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When it comes to Reviews, is Negativity more believable than fanboy gushing wanting a game to be gre

MMOExposedMMOExposed Member RarePosts: 7,387

Well we know on this forum, the Fanboys vs Critics is a big thing here about new MMOs.

But if looking for a review of a product before you buy it, who would you believe more, the more Negative view point of a critic, or the more Positive view point of a fanboy?

 

Now this is just between these two radical extreme sides of the same poll of a reviewer.

 

this discussion came to me, after looking over the discussions of the leaked ZombiU game review was leaked on Gamespot.

 

it got lots of negative reaction, and disbelief from nintendo fans. But non fans, pretty much expected Red Steel 1.2 all over again.

who would you believe?

Philosophy of MMO Game Design

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Comments

  • SimsuSimsu Member UncommonPosts: 386

    IMHO, you need a 3rd option...

    If any review is too extreme, in either direction, I'm going to disregard anything they have to say. In 20+ years of gaming and 20ish of online gaming (Go MUDS!), I've played very few games that were all good or all bad and if I even think a review is ignoring/diminishing one side or the other then, in my opinion, it's not worth trusting.

    Then again, I'm also the kind of person who never reads one review of anything and accepts what I read as gospel.

  • wordizwordiz Member Posts: 464

    You can't believe either. Pretty difficult finding a non-baised review now a days.

  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    Whether its from fanboys or critics, the only really convincing factor is how believable their argument is, if they can back up their viewpoint with convincing arguments then as far as i am concerned their viewpoint is a valid one, whether its positive or negative is largely irrelevant.image
  • OnomasOnomas Member UncommonPosts: 1,147

    I like hearing both sides. ANd dislike them fighting over trivial things. Too many times i have wasted money on garbage games because a few people think the game is so great with their linear brain funtion and insulted anyone that spoke against it.

     

    I like to read real reviews....the good.... the bad.... and the fugly.

    Anyone that gives all bad or all good opinions of a game are usualy overlooked. Thats what.........93% of these forum posts?   ;)

  • evilastroevilastro Member Posts: 4,270

    Neither. A review should be as objective as possible and point out both the good and bad aspects of a game. Also to define all the features and aspects so people can decide whether they agree based on what is on offer.

    Point based reviews are generally terrible and not overly helpful. They may as well just have 3 categories:

    - I wouldnt buy this

    - Could be worth a try if you are interested in the genre

    - Brilliant game that may appeal to those who are not normally interested in the genre

     

    Even then, it is so subjective that you are probably better off just sticking to text. But everyone is so lazy that they just want to look at a score to know that a game is empircally better than another, as if it somehow validates their own personal choice, and if it doesnt then the review is biased or wrong of course.

  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    Originally posted by evilastro

    Neither. A review should be as objective as possible and point out both the good and bad aspects of a game. Also to define all the features and aspects so people can decide whether they agree based on what is on offer.

    Point based reviews are generally terrible and not overly helpful. They may as well just have 3 categories:

    - I wouldnt buy this

    - Could be worth a try if you are interested in the genre

    - Brilliant game that may appeal to those who are not normally interested in the genre

     

    Even then, it is so subjective that you are probably better off just sticking to text. But everyone is so lazy that they just want to look at a score to know that a game is empircally better than another, as if it somehow validates their own personal choice, and if it doesnt then the review is biased or wrong of course.

    If someone can be objective about a game then its probably a boring one, i'd rather hear from people who actually feel something about the game, negatively and positively, both viewpoints are equally valid, more so imo, than one that is just a list of details for a game, which would really be far too impersonal for my liking, either people like a game or they don't, what i am interested in hearing is what they like about it or what they hate about it, and its after weighing up those viewpoints that i am able to make an informed, hopefully, decision on whether to buy.image

  • ereyethirnereyethirn Member Posts: 79
    We live in an age where there is so much you can do with the internet, so for me I ignore the hateful don't play this game people and if the game that the insane fanboys say is good sounds good from them then I go look at videos on youtube of actual gameplay or play a trial (if there actually is one) and make a full decision for yourself... There's no such thing as an unbiased opinion so I don't generally take the word of anyone as far as opinions go...
  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    Originally posted by ereyethirn
    We live in an age where there is so much you can do with the internet, so for me I ignore the hateful don't play this game people and if the game that the insane fanboys say is good sounds good from them then I go look at videos on youtube of actual gameplay or play a trial (if there actually is one) and make a full decision for yourself... There's no such thing as an unbiased opinion so I don't generally take the word of anyone as far as opinions go...

