Support NeoGAF

[IbizaPocholo]

Life is Strange: True Colors is getting review-bombed thanks to a flag

The latest Life is Strange game features a Tibetan flag, which has upset some people.

www.pcgamesn.com

One of the stores on the town's main street is called Treasures of Tibet, which player character Alex Chen passes shortly after starting the game. Flying prominently outside the store is the Tibetan flag, and it's causing a few problems for the game.

Currently, Life is Strange: True Colors is being review-bombed on Steam by Chinese-speaking players upset at the inclusion of the Tibetan flag – which is the symbol of the Tibetan independence movement and is banned in mainland China. While Steam still marks True Colors as having 'Very Positive' reviews, a significant proportion of the game's reviews are negative and from Chinese speakers.

While there's no news on whether Square Enix or developer Deck Nine will respond to this criticism, this isn't the first time that Steam users have review-bombed a game over apparent Chinese issues.

 

[TGO]

For some reason I completely miss read the thread title....

 

[mhirano]

I haven't played any game from this series but I'm buying this game. Fuck THEM

 

[Saint Boot]

Don't like this franchise to be honest, but I can see Sony and whoever else made this game patching it out because everything is about appeasing China these days unfortunately.

 

[elliot5]

fuck these obnoxious people.

 

[SF Kosmo]

Imagine oppressing a people for decades and then being offended when their diaspora continue to have a culture.

 

[TheDreadBaron]

Imagine oppressing a people for decades and then being offended when their diaspora continue to have a culture.

Damnit kosmo, you got me to honestly like your post.

 

[Doczu]

Don't like this franchise to be honest, but I can see Sony and whoever else made this game patching it out because everything is about appeasing China these days unfortunately.

Can't wait for it. Lookslike if you want something changed in the media because it doesn't suit you, you just need to be chinese

I'm still salty of John Xina and his dickless spine...

 

[Esppiral]

Politics, religion, social media= cancer.

 

[SidViscous]

Do we have a term yet for when the gaming press give an middling game rave reviews for pushing their politics?

 

[Freeman76]

This is a joke. If they review bombed it for claiming it's Optimised for Series X (to make more sales), when it runs like absolute shite, at 30fps, and then trying to dupe everyone who comments on this by saying "we went for a cinematic experience which had to be at 30FPS (as though we are total fucking idiots) I would support it. This flag thing however, is bullshit.

 

[Kokoloko85]

What a bunch of sensitive fools. I might buy this game just to annoy them

 

[mcjmetroid]

From the culture that limits your online play.
How long are they allowed play online games now? An hour a week or two?

Maybe they should spend their precious time a little better.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

This is it. China may have a diabolical record for human rights, animal rights, enabling the end of the world through pollution, etc, etc. ...but they've gone too far now. Scramble the F15s.

 

[mcjmetroid]

Do we have a term yet for when the gaming press give an middling game rave reviews for pushing their politics?

? Where are you getting this from?

 

[SidViscous]

? Where are you getting this from?

This game has 8.5 metascore because half of the gaming press reviews are in "omg trans character with superpowers is what the world needs right now" circlejerk mode about it

User score was at like 6.3 so they decided to push the narrative it's getting review bombed to defend it. It's not getting review bombed, it's a dull game with a very disappointing next gen port and it's tragic that bias is stopping this from being fairly reported upon.

They give a game unrealistic scores because it's pushing their politics, then use the review bombed excuse for explaining the discrepancy between their scores and actual people playing the game.

 

[Orta]

Fuck the disease ridden wankers

 

[mcjmetroid]

This game has 8.5 metascore because half of the gaming press reviews are in "omg trans character with superpowers is what the world needs right now" circlejerk mode about it

User score was at like 6.5 so they decided to push the narrative it's getting review bombed to defend it. It's not getting review bombed, it's a dull game with a very disappointing next gen port and it's tragic that bias is stopping this from being fairly reported upon.

They give a game unrealistic scores because of political content then use the review bombed excuse for explaining the discrepancy between their scores and actual people playing the game.

I don't think she's trans dude.
She's just bi and technically in all previous games you can choose to do a gay or lesbian relationship if you wanted. Or kiss a guy or a girl and whatever.

I know to the naked eye these games can come off as a little woke. It's what it's going for sure but if you know what you're getting yourself into their pretty good.

In particular life is strange 2 had a good story I thought.

 

[Doczu]

I don't think she's trans dude.
She's just bi and technically in all previous games you can choose to do a gay or lesbian relationship if you wanted. Or kiss a guy or a girl and whatever.

