Review Bombs: The Problem with Buggy Game Launches.

A recent wave of buggy releases has pestered the gaming industry. Review bombs from dissatisfied users are cursing games beyond salvation.

There are a number of factors that can affect a video game with performance issues and bugs. Usually, those bugs are corrected after the game is released, through a day-one patch. It begs the question: Why are we seeing so many buggy game releases?

Well, it is a complex question to answer. Nowadays, we have a handful of different systems. Just in PC, you can have an infinite number of combinations in terms of OS, GPU, CPU, RAM, and other hardware. Consoles also vary even though in general they share similar specs.

Game ports have proven to be difficult for developers, especially if they use proprietary engines like Frostbite and Red-Engine 4. Don't get me wrong, developing studios that use standardized solutions like Unreal Engine, are not exempt of issues.

Complexity

Games are a combination of different systems and subsystems put together. Graphics are not the only thing running in real time. Things like physics, player position, details loading, and other processes are running at the same time.

Each system uses different amounts of resources available for them. Memory from the GPU, CPU, RAM, and storage are used in real time to keep a game going. Since hardware pool depends on the system, developers must find a compromise when making ports.

Hardware compatibility

Performance issues in games are mostly hardware-related. We might see a game released that has stuttering issues only on AMD video cards. Other games might have poor ray-tracing performance on Nvidia cards only.

Hardware is complex, and developers must ensure an equal performance on all systems. On consoles the problems might be related to LOD loading times, frame stutters here and there, or native resolution differences.

Deadlines

Developers must comply to strict deadlines imposed by publishers. The latter must deal with the corporate side of game making. Investors, board members, and other interested parties are wary about release dates.

Corporate must make revenue reports based on projections and actual sales. Delaying a game means that these reports must be modified. Release dates are based on a lot of factors. Consumers tend to buy early-on in the year, and during the holidays.

Summers are usually slow, so publishers don't make big releases during that time. Usually, it is smaller indie developers/publishers that use that window to release their games without the fear of it being drowned in Triple A releases.

Review Bombs

Consumers are very critical when it comes to reviewing entertainment products. We are in the age of social media, so word of mouth travels at the speed of light. Gaming platforms like Steam, and others, offer the users the ability to write reviews for their games.

Whenever a game does not meet the consumer's expectations, review bombs are about to be dropped.

Here is a list of recent buggy game releases:

Cyberpunk 2077

The game had a disastrous release on PS4, and Xbox One X|S. It had game-breaking bugs and framerate below standard. You needed a powerful PC in order to play it without stuttering issues, but the bugs were still present.

The game had already suffered a couple of long delays but it still suffered from a buggy launch. Review bombs terribly affected the game. At the moment, most, or all bugs and performance issues have been fixed. The game is great; it has mesmerizing esthetics and amazing gameplay. The story is good too.

Elden Ring

The game had stuttering issues on consoles and PC. After a few patches, some of the stuttering issues were fixed but on PC you are locked to 60 fps. It is quite common to see 120 or 240 Hz monitors, and GPUs capable of achieving very high frame rates. Too bad that the game does not offer unlocked frame options.

On current-gen consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series X, you get the occasional frame dip when you go through heavily populated areas by enemies. It's a shame that the game does not truly feel next-gen, or that at least, it does not take advantage of the console systems.

Forspoken

The game had a delay so that developers could focus on polishing it. Unfortunately, it was riddled with graphic bugs when the game was released. It also has terrible writing and a very unlikely main character. All these factors contributed to the game's demise.

Optimization was another nail in the coffin. Despite the game looking inferior to other contemporary open world RPGs, the game demanded high specs on PC. Imagine the travesty of paying $70 for that game.

The studio behind the game was absorbed by Square Enix.

The Last of US: Remake (PC)

The game had terrible graphical bugs and bad crashes. People went straight ahead to review bomb the game because of its terrible state.

Of course, The Last of Us is one of the most iconic games of all time. The story and characters are compelling, and graphically it looks great on PlayStation 4 and 5. Gamers did not criticize those aspects of the game. Review bombs serve as a pressure from consumers so that developers fix the bugs and graphical issues.

Gotham Knights

Another game that suffered delays. I cannot imagine the state the game was prior to its delay and subsequent release. This game is not polished at all and it feels empty. If you compare it to last gen titles like Arkham Knight or Arkham City, it fails in every aspect.

Gotham Knights feels dull and uninspired. Another unacceptable issue is that the game runs at 30 frames per second on current-gen hardware like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Redfall

Unfortunately, this coop zombie shooter required persistent online connectivity. The game is riddled with bugs and does not achieve a high frame rate on the Xbox Series X|S. Another thing that dooms the game is its huge 77GB file size. You will be taking a lot of precious storage real estate and probably have to uninstall something in order to make space.

The world feels empty, reminiscent of a last gen indie game. Microsoft is, without a doubt, disappointing us with all of its exclusive first-party games.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

The most awaited sequel of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has received mixed reviews due to a number of performance bugs. From GUI glitches to game breaking bugs, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has been a disappointing experience in both PC and consoles.

Respawn worked on a day-one patch that solved a few issues, but they still have a long way to go. Some players that pre-ordered the Deluxe edition complained about the extra content not being available.

Remember, these games are $70 and gamers are making themselves be heard because they spend their hard-earned money on unfinished, buggy, and unpolished experiences.

Be a smart consumer

Consumers are getting smarter and are not buying a lot of games on release. They usually wait for a discount a few months after release to dive into new experiences. One of the benefits of digital gaming is that you have plenty of games to keep yourself entertained with.

Be smart and go through your backlog before spending $70 on a new game which will be cheaper in a few months.