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[SeraphJan]

Which score system do you prefer if you are looking for a game to purchase?

Since I'm the OP of this post, my opinion is subjective, I'll instead start this post with the statement of AI.

Me: Which review score is better in terms of "For the right gamers to find the right games", Steam review or Metacritic review?

AI: That’s a difficult question to answer, as both steam reviews and metacritic reviews have their advantages and disadvantages. Steam reviews are based on the opinions of actual players who have bought and played the game on Steam. They can be helpful for finding out how well the game runs on different systems, how active the online community is, how often the game is updated, and how satisfied the players are with the game overall. However, steam reviews can also be influenced by factors such as review bombing, personal bias, trolling, or lack of context. Metacritic reviews are based on the opinions of professional critics who have reviewed the game for various media outlets. They can be helpful for finding out how well the game performs in terms of graphics, gameplay, story, sound, and innovation. However, metacritic reviews can also be influenced by factors such as paid reviews, score inflation, genre preference, or lack of diversity. Ultimately, I think the best way to find the right game for you is to do your own research and compare different sources of information. You can look at both steam reviews and metacritic reviews, but also watch gameplay videos, read user comments, check out forums or social media, and try demos or free trials if available. You can also ask for recommendations from your friends or other gamers who share your taste and interests. In this context, a human might say that there is no definitive answer to which review score is better, but rather it depends on your personal preference and criteria.

Me: But if I have to choose one for the purpose I've described above, which one should I choose

AI: If you have to choose one, I would say that steam reviews might be more useful for the purpose you’ve described, which is finding the right game for you. Steam reviews are more likely to reflect the actual experience of playing the game, and they can also give you more information about the game’s features, content, and quality. Steam reviews can also show you how popular the game is among other players, and how responsive the developers are to feedback and issues. However, you should also be aware of the limitations and biases of steam reviews, and not rely on them exclusively. You should still check out other sources of information and opinions, and ultimately make your own judgment based on your own preferences and expectations.

Me: Do you think there is objectivity in game review score

AI: This is a difficult question to answer, as different people may have different views on what constitutes objectivity in game review score. In general, objectivity means being impartial, unbiased, and based on facts or evidence. However, game reviews are not purely objective, as they also involve subjective elements, such as personal preferences, tastes, expectations, and emotions. Game reviews are a form of art criticism, and art is inherently subjective and open to interpretation.

Some people may argue that game reviews can be more objective by focusing on technical aspects, such as graphics, sound, gameplay, performance, and features. They may also use a standardized scale or criteria to rate games based on these aspects. However, even these aspects are not entirely objective, as they may depend on the genre, platform, audience, and context of the game. For example, a game that has simple graphics may not be objectively worse than a game that has realistic graphics, if the former suits the artistic vision or the gameplay better. Similarly, a game that has a short length may not be objectively worse than a game that has a long length, if the former offers a more satisfying or memorable experience.

Other people may argue that game reviews can be more objective by aggregating scores from multiple sources and critics, such as Metacritic or IGN. They may also use statistical methods or algorithms to weigh or normalize the scores based on different factors. However, even these methods are not entirely objective, as they may involve human judgment or error in selecting or evaluating the sources and critics. They may also ignore or overlook the diversity or complexity of opinions on a game, or the changes or improvements that may happen over time.

Ultimately, game reviews are not objective statements of truth or quality, but rather subjective expressions of opinion or preference. They are influenced by many factors, such as the reviewer’s background, knowledge, expectations, mood, and biases. They are also affected by the game’s genre, platform, audience, context, and goals. Therefore, game reviews should not be taken as definitive or authoritative verdicts on a game’s worth or value, but rather as informative or persuasive arguments that support or challenge one’s own views. Game reviews should also be read critically and carefully, with attention to the evidence and reasoning behind the scores.

In this context, a human might say that there is no objectivity in game review score, but rather varying degrees of subjectivity.

Edit: By Metacritic score the entry included in the poll is specifically the Critic score, Not its User score. However you are welcomed to express your opinion regarding the latter.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Steam user reviews -> Avaliate the game as a product
Professional reviews -> Analyse the game itself
Metacritic average -> Console warring tool

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Only personal opinion matters.

