Forbes' Scores

  • Games
For 352 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 68% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 27% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 6.7 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 82
Highest review score: 100 Bloodborne: The Old Hunters
Lowest review score: 20 Doug Flutie's Maximum Football 2019
Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 7 out of 352
364 game reviews
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If you like Far Cry, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll like this as well. But if you’re becoming exhausted by ~20 hours of leveling, skinning, leaf-collecting, trinket-finding and map-clearing after the last few installments, Primal is definitely more of the same. The setting change is effective, but this isn’t going outside of the series’ comfort zone as much as Ubisoft might have you believe.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    This is a genuinely new experience, and I’m beyond glad that Remedy took this bizarre risk and made it. This is a game that feels special, new, and worth trying. I doubted this thing, I really did. But damn if it didn’t get me in the end.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    a very involved game, both functionally and narratively, but on each count, these aspects of the game can be awkward and difficult to fully understand, especially for newcomers. If you are one of the many people that have waited patiently for this installment and the chance to stick it to Xehanort, then you will definitely enjoy yourself a great deal.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I give Rainbow Six: Siege a Hold on my Buy/Hold/Sell scale. It’s a great multiplayer game and well worth playing, but it certainly won’t hurt to wait a bit until the price comes down. Better still, if you wait you can go and buy two or three copies with friends and play it the way it’s meant to be played: As a team.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is not only a solid visual upgrade to the Vita original but also has some much-needed functional improvements, both in terms of the controls and the backend progression flow. The only real downside is if you’re not a fan of Gundam Seed, as otherwise, this is a very nicely made mecha action game.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, this is yet another great Irem Collection, and much like the first and second releases, this third instalment is excellent. However, its star attraction is the adorable Mr. Heli, which is still just as fun to play as when I played it in the arcades as a kid.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Stellar Blade is a good game, not a (don’t say stellar) fantastic one. Its peers do a lot of the things it does but better, though that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable in its own right. Don’t go in expecting a revolution, but this may be the start of a solid series and could make Eve a Bayonetta/2B-esque star. The ensuing discourse about this game is going to be exhausting, as it has been already, but divorced from that, the game itself is solid, and that’s what matters the most.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a good game but not a great one. The echoes setup is certainly cerebral, but the lack of basic combat moves outside of the Swordfighter Form is jarring and only emphasized further at the end of the game. Here’s hoping that the next time Zelda ventures out into the wild world of Hyrule, someone remembers to give her a sword.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is a very nice remaster of a solid Wii game that had a great deal of affection from longtime players of the series back in the day. This remaster also runs very well on the Switch and is definitely worth picking up if you are a Kirby fan. However, if you are new to Kirby and want to experience the best of its 2D offerings, then I would have to recommend Planet Robobot instead.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The thing is, the UI is so tiny in handheld mode I can barely read the words and button prompts. It's pretty easy to just miss button prompts altogether. When docked to a TV, this isn't a problem at all, but it's quite frustrating on the go. I can only imagine how difficult this would be for someone with worse vision than my own.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Samurai Shodown is very much true to its gaming lineage and works a lot better on the Switch than you would expect. So if you like quick paced fighting games with lots of vicious bladed weaponry and a surprising amount of tactics, then this is definitely worth a look.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    I can definitively say the game has more positives than negatives and feels less raw than its predecessor, but it still isn’t as complete as other sports titles.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    That fact is what I really want to see is some substantial leaps forward for this series, as it’s starting to feel pretty dated in a lot of ways, but I also have to understand what Wonderlands is, a game Gearbox made from home during the pandemic that’s meant to be a stopgap before Borderlands 4. And I do think it succeeds at that job well enough to please most fans.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Madden 17 scores in many ways, and there’s more to like than there is to hate, but we can’t ignore the flags on the field. Gameplay, presentation and customization have taken strides, but there’s still work to do.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    There is less to dislike with FIFA 23 than there was with last year’s game, but I also wasn’t blown away with the advancements in several features such as career/franchise mode or the visuals. While it’s technically a better game than FIFA 22, it may not seem like it to those who don’t spend most of their time in FUT or VOLTA. Color me satisfied, but not overwhelmed.