[quote][b][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_flip]Warning: Asset Flip![/url][/b]
J.U.R : Japan Underground Racing is an asset flip, or what Valve calls a "Fake Game". The "developer" paid for/pirated someone else's example/template/tutorial game, changed the name/reskinned a couple of things, and submitted it to Valve as if it was their own game.[/quote]
This asset flip was originally published by notorious Russian asset flipper and copyright infringers, Droid Riot, but it was shuffled as part of some Russian shell game to the Conglomerate 5 shell account to mislead gamers and whatever other purposes unrelated to actual games for gamers.
This is just a basic Unity mobile app for driving with asset flipped cars on it, rushed onto Steam as a minimum viable product cash grab.
Conglomerate 5/JDM4iK have shown a repeat pattern of unethically dumping other people's work onto Steam as a cheap, nasty cash grab, through this account or through closely linked/alt accounts. Here's some examples so you can see for yourself:
[list]
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1948240]Shark Assault Simulator[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellmyapp.com/downloads/hungry-blue-whale-attack/]Hungry Blue Whale Attack[/url] developed by Agency 25
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1075790]Fox and Bunny[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/2d/characters/sunny-land-103349]Sunny Land[/url] developed by Ansimuz
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1863650]Van Van Up[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/zigzag-infinite-runner-game-100035]ZigZag Infinite Runner Game[/url] developed by Puppeteer
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1273380]Weapons Genius VR[/url]" = [url=https://www.gameassetdeals.com/asset/142383/darktree-fps-v1-4]Darktree FPS 1.4[/url] developed by HabTeam
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/790930]Primitive Shooter[/url]" = [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SviIeTt2_Lc&list=PLFt_AvWsXl0ctd4dgE1F8g3uec4zKNRV0]Create a Game Source code[/url] developed by Sebastian Lague
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/590870]Planetoid[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/game-toolkits/tower-defense-toolkit-4-tdtk-4-91023]Tower Defense Toolkit 4[/url] developed by SongGameDev
[/list]
Taking this shovelware seriously as if it was a genuine attempt to make a game, it doesn't meet basic minimum requirements that most PC gamers expect as standard.
These technical defects push this game below acceptable standards for any modern PC game.
You don't have to take my word about how bad the game is, we can measure the interest in a game by how much people bothered to play it. J.U.R : Japan Underground Racing has achievements, and they show us a very clear picture that the game absolutely failed to capture any interest from gamers. The most commonly and easily attained achievement is "Hard racer", playing the asset flip, trivial to achieve, but less than 1 percent of players bothered to get that far before uninstalling the game. That's a tiny, tiny proportion of gamers who even bothered with this. Ouch.
It's also important to note the "developer" here has connections to a number of shady Russian asset flippers and review manipulators who show an organised pattern to scam and defraud gamers with fake reviews and asset flipping the work of others for profit. While reviews are about the games, gamers should be informed when developers act unethically. Whether these connections are the same developer using multiple accounts, or just working closely with other unethical developers, gamers should be warned about the harm to gamers by this developer and their associates. Buying games from unethical developers puts your money at risk.
[quote][b][url=https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/federal-register-notices/16-cfr-part-465-trade-regulation-rule-use-consumer-reviews-testimonials-final-rule]Warning: Review Manipulation![/url][/b]
This game features a number of fake positive reviews from accounts known to be in the business of review manipulation/paid reviews. They're all written in either Russian, broken English or ChatGPT AI slop, appear at almost exactly the same time, very shortly after the game launched on Steam, all have a direct Steam purchase of the game, and the accounts are used consistently to write fake reviews for asset flips and other cash grabs/scams. The "Positive" review score on this game should be disregarded due to this blatant, unethical review manipulation. This is done to deceive and scam gamers into paying for a bad product.
Due to the 2024 FTC ruling (16 CFR § 465.4, 15 U.S.C. § 45), these fake reviews are a violation of US Federal Law.[/quote]
This kind of asset flipping isn't harmless. It makes it harder for gamers to find genuinely made games from ethical developers. It makes it harder for genuine indie developers, who put hard work into trying to make real games, to find an audience for their products. It gives indie developers a bad name.
So, should you buy this asset flip? Is this better than any of the 130,000+ genuinely made games on Steam? Of course not!
J.U.R : Japan Underground Racing is relatively cheap at $1 USD, but it's not worth it. Given the defects and quality issues with the game, coupled with the unrealistic price, and the questionable ethical nature of the developer and/or their associates (as outlined above), this is impossible to recommend. Remember that if you buy a game from an unethical developer, you're putting your money at risk.
[quote][b][url=https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/profile]Profile Features Limited![/url][/b]
Valve have marked this game as "Profile Features Limited" at the time of this review. This is usually caused by poor sales figures and low community acceptance for the game (to date). Until this status changes, this game will not give you +1 to your Game Collector badge count, appear in profile achievements or any other Steam meta-accomplishments, nor can it be displayed in some profile showcases. If these factors are important to you, it may be worth holding off before buying this game.[/quote]
