BigPond GameArena's Scores

  • Games
For 334 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 49% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 47% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 1.2 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 76
Highest review score: 100 Left 4 Dead
Lowest review score: 10 Postal III
Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 31 out of 334
334 game reviews
    • 79 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The graphics are fantastic, the gameplay is tight and - while lacking the customisation introduced in Wipeout Pulse - the soundtrack is good. It's let down by long loading times and a short-ish campaign, but Cross-Play gives it both a little added longevity and makes it into a bit of a 'feature highlight' game. It's a must-have Vita game - just make sure you set aside time to play it.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The story is engrossing and playing around with The Force powers is a treat.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The 3rd Birthday is one of the PSP's better games and it's just a shame they had to muck things up with its ridiculous plot and juvenile fan-service.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    SimCity made me connect with the Sims in my world more than any Sims game ever could - and then it made me wilfully hurt them to further my own agenda. It simultaneously made me uncomfortable with my actions and impelled to win at the same time. That's an odd feeling to get out of a game where you can deliberately unleash a giant fire breathing lizard on an unsuspecting populace.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    There is a thin line between telling the player a story and letting them experience it, and it's one the previous games parkoured along with only the occasional misstep. Assassin's Creed 3 however, falls flat on the side of telling you its story - and it would be unforgivable if it weren't for the billion other things you can do in the game.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Multiplayer successfully delivers everything I really want from a new God of War game. If only the singleplayer were as good.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Far from perfect, with a slightly unfair multi-player component for the cash or time impaired, Split Second is still tremendously fun and addictive.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    It’s an extremely solid action game, a brutal, crazy ride that fits in nicely with the rest of Platinum’s oeuvre, but one that falls just short of being an instant classic thanks to some finicky controls and muted design choices.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The teammate AI is painfully bad and it will go down as one of the biggest mistakes in video gaming history. To take you back to the painful train analogy from before, Resident Evil 5 is a train where the engineer is retarded and steals all your god damned ammo. Replace that engineer with a human and you'll have fun with the game.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    It's not a particularly great rhythm game, nor is it really a Final Fantasy one, but for some reason the two work together well.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    If it were just the campaign with co-op, Judgment would seem difficult to justify for its triple A asking price, but with the addition of the excellent Overrun mode - and a couple of friends - it's a worthwhile purchase.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Absolutely get Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning if you're looking for a deep fantasy world - but if you can't handle the MMO flavour, you might want to give it a pass. KOA:R shines when it is being creative or original - when you get lost in the depth of the combat, or the wealth of backstory - and falters when it apes other games. And seriously - it's 2012... lose the invisible walls already.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet's biggest boon is that tries to do something different, and it does it well. It falters early on with unintuitive tutorial sections - at a time in the game where it needs to be as intuitive as possible - but this forces the player into the deep end, and it's probably not a terrible thing considering how the game plays out.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Apart from being set in the Warhammer 40k universe however, it doesn't really have its own voice - but Relic now have a basis to build on. If you like the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Space Marine is a must buy - but if you aren't familiar with it you might want to leave Space Marine aside.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The short length of the single player is a little disappointing, as it is a good time.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    This departure from the franchise is an invigorating reboot that should satisfy both racing enthusiasts and action junkies alike while the decidedly robust track creation system should have the community upping the ante for months to come. Frag, destroy, create and decimate - it's all on the cards in Ridge Racer Unbounded.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The introduction of the antagonist Ghirahim and the relationship between Link and Zelda are excellently laid out and the story contains a few twists and turns you will never see coming. It makes the entire experience feel more worthwhile - especially after the bafflingly cliched beginning.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    EndWar is probably the best attempt at a RTS on consoles, while it’s far from perfect Ubisoft has managed to find a way to allow you to command an army in short but explosive battles - which should suit most console owners. Even though the single-player is best left untouched and the graphics are not up to par with other new release titles like GOW 2, there’s still a lot of fun to be had here with EndWar if you’re a fan of online gaming.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    I love the new "adult" tack Sega are taking with their current Wii line-up and I hope it continues. What MadWorld needs is more complexity, but a lot of what makes it great is the fact that it's so easy.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Roaming around a vast countryside in Dragon's Dogma is the sort of adventuring experience I imagined playing Dungeons & Dragons growing up. It's about hunting down great monsters, about charting areas on your own and about remembering what it's like to be afraid of the dark - and then conquering that fear.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    A great game for both newcomers and old school players alike. It’s not the perfect Civ experience for either party, but the compromise is well worth your time.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    No, F.E.A.R. 3 isn't scary - but considering the length of the singleplayer and the strength of the multiplayer, I don't think it really matters.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    For your money you get about 15 hours worth of gameplay in a single playthrough, and while that seems a little light in comparison to Origins, it's a decent price for a stand alone expansion pack on a console.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Those of you expecting a return to the Prince's former glory may be disappointed, though this is definitely a step in the right direction.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It's still a little distressing that a game with all the potential in the world to be one of the most spectacular gaming experiences of the decade is instead... a middle-of-the-road title. It may not crash, and it may not really bore you, but it isn't polished, and doesn't fully engross you.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A little more spit and polish could have significantly elevated the title to the ranks of the FPS elite. The old school gameplay was a winner in my book; just don't expect to be wowed by the plot or anything else.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Action gamers who found their way to Uncharted via God of War and similar bombastic franchises will only have their itches scratched in the cutscenes. Whereas if your main enjoyment comes from the character interaction and cute dialogue these games seem to do better than so many others, you won't be disappointed at all.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you're the kind that relishes a challenge and has understanding neighbours (for when you swear loudly), Dustforce is a low cost yet deep title that can keep you mercilessly addicted for hours.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you're under 14, or some unfortunate pituitary disorder has rendered your hands miniscule, you can't really go wrong with Guitar Hero: On Tour. Just make sure that when you're touring, it's somewhere devoid of other people and their pitiless, judging eyes.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Though its fundamentals are starting to show their age, Earthworm Jim HD was really satisfying to knock out.

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