Traditionally, professional reviewers held a position of authority. However, concerns regarding conflicts of interest and subjective biases, reminiscent of the recent PSN login controversy with Helldivers 2, raise questions about their absolute objectivity.
On the other hand, user reviews can be a volatile mix of personal experience and emotional response. A single frustrating gameplay session might lead to a scathing review that doesn't reflect the overall quality of the game. The phenomenon of review bombing, exemplified by the recent incident with Helldivers 2, perfectly illustrates this point. It's a loud statement, but not necessarily a nuanced critique.
Proponents of user reviews often hail them as the voice of the people. However, the Helldivers 2 debacle exposed a critical flaw: the mob mentality. Disgruntled players, frustrated by the login requirement, flooded the game with negative reviews, burying any semblance of balanced critique. This "review bomb" drowned out valuable insights and created a distorted perception of the game's quality.
Imagine relying solely on these reviews to decide a game's worth. You'd be left with the impression that Helldivers 2 is a broken mess, when the core gameplay might be excellent. User reviews, in such scenarios, become a misinformation minefield, hindering informed decision-making.
The Helldivers 2 situation serves as a stark reminder: user reviews can be a volatile mix of emotion and opinion, often eclipsing valuable insights.
On the other hand, user reviews can be a volatile mix of personal experience and emotional response. A single frustrating gameplay session might lead to a scathing review that doesn't reflect the overall quality of the game. The phenomenon of review bombing, exemplified by the recent incident with Helldivers 2, perfectly illustrates this point. It's a loud statement, but not necessarily a nuanced critique.
Proponents of user reviews often hail them as the voice of the people. However, the Helldivers 2 debacle exposed a critical flaw: the mob mentality. Disgruntled players, frustrated by the login requirement, flooded the game with negative reviews, burying any semblance of balanced critique. This "review bomb" drowned out valuable insights and created a distorted perception of the game's quality.
Imagine relying solely on these reviews to decide a game's worth. You'd be left with the impression that Helldivers 2 is a broken mess, when the core gameplay might be excellent. User reviews, in such scenarios, become a misinformation minefield, hindering informed decision-making.
The Helldivers 2 situation serves as a stark reminder: user reviews can be a volatile mix of emotion and opinion, often eclipsing valuable insights.
