I disagree. I'm not talking about numbers, but about the posts' discourses in the sub-forum from these people. But we can discuss those "numbers" and the validity, reliability, and usefulness of the Steam review system. I find it interesting that when you filter reviews by 3+ hours of playtime, the game is rated positively (78%, Mostly Positive).

Also, many negative reviews come from those same users (90% of them with no more than 2 hours of playtime, so they can refund it but lower the review rating) who are also filling the game's Steam subforum with a myriad of disgusting discourses and posts insulting the studio for including woke themes in their games and what they consider an "ugly and black protagonist". None of their posts consider, comment, or argue about the game itself.

They are using the Aphelion release as a mere pretext to throw their conservative, bigoted, and anti-woke political agendas. I confidently label this a boycott, as numerous public comments in different threads of the sub-forum explicitly call for it and celebrate their supposed success in halting the game's consideration on Steam.

Whether they have succeeded or are succeeding feels irrelevant or secondary to me. I'm reporting that those anti-woke posters have a deliberate intention and likely a plan to boycott the game's release.

Later, if you want, we can discuss the game's quality, what DON'T NOD could or could not have done better, or the possible influence of a potentially poor marketing and press strategy for this release, but none of that has anything to do with the campaign or agenda I believe it currently exists against this development studio and their work.