Game Informer's Scores

  • Games
For 7,734 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 62% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 34% 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 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Lowest review score: 1 Legends of Wrestling II
Score distribution:
7750 game reviews
    • 98 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    I now know how film critics felt after screening "The Godfather." It's been days since Grand Theft Auto IV's credits rolled, yet I can't seem to construct a coherent thought without my mind wandering off into a daydream about the game. I just want to drop everything in my life so I can play it again. Experience it again. Live it again...Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    This is a great game, single- or multiplayer, online or off.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    This is the stuff cult hits are made of. [May 2008, p.98]
    • 89 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    With a mere $30 price tag, it's the perfect way for fans and newcomers to experience this exceptional RPG. [May 2008, p.94]
    • 33 Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    Much like an American Ninja or Iron Eagle movie, if you see Target: Terror in the bargain bin, pick it up for a laugh. For the full price, however, get your shooting fix elsewhere.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    Without any degree of difficulty, however, you don't feel like you are doing anything other than making your tour guides talk.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Chosen One offers a decent arcade basketball experience, but its short single player and weak online options ultimately keep it from unseating the current street champ, "NBA Street Homecourt."
    • 54 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Chosen One offers a decent arcade basketball experience, but its short single player and weak online options ultimately keep it from unseating the current street champ, "NBA Street Homecourt."
    • 58 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    I haven’t laughed this much while playing a game since I was making fun of "Donkey Kong Barrel Blast," but Battle of the Bands’ one great idea would have benefited from some more robust gameplay.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    The strength of this game’s racing only makes its lack of growth in other fundamental areas all the more baffling. How easy would it be for Gran Turismo to rule the racing world if Polyphony put half the effort it does into capturing muffler audio into areas like a new career mode, pacing, and other features that rival franchises have conquered long ago?
    • 90 Metascore
    • 93 Critic Score
    While the novel gameplay and awe-inspiring art style will be the hook for many, the tale told here is one filled with heart and humor. [May 2008, p.95]
    • 67 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    But the slow pacing and bad combat tarnish what otherwise might have been a portable gem. [May 2008, p.99]
    • 40 Metascore
    • 55 Critic Score
    The single-player experience can be completed in a few hours, and the painful minigames give you good reason to skip the multiplayer.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 55 Critic Score
    Outside of tournaments and multiplayer, the game doesn't have a mode that you can sink your cleats--or time--into. [June 2008, p.101]
    • Game Informer
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    When pumped up to max settings, this new director’s cut makes the game look better than ever. Individual textures pop off the screen, making cloth and stone appear remarkably lifelike.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    FlatOut manages to plow through wrecked cars and almost anything else in its way, but this problem remains as a last obstacle. [May 2008, p.99]
    • Game Informer
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mana Khemia is different in name and structure, but it still hangs on tight to the process of item synthesis that drives "Atelier Iris", making it a spiritual sequel in most respects. [May 2008, p.94]
    • Game Informer
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The glaive is something that every action nut has to wrap his or her hands around. Like the BFG or the cerebral bore, you’ll remember this weapon forever. Sadly, you’ll remember the weapon more than the game itself.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The glaive is something that every action nut has to wrap his or her hands around. Like the BFG or the cerebral bore, you’ll remember this weapon forever. Sadly, you’ll remember the weapon more than the game itself.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    It’s a shame this port was released in a worse technical state than many beta builds I’ve played, because the core design of Universe at War (minus the lame by-the-numbers scripted campaign) is quite good.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Laughably bad dialogue combines with broken combat and tedious gameplay to create one of the worst games in years. Choose the Wii version, and you’re in for a special form of torture, as your camera wildly wheels about and an added layer of stupidity is included while aiming a weapon.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    A solid rental if you like bloody action games.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    A solid rental if you like bloody action games.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 55 Critic Score
    Go to your local game store, hand the clerk your money, and buy something other than Opoona. [Apr 2008, p.95]
    • 83 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    I like the combat and the mechanics, and even though the battles get repetitive, it’s frantic and fun enough to occasionally make you forget that fact.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    How much do you love "Final Fantasy VII"? If your answer is anything more enthusiastic than "It's okay", then you absolutely need to play Crisis Core. [Apr 2008, p.96]
    • 77 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    It’s a typical expansion pack.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Probably the best survival horror title we’ve seen this generation. The online multiplayer modes aren’t going to blow your mind, but they are a thoughtful addition. It’s got a higher level of action than its predecessor, and some gorgeous horror backdrops.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Beware, waggle controls go from amusing (hammering with the dropship) to pesky (the shoulder-dislocating astro punch).
