Are you more or less interested in a game if the critic consensus is a split mix between love and hate?

[Deleted member 59126]

I'm more interested is something that's divisive than generic.

A game where the critical consensus is split intrigues me more than anything less than stellar reviews.

Critical Acclaim > Divisive Reviews > Generic

For example...

Sekiro > Death Stranding >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Outer Worlds

 

[Rosenkrantz]

Alien Isolation is that game that like, everyone loves. You bring it up and people rave about how good it is. It's used in countless game essays expounding on how to do various things. It's also gorgeous graphically.

But at the same time like, it seemed to come out and be forgotten instantly, and I never see it anywhere.

Click to shrink...

I wouldn't say that it was instantly forgotten, but there was definitely less hype around it compared to something like TEW which was released roughly at the same time. The brand itself struggles to remain relevant and the latest films aren't making it any stronger.

 

[TanookiTom]

Well I am definitely more interested in the reviews when the critical consensus is all over the place.

But yeah if some people really disliked a game that I was interested in, I would not say that this casts a positive impression of the game on me - it would rather have me get worried.

 

[woolyninja]

It makes me think the game is unique and doing something really against the grain. So yeah, I'd say it's intriguing and makes me even more interested in trying it myself.

Click to shrink...

exactly this, doubly so if the game is a Kojima game.

 

[Chettlar]

I wouldn't say that it was instantly forgotten, but there was definitely less hype around it compared to something like TEW which was released roughly at the same time. The brand itself struggles to remain relevant and the latest films aren't making it any stronger.

Click to shrink...

That could be part of it. Alien is just not super huge right now. I can't help but think Colonial Marines had to have killed it. Any time I think alien and games I think about Colonial Marines.

 

[Thera]

More obviously. I don't play "ok games".

 

[seady]

I think it has more to do with it being a mega big release (like Death Stranding) with split reviews.

If it is a game no one really care about, the split reviews will not bring it any more attention.

 

[banter]

Depends on the reason for the split. It's usually easy to pick out by reading a few of the high reviews and a few of the low reviews.

 

[justiceiro]

It makes me more interested in reading the reviews to be honest. If the reviews are a consensus, not a lot of reasons to read most of them.

 

[Rosenkrantz]

That could be part of it. Alien is just not super huge right now. I can't help but think Colonial Marines had to have killed it. Any time I think alien and games I think about Colonial Marines.

Click to shrink...

Pretty much. We had two decades of failures on every front before Isolation brought a truly worthwile installment to the franchise, a lot of people got burnt, and that's not counting AvP movies.

 

[Deleted member 4262]

At this point I pretty much know what I like so it doesn't really matter.

 

[Apathy]

It's not the reaction it gets but the game itself and what I've seen of it that determines how interested I am in it.

 

[tenderbrew]

I mean I love tons of games that were straight 6s, so yah. Meta rarely influences my buying decision unless the game is totally unbeknownst to me.

 

[Elephant]

If something like Disco Elysium had mixed reviews, it'd still be something I'd play because it's my type of game. BUT the positive scores were what bought it to my attention. I would never have even heard of it, had it not been for that positivity. If it had mixed reviews, I doubt it would have ever been on my radar.

Horizon Zero Dawn was a game that didn't interest me until the reviews were universally positive from reviewers I respected. It has been one of my favourite games this gen. If it was mixed, I MAY have picked it up in a sale later, but maybe not.

No, mixed reviews aren't good. Especially for a game like Death Stranding which SHOULD be universally praised because of who made it. He's made imperfect games before that have still got perfect scores. The fact that it's mixed, leads me to be a lot more cautious than I would be with other games. I was already prepared to knock 10 off whatever metacritic it got for the "true reflection".

 

[Ikarus]

Much less interested. I have limited time and so anything than largely positive feedback (be it from critics or folks on this forum) means a pass/low priority for me.

 

[Minky]

Consistently very high to max scores (9s/10s), definite buy.
Consistently in the region of high 7s to mid 8s and I lose interest pretty fast. Reads as generic to me.
If it's a strongly divided mix then I have to see more and make the call myself, even if it means spoiling a bit of the game in the process.

So yes, I'd say mixed stuff absolutely does interest me. May not always result in a purchase, but it's a lot more exciting to see the discourse unfold at least.

 

[Deleted member 29682]

Depends why it's loved and why it's hated.

 

[Chettlar]

If something like Disco Elysium had mixed reviews, it'd still be something I'd play because it's my type of game. BUT the positive scores were what bought it to my attention. I would never have even heard of it, had it not been for that positivity. If it had mixed reviews, I doubt it would have ever been on my radar.

Horizon Zero Dawn was a game that didn't interest me until the reviews were universally positive from reviewers I respected. It has been one of my favourite games this gen. If it was mixed, I MAY have picked it up in a sale later, but maybe not.

No, mixed reviews aren't good. Especially for a game like Death Stranding which SHOULD be universally praised because of who made it. He's made imperfect games before that have still got perfect scores. The fact that it's mixed, leads me to be a lot more cautious than I would be with other games. I was already prepared to knock 10 off whatever metacritic it got for the "true reflection".

Click to shrink...

Personally, and I know I could be off base her, but man it really feels like a lot of the reception is people trying to knock him down a peg. There's been a lot of negativity in the press a while before the game came out because people don't like how conceited Kojima feels. I also think a lot of it are people who used to be enamored with MGS now kind of realizing that it wasn't as great as they thought it was at the time, and so swinging the pendulum in the other direction.

Not saying that's all of it but boy does that seem to be part of it.

 

[Blade Wolf]

It makes me curious which in turn makes me kinda want to try it out.

I was making fun of Death Stranding when the IGN and Giantbomb review came out. Then watched the Skill Up review which is a review source I truly respect and I got a bit confused.

So I said fuck it and bought the game, now I love it.

 

[SugarNoodles]

More interested. I've played enough lukewarm 7/10ish games for a lifetime.

 

[Bjones]

I am just interested in what I think I will like. I rarely ever go off reviews or internet hype.