    a while ago i used to check out the 'cynical brit' wtf is video's they started off pretty good but kind of lost it, too commercial i don't know, but totally agree that watching gameplay on Youtube is a very useful tool. For me it was the final decider on whether or not i bought GW2, i didnt. Not because the video's werent positive, even total biscuit raved about the game, but when i saw the gameplay for myself, i realised that i wouldnt enjoy it. So yes i do agree that being able to watch gameplay for a game is probably a more convincing 'argument' than just a few words of text. image

  • SquishydewSquishydew Member UncommonPosts: 1,107

    I prefer a review thats critical but still touches the bright side, a non biased one.

    If i had to pick between negative reviews and positive ones, I'd be more likely to believe the negative one.

     

    In the end doing your own research is key, Reviews will never reflect your personal opinions and feelings.

  • YakkinYakkin Member Posts: 919

    If I have to be rather blunt, I'd prefer some degree of bias in a review, simply because it at least shows that the reviewer actually somewhat gives a damn about what they are talking about, and aren't just simply reading off of a list of "objectively correct" points about the game. Granted, being too biased means I probably won't get any useful information or insights about the game from the opposing view, but being too far in the other direction is just as bad.

    The only thing that I will say needs to happen regardless of whether they choose to be biased or "objective" is that they can explain their points of view. If you leave me hanging, I'll get annoyed.

  • SimsuSimsu Member UncommonPosts: 386
    I'll throw in that I have no problem with even large amounts of bias if I am familiar with the reviewer. For example, Paragus has blogged about several games, and definitely prefers a certqain game type, but since I'm familiar enough with him (his bias) I can put it into context and I find his reviews to be very useful.
  • BurntvetBurntvet Member RarePosts: 3,465

    I prefer an opinion that is not subsidized by a paid advertiser.

     

  • IcewhiteIcewhite Member Posts: 6,403
    Originally posted by Simsu
    If any review is too extreme, in either direction, I'm going to disregard anything they have to say.

    "Disregard" probably isn't accurate either.  Discount?

    We have forum locals who I disagree with fairly often, because they're just so intensely negative about everything they say...hyperbole, lots of hate language, doom criers, omgeverythingsuxeverydaymoanwail.

    Not the what they're saying isn't valid, but just (knowing their habits)...more of the same, no impact, hard to take them at all seriously.  The emo kids from high school, just older.

    Glowing praise?  Plenty of haters around to dump on them, my help isn't needed.

    Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.

  • PurutzilPurutzil Member UncommonPosts: 3,048

    If you had to pick between a hater and a fanboy, the hater would always win. If your considering a fanboy definition of a hater, then it makes haters that much more reliable as they typically can consider anyone with a negative view on their game as being one despite pointing out prominent issues.

     

    But yes, if I had to pick between a fanboy and a hater, the hater will easily, hands down be the best option to make a better judgement on. They will typically flame areas of the game that do have issues which, while likely emphasized by other minute or opinion focused points, will at least point out those faults and use it against the game. 

  • tawesstawess Member EpicPosts: 4,227

    Anything the is fueld by emotions will never be unbiased. And this goes doubble for reviews. There is not such thing as a fair review that is not in one way or another tinted by the person writing it.

     

    So a sour-sally is as bad as a fanboy.

     

    I did not vote in the poll because it was to polarized.

    This have been a good conversation

  • PsychowPsychow Member Posts: 1,784

    The only review I truely trust is my own.

  • HelleriHelleri Member UncommonPosts: 930
    If I see a mild bias one way or the other that's one thing...heck i can't help but talk a little more about positive aspects of a game I like, or more about the negative or deal breaker points on a game I ddin't enjoy...But strait up rage fests, and praise-o-thon reviews I stop reading the moment they make themselves apparent as to what they are... neither can be trusted, and so i didn't vote for either in the poll posted.

    image

  • WhiteLanternWhiteLantern Member RarePosts: 3,306
    Balance. I trust balance.

