Topic: User "reviews"

@antdickens Cool. Maybe just a general "User Reviews/Impressions Thread?" We can reserve that for longer-form and more organized discussions of games we've completed/beaten. Having one general thread in the "Other Gaming" section would mean being able to post impressions of smaller games, or games on various systems, as I and many other people play games across a wide variety of generations and ecosystems. It would also mean that the Recently Beaten thread would no longer be in thrall to my walls of text.

I also like BAM's idea of adding PS4 user reviews as a feature to the site for newer games that more people are interested in chiming in on. As a supplement to the general User Reviews thread, not as a replacement.

People could post about Uncharted 5 or whatever in that dedicated section. I could post about the obscure Japanese handheld game from five years ago I completed in the general thread. Everybody wins, and, if it works, it might even help with community engagement

Just my two cents. I'm interested in what other people have to say on this.

To be honest, I quite like how it was in the “recently beat” thread. Most people posted thoughts on games as they went in the relevant thread and final threads in that one which ranged from a few thoughts, like I might post, through to some of the more prosaic thoughts from others. It might get a bit fragmented with another thread.

@Tasuki A+++++ modder. Would mod again.

@RogerRoger @Ralizah This is a more detailed version of the post. After that one was deleted by the mods I did this one from what I can could remember.

http://www.wiiwarewave.com/t3658-review-ducktales-remastered-...

I know we're not necessarily discussing that in this thread, but would you be interested in submitting user reviews if there was a more formal way to do so on the site itself? @antdickens and I have discussed this possibly in the past, and it does sound like there's an appetite for it.

Obviously they would need to be presented differently to "staff" reviews, but it sounds like that's something you guys would be interested in, right?

(For now, I would recommend a thread for User Reviews.)

@get2sammyb there are a ton of people on here with their own fansites already, @zed @madchestermanc @tower_hershel - etc. (probably got the user names slightly wrong) it's coming to the point we're the enthusiasts shouldnt have to make a website to air their reviews when you can do it here, then potentially highlight the best ones in an article or something. It's a positive for you as you can find the next budding Robert, Simon or Stephen.

What's even better as a master writer yourself, you can give tips. Free content what's not to like?

@antdickens you could put them into a sub menu on the forums named user reviews - then a second menu with 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016. The sub menu is by year of release rather than category as there are too many variables.

@themcnoisy No master here, but I agree with you about giving talented community members an outlet to share their work.

I was a bit puzzled earlier when I found the posts had been deleted, and was trying to get my head round why when someone on here posting a review and a score would be considered spam? If they are using it to promote their own website than fair enough.

Anyway glad it's been cleared up now.

Probably best to keep it in the recently beat thread, that is where most people post that kinda stuff anyway.

@antdickens Ah it's water under the bridge Ant. I just though it was a rule cause I have seen other users reviews other then mine deleted and that mod saying the same thing to them as well. Also it was not my first time posting either but who was I to argue. I am glad now we were able to clear up this confusion.

@Tasuki I hope it wasn't me!

@get2sammyb Maybe like how every user has a games collection, there could be a user review section. I mean, we can already rate the games, elaborating on that score doesn't sound too weird! So like how every game page has an "overview", "review", "related articles" section, there could be a user review section. Just throwing some ideas around!

So, for the moment, if everyone is cool with it, I'll continue posting impressions of recently beaten games in that same thread. If people decide they want me to post those impressions somewhere else on the forum, just @ me and let me know. My preference is to post in a thread with historically high levels of traffic to increase my chances of engagement with the community, but I obviously won't attempt to assert my will against the admins or the consensus of the community.

Cheers!

@Tasuki Interesting. Thanks for linking us to your work! I've never actually heard of that website before, but it seems to still be at least semi-active.

I like the idea of a user reviews section, as well as a option to submit to the site for some kind of round up article or something. There are some really good reviews that pop up in the forums.
I do worry that having a user review section with separate threads for each game (or movie? - the movie thread has some really excellent movie reviews as well) will make more threads for @Tasuki to have to keep track of. But from a user standpoint, it would be nice to have reviews in a place of their own where I can more easily reference them. For example, in 6 months when Sekiro is put on sale and I am deliberating whether to purchase, I can scan the reviews for the game and find those concise recommendations fairly easily. Right now I would be scrolling through 6 months of “Games you recently beat” or the OT to find something.
So I can see the value of both approaches. We’ve been doing it this way for a long time, so we can continue the way we have it if it’s easier for moderation by keeping things all in the current threads we have.

