Is Google Play's ranking on review helpfulness based on user votes?

[AC Question]

Google Play provides a review filter option based on review helpfulness. I wonder how Google Play assesses the review helpfulness. Is it mainly based on user votes? Or some forum comments suggest that Google may have a complicated algorithm to manipulate the review helpfulness ranking. Does anyone know how this review helpfulness is assessed?

 

[the tall guy]

I would imagine it was based on reviews from actual users and not some long winded algorithm used to manipulate results.

 

[Remek]

It could be really difficult to uncover . Algorithms ...