 

[bluecowboys]

I’m not a big fan of reviewers when it comes to GAAS. There is no way you could have played the game fully or even half way in a week.

 

[kikkis]

Developer pedigree and just trying for myself when the price is right.

 

[Robb]

I usually use Meta for a quick overview. People complain about it a lot but it works as an indicator like 90% of the time for me.

But in most cases I have a “feel” for the game before release anyway. It’s rare to see a game I thought would be 10/10 land on something like 3/10, for example.

 

[hemo memo]

I would say Steam. Time played is very important in my opinion. I’m not a technical person but why can’t MC implement a feature with platform holders to link MC accounts so when you post a user review, time played come up automatically? Sorting by time played is important especially for user reviews and review bombing.

 

[Alexios]

They're completely different metrics, a 95% positive on Steam is not an average of grades from 1-10 the game may have gotten but simply means that 95% of users would recommend the game enough to give it the thumbs up (which could be anything between a 6-10 grade for each individual). The question you gave to the AI is also completely different and about scrolling and reading potentially helpful individual reviews rather than the total score you're asking about in the thread's title. Seriously, learn how to express what you want to convey properly, it'll help you in the long run.

 

[sertopico]

When I need a good laugh I go for both.

 

[Paasei]

Neither.
Steam = Some sort of story or joke
Metacritic = Can’t really say, never checked it to be honest.

 

[SeraphJan]

They're completely different metrics, a 95% positive on Steam is not an average of grades from 1-10 the game may have gotten on MC but may mean that 95% of users would recommend the game enough to give it the thumbs up (which could be anything between a 6-10 grade for each individual). The question you gave to the AI is also completely different and about scrolling and reading potentially helpful individual reviews rather than the total score you're asking about in the thread's title too. Seriously, learn how to express what you want to convey properly, it'll help you in the long run.

"Which score system do you prefer if you are looking for a game to purchase?" This was my first sentence in my post, about the title, I tend to make it as short as possible, I did state my premise right at the beginning of my post. I ask the AI according to my premises

Each person could use Steam or Metacritic for completely different purposes (which I'm unable to include them all), I did narrow it down to the purpose of purchase guide. Or course, if you think there are other purposes, you are welcomed to share.

 

[lh032]

Ignore user reviews.

 

[Alexios]

"Which score system do you prefer if you are looking for a game to purchase?" This was my first sentence in my post, about the title, I tend to make it as short as possible, I did state my premise right at the beginning of my post. I ask the AI according to my premises

Each person could use Steam or Metacritic for completely different purposes (which I'm unable to include them all), I did narrow it down to the purpose of purchase guide. Or course, if you think there are other purposes, you are welcomed to share.

Yes, the Steam or MC score systems are not the same as reading individual reviews to see if they're helpful for your purpose. If that was your point then you could ask if folks prefer to read critic or user reviews (which then has little to do with Steam vs MC as user reviews are everywhere, on gaf too).

 

[SeraphJan]

Yes, the steam or mc score system is not the same as reading individual reviews and seeing if they're honest/helpful enough. If that was your point then you could ask if folks prefer to read critic or user reviews (but then mc also has those so it's no longer steam vs vs SYSTEM as you put it).

But what you've said is not my premise, I specifically ask about score on both platform. I know full well looking at the score is different than reading the actual review by the way.

 

[Alexios]

But what you've said is not what I ask, I specifically ask about score on both platform. I know full well looking at the score is different than reading the actual review by the way.

But the question you made to the AI is about reading the reviews and not the scoring systems of the platforms, hence the way it responded to you. Why do I have to repeat myself, I said all this in my first post, this is plain if bad english.

 

[SeraphJan]

But the question you made to the AI is about reading the reviews and not the scores, hence the way it responded to you. Why do I have to repeat myself, this is plain if bad enligh.

I did not ask AI about reading the reviews, I asked "Which review score"

 

[Alexios]

I did not ask AI about reading the reviews, I asked "Which review score"

And you added "Steam review or Metacritic review?" and it responded accordingly starting as such:
"That’s a difficult question to answer, as both steam reviews and metacritic reviews have their advantages and disadvantages."

