Is my game review on Steam fair in this case?

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

So I wrote a review of the recent Homefront: The Revolution on Steam.

Yes, I only played about 3 hours of the game, but in those three hours I experienced plenty of technical issues with performance, AI, and some gameplay.

In my review, I do have positive aspects to say about my experience, however I gave it a thumbs down because I felt the game's technical problems held it back.

I'm asking for opinions because I need to feel validated I'm getting a bit of backlash from people on my review.
I could ignore it, but I find myself unable. Is my review actually unfair to the game because I gave it a "thumbs down" despite me saying the game actually has several positive aspects? I'm hoping for some more friendly criticism here rather than people leaving nasty/unhelpful comments and then leaving silently despite my rebuttals.

WARNING: It's quite a long read

Spoiler: The Review

http://steamcommunity.com/id/DeliveryGodNoah/recommended/223100/ [http://steamcommunity.com/id/DeliveryGodNoah/recommended/223100/]

 

[MysticSlayer]

I wouldn't say it's unfair, but the general tone wasn't very negative so seeing a "Not Recommended" was a little surprising. But if the technical issues are that bad, which from everything I've heard is the case, then it really shouldn't be recommended until it is fixed.

That said, for all the talk about how developers need to stop with a "release now, patch later" system, we still seem pretty accepting of the fact that many games will be broken on launch with the need to patch later. Companies like DICE and Bethesda basically survive on that acceptance. And there's a handful of games that receive a ton of praise simply because the community finished what the developers couldn't (e.g. Knights of the Old Republic 2, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines). That's not to say it is always wrong to accept these things, but it probably makes unfinished and unpolished games seem less serious when they are otherwise good and potentially redeemable.

 

[DrownedAmmet]

First of all, it's ridiculous that they only have a thumbs up or a thumbs down, they should have a star system or something

Also, holy fuck those commenters are dumb as fuck. "Gameplay is the only thing important in video games"
I have never read anything more wrong than that statement

Also also, fuck those guys saying three hours isn't enough to review a game on. If I take one sip of spoiled milk, I don't need to drink the whole carton to know the whole thing is bad

Don't rethink your opinion because of those fuckers, as long as you give an honest review your doing the developers a service, they are adults and they can probably handle criticism better

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

First of all, it's ridiculous that they only have a thumbs up or a thumbs down, they should have a star system or something

Also, holy fuck those commenters are dumb as fuck. "Gameplay is the only thing important in video games"
I have never read anything more wrong than that statement

Also also, fuck those guys saying three hours isn't enough to review a game on. If I take one sip of spoiled milk, I don't need to drink the whole carton to know the whole thing is bad

Don't rethink your opinion because of those fuckers, as long as you give an honest review your doing the developers a service, they are adults and they can probably handle criticism better

The comments are only getting worse, honestly. People criticizing my statement of "There's a 50/50 chance you didn't even know this was coming out".

I mean, let's be honest here, how many people really remembered the game was coming out this May? There was little advertising from what I've seen. They really are just trying to pick on things just to make my review irrelevant.

Anyway, I appreciate your support. I've always been quite critical of Steam "Thumbs Up" "Thumbs Down" approach, because a review is more complicated than that. It's pathetic how some people boil down a review to become so simplified. "Well he has a thumbs down, but says there is good things about the game. He CLEARLY is a moron and deserves to be berated about it."

 

[Captain Marvelous_v1legacy]

No! Your review is bad and you should feel bad! Alright, I'll go read the review now.

[hr]

Okay, so, I'd say your review is fair. It doesn't even read like a negative review. Nothing to get particularly upset about, but boy, oh boy. Some of these comments are... ridiculous. Others are just down right hilarious. Apparently you're ruining the game by giving it a negative review so early.

Anyway, your review is perfectly fine, but it is a negative review, so a little salt should be expected.

 

[Evil Moo]

I've seen a negative Steam review that was simply the word "good".

I'll happily take anything that has had the slightest degree of thought put into it over that.

 

[MHR]

If people hate you for it, it just means you're doing your job. Base your success on the measure of ill-will you can generate from your fellow man.

But seriously, 3 hours is more than enough to find if a game is unplayable due to technical issues. How long do you need to put up with shit before you know it's shit? Do you need to get gooood and deeeep into a pile of shit to see if it's still shit? If your review was well-written and informed, then there's not much more to do. It's not your fault the system is thumbs up or thumbs down. You presented the info as best you knew. Forget the haters.

What kind of people are these anyway that already know in their minds whether the game is good or bad, but have to go check the reviews of other people reflect that? Rating it as "helpful" or "unhelpful" to them when it had no possible chance of influencing their buying decision in the first place.

 

[Ambient_Malice]

Thumb up, thumb down is really hard to mesh with a nuanced, review, unfortunately. All I can say is that you shouldn't feel bad about your review itself. The question you should ask yourself is "Would I recommend this game to others?" If so, go thumbs up. If not, go thumbs down. That includes "Would I recommend in its current state". You can always change it later.

The key to a good review is honesty. Be honest about your experience. Don't sugarcoat it. But keep perspective.

 

[Bobular]

Thanks for linking to that.

I do like to read the stupid comments of fanatics, normally I get my fix from reading political fanatic comments but you have now opened my eyes to a whole new world of stupid game fanatics, people so fanatical about their game that they will complain that you said "There's a 50/50 chance you didn't even know this was coming out". For the record I heard about this game a while ago and completely forgot it was coming out so yeah as far as I'm concerned this statement it true.

If a review is 100% positive or 100% negative its probably not a real review, its propaganda, and I think that is what a lot of the people who read your review were after, someone to tell them their game is 100% awesome and they are awesome for playing it.

 

[CaitSeith]

Hey, it isn't like you gave it a 1/10 like Jim Sterling did. It isn't atypical to get obsessed by that single comment that bash your review, while the majority find it accurate. So don't feel bad for not wanting to recommend the game (you certainly tried to like it); those who are complaining there are just angry that their confirmation bias isn't being satisfied.

By the way:
"Hello! If you downvote my review, perhaps contribute some criticism!"

Never say that if you don't have a bio-hazard suit to navigate through all the toxicity that will flood the comments section.

 

[lacktheknack]

Geez, I only had to play Saints Row II on PC for about twenty minutes before I was able to deem it Too Glitchy To Live. You don't need to say anything to anyone after three hours of technical issues.

 

[Callate]

Yeah, I got a fairly similar reaction for giving a poor review to Blue Harvest- though that game was lower profile, so I didn't get nearly the volume. Take heart that close to three quarters of those who checked in still rate your review as helpful- unusual, as few people who rate reviews seem to have the faintest idea what the word "helpful" means.

Your review is perfectly fair. People are jerks. Sorry about that.

 

[Citizentropy]

I think it's a fine review, honestly.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I thought Elite: Dangerous was so bad after 20 hours that I wrote a negative steam review to say why. I received a heated and impassioned response how I'm wrong o.o It's quite funny. Different strokes, different experiences, different luck. Or in my case the responder just has no taste.