Reviews: positive or negative

[Crothian]

Do you as a consumer of RPG material like to read reviews that are positive or negative?

I write the occasional review and more then not especially lately they have been positive reviews. Positive reviews for me are easier to write and more enjoyable to write. It is harder to get the energy and will to write about a book I really didn't like. This comes into play mostly with books I choose to review. I still get the occasional review copy and those I review though never really timely (I need to fix that). I am just looking for some general review thoughts from the masses, thanks.

 

[Dannager]

They are useful for different things.

Positive reviews can call out things that the general public might not be exposed to in order to raise awareness. These are better if you're looking for something new to try.

Negative reviews serve to warn consumers off of something they might know about or plan on partaking in. These are better if you are thinking about buying something in particular but want a second opinion.

A positive review of something I already plan on buying doesn't really affect my decision-making. Likewise, a negative review of something I've never heard of also does nothing to affect my decision-making.

 

[Umbran]

What I most need in a review is not a positive or negative response, so much as the reason for that response. That's the only way I know if the reviewer's reaction is apt to be indicative of how I will react to the product.

 

[ggroy]

I usually look for detailed reviews which cover both the positive and negative aspects in a balanced manner. Reviews which look too positive, aren't particularly useful. Completely negative reviews typically aren't much better.

 

[Mercutio01]

What I most need in a review is not a positive or negative response, so much as the reason for that response. That's the only way I know if the reviewer's reaction is apt to be indicative of how I will react to the product.

Having written some reviews myself, that's exactly what I try to accomplish, and it's exactly what I look for as well. What I don't really like are chapter by chapter reviews. I'm sure most people do, but I prefer a brief discussion of the product, its plusses and minuses, and the reviewer's overall opinion. I see a lot of reviews that walk people through things character creation, which strikes me as pretty close to the copyright line, so I try to avoid that too.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I don't have a preference for either. Positive or negative, I don't give a review any weight unless the opinion expressed convinces me that it is honest and from from the heart. If a review conveys a sense of predisposed adoration or hate it will turn me off.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

What Umbran said, and also:

I tend to read reviews myself to make a decision on buying. It's rare that I read a review "for the heck of it".

Explanation of perspective is ideal. It not only helps me to learn about that one book, but also to get to know the tastes of the individual reviewing the book.

I've found a few people that almost always like books that I like and hate those I hate, even when the majority of the RPG crowd goes a different way. Those are the reviewers I read first, and I read them regardless of a positive or negative review.

 

[Hjorimir]

Honestly, I don't care for reviews that are positive or negative, I'm more of a "Just the facts, mam" kind of guy. When a review is super positive it feels like a marketing pitch, when it is super negative and it feels like a rant. I prefer reviews that give hard data and examples. I'm fine with a little opinion as to positive or negative feelings as a wrap-up, but not much more than that.

 

[El Mahdi]

I don't care if a review is positive or negative. All I care about is wether or not the reviewer states their opinion about the product, and states why. Any review is going to be subjective. There's just no way around it. But if a reviewer states the reasons for their opinion (to include their default likes and dislikes, etc.), then I can make my own decision about whether or not I'd like it. The "why's" are what give me a reference for comparison.

 

[malraux]

What I most need in a review is not a positive or negative response, so much as the reason for that response. That's the only way I know if the reviewer's reaction is apt to be indicative of how I will react to the product.

This. A balanced review doesn't necessarily help me any more than a strictly positive or negative; artificial balance is just as silly as artificial praise or condemnation. If a given product makes you say that it sucks, then please say that. But let me know why you think it sucks, that might be exactly what I'm looking for.