Steam Review Bombing

[TreVor_ish]

Well, UI was a major critique from everyone since Baltimore and apparently they didn't improve it much.
I don't understand how a dev of a strategy game, which uses UI for 90% of interaction, can say that it isn't a priority, and then make a pikachu_face.

One additional small thing.
I was really pleased with Gwendoline as a narrator, but apparently she doesn't narrate leader paragraphs.

 

[trev1972]

How are people deciding the negative reviews are review bombing?
I took a read of the reviews and most of the negatives seem to be about the UI or about instability.

If a person considers the UI bad, or has stability issues- is pointing that out wrong/bombing/childish ?

 

[trev1972]

Is this bombing? Those reviews aren't talking about factors outside the game, e.g. racial essentialism.

Yes if i saw tonnes of negatives raging about certain leaders in the game i would wholeheartedly agree with the OP.
By far the most common 2 complaints that i saw however are stability and UI.

 

[Aquila SPQR]

How are people deciding the negative reviews are review bombing?

Oh, it's very simple: "the game which I think is absolutely awesome is criticized by someone, it doesn't deserve it!!! It's so good, it's amazing!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!! It must be a... a... REVIEW BOMBING!!!"

Something like this.

 

[UWHabs]

There's a fine line between what is review bombing, and what is legit negative feedback.

 

[ggmoyang]

Most negative reviews are along the lines of "the mechanics are great, but you can't get past how bad the UI is". I don't see review bombing, I see bad UI getting called out.

I saw many negative reviews about the game crashing too, those people are having legit problems.

 

[Arilian]

It doesn’t really matter to me because I don’t buy games with Denuvo DRM (BG3 broke records with no copy protection). But they’re selling a game that is clearly incomplete—no surprise there, since none of the Civilization releases have been great at launch since Civ 3.

On top of that, they’re removing already-finished civilizations just to sell them separately a month later at an extra cost. That’s half the game locked behind paywalls.

I’ll buy it when they add the Modern Era and remove Denuvo. Until then, I’ll stick with Civ 6 and Old World.

 

[GeneralZift]

These types of threads drive me mad. So if you don't unequivocally ride the hype train and leave a flawless positive review, then you're actually review bombing by leaving a negative one.

And brother, if it's a terrible game on release and a great game 2 years after-the-fact, after they've fixed all the issues and implemented all the missing features, then the people have a right to not recommend it on release. This is just common sense I fear.

FYI If you want the INDUSTRY to change you need to SHOW that you will NOT accept products that are openly flawed on release.

Of course, you have a right to your own opinion but please do not call legitimate negative reviews 'review-bombing' as it does a disservice to those who take the time to give constructive criticism on the state of products (and that goes for all games.)

 

[Dale]

I saw many negative reviews about the game crashing too, those people are having legit problems.

Yeah that too now. It's more apparent now there are wide spread stability issues, but at the time I read reviews it was mostly about the UI.

 

[trev1972]

Does anyone remember how Civ 6 was initially received? I picked up 6 a few months after release so i dont know if its initial reviews were similar?

 

[Dale]

Does anyone remember how Civ 6 was initially received? I picked up 6 a few months after release so i dont know if its initial reviews were similar?

That's easy to do. Just go to the store page and set the date range.

1 Oct 2016 - 5 Jan 2017:

If you just wanted that first month (Oct 2016):

 

[Shirotora Kenshin]

On top of that, they’re removing already-finished civilizations just to sell them separately a month later at an extra cost. That’s half the game locked behind paywalls.

But hey, at least they still calling us „the best fans in gaming“. Period.

 

[trev1972]

That's easy to do. Just go to the store page and set the date range.

1 Oct 2016 - 5 Jan 2017:
View attachment 718257


If you just wanted that first month (Oct 2016):
View attachment 718258

Thanks

 

[queenpea]

Let them act like babies. I 1-2 years they'll say it's the greatest game ever invented.

But I think that is what they are criticizing. That the game should be in a better state at launch than it currently is. In 1 to 2 years we will have a great deal of patches and additional DLC, and the game will objectively be in a better state.

Better consideration of UI and player experience could have smoothed out a rough launch.

I’m having a lot fun with the game despite the UI, but it’s a bit of a rough go at moments.

 

[Fippy]

You know it's bad when sites like IGN give only 7/10.
Usually they throw around nines and tens like candy.

 

[Mrams]

It's not review bombing to call out the free mobile game UI

 

[Stoic]

We must agree with the multitude. Compared to Civ Vi at launch there was a step backwards, the game doesn't seem ready. The UI looks like something disastrous that absolutely needs to be improved like the fog of war. The rest of the mechanics have had an improvement such as diplomacy and warfare. I don't feel like saying that the game is an 8 at the moment. I think the IGN review is fair and some criticisms from more moderate Steam users.

 

[_hero_]

Oh, it's very simple: "the game which I think is absolutely awesome is criticized by someone, it doesn't deserve it!!! It's so good, it's amazing!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!! It must be a... a... REVIEW BOMBING!!!"

Something like this.

Which is funny because if anyone is that committed to defending a game that's only been out for a few hours, then they aren't being objective either.

Is there are a term for the opposite of review bombing? I suggest review simping.

 

[Sprenk]

Or perhaps the problems aren't bad enough to be giving the game a 4/10? (let alone a 0/10). A 7/10 sort of response, I can see. "This game is terrible"--not so much

 

[Sprenk]

Is there are a term for the opposite of review bombing? I suggest review simping.

That just got really ugly, really quickly. That's the kind of response I expect to see . . . on the Steam forums