And as @Ralizah says, part of the fun of it is having community discussion with the reviewer by having these in a place people will be more likely to see them. If it’s a game I’m interested in, I like to have some back and forth with the writer, and if I’m the writer, then with the community about my thoughts.

@Th3solution That is a good point, I never thought of trying find a review months later would be a nightmare.

Potential PushSquare User Review Discussion
A User Review by RogerRoger

The ever-tranquil painter Bob Ross once said "we don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents" and at this very moment, nowhere does this quote ring more true than in the PushSquare community.

Currently at two pages in length (further, free expansions are all-but-guaranteed), a discussion which started about the erroneous deletion of small User Reviews has spawned into a consultation between PushSquare staff and community members which could lead to exciting new engagement opportunities for users and a greater diversity of opinion being presented.

Things get off to a decent start, with topic-creator and helpful bug-catcher @Kidfried making a polite enquiry as to why informative impressions from fellow community member @Ralizah had been removed elsewhere on the boards. What follows is typical of PushSquare; the forum's more considered, mature tone has been championed multiple times (particularly after a recent influx of new users posting comments on the front page) but this specific topic becomes all the more compelling after a hugely respectful post from forum mod @Tasuki who instantly wins support for his honesty and strength of character.

To describe anything further would be to spoil what is ultimately a rewarding read, full of moments to make even the most hardened of souls crack a smile. This reviewer wishes he could've been a more active part of the ongoing discussion over the past couple days, but his absence wasn't because he felt unable to contribute; on the contrary, PushSquare has proven itself time and time again to be an open forum, welcoming to all viewpoints. It's this underlying atmosphere which continues to make it so popular with its regulars.

And there's a great cliffhanger ending, too, which doesn't so much tease as promise a bright future for the subject of User Reviews on PushSquare. It's always great to be present at the start of something new and whilst the difficulty level may vary for some (input is mostly keyboard-based and you've got to be able to string a sentence together to progress), the supportive environment almost guarantees that there'll be something for everyone going forward.

Graphically, the clean user interface really shines. Framed by the signature blue of Sony's flagship console and backed on crisp white, everybody's words are neatly presented and easy to scan. Customisable avatars (both static and animated) give every participant the chance to show a little extra character, which helps reinforce the idea of individuals coming together to create the larger community. It's all very effective.

Score: 10/10
If you're looking for a great example of a thriving online community, you can't really go wrong with these two pages from the PushSquare forum. A considerate membership and supportive staff come together to create something really special which feels awesome to be a part of. With such potential on display, it's gonna be wonderful to see where this goes.

Review Copy Provided by PushSquare.
Accessed via Microsoft Edge.

@RogerRoger all I can say is Excellent review and I wholeheartedly agree!

@RogerRoger

"Potential PushSquare User Review Discussion
A User Review by RogerRoger"
A User Review by Kidfried

Set aside a good few weeks of your life, because this forum inquisitor takes no prisoners when it comes to your free time. A comment that manages to successfully tie an engrossing, engaging narrative to a rapidly developping community, Roger Roger's reflective epic is one of the user's greatest achievements. With superb writing and rewarding wordplay, "Potential PushSquare User Review Discussion A User Review by RogerRoger" offers just about everything that you could want from the genre of user review posts that's been sorely missed on the Push Square forums.

9/10

Review "provided" by Push Square

I'm very much in favor of a User Reviews feature on the site or a thread for it. It would mean we could have discussions on why exactly we like/dislike a certain game and go in depth about it: Certain features, design, glitches, etc. It could also make a potentially interesting community feature, such as "Community Impressions" or "What Does The Push Square Community Think Of [X]?" Maybe we could have more members participate in discussions as a result, provided they behave, of course.

While a site feature would be awesome, I think a thread is still necessary because of one thing, and that's how not everyone here is exclusively a PlayStation gamer. If someone wants to post their in depth thoughts about say, Fire Emblem Awakening for 3DS, it would have to be in a thread due to being for a platform that doesn't match the site's focus.

Either way, I'm on board. It would probably give me a chance to improve my writing.

Yep. A review section or feature or whatever is great for big PS games that a lot of the users are going to be invested in, but for those of us who tend to play games across a wide variety of platforms (right now, I'm juggling a number of games: a 3DS platformer; a NDS strategy game; a PS1 JRPG; and a Wii U rail shooter), it's insufficient.

@RogerRoger ha ha well done sir, I like it a lot!

@RogerRoger Brilliant! That is the first review. Although I don't think we should include it. It's not game related.

(takes a look at ps3 deliberation thread)

If we are including Eye Create than anything goes! Well done mate that's the first official review.