So all I'm saying is there are 3 completely different things meshed in the OP/title.

 

[mrmustard]

Uncommented YouTube gameplay is what i prefer. But after that i use Steam Score.

- While Steam is not as 'accurate' as Metacritic or opencritic, at least the reviewers are gamers and actually own the game

- Metacritic user score is a fanboy quagmire

- Metacritic + Opencritic are inaccuarte, because they convert ridiculous rating systems like 5 star into the 100 system

- Metacritic + Opencritic got biased reviewers with names like Dualshockers, MeuPlayStation, PSX Brazil, Playstation Universe, Nintendo Force Magazine, XboxAdict and many more

- Metacritic + Opencritic sometimes got super small, unprofessional and unknown reviewers or reviewers that are not specialised in gaming

 

[SeraphJan]

No you said "Steam review or Metacritic review?" and it responded accordingly starting as such:
"That’s a difficult question to answer, as both steam reviews and metacritic reviews have their advantages and disadvantages."

I don't know where you got your idea that I'm asking about reading the critic vs reading the user, I've never asked that.

"Which review score" is what I asked

I don't understand what your problem is to be honest, review score is an average reflection of reviews, I don't see a problem regarding how the AI respond. Otherwise how do you think AI should response to review score without actually talking about the quality of the reviews? Or does talking about the advantage and disadvantages of the reviews some how makes the poll invalid?

And lastly the goal of this post is to ask what you think, the purpose of AI is simply gathering information from its database, so people know what they are actually discussing, to make the premise clear, What player ultimately think is what matters.

Of course I could lay down the premise manually, however I don't want to include my subjective opinion, its not good for a poll.

------------------------

Just so that your inner contrarian could have peace I did a prompt again just for you:

Me: Which review score is better in terms of "For the right gamers to find the right games", Steam score or Metacritic score?

AI: There is no definitive answer to which review score is better for finding the right games, as both Steam score and Metacritic score have their pros and cons. Some possible factors to consider are:

• Steam score is based on the opinions of actual players who have bought and played the game on Steam. They can be helpful for finding out how well the game runs on different systems, how active the online community is, how often the game is updated, and how satisfied the players are with the game overall. However, Steam score can also be influenced by factors such as review bombing, personal bias, trolling, or lack of context.
• Metacritic score is based on the opinions of professional critics who have reviewed the game for various media outlets. They can be helpful for finding out how well the game performs in terms of graphics, gameplay, story, sound, and innovation. However, Metacritic score can also be influenced by factors such as paid reviews, score inflation, genre preference, or lack of diversity.

Ultimately, I think the best way to find the right game for you is to do your own research and compare different sources of information. You can look at both Steam score and Metacritic score, but also watch gameplay videos, read user comments, check out forums or social media, and try demos or free trials if available. You can also ask for recommendations from your friends or other gamers who share your taste and interests. In this context, a human might say that there is no definitive answer to which review score is better, but rather it depends on your personal preference and criteria.


Me: But if I have to choose one for the purpose I've described above, which one should I choose

AI: If you have to choose one, I would say that Steam score might be more useful for the purpose you’ve described, which is finding the right game for you. Steam score is more likely to reflect the actual experience of playing the game, and it can also give you more information about the game’s features, content, and quality. However, this is just my opinion, and you may have different preferences and criteria than me. Ultimately, the best way to find the right game for you is to try it yourself and see if you enjoy it.


Me: Will you give the same response for the same prompt every time?

AI: No, I will not give the same response for the same prompt every time. I am a generative AI chatbot, which means that I can create different responses based on the context and the input. I can also learn from your feedback and improve over time. This makes me more flexible and adaptable than a rule-based chatbot, which can only follow predefined scripts and scenarios.

