My thoughts on why we have so many 1 star game reviews here

[anne O'nymous]

[...] and I agree that these should still be considered valid reviews, even if not very articulated - it's readers who must evaluate if it's a useful review for them.

I agree on this, it isn't a mandatory point to be literate when you write a review, and it's good like this.
This especially since the majority is not native speakers. Being good enough to understand English doesn't mean that you're also enough to clearly express your thoughts and feelings regarding the game. Therefore they'll express this the rough way, what is still a valid way.

That said, I've also reported a couple of bad ratings that weren't honest (I play those games and these reviews contained outright lies), and those reports were rejected by mods, so it's also possible that many people may be unfairly trashing games for whatever reason without breaking any rule.

The issue here is that, unless it's a pure kinetic novel, it's difficult to prove that the content don't exist. It can be here, but in a side route triggered by a complex scheme of event that you'll systematically miss.

 

[malaac2025]

Yeah but we should be required to at least point out a simple what you liked and what you hated. Does not have to be complex mine was an example on how I try to write mine to help me be objectionable as possible.

For example one game that was suppose to be humor was just plain bad. So my comment was I hated the humor it was South Park humor that I hate but if you like South Park humor you will most likely really enjoy the game. So I said what I did not like but if they like that humor they will most likely like the game. I gave a short summary of UI, ART, and Sound also. Was short but gave a few facts about the game to help the next person decide if they want to try it or not.

 

[Goeffel]

I agree on this, it isn't a mandatory point to be literate when you write a review, and it's good like this.
This especially since the majority is not native speakers. Being good enough to understand English doesn't mean that you're also enough to clearly express your thoughts and feelings regarding the game. Therefore they'll express this the rough way, what is still a valid way.

yes, totally, and very!

When I first stumbled across reviews that were 100% copies of older reviews by someone else for the same game, it annoyed me and I thought about reporting.
But then I remembered that maybe someone is good enough in English to understand that review they copied, but not confident enough to write a review themselves, at least not one that is as much to the point as the one "quoted".

The issue here is that, unless it's a pure kinetic novel, it's difficult to prove that the content don't exist. It can be here, but in a side route triggered by a complex scheme of event that you'll systematically miss.

Oh, no, does not need to be kinetic novel to find a review "can not beat first boss unless grind for many, many hours" - and you know it's not true, so a "lie" ... but such review should absolutely NOT be deleted, because while not "true" it still goes to show how the game may be a little too obscure for some/ many players.

It is a good example how ALL reviews ADD. Above example may be based in misunderstanding, but then again it is to some extent game's responsibility to not let misunderstandings happen.

And +1 to moderation here to not have removed those reported reviews. bravo!

 

[polargreev005]

Instead of paying attention to the ratings of a game/comic/other media - why not just try it out and evaluate yourself? There are plenty of video games in general I've come across through almost two decades of gaming receiving 7-10 that in my book are 4-7 and vice versa... It's just a matter of content preferences. Ratings mean no shit, because each playthrough/watchthrough is a very subjective experience, like for instance, I like girls eating grool - others find it very disgusting and would think of me as a psycho, yet those others might enjoy anal sex, scat, BDSM and other stuff I find disgusting. Ranting about it ain't going to change anything.

 

[Crimson Delight Games]

You are exaggerating the importance and impact of rating system on a pircary forum way too much, calm down.

The average star rating *is* important tho, because if a game is poorly rated overall then many players will outright skip it.

 

[MarshmallowCasserole]

Instead of paying attention to the ratings of a game/comic/other media - why not just try it out and evaluate yourself?

Because the entire point of reviews is to avoid trying out some games. You can't try every game you come across, there's too little time. You can't try them at random. You need to prioritize.

 

[bethrezen0]

The average star rating *is* important tho, because if a game is poorly rated overall then many players will outright skip it.

Fair enough if that's true. I'm more of a believer in that people here are capable to form their own opinions, and low rating at most just gives them a more skeptical first impression. Screenshots and synopsis/tags are far more important. If game is actually good even with reviews that are unfair/bad, it shouldn't be much of a problem, especially when actual poor reviews are deleted if reported. We are talking porn games after all, where not only the brain does the thinking. I don't really believe many people would really care about how game is overall rated when it shows theme/kink they really like.

Anyways, what OP suggests about giving games 2 stars instead of 1, wouldn't fix the problem. If i would decide what to play just going by the overall rating, i wouldn't play a 2 star game just as i wouldn't play a 1 star. And would be hesitant about 3 star ones too.

 

[Cskin Games]

The issue here is that, unless it's a pure kinetic novel, it's difficult to prove that the content don't exist. It can be here, but in a side route triggered by a complex scheme of event that you'll systematically miss.

"Lies" don't necessarily relate to "content that doesn't exist'. For example, I once reported (and it was removed) a review on my game that was full of outright lies - and it was weird things. Such as skip isn't enabled (it is), rollback isn't enabled (it is - except for a few sections where I was worried about code breaking), skip unseen was disabled (it wasn't) - and a number of other things like this, that are CLEARLY and very easily provable as false. I wonder if the guy just submitted a review for the wrong game.

I've seen more than one review (I've reported whatever ones I come across, though I haven't played every game either) that is full of just very easily provable outright lies. Often the ones I've seen aren't related to content that they claim is there, but rather things they claim aren't there (which very clearly are).

 

[Buddawg]

OK I figured I would bring this up because if your doing a real review and being objective than there should be almost no 1 star reviews at all.

Then you would have almost no way to discern which games are actually worth playing, because points would get inflated and all games would be 3+ stars.

If you got a stinker of a game, you need to actually tell ppl its a stinker. And if its top tier you need to show that too.
But with your way, everything will be 3-4 or 5 only. Irregardless of quality.

Thats not how you review games.

The stars have a point. 1 is the worst class of games. 2 the games lacking in lots of areas. 3 the average (this should be statisticly the most used stars, as this is a kind of sphere where everyone and their grandmother makes an attempt) 4 the good games. 5 the unique games. (these are the games where they are a step above amateur and maybe even pro level games, so they will be the vast minority).

 

[KL-001-A]

Only skimmed the thread, but:
1/5: game probably boots, but provides absolutely no benefit to playing the game, everything about it sucks, there's no redeemable qualities about it. The gameplay sucks, the porn sucks, the game's buggy, etc. The game should (and probably is) avoided at all costs outside of that one dude that loves it for some reason.
3/5: very average game, or is great but is super buggy. The overall experience is "meh" and you probably wont replay it until it's been updated a bunch. Hit or miss. Maybe some people love it, some people hate it.
5/5: easily the best game you can recall recently. No major issues, few minor issues, there's toggles for the fetishes you don't like, the art's great, etc., overall a solid experience that blows your mind and dick.

If you see someone doing a 1/5 review and their review is basically just a handful of words barely related to the game, or they do a 5/5 review and it's some meaningless thing like "I don't understand why people don't like this, they're just whining about [thing] and [other thing], the game's good, ignore them" you CAN report them for that, as reviews are supposed to say what you do and don't like about the game, and what is/isn't wrong with it, not personal feelings and no "gotchas" in the review. I like to report reviews like that because I don't like seeing some game be propped up on a pedestal or be dumped on for no reason, unfairly raising/lowering the overall score to something it shouldn't be.

(Also damn, sorry if this is illegible, I should've been in bed an hour ago.)

 

[Clover.]

Until this is done most reviews on F95 will remain complete garbage.

Oi, that's some good garbage. When I'm taking a dump those 1 star revivews give me something to laugh at. Sometimes.