COGconnected's Scores

  • Games
For 4,976 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 62% higher than the average critic
  • 6% same as the average critic
  • 32% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.3 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 75
Highest review score: 100 Final Fantasy XVI
Lowest review score: 10 Wander (2013)
Score distribution:
4982 game reviews
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    At the end of the day though, I want two things from a new Valkyria game. I want fun, challenging missions and I want to plunge into an overstuffed cast of JRPG soldiers. The game delivers on both counts in spades: the missions are better than ever before in the franchise and the characters are just what you’d hope for. The story is doled out at a bouncy pace and the localization is full of personality. Maybe one day we’ll get a fully realized next-gen Valkyria Chronicles, but until that day Valkyria Chronicles 4 represents the best the series has ever offered.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Every so often, a game comes around to demonstrate the untapped potential of VR technology. Transference is one of those games. It grips you from the beginning with its unrelenting atmosphere and doesn’t let up until the credits roll.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Scholar of the First Sin is a fantastic upgrade and worth the purchase if you never had the chance to play Dark Souls 2 on PC or current gen consoles. Even if you did play through it before, the DLC alone is worth checking out.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I found Fae Farm to be full of fun content and it was incredibly entertaining. There was so much to do and nothing felt repetitive (even though you’re technically farming and gathering every day). I was able to play for hours without realizing it, and slowly I was able to improve my home while making a fortune. Of course, it took a while for me to get there, and there’s no rush at all. There aren’t any quick wins in Fae Farm, so just relax and enjoy the experience in your own way.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    All in all, this final episode is a great way to wrap up the first season of Tales from the Borderlands. You’re taken on an emotional roller coaster, you’ve been dragged all over Pandora, and there’s just something so incredibly charming about the series as a whole that you can’t help but smile at the end and wonder what’s to come next.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Sunset Overdrive is a game that attacks so many senses, in a good way, that you may just find yourself not wanting to stop playing.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Backbone tells an enormous story within a tiny runtime, and it never feels like too much. New wonders, new horrors, and fresh plot twists are chucked your way with reckless abandon. Yet, you never feel too lost. A little lost, surely! All the better to capture that sense of dark waters closing overhead. Between the clever mechanics, the compelling narrative, and the gorgeous pixel art, there's a real fire lit beneath you from the very start. If you're looking for a detective story with glistening fangs, glittering eyes, and sharpened hooks, Backbone will be perfect for you.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is an exceptional game. With innovative visuals that ooze charm and imagination, you will immediately fall in love with Torch City. The extensive combat system allows you to experiment with the mechanics to create some incredible combinations. Although the game is challenging, it never feels cheap, making you return to battles with new tactics and strategies. Perfectly paced and with plenty of surprises, TiGames has created something special that is a must for fans of the genre.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Townscaper exists in that special chill vibe genre that includes games like digital coloring books and virtual bubble wrap, but it also nudges gently up against city builders as well, only without any of the complications or stress. It makes you feel like a creative, relaxed time traveler, bringing into existence a peaceful, little perfect town out in the middle of a perfectly calm sea. Townscaper doesn’t try to do a lot of things, instead it does one thing very, very well.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Everspace 2 has a substantial story, solid flight and combat mechanics, and incredibly addictive, satisfying action. If looter/shooter and space combat don’t seem compatible, Everspace 2 proves they can work together quite well. The narrative, breathless arcade space battles, and deep customization keep Everspace 2 engaging for its full running time and beyond.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    While some of the gameplay might feel dated to younger gamers, and the short length might turn a few people off – for everyone else looking for a fun adventure that'll take no more than a rainy afternoon to play through, Full Throttle Remastered is an easy choice.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Capcom gave clamoring fans exactly what they wanted. Each part of the experience whether it is the story, gameplay, visuals, or audio have all come together making Resident Evil 2 a fabulous complete package. While minor annoyances do exist, Resident Evil 2 (2019 edition) is about as flawless as one could hope for. Bottom line, Resident Evil 2 is an outstanding remake and one you can purchase with confidence.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an excellent revision of a game I already liked. It’s still more sci-fi than horror, but a delightfully cynical tale nonetheless. And Yoko is a very engaging heroine in all her bitter glory. If you liked the original Shin Megami Tensei V, or even just thought about playing it, check Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance out. You won’t regret it.