Although the format is a bit different, the context is identical

 

[Hydroxy]

Steam reviews are better but nowadays ita mostly garbage one liner joke reviews. It really makes me mad and I feel such reviews should be auto deleted. There should be a minimum word count for reviews to Filter out such garbage. Metacritric is also important as it also gives a fair idea about the game's quality (excluding performance ofcourse)

 

[Soodanim]

I voted neither, as I don't look at review scores. I look for gameplay footage to see if I will like it, then get OT feedback to build a picture of a game's quality in ways that footage won't show. On occasion I will watch a video review or two from trusted people like ACG (if possible), whose opinions tend to align with my own.

I will sometimes look at Steam user reviews, but it's more to see what people are saying about games I have no intention of buying or already own. Metacritic, and Opencritic for that matter, have absolutely no place in my buying process.

 

[Filben]

As for the actual reviews, so the written word, mostly neither. Because you read something like "didn't like the story" and then in another "great story".

However, the number is a good gauge. >90% positive on Steam and there must be something the game does really well. Same goes for metacritic, but there you have "professionals" who are generally more favourable towards games than the players. Just look at how many mediocre and unspectacular games get >80 out of 100. Still, if it's the best idle game with 99/100 and I'm not into these games it doesn't matter. But at least it tells that if you were to try out a game from a genre you usually avoid, try at least the best of it.

But it's generally a good guidance if somethings 'worth checking out, if it's riddled with bugs or other inaccessibleness.

But with Steam's refund system there's generally a low risk involved.

 

[Laptop1991]

Steam, no question, more honest reviews and more helpful

 

[DenchDeckard]

I go by steam, I read the reviews from people who own the games...I can see how long they've played for and I choose the ones with reasonable discussion.

Steam scores haven't failed me. Reviewers and metacritic has.

 

[Holammer]

Can't beat Steam's 'The Wisdom of Crowds' User Score as a metric. Anyone bothering to write a review is invested and paid for the privilege.
Any game that hovers between 95-99% with a couple of 10k user reviews, you should play it even if you're not a fan of the genre. That game got something special.

But I warn against viewing it slavishly as a score, a game with with say 50-70%/10k+ reviews still got 100's of thousands of people that enjoyed it. Check the negative user reviews to see what the issues are.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Let’s see…reviews from paid industry workers who can’t tell you a game’s broken, or honest reviews from people who bought the game?

Real tough one

 

[nemiroff]

If you're capable of context and are aware of your own subjective place in the gaming universe, you can sensorfuse both, and with a 70/30 ratio towards Steam. When you have experience reading Steam reviews it sort-of gets easy to quickly filter them and see if it fits your own bias. Steam reviews isn't without its flaws of course. If you filter games by positive reviews you'll end up in an endless list of sexually charged content (that you can filter out), so being aware how things work is important.

 

[ZehDon]

Steam reviews has never failed me. Metacritic demonstrated that professional reviewers know nothing about video games and prefer to watch them rather than play them.

 

[T4keD0wN]

Brief glimpse at Critics Recommend % on Opencritic, it tell you way more than just looking at the score.
Then i check recent steam reviews if they havent attempted to do something scummy like introducing an extra launcher.

 

[MrStauf]

Steam for me, once i have skipped past the "i can't get this game to run because i am a retard" or "this game always crashes because i am a retard" reviews.

I honestly can't understand why anyone would take any notice of professional reviews these days, even big youtube reviewers are suspect after all the glowing Redfall preview reviews.

 

[Skifi28]

Only IGN score, nothing else matters

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

I'm always taking a quick glimpse at them both (Metacritic Score + Steam User Score) before deciding to go deeper into assessing a game's quality (e.g. watching a few reviews made by gaming outlets or youtubers I usually trust). If all 3 check out then I'll proceed with buying it.

Oh and for certain genres like VNs (which I'm rather new to) I also ask for recommendations from a couple of friends who are massive weebs (not that there's anything wrong with being a weeb).

 

[winjer]

Professional game reviews have become so bad and unreliable, that the Metacritic score is pointless.
The Steam user reviews have their issues, but it's a much more reliable way to know if a game is good or not.

 

[Wildebeest]

Steam scores are not perfect or unmanipulated, but they are way better for testing the water than Epic scores which are all 5 stars "awesome boss battles".