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While this newest version of Hot Shots ushers in a welcome new swing mechanic, it’s unfortunate that other areas have been neglected. Out of Bounds is worth getting, but what it gains in its drive distances it loses in its short game.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Sega Superstars Tennis is by no means amazing, but it should manage to satisfy Sega and tennis fans alike.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Sega Superstars Tennis is by no means amazing, but it should manage to satisfy Sega and tennis fans alike.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    While the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions include online play and improved graphics, I surprisingly had a lot more fun on the Wii.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 93 Critic Score
    A hell of a package. It's sort of a shame that so much of it is recycled from the last game, but nobody stops eating their favorite food because it's similar every time - and this is the Kobe beef of tactical FPS. [Apr 2008, p.80]
    • 81 Metascore
    • 93 Critic Score
    A hell of a package. It's sort of a shame that so much of it is recycled from the last game, but nobody stops eating their favorite food because it's similar every time - and this is the Kobe beef of tactical FPS. [Apr 2008, p.80]
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although the game takes over for actions like targeting the goal, the normal list of soccer moves is not hamstrung, and I applaud Konami for its thoughtfulness in how to bring a game to the Wii with a new vision. [May 2008, p.92]
    • Game Informer
    • 59 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    Tiresome and repetitive.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Probably the best survival horror title we’ve seen this generation. The online multiplayer modes aren’t going to blow your mind, but they are a thoughtful addition. It’s got a higher level of action than its predecessor, and some gorgeous horror backdrops.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s a poor excuse to round up the gang. Presumably, the reason why your friends are your friends is because you share some common interests. Do some of those together instead.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    I continue to be a fan of this franchise because it offers the best soccer gameplay, hands down. But that sexy, albeit underperforming, ride on EA’s lot may win me over if Konami doesn’t step up and offer a better package soon.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    I continue to be a fan of this franchise because it offers the best soccer gameplay, hands down. But that sexy, albeit underperforming, ride on EA’s lot may win me over if Konami doesn’t step up and offer a better package soon.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    The game squanders its stylish setting, writing, and entertaining puzzle solving by minimizing the fun investigation segments, focusing squarely on broken combat and platforming.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    For a by-the-numbers space shooter, you can't go wrong with the second installment of this DS franchise. [Jan 2008, p.102]
    • Game Informer
    • 64 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Smart playing can minimize (but not eliminate) the annoyance of the VP gauge, leaving you with an entertaining strategy experience. However, with Level 5’s Jeanne D’Arc out there, Wild Arms XF certainly wouldn’t be my first recommendation to someone looking for an original, tactics-oriented PSP game.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    4X fans should be able to extract plenty of entertainment from this Danish import.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    These games look fairly dated and the bonus content here is a little thin. Shooter fans who’ve already had their fill of "Umbrella Chronicles" and "Ghost Squad" might find this worth checking out.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    With extremely tight controls and finely tuned balance, the core fighting mechanics and local multiplayer are spot on. There’s still nothing like learning the intricacies of every character, discovering possibly the most unlockables in any game yet, and using all of that to beat the crap out of your friends late into the night.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Like dysfunctional characters in a buddy flick, Army of Two has some annoying problems, but if you just want a fun cooperative experience, it gets the job done and delivers sizeable thrills you won’t find anywhere else.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Like dysfunctional characters in a buddy flick, Army of Two has some annoying problems, but if you just want a fun cooperative experience, it gets the job done and delivers sizeable thrills you won’t find anywhere else.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Chains of Olympus has vicious combat, mythological figures, and awesome moments that will be burned into your mind for years...This is one of the few must-play titles for the PSP. [Mar 2008, p.104]
