I would like to discuss this topic that has bugged me for some time now. The site Metacritic pretends to be a fair plattform for game scores, as they calculate an average score of independent reviews. But in my opinion there exist plenty problems with how Metacritic gathers its scores.
1) The professional scores are sometimes translated incorrectly.
Many sites do not use the 0 to 100 point system, with 100 highest, but a 0 to 5 point grade system, with 5 highest. While it is assumed that decimal points are used to discern finer game scores, this is not the case many of the times. To my experience, normally a very rough score of say 1, 2, 3, 4, then smaller steps of say 4.0 to 5.0 is used. Sometimes not even the 4.0 to 5.0 is diveded, leaving the scores with a crude 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 scale.
Now, when translating such a grade system into the point system, taking into account the less detailed scores of the grade system, 5 does in no way always mean 100 points, as 4 does not always mean 80 points and so on. But that is exactly what metacritic does with its scores, just convert them in any way they think is fit. Which is wrong from the beginning.
A good example for this is the game "Bastion" for PS4.
2) The scores are added to lists when only single or a handful of reviews exist, thus rendering the "average" aspect of the score system moot.
This problem exists for both professional and amateur reviews.
Again, a good example for this is the game "Bastion" for PS4. It was not even released yet, but the few overwhelmingly positive scores it received from professional critics make it an instant ps4 super hit. This adds even further to the issue of bought reviews, as it becomes a stong tool to ramp up game sales (more that one critic at once cannot be wrong, can they?).
3) For professional scores, even amateur reviews are taken into account.
There are plenty of gaming review sites which let their users write reviews. Which is perfectly fine. But those reviews should not be added to the professional scores. But it happens a lot of times.
4) There is no quality control over which and how many professional reviews are added.
Which in my opinion makes the score system rather dubious and the motives behind the review add system questionable to the point it could be assumed financial motives play a role.
Some games only have very few reviews added, while many more are available, possibly distorting the overall score if only the more positive or more negative reviews are added.
1) The professional scores are sometimes translated incorrectly.
Many sites do not use the 0 to 100 point system, with 100 highest, but a 0 to 5 point grade system, with 5 highest. While it is assumed that decimal points are used to discern finer game scores, this is not the case many of the times. To my experience, normally a very rough score of say 1, 2, 3, 4, then smaller steps of say 4.0 to 5.0 is used. Sometimes not even the 4.0 to 5.0 is diveded, leaving the scores with a crude 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 scale.
Now, when translating such a grade system into the point system, taking into account the less detailed scores of the grade system, 5 does in no way always mean 100 points, as 4 does not always mean 80 points and so on. But that is exactly what metacritic does with its scores, just convert them in any way they think is fit. Which is wrong from the beginning.
A good example for this is the game "Bastion" for PS4.
2) The scores are added to lists when only single or a handful of reviews exist, thus rendering the "average" aspect of the score system moot.
This problem exists for both professional and amateur reviews.
Again, a good example for this is the game "Bastion" for PS4. It was not even released yet, but the few overwhelmingly positive scores it received from professional critics make it an instant ps4 super hit. This adds even further to the issue of bought reviews, as it becomes a stong tool to ramp up game sales (more that one critic at once cannot be wrong, can they?).
3) For professional scores, even amateur reviews are taken into account.
There are plenty of gaming review sites which let their users write reviews. Which is perfectly fine. But those reviews should not be added to the professional scores. But it happens a lot of times.
4) There is no quality control over which and how many professional reviews are added.
Which in my opinion makes the score system rather dubious and the motives behind the review add system questionable to the point it could be assumed financial motives play a role.
Some games only have very few reviews added, while many more are available, possibly distorting the overall score if only the more positive or more negative reviews are added.