It's no secret that the fan reaction to Halo Infinite's most recent developer update hasn't been very positive. The news that seems to have caused the biggest stir is 343's decision to drop development on local split screen co-op, a feature that's been in the works in some fashion since launch. Sadly, these announcements have led to a bit of review bombing over on Steam.
In the week or so since the announcements, Halo Infinite's Steam reviews have skewed negative, with the platform's tools now judging recent reviews as 'mostly negative'. For now, the overall user reception remains 'mostly positive', from the game's launch through to the present day.
Some of the reviews within this negative pile do bring up some valid points on the lack of features added to Halo Infinite since launch. One such review reels off an extensive list of features that still aren't present in 343's latest Halo title, and it makes for, admittedly, disappointing viewing.
However, as usual with review bombing, there are plenty of reviews in here that don't help the situation at all. This sort of feedback just isn't useful to anyone, and we'd argue that calling Halo Infinite a "dumpster fire" is more than harsh considering how fun the core game is. The way the game plays hasn't changed since its well-received launch!
Is review bombing pointless? Or a way to send a message to developers? Let us know what you think down below.
Comments 25
Lol at the people who do this...some life they must be living
I don't understand this practice. Yeah, this sucks, but it doesn't make the game as it stands any worse because of it. If they'd also released a patch which broke the game, sure. But this announcement doesn't change the state of the game today, so this review bombing just comes across as a little pathetic, really...
The reason people review bomb is because it keeps getting covered by media.
As it stands it’s the easiest channel to communicate to the devs something sucks, hitting their reputation
Both Halo Waypoint and the games' servers are down. I tried to play some of the Yappening event but server error messages kept appearing.
Don’t agree with review bombing but let’s sack 343i and stop flogging this dead horse of a game.
As we've discussed in other stories/articles regarding 343 Industries, they've had four goes at Halo over the course of nearly 15 years, and they've proven time and again that they're not the studio for the job. Halo 4? Good campaign, crap multiplayer. Master Chief Collection? A sh*tshow for years after release. Halo 5? Decent multiplayer, crap campaign. And now Halo Infinite, after already spending six years in development, is drip feeding long-standard features at a snail's pace (or outright cancelling them) all while constantly disappointing in its live service model that other developers perfected and set the standard for years ago.
It's not like review bombing is new or unprecedented. If a player base isn't happy, this is how they show their disdain, whether it's the correct avenue to follow or not. I refuse to believe that Microsoft, 343 Industries or Phil Spencer didn't forsee the backlash from handling Halo in this manner.
Xbox better pray that those 2023 exclusives are on time and on point. That momentum and goodwill they generated at the beginning of this gen is dwindling fast.
@SplooshDmg
Well done you found something 343i are good at 😂
@gollumb82
You could have not put that any better
It is already showing in sales in my local nine stores, 1 or 2 Series X get sold every 2 weeks if they are lucky and Series S not any better.
The PS5 price increase has done nothing to help them at all.
It’s all about the big bad booty games. As I’ve said from the very beginning.
@gollumb82
And to proof my point about big bad booty games watch Splatoon 3 and HFW stay at the top of the physical sales charts for a good time.
Is it really review bombing to criticize this mess? Having a persistent stream of new content is essential for a live service game. They don't have that essential feature so it's a bad game even if the bones are solid.
Is it review bombing if a key feature PROMISED to be there (couch co-op) is constantly delayed and then eventually cancelled? That to me is more like a review.
@Dezzy70
Hah, we're in the same camp Dezzy. I love XSX as a console but I'm mostly playing older games. On PS5- no such issues. At the beginning of the gen it was a non-issue, but with each passing month it's starting to be one.
Still keeping my fingers crossed for 2023 though.
@gollumb82
Hope Xbox do release the games by June 2023 and they are all on point. Would be a fantastic first half to the gaming year 2023.
Having said that looking at the third party release schedule drifting into early 2023, Xbox need to put some release dates in stone very soon.
@themightyant but local co-op is an impossible-to-implement feature. No, don't look over there; there definitely aren't players hacking their way into this impossible-to-implement feature. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT.
There's plenty of questionable review bombing going on, but when you can't vote with your wallet, how else do you voice displeasure with a dev?
I can never see this as a (Bad) Review Bombing, I mean, Steam straight up has an option to say if you recommend or not the game, everyone is free to tell their opinion, this DOES NOT come from nowhere, the game has been receiving this constant bad ratings on the last couple of months (and they were only increasing), GEEZ let people have their own opinion
Can't even blame them given that 343 developers are banning users era from Halo message boards for valid criticism.
Thankfully Steam actually denotes you were banned by a dev.
I'd say it was review bombed in reverse when it released no way it deserved the praise it got lol
Lol at the simp journalist calling the negative reaction to Infinite "a little harsh".
343 have had 10 years to deliver a quality halo product and they've failed 3 times. They can't even meet basic deadlines.
Season 2, I repeat, Season TWO of this game will last 10 months due to their ineptitude. This has never happened before in the history of a "live service" game. 343 are a completely garbage company and should be stripped of the Halo franchise.
@dreadful agreed.
Though it’s 4 attempts. MCC came out rough as old hell.
And I would not call it a live service game, dead service game is more fitting.
Don't call this review bombing, it's review made by people that spend $60 on the game, of couse they'll be pissed of if the features that they waited (and promised by the devs) are cancelled 😠
I trust steam reviews (and youtubers) more than metacritics and website reviews.
Whilst review bombing is not useful to anyone and not something Id indulge in or encourage its not at all harsh to call this game a dumster fire as the article claims.
Halo infinate IS a dumster fire and quite frankly a huge embarresment. A shining example of how to take a cherished IP that should be the pinnicle of AAA gaming, and make it irrelevant.
Ive only played the campaign I'll admit, but I hated it so much I was delighted once my 12 or so hours were up and I could not believe how poor it was. The script, acting and cinematic cut scenes in particular were like going back 15 years when game artists hadnt learnt the lessons from film of how to tell an interesting story. Not acceptable when so many other AAA stories in gaming are so brilliantly concieved directed and shot. Even 343 have made much better fmv cut scenes in the past, what happened?
That the gun play remains top tier is its one saving grace, but 343 get no credit for this, bungie pretty much had this tied down by Halo 2. Props for the grapple though, thats a big positive.
Many commentators and journalists are now publicly calling for this franchise to be given the fresh team it deserves, and I hope Microsoft have the vision and balls to rescue this franchise and hand it to a new team. Imagine a team from ID let loose to reinvent this franchise 😀
I am harsh about this game, but its because Halo deserves to be the pinnicle of its genre, and not its laughing stock. I fear we need decisive action now, or its crown is lost for ever.
It's well deserved.
Im not for review bombing but good. 343 said split-screen will be part of Halo going forward after Halo5. Offline MP with no internet connection is not working now too.
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