    • 80 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Bully was a fantastic release late in the life of the PS2, and I’m pumped that the folks I know who’ve become gamers this generation now have a chance to experience it for themselves. For those of us who’ve already had our fun the first time, I’m not sure a second run at high school is really in order.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Bully was a fantastic release late in the life of the PS2, and I’m pumped that the folks I know who’ve become gamers this generation now have a chance to experience it for themselves. For those of us who’ve already had our fun the first time, I’m not sure a second run at high school is really in order.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    A description of Eco-Creature’s controls could easily read like a manual on how not to design an RTS.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    For all of the disgust Ninja Reflex slowly draws up from the pit of your stomach, it should have been branded Gag Reflex instead. [June 2008, p.99]
    • Game Informer
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Since I am hopelessly addicted to Road to the Show, MLB 08 gets my nod for the game you’ll get the most out of – but you really have to be into the concept of creating a player and raising him from a minor league hopeful to a major league all-star.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    It delivers new experiences with its gameplay, offers rewarding bonus content (playable minor league teams, and collectable baseball cards), and improves upon its already robust online play with an array of sorting options that will allow players to find the appropriate match-ups. The only area that needs work is Franchise mode.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    It delivers new experiences with its gameplay, offers rewarding bonus content (playable minor league teams, and collectable baseball cards), and improves upon its already robust online play with an array of sorting options that will allow players to find the appropriate match-ups. The only area that needs work is Franchise mode.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    In terms of depth, the Wii version doesn't offer much outside of a barebones Franchise mode. [May 2008, p.95]
    • Game Informer
    • 42 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    With the number of average-to-outstanding FPS titles available on next-gen consoles, there’s absolutely no reason to waste your time with this disaster.
    • 42 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    With the number of average-to-outstanding FPS titles available on next-gen consoles, there’s absolutely no reason to waste your time with this disaster.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    With the number of average-to-outstanding FPS titles available on next-gen consoles, there’s absolutely no reason to waste your time with this disaster. [Apr 2008, p.86]
    • Game Informer
    • 55 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    This game expands the show’s fiction and reveals a few mind-blowing twists, including one that has completely altered all of my theories about the show. As of the time of this writing, it is one of the biggest reveals yet.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    This game expands the show’s fiction and reveals a few mind-blowing twists, including one that has completely altered all of my theories about the show. As of the time of this writing, it is one of the biggest reveals yet.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    As a whole, however, Patapon is an experience not to be missed, and at $20 there's little excuse to let it pass you by. [Mar 2008, p.105]
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If you're into insane boss fights and haven't already hit this up on another system, Lost Planet deserves to be found. [Mar 2008, p.100]
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    It's a hell of a lot of fun, and hardcore pinball fans will appreciate the special achievements and unlockables like hidden tables and original promotional pamphlets. [Apr 2008, p.95]
    • Game Informer
    • 59 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    There are some minor tweaks here and there for this Wii remake, most notably the use of the nunchuk for reeling in the lunkers, but nothing that stops this game from being extremely dated and lacking in content and variety.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Frontlines does enough to entertain on the multiplayer end to make up for the woeful single-player experience. It’s a shame Kaos didn’t scrap the single-player altogether to focus completely on honing the online experience.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Frontlines does enough to entertain on the multiplayer end to make up for the woeful single-player experience. It’s a shame Kaos didn’t scrap the single-player altogether to focus completely on honing the online experience.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The entire package, whether it's boring fetch missions or jokes that fall flat, feels uninspired and rushed. [May 2008, p.95]
    • Game Informer
    • 72 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    A hardcore gamer’s type of game. Taking the time to perfect runs is a blast, and unlike most shooters, it can also be used for short gaming sessions. If you enjoy a good challenge and arcade-like games that empower you with bragging rights, you’re going to love this game’s nerve-shattering pressure.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    A hardcore gamer’s type of game. Taking the time to perfect runs is a blast, and unlike most shooters, it can also be used for short gaming sessions. If you enjoy a good challenge and arcade-like games that empower you with bragging rights, you’re going to love this game’s nerve-shattering pressure.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    This won't appeal to everyone, but those willing to put up with tired genre formulas are bound to have some fun. [Mar 2008, p.102]
