With recent big game releases, it's become obvious that a game is either a resounding success, or complete shit. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground.

Kingdom Come Deliverance II is a ambitious masterpiece, and Avowed is lazy slop. 93% of Steam users recommend KCD2, vs 77% for Avowed.

And maybe this has been an issue for a long time, fed by the need to get viewer numbers on articles and videos, leading to more polarized opinions that give people a reason to pick a side, even if they're never going to play the game.

But as regular people, gamers, Lemmy posters, why are we doing the same? How is it serving us? Are we all influencers in waiting, hoping to up our updoot count and build a following of... dozens?

More than 2/3rds of players of Dragon Age Veilguard recommend the game on Steam. And yet reading the comments here and other places, you'd think that 90% of people who tried the game found it to be, not just bad, but absolute trash, with a small number of people chiming in that they actually enjoyed it.

And game studios are reacting much the same way, and are quick to start layoffs, or shut down all together.

But hey, we don't owe those corporations anything. But, as a community, do we owe it to each other to foster more honest correspondence?

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[–] Viri4thus@feddit.org 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Brother, picking on your example, Avowed had the gall to charge 11€ more than KCD2 while offering a facsimile of what it promised while KCD2 improved upon their past game in every way. The polarisation stems from a game published by one of the richest companies in the world and in production for over 6y delivering a mediocre experience (at best) when compared to CHEAPER offerings that do much more. In truth, it's not polarisation, it's requiring a modicum of quality for your money. I returned it because I was advertised an Obsidian RPG and got a linear shooter with barely any choices and performance issues that would not be foreign in a mobile marketplace. That's the future gamepass brings, slop. Luckily, there's US indie, Asian and European developers making good games, KCD2 or BG3 being such examples. Shit, even Lords of the Fallen is a better experience than Avowed as people were delivered the experience that was promised in the promotional materials at less than 70€.

Edit: Dragon Age was technically well executed, but, again, as an RPG, it had little to offer. Would be another game perfect for a mobile app store. The total sales of that game and predicted sales of avowed confirm as much, it's shovelware capitalising on a franchise name to drive sales while having no craft or passion behind it. If you read the reviews for avowed, the overwhelming majority of the thumbs up reviews complain the game is not worth the price of admission and it's a mid game at best.

[–] ms_lane@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Just continue voting with your wallet. It's working.

[–] pfjarschel@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I am sorry, but it seems your Avowed is different from the one I am playing. I agree with your comment, but I am enjoying Avowed like I haven't enjoyed any game in years! And barely any choices? Really? I just finished the first area (not the tutorial), and there were LOTS of meaningful choices! But speaking of the tutorial, there was a choice there that impacted certain future interactions. The R is definitely there in this RPG. I haven't played a game where even the little choices matter as much as in this game!

[–] Viri4thus@feddit.org -1 points 1 day ago

Try stabbing an NPC, let me know how it reacts.