    I want a mmorpg where people have gone through misery, have gone through school stuff and actually have had sex even. -sagil

  • WhiteLanternWhiteLantern Member RarePosts: 3,306
    Originally posted by Burntvet

    I prefer an opinion that is not subsidized by a paid advertiser.

     

    How do you sort those out?

     

    /don tinfoil hat

    I want a mmorpg where people have gone through misery, have gone through school stuff and actually have had sex even. -sagil

  • KendaneKendane Member UncommonPosts: 225

    I really don't trust either of them. I can at times listen to positive/negative reviews, but it depends on the poster as well as the review. On some specific mmo boards here for example I have seen people going into every single topic, as well as creating 2-5 over the course of the week on why the game will fail, why its garbage etc. Usually these amount to "WRACK WoW clone WoW clone WRRRRRRRRRACK!(parrot whistle) at times with no proof, such as Elder Scrolls Online. Or people going, Themepark = failed, if this were a sandbox it would have goten 458453630454356568304568346803458063480568342 subscribers at minimum, and vice versa of sandbox = fail.

    A big deal braker for negative reviews is the title. If they use words like "fail" "WoW clone" "garbage" and other petty terms, I don't even give the review a chance. Titles like, "Why X didn't deliver" or other non petty titles I will read through. If they make a good argument, I might pass the game up, which I have done in the past.

    People's reviews that are talking about "This is going to destroy WoW." and other similar titles, I also pass up. Again, titles like that make me not take their review seriously and makes me think their review has little to no value. I am generally more willing to read positive reviews like "great game with interesting new mechanics" and such, because I assume they will probably describe these said mechanics, or other similar titles.

    Overall, I try to find more tame reviews on both sides before picking up a game, or mmo. Even though in general, besides EverQuest, I rarely if ever play any MMO longer than 2 months lol.

  • FrodoFraginsFrodoFragins Member EpicPosts: 5,898

    Didn't vote because I'd choose neither.  Haters and fanboys are different sides of the same coin. 

     

    What I would credit the most is appreciation of a games features by haters and criticism by a fanboy.

     

  • FrodoFraginsFrodoFragins Member EpicPosts: 5,898
    Originally posted by WhiteLantern
    Originally posted by Burntvet

    I prefer an opinion that is not subsidized by a paid advertiser.

     

    How do you sort those out?

     

    /don tinfoil hat

    Start by ignoring just about every review on this and any other site with MMO advertisers. Especially in regards to SWTOR and GW2.

     

    I think Bill's reviews are the most fair but a bit shallow due to him having a full time job outside of this one. 

  • grimalgrimal Member UncommonPosts: 2,935

    There are cetain things to look out for:

    1) Poster's join date.  If the join date is around the same time as the prerelease hype of the game occurs, I find their posts suspicious.  There have been numerous users who sort of pop up about this time, releasing tons and tons of posts about these supposed games, always listing the features, etc.  Anyone like this I take with a grain of salt as I suspect they may be some sort of social marketer.

    2) Poster's track record.  There are some who get swept up in the hype for every game.  These few either seem to never learn or just get kicks out of the hype.

    3) Overly negative/positive rhetoric in the post.  Either extreme is a warning sign.

    I tend to give most games the benefit of the doubt but most posters tend to follow #3.  This rings of some emotional investment they have in the game, whether good or bad....getting a clear picture of the game from these people is hard or impossible to do.

     

  • KingJigglyKingJiggly Member Posts: 777
    I am a more optimistic person. so the fanboy.
  • LissylLissyl Member UncommonPosts: 271

    Didn't vote.

    To me, it's less about an individual review than it is an examination of reviews in general.  I look for a stack of positive, a stack of negative, and then look for similar phrases/comments/trends/etc.  Then I'll base my decision off that compared to how important the trend item is to me.

    For instance, if a game gets a lot of negative reviews for its solo play but the multiplayer is consistently pointed out as an exception, I still won't be interested as multiplayer means nothing to me (speaking of console style games), whereas if those cases were reversed I might very well purchase the game even if the multiplayer is abysmal.

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