The ideal time duration for a game review

[Ghost Rider]

What's the ideal time duration to make a conclusion if the game is worth to play or not? I have a principle of 3: the first hour is for a game introduction, the second hour is when game developers try to persuade you it's a good game. And the third hour is a second chance for them if they fail during their first try. 😏

[Wolf Knight]

there is no ideal time for a game review. some people will finish the game then write a review, some will base it on 10 minutes of game play, etc. the ideal time is what ever you want it to be.

[Ghost Rider]

Автор сообщения: Wolf Knight

there is no ideal time for a game review. some people will finish the game then write a review, some will base it on 10 minutes of game play, etc. the ideal time is what ever you want it to be.

Ok, what about optimal time? 😏10 minutes tell nothing about a game...

[Wolf Knight]

again, there is no optimal, ideal, perfect, etc. it is all decided by the individual person that is doing the review

[Crazy Tiger]

There is no ideal or optimal time, such things are subjective, personal and often also depending on the type of game. I mean, I have various card/board games where one game is 5-10 minutes.

[J4MESOX4D]

The ideal time to review a game is when you've finished it.

[Azure Fang]

Автор сообщения: Lucky 13th

Автор сообщения: Wolf Knight

there is no ideal time for a game review. some people will finish the game then write a review, some will base it on 10 minutes of game play, etc. the ideal time is what ever you want it to be.

Ok, what about optimal time? 😏10 minutes tell nothing about a game...

So, let's take Perfect Vermin as an example. The game can be completed in under a minute. I need to play more than 10 runs to know anything about it? I happily played many more runs, but that's beside the point.

There is no ideal time. Reviews are wholly opinion-based, and an opinion can be formed in 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or 30 hours. The "ideal time" is when you, the reviewer, feel like you have ample information to form an opinion, and reviews can be edited or deleted and reposted as necessary as you refine your opinion.

EDIT: For context: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1416130/Perfect_Vermin/

[ploppo]

In an ideal world (and for most games), I would like options to filter out any review that is less than 2 hours and would probably like to filter those who have played 20+ hours for some games - ie a game that has a long lifespan/learning curve.

Having filters to change the display of reviews to certain play-times would be handy - even if Steam had presets - ie
Less than 1 hour
1 to 5 hours
5 to 10 hours
10 to 15 hours
20+ hours

Probably will never happen though - I'd probably make use of it if it did happen.

[MoonC A T]

Long enough to not have to post BS about the game.

[Callahan420]

Автор сообщения: ploppo

In an ideal world (and for most games), I would like options to filter out any review that is less than 2 hours and would probably like to filter those who have played 20+ hours for some games - ie a game that has a long lifespan/learning curve.

Having filters to change the display of reviews to certain play-times would be handy - even if Steam had presets - ie
Less than 1 hour
1 to 5 hours
5 to 10 hours
10 to 15 hours
20+ hours

Probably will never happen though - I'd probably make use of it if it did happen.

This already exists right by the date range tab.

[Start_Running]

Interesting Question. Basically once you've played long enough to encounter most of the gameplay loops is a good point. Fior some games tthis can take as little as 10 mins. For others it can take as much as an hour.

Doom CLassic for example you can reasonably review after about 10 mins.
A Game like FF7, you can managege in about 20 (only by nature of the prolific cutscenes.)

Basically when you reach tthe point where you can say.. I dunna wanna play this game any more, or when you finally look up and think. I need to tell people about this game.

What point this is, will differ from person to person. and from game to game.

Remember there's no wrong time to write an account of your opinion/experience. if you change your mind. You can edit the review.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

Автор сообщения: Lucky 13th

What's the ideal time duration to make a conclusion if the game is worth to play or not? I have a principle of 3: the first hour is for a game introduction, the second hour is when game developers try to persuade you it's a good game. And the third hour is a second chance for them if they fail during their first try. 😏

I guess this works for some games, but it really depends on the game.

That said, I'd lean toward the opinion that the ideal playtime duration for reviewing the game is after playing the entire game. Or at least, playing to some sort of non-game-over end state, even if there's postgame stuff to be seen.

That said, at the very least, I do agree with you, not with the timing but the structure -- there's the early game when the game is introducing new stuff left and right, but you gotta get into the "meat" of the mid-game to a significant extent to be able to evaluate it.

I don't think it's about the devs "persuading" you that the game is good, though. Rather, I think it's gotta be seen as an "experience". You have to want the game to succeed, in order for it to do so. If you're playing a game and in the back of your mind you're constantly in "evaluation mode", thinking of how to write it up, that's not a good recipe for actually enjoying the game. OTOH, letting the game build you a sense of immersion, going past the boundary layer of that immersion into the thick of it, it's that later experience upon which I'd base my review.

Well, that, and the ending, for games that have definite endings. Sometimes a seemingly boring or sloggy mid-game can finally come together into something really awesome for the endgame. If so the wait may be worth it. Sometimes you can't quite have that deeper sense of awesomeness without a decent amount of setup.

[Crazy Tiger]

Автор сообщения: ploppo

In an ideal world (and for most games), I would like options to filter out any review that is less than 2 hours and would probably like to filter those who have played 20+ hours for some games - ie a game that has a long lifespan/learning curve.

Having filters to change the display of reviews to certain play-times would be handy - even if Steam had presets - ie
Less than 1 hour
1 to 5 hours
5 to 10 hours
10 to 15 hours
20+ hours

Probably will never happen though - I'd probably make use of it if it did happen.

There is a filter on the store page reviews called "Playtime" where you can set a min and max range. So it already happened.

[YourBitchCheating]

I would say two hours is a good amount of time to put into something to have a few things to say about it. There are some games that are so terrible I don't make it that far, though

[ElvisDeadly]

Автор сообщения: Azure Fang

There is no ideal time. Reviews are wholly opinion-based, and an opinion can be formed in 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or 30 hours. The "ideal time" is when you, the reviewer, feel like you have ample information to form an opinion, and reviews can be edited or deleted and reposted as necessary as you refine your opinion.

Very well said.

The reviews I really hate are the ones where someone was just desperate to get a review posted, so they played for half an hour, then put up a review that says something like, "Great opening, i think this is going to be great!"

It's like WHY? At least go back and update it later, why post a review when you clearly don't have a proper opinion yet?

[taki]

i saw this review yesterday:

"Should I Buy This Game?

. . . YES"

~ 390 awards and 5000+ likes in less than 5 days.. fun fact: 0.1 hrs on record