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Madden 22 is a significantly better game than Madden 21. The gameplay is smoother, franchise mode has more layers and MUT will remain a powerhouse. However, while each of the three areas deliver on one had, they each have a drawback. Also, modes like Face of the Franchise and The Yard fail to deliver in a way that moves the needle. The good outweighs the bad overall, and you’ll likely enjoy Madden if you’re a fan of the series. Still, it feels like we’re one year shy of delivering the kind of complete Madden release that really breaks new ground for the series.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    While the gameplay and consistently improving modes are the obvious strong suits of NASCAR Heat 3, the game is still just a touch short of an elite racing title because it lacks personality and high-level presentation. That said, the groundwork and the second floor are in place for a complete racing experience, the developers and publisher just need to add a rough and some pops of color.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    For the past three years, Konami has placed almost all of its focus on gameplay. That's a smart strategy, but the time has come for the developer/publisher to fatten up the other areas of their game. Were this review based purely on gameplay, the score would be much higher. As a complete package, PES 2018 is good, but still incomplete.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    This year, Madden doesn't break any new ground or fix all or most of the nagging issues that have impeded the series in the past. However, it does deliver an absolutely stunning visual experience, decent gameplay and enough options to keep most fans occupied.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    The gameplay and options are on an elite level in TGC 2, but the graphics and presentation are still a step behind.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Halo Infinite might be the best campaign 343 has done, but considering I didn’t love the last two, I’m not sure how much weight that carries. Halo Reach remains the gold standard for me in that department, and while I had a lot of fun here zipping around the open world, and I can see the potential of the concept, something about Infinite feels small and unfinished to me compared to both other Halo campaigns, and other open world titles. I don’t need (or want) a sprawling Assassin’s Creed map that takes 200 hours to clear, but I think I need more diversity than what’s here, and a better story with better characters told within it.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    ARMS is a unique, fresh take on the fighting genre that's simple to learn but tough to master. It's not going to be for everyone, but it's fun to see Nintendo try something so new. $60 seems a bit steep.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Dishonored 2 doesn’t live up to the original, but it still provides great gameplay mechanics and a sense of freedom you can’t find anywhere else.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Ultimately, I recommend the game purely based on its fun factor. Some people may say it's too linear, but in an age of overly large open-world games, a bit of linearity is a breath of fresh air. I love moving from one mission to the next, using creative ways to kill my enemies but not having to worry about exhausting a bunch of checkpoints across a sprawling map. On the other hand, at $59.99 on console and $49.99 on PC I simply can't recommend you buy it at full price. This should be half that, at most, and should include the Duke Nukem DLC regardless of pre-order. I give the game a Hold on my Buy/Hold/Sell scale. Wait for a sale. One should come along soon enough.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Overall, Taito Milestones 2 follows nicely on from the first release. It includes even more excellent games and does a nice job of encapsulating Taito’s long and influential gaming history into one neat little package.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    This feels like a missed opportunity and while the respective games are great to play, the collection as a whole feels somewhat lacking in a technical sense. With any luck, Nintendo could patch the collection to have all the games run at 60 fps and at 1080p, but I am not holding my breath on that one.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    On a whole, you can tell the dev team focused most of their attention on tightening gameplay. That’s understandable, but this approach has left many of the modes feeling a tad empty.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    he campaign is a blast and quite unique for Call Of Duty (though not that weird for Black Ops more specifically) and multiplayer is a lot of fun if you don’t need split-screen which is irredeemably and inexcusably broken. If you’re a fan of Black Ops games I think you’ll enjoy this one a lot. If you prefer Modern Warfare I suspect you’ll like it less. It’s good, not great.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a bombastic shooter with a charming cast and a gripping story. Sure, its gameplay is basically a carbon copy of Doom’s but with a 1930s rubber hose aesthetic. However, the execution is well done and it still has plenty of other aspects that differentiate itself. Jack isn’t going through Hell on Earth, but he’s determined to go to Hell and back to uncover the corrupt underbelly of Mouseburg.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    If ever there was a game that could be boosted by an instant replay feature, it's NBA Playgrounds 2. There are times when you pull off a completely over-the-top slam, and having the option to watch it over from different angles would be fun.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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    • 75 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    It’s nothing revolutionary, and the writing hasn’t improved from the base game much, but it’s a solid entry and it’s fun to have Moxxi leading supported by the returning character.
