Why not?
Each reviewer has their own criteria for judging games, nobody's bound by blood to the formula story-graphics-sound-gameplay. When I was reviewing games, I didn't care for graphics if gameplay was subpar. If the game was actually fun, I gave additional points for aesthetics and style, which can be achieved with or without advanced graphics, but for some reviewers graphic fidelity is a value in itself. I can imagine some might find politics more important than game qualities, and I think this doesn't make their opinion invalid. It might make their opinion not useful to you, me, and other readers, but it that case we just stop reading certain websites, right? And let's be fair, judging a multiplayer game without playing it for at least a month, experiencing progression engaging with community, seeing how meta evolve - everything that actually matters to multiplayer gamers - it's not possible anyway, and any score given after ten days is sketchy at best.

As for score aggregation, sadly, this already has zero value for the gamers. If you read aggregated reviews carefully, you'll notice that many reviewers only play a couple of hours before slapping a score, some even write reviews based solely on steam store page and a trailer. It pains me to see my ex-field in this state, but currently many reviews are just a vibe check and an attempt at guessing not even game's quality, but rather the future consensus on a certain videogame. 90% aggregated score just means that many reviewers believe most people would give it 90% if they would actually play the game.
 

Review drama aside I think you will find Arc interesting for another reason Tobold. It is a multiplayer loot based pve game that has unconstrained non consensual pvp with the ability to steal other players loot . It shares many similarities to the mmorpgs and even MUDs of old. Just like in those games the vast majority of players are pve focused and pvp griefers are generally disliked. Heck I am pretty sure you could do a Bartle style Hearts Clubs Diamond and Spades analysis of the playerbase. I know you don't like shooters so I am not advising you play the game but I do think you will find it interesting that the latest greatest new gaming phenomenon is so close to games from over a quarter of a century ago.
 

I sometimes read website reviews because they will be longer and have more in the way of screenshots - but Steam reviews are generally my go to when it comes to buying a game. Not really the percentage positive, though - mostly what people liked and disliked about it, and whether those are things I care about.
 

An interesting corollary to my previous comment. According to a post on the reddit forums there is a significant difference in behaviour between console and PC players with PC player being more co-operative. Interesting if true. Could it be an age thing?
 

Arc Raiders seems to have a PvP system that is there, but doesn't really reward you. And there are game mechanics that prevent you from one-shotting somebody, so even if you are stronger, you will take some damage. So what I heard is that some players are simply peaceful because they consider PvP just a waste of resources and time. I hadn't heard about the PC / console split on that, but you are right that it could be an age thing, with older PC players more looking at the cost / benefit of an action.
 

There is no standard metric for game reviews so I see nothing wrong with what that reviewer did. It's their opinion at the end of the day.

That's why scores are largely meaningless outside of telling you whether a plurality online is positive or negative about a game.

Its far more beneficial to find consistent reviewers that you get to know over many reviews and thus can sort of gather what you'll think about a game based on their opinion.
 

Reviews like that can have positive blowback, too. I completely understand the reviewer's concerns, but as it happens I think generative AI for something like this will end up greatly enriching game experiences and ended up getting Arc Raiders solely because of that review, to see what it was like. Sadly I've only had one chance to load it up and a freakish level of lag was making the initial experience too unpleasant (no idea why, my internet is usually fine), so waiting for time to give it another shot.