 

[Yoboman]

Steam Score - Good
Metacritic - Ok
Metacritic user reviews - Abysmal

 

[The artful mincer]

Opencritic fuck Metacritic weighted review bullshit.

 

[STARSBarry]

Steam

When people complain about steam scores it's often console gamers moaning about how their favorite cinematic open world action adventure game #7 is not rated 11/10 because they haven't ejaculated on krato's face enough this month.

Steam review's are not a critic review, they are product review's, like amazon. If the game is great but does not function or has DRM that boots you off when you play or a MTX cash shop that screams BUY ME BUY ME BUY ME! on launch then it's going to get "not recommended" from it's users. That's because the product, what people have paid for sucks.

This makes it an incredibly useful tool to gauge the value of your potential purchase compared to critic reviews that often score games by how many digital minorities get staring roles in it. It's not fool proof, but it works far better than metacritic with its star system.

 

[Chukhopops]

Steam Reviews + Steam Curator Groups is the way to go, especially if you're interested in smaller games that barely get any reviews. The only issue with Steam reviews is that it can sometimes be manipulated with review bombings and others.

Metacritic I find myself using less and less, maybe it's my weird taste but I often disagree with professional critics - they care too much about budget and graphics overall.

 

[ChoosableOne]

I use both, but they can both be a bit exaggerated at times. So I usually make decision after watching longplay videos or, if available, playing it's demo/2-hour trial.

 

[Kakax11]

Steam score, they're real players and no agendas behind their scores like MC paid reviews

 

[MadchesterManc]

Neither. You have to sift through a lot of meme reviews & folk screeching with 0.2 hours played on Steam these days and Metacritic is something I've never used as it is. I can generally gauge whether something is interesting enough for me just from screenshots & description, and if it turns out a bit naff then oh well? Can't take the money with you when you go anyway

 

[damidu]

quick glance to scores from specific review sites i trust, within meta.

for a site everyone seemingly hates, you’d think it wouldn’t be used as a console warring/gotcha tool here.

 

[hlm666]

Have to have the game to review it on steam (although u can refund it after) so that right there cuts down on the bullshit reviews alot.

 

[Spyxos]

I have to say, I don't even pay attention to these score pages anymore. I have a few youtubers that almost always meet my taste well. I prefer to watch them.

And I've never never looked at Steam reviews, even though I've been active on Steam for over 17 years.

 

[Shubh_C63]

Wow. OP is even replacing us with AI.
Our opinion is already shared by AI


Edit- Steam reviews but mostly indo my own research. YouTube videos, gameplay footages etc. 9/10 times I am able to guess right if I would enjoy the game

 

[yurinka]

Steam score are people who bought the game, so it's legit, unless there's an active review bombing campaign. I think it would be more legit if only would allow you review a game after having played more than 5 hours.

Metacritic critics score often is legit, but I prefer OpenCritic because it counts the scores of all platforms. I think Metacritic would be better if in addition to platform specific score they'd have a global score for the games. I think that the score would be better if removing the top 5% and bottom 5% scores to reduce the fanboy scores.

Metacritic user score is often garbage because mostly are votes from people that didn't even play the game and are mostly fanboys giving 10s or 0s.

In my case they may affect a big, but I often rely more on my feelings based on the pedigree of the devs, videos I saw about the game and a few reviews from people I trust.

 

[SF Kosmo]

The real answer is a combination of both for different reasons.

Steam scores are about customer satisfaction, but they're limited to people who already bought the game and are part of that game's target audience. A steam score doesn't necessarily tell me much about if this game is for me or not.

Metacritic speaks more to the universality of a game. Games that have very high metacritic scores usually transcend their genre to an extent, and reviews on metacritic can probably give me a better sense of how a game relates to my tastes and interests.

So you need to understand the different things these numbers are saying and apply them to your own taste and experience.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Neither..but if I had to choose it would be Steam all day. Seems the users are much more honest, and don’t just bash a game with a 0 because they don’t like something about it. As far as journalist reviews go, fuck all of them…especially since they stopped reviewing games for anyone other than themselves. The bias is real.

 

[yanhash]

Metacritic cause "gamers" are soft and fickle