I may not be tribal when it comes to video games, but I certainly am in the world of sport and to some degree nationality.

When England Rugby Union team lose to Scotland or France, it puts me into a deep depression. However when we spank them the feeling is better than sex.

 

[Perrott]

Because an 8.5/10 is not enough for titles like Starfield (10 years of development, over $200M in budget, tentpole Xbox exclusive release from a prestige studio) or Final Fantasy XVI (7 years of development, $150-200M budget, tentpole PlayStation exclusive release from a prestige team and an established franchise).

There are games that cannot score below 90 because that's a big disappointment given the expectation around them. In Starfield's case particularly, that means that the game did not live up to its promises of it being an authentic Bethesda RPG in a universe with over 1000 explorable planets.

As simple as that.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Streamers and critics: 10/10 best game ever best space exploration 100000000000000000000 planets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actual real people playing the game:




not to mention the fact that there is no actual space exploration, etc.