That Fallout 76 would become a controversial game was already evident at the announcement at the E3 gaming fair. Now angry fans of the game series are bombarding Metacritic with bad reviews and really nasty ratings.
How do players vent their anger on the Internet? They punish the game with poor ratings and reviews. And that’s exactly what’s happening right now to Fallout 76.
A heavily criticized game
Why is Fallout 76 being criticized? Some Fallout fans had hoped for a single-player game, that is, a Fallout 5. Paradoxically, however, fans have long wished for the opportunity to experience adventures in the post-apocalyptic world together with friends.
The open PvP and the absence of NPCs also bothers some fans. Moreover, there has also been a certain saturation in the area of survival games, and Fallout 76 hits somewhat in that direction.
Review bombing on Metacritic
What happened? Many angry Fallout fans are currently venting their frustration about the online game and are inundating Metacritic with bad reviews and 0-point ratings. However, things are not always fair.
Here are some excerpts showing that many fans are just venting their disappointment about the game simply because it is an online game:
- idikov states on Metacritic: “Rest in peace, Fallout, and shame on you, Bethesda! Fallout 76 shows how fanaticism and a company’s greed destroy a brand.”
- KayZen writes: “Are you kidding me? What is this crap? This is the most pointless and disgusting game you have ever developed!”
- Gregnator states: “As a hardcore Fallout fan, I can only say that this game is horrible. From a Fallout perspective, this is not a Fallout game at all.”
Currently, the ratings of the game on Metacritic are as follows:
- PC version – 3.1 out of 10 points
- PS4 version – 2.8 out of 10 points
- Xbox One version – 2.4 out of 10 points
Why is Metacritic the target of review bombs? This phenomenon of “review bombing” is actually known from Steam. When something happens with a game there that fans do not like, bad reviews pour in, dragging the rating down.
Fallout 76 is not available on Steam, but is only playable on PC via the Bethesda Launcher. Accordingly, frustrated players are looking for another way to vent their anger. And that outlet is now Metacritic.
An upward trend is visible
It’s slowly improving: When sifting through the comments and reviews of disappointed Fallout fans, it becomes apparent that there are also players who engage fairly with Fallout 76. Yes, there are valid criticisms, and Bethesda is already working on patches, but many seem to enjoy the game.
While on November 14th the ratings on Metacritic looked even worse – with 2.0 out of 10 for the PC version, 1.7 out of 10 for the PS4 version, and 1.4 out of 10 for the Xbox One version – the numbers are slowly rising. Nevertheless, the review bombing will always influence the rating of Fallout 76 on Metacritic.