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s funny, unique, and breaks up the text scrolling with more varied activities. Even so, Apollo still has room to grow, and I’m looking forward to seeing what case he takes next.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    This is a small step forward, but for a series that hasn’t moved an inch over five installments, it’s a mind-boggling breakthrough.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    This is a small step forward, but for a series that hasn’t moved an inch over five installments, it’s a mind-boggling breakthrough.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    These improvements stand in contrast to the continued weak goalie AI, unhelpful camera work, and iffy passing.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    These improvements stand in contrast to the continued weak goalie AI, unhelpful camera work, and iffy passing.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Thw Wii version has Wii remote racing, tricking, and pre-loading, and both have some slightly different events, so if you don't have a next-gen console you're still getting some solid racing. [Jan 2008, p.89]
    • Game Informer
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Without any narrative to speak of, you are just left with the repetition of taking on quests, going into the dungeon, and then returning to the hub town to take on more quests.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    Denied Ops offers the bread and butter of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and conquest, but nothing about this tacked-on feature set stands out. I suppose you could say the same thing about the entire game.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    While tech backdrops of futuristic cities are great, the fundamental racing mechanic has inched forward at a snail’s pace, delivering an experience that is almost identical to every Wipeout game that came before.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    If you can put up with the game’s complete and total linearity and don’t mind a largely forgettable multiplayer offering, there is a ton of brutal amusement to be had with Dark Messiah’s excellent melee combat.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    Denied Ops offers the bread and butter of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and conquest, but nothing about this tacked-on feature set stands out. I suppose you could say the same thing about the entire game.
    • 29 Metascore
    • 18 Critic Score
    Jumper fails on all fronts; animation, sound, level design, control, combat, storytelling, balancing, item management...all of it. It can also be completed in approximately two hours.
    • 28 Metascore
    • 18 Critic Score
    Jumper fails on all fronts; animation, sound, level design, control, combat, storytelling, balancing, item management...all of it. It can also be completed in approximately two hours. [Apr 2008, p.88]
    • Game Informer
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    As thankful as I am that there are role-playing titles that strive to innovate, I am also glad that games like Lost Odyssey are still being made. It is a testament to the philosophy that time-tested concepts, when implemented well, can be just as gratifying as they were at the genre’s inception.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    What’s really frustrating about this game is that although the puzzles themselves are fun to figure out, all the big mysteries presented by the story are solved for you via cutscenes. The fact that you aren’t allowed to actually solve the questions that have been on your mind all game long is simply a mistake.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    Denied Ops offers the bread and butter of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and conquest, but nothing about this tacked-on feature set stands out. I suppose you could say the same thing about the entire game. [Apr 2008, p.86]
    • Game Informer
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Poorly spaced checkpoints, dank too-similar environments, and magical teleporting allies are a few other annoying and strange traits that cause this game to fall down a few notches.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Poorly spaced checkpoints, dank too-similar environments, and magical teleporting allies are a few other annoying and strange traits that cause this game to fall down a few notches.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    As a strategy board game, Culdcept Saga integrates luck and skill well enough to be generally entertaining, and even more so if you are prone to obsession when it comes to collection and optimization. [Feb 2008, p.101]
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    The limited inventory system often forces you to waste items to make room, and multiplayer is a complete waste – unless prancing through the fields collecting faeries with a net is your cup of tea. However, for a children’s movie licensed game you could do a lot worse.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Downstream Panic’s Lemmings-esque gameplay is hard to resist.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    For less-critical gamers who just want to imagine they’re auditioning and then going on to Hollywood and a dubious claim to fame, then this should be all you wanted and more. [Apr 2008, p.88]
    • Game Informer
    • 58 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The three-dimensional game world is basically linear, but a brave attempt to add verticality adds some scope.

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