Every time - every single time - I’ve purchased a major AAA game anywhere close to the release window in the past 10 years, it’s been a mistake. Pay a shitload more for a half baked, buggy, unfinished mess.
At this point I just don’t buy big time releases within 6 months of launch. Even when I’m certain of the game itself, it just ends up being a mistake.
They don’t all do this, though - research seems to use imaging and other observational techniques, self reporting isn’t the only source. Brain imaging is one, and I know they’ve demonstrated variance in automatic pupil responses to back up self report. I think they have also used it as a research control in other studies after that, but I don’t know a ton about it.
This is what I remember reading, I think, and that…advocacy? awareness?..site also has a decent running collection of assorted research. Seems like it’s not very well understood or studied, which makes sense when it doesn’t really affect behavior or quality of life.

Aphantasic individuals lack the involuntary pupillary light response that typically occurs when imagining bright or dark stimuli. This provides the first objective physiological index to validate aphantasia and measure mental imagery strength.