    • 90 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    It's a sublime distillation of everything that makes the Souls games so amazing, but it truly is more challenging than any of those games by a very long mile. I am not exaggerating here. I think Sekiro may be one of the very best games ever made, but it is not going to be for everyone. I still recommend that everyone gives it a shot. It takes patience but it's just such a well-crafted action game, I've never played anything quite like it...I'm playing the game at my own pace rather than rushing through. I'd get too frustrated, I think. So I'll take my time to finish this beast. And I'm okay with that. I'm in no hurry to be done with the world of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It's the best game I've played since Bloodborne.
    • 81 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    In my time with my review copy of Lost Ark on the PTS the past few weeks, I’ve gotten at least 40 hours in on a single character, more than enough to make a judgement about my potential future with the game. It’s trouble. This game is trouble. And I mean that as a compliment. ["Positive" review in progress]
    • 78 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    For all its problems and occasional lack of polish, the greatest compliment that can be paid to RIDE 4 is that it feels like a truly premium product–a racing game that deserves its $50 price tag. The fact it’ll get a free upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X owners in January 2021 only adds long-term value, especially given how good it looks already.
    • 82 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    There are a few desirable features missing when you compare The Show 18 to other sports video game titles, but if we were to judge the features and core gameplay that are present, the latest entry to the series maintains its impressive hitting streak. The game looks better, plays smoother and is easier to navigate behind the scenes. Despite the missing pieces, it's still a winner. There's just too much to like for it not to be heavily appreciated by baseball fans.
    • 69 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The problem is that Sea of Thieves is not a complete game. It just isn’t. It’s maybe 5 or 10% of one, but given what other open world/co-op games can offer you for $60, it’s just astonishing how little Sea of Thieves offers.
    • 79 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    For all its faults and missteps, Pacer is a strong, gloriously addictive debut; all R8 Games needs to do is iron out its issues with a few patches, then hit us with a killer sequel or two–just like Psygnosis did with the immortal Wipeout 2097 and Wip3out.
    • 59 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The game is a mess, and not only that, some of the ways that Reforged is a mess actually impact the original Warcraft III. So even if you didn’t buy the remaster and just want to play your old game, you’ll still face some of the same problems with the new launcher, connecting to servers and so forth. [Impressions]
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    It's . . . fine, I guess? Not something I'd urge you to go pick up on day one, but a pretty good time-suck regardless. I like it, I just don't love it. I don't hate it, either. It's just perfectly okay. [Impressions]
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    After spending more time with the game, I’m willing to declare that on the whole, Genshin Impact boasts an entirely better combat system than Breath of the Wild. Simply put, it’s more action-oriented, more diverse, more strategic, and more fun. [Impressions]
    • 72 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    There just isn’t a whole lot here compared to past entries. No new enemies, minimal loot drops across two completions, repurposed geometry to make new areas, five skill points instead of the rumored full fourth skill tree that should be coming later. I thought this would end up being one of the most substantial DLCs to date, but instead, I definitely think it’s the least. The writing is good, but everything else is somewhat lacking here.
    • 65 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Overall the campaign is a massive letdown. It still manages to include some fun boss fights and cool level design in an undoubtedly pretty package. The bones of a good game are here, and it makes me wish Treyarch had gone an entirely different direction, while still keeping cool ideas like crossover progression with multiplayer. [Campaign Review]

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