Sony is apparently working on a major overhaul of the PS Store’s review system, testing a feature familiar to Steam users.
The news comes from the PlayStation subreddit, where one user reported receiving an email from Sony asking them to write a review for Helldivers 2 on the PS Store.
“Have you been enjoying Helldivers 2? Let others know what you think by writing a quick review on PlayStation.com now,” the message reads.
A couple of other Redditors confirmed they have received similar emails regarding Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Resident Evil 4.
Image: cusman78 (via Reddit)
It seems that Sony recently started sending these messages to a limited number of PlayStation users. It is unclear whether the company picked games in people’s libraries based on playtime or other factors.
Users selected for this test can leave a text review only by following the link in the email. While typing a review, users can also check the “Review includes spoilers” box. However, the feature is only available on the web version of the PS Store.
Image: cusman78 (via Reddit)
The five-star system is currently the only way for players to rate games purchased through the PS Store, so testing text reviews looks like a real improvement. Especially if Sony decides to copy some features from Steam.
Valve is way ahead of other digital storefronts when it comes to reviews. Of course, the system is not perfect, but it is more valuable to end users than any of its rivals, from the PS Store to the Epic Games Store.
In addition to its own rating system, Steam shows how much time each user spent in the game before leaving a text review (and their total playtime) and whether the product was received for free. Not to mention things charts with spikes in negative and positive reviews, as well as tools monitoring and filtering review bombing (a.k.a. “off-topic review activity”).