I know to the naked eye these games can come off as a little woke. It's what it's going for sure but if you know what you're getting yourself into their pretty good.

In particular life is strange 2 had a good story I thought.

A little? I'm not being sarcastic, it may be a good game for some, but it's your typical gen-z progressive narrative.
Fine for their target audience

 

[kittoo]

Fuck these guys. I will review the game 10 out of 10 just for this.

 

[Skifi28]

They already managed to reach that point in te game with their 3 hour quota per week? Impressive.

 

[Marvel]

No interest in this game but fuck china.

 

[Jack Videogames]

I don't even like Life is Tumblr but I might buy this to spite the PRC

 

[Connificent]

 

[cormack12]

While I'm not particularly arsed about this issue, I think a very clear picture is emerging - that as pushing the political angle in their games has heightened the quality of them has gone down and continues to do so*. They still have not come close to finding the perfect blend of magic that LiS had.

These games now exist only to inflate the ego of the studio and to inform us of their A-level grade knowledge (and takes) with out of place quotes on things like Escher and their diversity/'muh politics' first design.


*I have no idea of the sales but I would assume they have not done as well. But in this instance I'm talking about the 'quality' rather than the actual sales etc.

 

[kingkaiser]

 

[ripeavocado]

Disgusting but this is a first hand lesson on how cancel culture works.

 

[thief183]

I got the feeling that the devs knew that it would have been a "problem". This whole serie in a way faced some controversia stuff and it worked for them. Also, review bombing is not the term I'd use in this case, there are totally not enough review to *bomb"

 

[fran.fernandez]

No worries, Xi Jing Pig will ban games anyway

 

[Gameplaylover]

Why are you posting an empty picture?

 

[ManaByte]

Guys, this is DOTNOD. They'll bend over backwards to not offend people and be inclusive. Don't worry, the flag will be patched out and replaced with the Chinese flag and the character who owns the shop will be on "vacation".

 

[SF Kosmo]

Guys, this is DOTNOD. They'll bend over backwards to not offend people and be inclusive. Don't worry, the flag will be patched out and replaced with the Chinese flag and the character who owns the shop will be on "vacation".

Tibetan erasure isn't inclusive or woke and the only reason anyone would cave is because Square Enix is actually worried about the Chinese market.

No worries, Xi Jing Pig will ban games anyway

You know, it's a good point that the Chinese state taking an anti-gaming position is going to undermine their ability to influence that medium they way they've done for films. None of these companies cares what they think, they care what they consume.

 

[whyman]

Screw Chinese players doing this crap. This is the real toxic gamers.

 

[Guilhermegrg]

Fuck the chinese

 

[Spukc]

1 outa 1

do not wan

 

[Shmunter]

China is asshole!!

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Fuck the ccp and fuck commie stans.

 

[Duchess]

Guys, this is DOTNOD.

DONTNOD didn't develop this game, it was made by Deck Nine, who made Before the Storm. It seems that Square-Enix own the franchise rights to LIS, so they can get any dev they want to make the games.

 

[ParaSeoul]

This is probably the funniest game series. Its like The Room.

 

[Jack Videogames]

John Cena looks like an Aliexpress' Patrick Warburton.

 

[SidViscous]

You guys forget that Mario Kart 8 literally just has a blank space where the Hong Kong flag is supposed to be in multiplayer games? China takes that shit so seriously even Nintendo didn't dare it.

 

[Jack Videogames]

This is probably the funniest game series. Its like The Room.

You're tearing me apart, Maxine!

 

[Putonahappyface]

Fucking losers lol.

Anyway I've platinumed it today and I'd give the game a solid 9/10. For me personally I'd say Deck Nine have done this franchise a solid and I look forward to there future endeavours! If people like the pace of the previous installments they'll like this. I've bought the Wavelengths dlc because I'm so impressed with the base game and I want to support Deck Nine. Can't really say much else without spoilers.

 

[FrozenFlame]

Review-bombed? Am I missing something?

 

[M1chl]

Guys, this is DOTNOD. They'll bend over backwards to not offend people and be inclusive. Don't worry, the flag will be patched out and replaced with the Chinese flag and the character who owns the shop will be on "vacation".

No

 

[CapnAmaricrunch]

 

[junguler]

review bombing is retarded because reviews don't matter at all and if you let them decide your games for you, you are missing out on many great games and playing a lot of mediocre games because of subjective scores.

 

[LordCBH]

#FuckChina

 

[Captain Toad]

I expected the predominant flag in this game would be much more colorful.

 

[Fake]

Social midia was a mistake.