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Nintendo’s newest treasure lives up to its predecessors and improves upon the formula in well thought out and engaging new ways.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    A New Frontier, despite its name, really is sticking with what’s worked before, and it’s not made to convert. It’s made to continue, and that’s what it does superbly.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    A New Frontier, despite its name, really is sticking with what’s worked before, and it’s not made to convert. It’s made to continue, and that’s what it does superbly.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I love Eastshade. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. The world was beautiful and expansive, the storytelling was not only strong but often masterful, and the whole package left me with that post-game hangover that has you putting down every game after it. It’s still early 2019, but I have no doubt that Eastshade will remain one of my favorite games of the year and one of my very favorite exploration games of all time. If it were up to me, I’d never take that final ship back out of Lyndow.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    A Plague Tale: Innocence is an unsettling, nerve-wracking stealth experience in the best way. The relationship between Amicia and Hugo develops naturally and believably, and the horrors of their ordeal is set wonderfully against the backdrop of the 100 Years War and the Inquisition. Aesthetically, the atmosphere of the game is well represented in its level design, audio, and overall presentation in each of its settings. While the character accents are great, the voice acting itself can be hit or miss throughout, and the band of misfit children against the Inquisition and the plague is the most forced point in the game. It’s a title I couldn’t stop playing and could easily be a top sleeper hit of the year.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is Ryu Ga Gotoku’s best game. The expansive world is packed with content and will beckon you to explore every inch of the environment. Although mini-games and activities are a staple of the series, they have never been as diverse and addictive as this. With its touching yet hilarious story and intricate, deep combat system, we already have a game of the year contender.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    While Aaero has a small scope and limited replay-ability it is an experience unlike any other.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Jotun is a well-crafted experience made for anyone fond of great storytelling mixed with satisfying combat.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It provided more of what people loved about Bloodborne; fantastic music, cool trick weapons, and monstrous bosses that will kick your ass. If you’d loved Bloodborne as much as I did, this DLC is a must purchase.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    When not compared to previous iterations of the series, MLB The Show 17 is a great baseball game with something for everyone. The various modes provide players with a plethora of options both online and offline. When compared to previous MLB The Show games, MLB The Show 17 stands out as the best iteration of the series thus far, however, as a “game of failure,” there is room for improvement.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    After spending quite a bit of time with the DLC, I would venture to say that it is the best we’ve seen in a long time! Infinity Ward and Activision definitely put their best foot forward, and it shows.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    MLB The Show 24 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Though, it never needed to. The Show has been an outstanding franchise for a long time. If anything, this year simply continues that tradition of excellence. The storylines are entertaining and insightful. Changes to the Diamond Dynasty mode ensure players won’t burn out in the early months of release. Most importantly, gameplay is once again a brilliant simulation of the actual sport. Kudos to San Diego Studio; it’s another homerun.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Some great character depth as well as an overhaul to both the Final Fantasy formula and battle system makes Final Fantasy XV a delight for existing fans and new players.The title is a huge step in the right direction for a franchise that has staggered in recent years.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The gameplay is Total War at its finest, and the variety in factions and units allow for many ways to handle your short and long campaign objectives.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Guacamelee 2! is everything one could ask for in a sequel. It packs in what everyone loved about the original, while building on it enough to make it well worth tagging into the ring for once again. Killer tunes, well-designed combat, and challenging bosses are all high points for a game that had a tough act to follow. It's also legitimately funny, with its references paying homage to all kinds of pop culture, from Sonic The Hedgehog and River City Ransom, even to the Star Wars themed Luchador called Boba Fight. Guacamelee 2! is a perfect second helping to the hearty offering that was the first title, and fans of the series will be pleased through and through.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It is a wonderful single-player experience, and I highly recommend escaping for a day into the colourful city of Cloudbank.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Once I successfully reconciled my expectations with my reality, the game revealed itself as a compelling, masterful work of art. Nothing feels useless or extraneous. The story wastes little time, the fights are all exuberant and engaging, the exploration is addicting, and the entire game is gorgeous. I can think of no better game to be the swan song for the PS4.

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