A review you can read is not necessarily a review included in the score. Start by checking the time window and which reviews qualify.
Recent and lifetime answer different questions
Steamworks describes two store-page scores: a recent window covering 30 days, and a lifetime score. For score inclusion, Valve distinguishes Steam purchases by the reviewing account from key activations. User Reviews — Steamworks ↗
Read the recent view when you want context around a patch or a change. Read the longer view when you want to understand accumulated opinion. A change between them is a reason to inspect the written reviews and dates, not automatic evidence of what caused the shift.
Visible reviews and counted reviews
Players with playtime may be able to write a review after playing through a key, a free period, or family sharing. That does not mean all of those reviews contribute to the purchase-based score. User Reviews — Steamworks ↗
Look at the experience behind the recommendation. Does the reviewer discuss the part of the game you care about? Is the review about the current build, a technical problem, the business model, or a long-term community experience?
Handle unusual periods carefully
Valve distinguishes individual off-topic reviews from identified off-topic review-bomb periods. The documented treatments differ: reduced visibility for a review is not the same mechanism as exclusion of an abnormal period from the aggregate. User Reviews — Steamworks ↗
A percentage condenses a defined set of responses. It is not a benchmark, a representative survey of every player, or a promise that a game will suit your preferences. Use it to choose what to investigate next.
Sources & review
Prepared with AI assistance under the Steam Updates Editorial Desk role. Current factual statements were checked against the cited sources; account-specific outcomes remain with Steam Support. Our methodology explains the limits.
Revision · 11 September 2026 — First edition. View editorial revisions.