You guys get pissed when Amazon reviews get tainted by Steam haters??

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Nintendesert

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2010
7,761
5
0
For reviews on artistic media like games you have to go to legit review site dedicate to it. I use Amazon reviews for products that either work as intended or don't. I like to read through the 1 star reviews to see if they are legit and disregard the ones that bitch about shipping instead of the item or something dumb like that.

Gaming is much more subjective on whether it's good or not, like movies. Only reviews on Amazon for movies worth reading are those that discuss the technical ones discussing video quality and audio etc.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,806
46
91
just as bad as people who don't even own a game reviewing it, or never playing it, or rating it it because they don't like a series (CoD any one?)
 

BrightCandle

Diamond Member
Mar 15, 2007
4,762
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When we first started talking about the social web and the ability of everyone to comment on everything and review it I anticipated that while some reviews would be garbage there would be lots of gems of useful knowledge and reviews in there that I couldn't get any other way. In practice its provided an avenue for terrible comments and bile. It should sadden all of us that our race is like this.

Neitherless the Steam haters as you call them have a point, until Amazon starts listing that a game is steamworks and other forms of heavy DRM that they continue a campaign to have Amazon list that information. I think once Amazon does so it will stop.
 

Mushkins

Golden Member
Feb 11, 2013
1,631
0
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just as bad as people who don't even own a game reviewing it, or never playing it, or rating it it because they don't like a series (CoD any one?)

This is the one that usually gets me. I typically skim the reviews just to see if there are any glaring technical issues with a game or a piece of software before buying it. To have to sift through 40 pages of people who didn't even purchase the product writing "DRM Sux dont buye ties junk!!!!1.!!" is frustrating.

They really need to limit reviews to confirmed accounts that actually purchased the product. It's one thing if you bought a game and the DRM literally made it unplayable for XYZ reason, it's another if you're just using the reviews of a popular game to soapbox about something.
 

Midwayman

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2000
5,723
325
126
It is annoying. Makes reviews less useful. I don't care that you don't like steam. I don't care that you might have had shipping issues. I don't care that Amazon CS didn't bend over backwards to fix your error. It'd be nice to filter the ratings sometimes.
 

fixbsod

Senior member
Jan 25, 2012
415
0
0
qft -- Amazon reviews are often on SIMILAR products and not the exact product displayed, and often biased due to something that has nothing to do with the actual product. Basically, their software reviews are WORTHLESS and I never give any any creedence. I'm actually a fan of Metacritic (gasp) and will read a few reviews there -- good and bad to try and get a feel for the likes and dislikes.

I read my reviews elsewhere and problem is solved.
 

sweenish

Diamond Member
May 21, 2013
3,656
60
91
When we first started talking about the social web and the ability of everyone to comment on everything and review it I anticipated that while some reviews would be garbage there would be lots of gems of useful knowledge and reviews in there that I couldn't get any other way. In practice its provided an avenue for terrible comments and bile. It should sadden all of us that our race is like this.

Neitherless the Steam haters as you call them have a point, until Amazon starts listing that a game is steamworks and other forms of heavy DRM that they continue a campaign to have Amazon list that information. I think once Amazon does so it will stop.

Amazon has always told you if you were going to be using an outside service like Steam or Origin.
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,235
117
116
I pretty much only read reviews here, oh and RPS on occasion.

KT
 

pathos

Senior member
Aug 12, 2009
461
0
0
I don't even read user reviews because people will rate products based on politics, gender, agendas, anything that is not the actual product.

I use reviews, but usually on to find out of the game itself had any glaring issues...i.e. game stopping bugs, horrible voice acting, badly ported console interface, etc etc.

I'm pretty much the only person I trust when it comes to rating how much fun I have with a game.

Why anyone would allow someone else to tell them if they'll have fun with something (whether a game, a movie, a book, etc) is beyond me.

Of course, the only defense I have against buying a game that I find to be utter crap is demo's, gameplay trailers, and such.
 

JimmyH

Member
Jul 13, 2000
182
12
81
I don't even read user reviews because people will rate products based on politics, gender, agendas, anything that is not the actual product.

The only reviews that drive me crazy are on Newegg. Every product had to be RMA'd 3 times and after reading a few reviews I think, crap I'll be lucky if one thing works. 20+ rig builds and I've had only 3 or 4 RMAs so either I am damn lucky or most nobody reviews on Newegg unless they got problems.

Amazon has some amazing reviews! Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-T.../dp/B002HJ377A
 

clok1966

Golden Member
Jul 6, 2004
1,395
13
76
Steam the lesser of all evils.. So EA is paying people to post it seems :)

all the digital services blow.. but STEAM is clearly the best .. Well. GOG is the best, no DRM, no always on, play when i want.. but not many new games on it .
 

BrightCandle

Diamond Member
Mar 15, 2007
4,762
0
76
What I want is Steam without the DRM. I love the updating and news service that comes with Steam, its so very convenient. Every time I buy a game on GOG and I hunt for patches it feels so year 2005. But the updates don't often come without consequences. I did at least find out that some games on Steam don't actually come with DRM, you can just grab the directory, copy it elsewhere and have it run without steam. Its just not true of all the games they deliver and I for one want DRM listed on every product that has it.
 

Pr0d1gy

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2005
7,775
0
76
If someone hates on Steam I just ignore what they have to say. The word shill comes to mind, honestly.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
Have fun trying to play AAA titles without steam. Just about everything is steamworks, so if you're not using steam good luck. Or maybe some people like playing crap indie titles or 2+ year old games...

That's not really a healthy thing for the market though, despite that it works fine now.

Much better would a non-proprietary digital ownership that's transferable.

Oh, I bought the game? OK, I can link it to any service I want - Steam, gog, gamersgate, whatever.

When one company has a monopoly, it risks bad things for customers and publishers eventually.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
126
Im a massive fan of steam... likely one of the fanboys some people hate. That said OP im sorry but you must be a bit thick if you cannot discern the good reviews from the bad reviews and good/bad are ambiguous terms anyway it all depends on the person, some people don't like steam. If you're reading a review and the guy who wrote it is bitching about steam... well you simply skip that part because that criticism dosent apply to you or skip their review altogether. Simple as that man.

I love the haters. I love the fanboys. Its great how people from each side can express their opinions. Besides... every time i see a review where its clearly a PICNIC error of some sort its usually downrated to hell anyway so why this is even a complaint is beyond me...

Amazon reviews and metacritic user reviews >>>>>>>>> any professional reviews when it comes to games. Just need to sort the wheat from the chaff so to speak.

Game has a 2/5 ratign on Amazon. Is that because the game isn't good or reviewers marking is 1 star for frm objections?

It is inconvenient you can't answer that without reading a lot of the reviews to get the reasons.
 

Maximilian

Lifer
Feb 8, 2004
12,603
9
81
Game has a 2/5 ratign on Amazon. Is that because the game isn't good or reviewers marking is 1 star for frm objections?

It is inconvenient you can't answer that without reading a lot of the reviews to get the reasons.

Learn to skim.

Also reviews have titles. :colbert:
 

ad3pt7

Member
Mar 7, 2013
37
0
16
In terms of games, I just ignore those reviews that actually don't speak on the game, but the client like Steam, Origin, U-Play etc. Sometimes they're funny to read however. I guess I could've understood the hate at Steam when it was first released, but considering it's been about 10 years since it's launch you'd think all PC gamers would be using it or comfortable with it by now.