GameCritics' Scores

  • Games
For 4,098 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 37% higher than the average critic
  • 6% same as the average critic
  • 57% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 6.8 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 68
Highest review score: 100 Citizen Sleeper
Lowest review score: 0 Mass Effect: Pinnacle Station
Score distribution:
4104 game reviews
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A pretty tough game. It's not a long experience, but players will no doubt add a few hours to the final tally from being killed and having to replay missions.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The total package is a game of deceptive brilliance.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It can be oddly frustrating at times, yet it has enough merit to make it one of my favorite games this year. It doesn't necessarily refresh the nostalgia I had when it was SSX two releases ago, but it definitely re-introduces the fun lacking in the gaming slump I've experienced lately.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    As much as I enjoyed my time in Century : Age of Ashes, I do have wonder how much staying power it will have. Since all classes are viable in each mode, I suspect many players may stick with one character class, get invested, and not explore the rest of what the game has to offer. As an example, I found myself only switching to other classes if the daily mission or hatching a dragon egg specifically required it. Also, due to the limited amount of content that is currently present, a busy player will see nearly everything within a couple of hours. Despite those concerns, the game looks great, each class is enjoyable to play, and each match is maybe 20 minutes at most — perfect for quick sessions.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite the rough patches, Warhanmmer 40,000 Boltgun remains impressive. It’s fast, action-packed, controls well, and is (mostly) a joy to play. With just a little tweaking and a few adjustments, this could easily be one of the all-time greats.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    After the last few installments, WWE 2K22 succeeds in bringing the zest back into this long-running franchise. Each match is intense and exciting, and I couldn’t stop myself from exploring different play styles and re-enacting some of my favorite encounters. Even if the whole WWE circus only exists to present a cheap power fantasy, games like this one triumph in highlighting the best side of the affair.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    In the end, Paradise is both more and less than its predecessors. Not everything that made the previous Burnout games great has survived the transition to the new open world format.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    This shining example of old-school design infused with new-school wisdom completely destroyed my expectations and delivered a supremely polished and challenging adventure that only grew more rewarding the further I went.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While the game employs well-established and well-worn tropes from the adventure genre, it successfully creates an eerie, compelling atmosphere, and the writing conveys a strong story. The Charnel House Trilogy is a short, but worthwhile trip.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With a fascinating story and great gameplay, Broken Lines makes a strong case that turn-based combat can be used for projects more modest than the grand strategy and expansive RPGs that generally feature it.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although it offers a simple premise and equally simple mechanics, Infinite Minigolf actually ends up being one of the PSVR’s more promising titles. The tournament content is engaging despite having to play through each difficulty, but the real future of Infinite Minigolf depends on an engaged community of creators. The tools are here, but the devs will have to come up with a method of purging the servers of one-slab, featureless courses if they want people to continue to build on the infinite amount of content suggested in the title.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The definitive edition of the game, and should be a no-brainer for existing fans of the series. Newcomers shouldn't miss out either, as it presents deep, meaty gameplay and narrative experience that puts paid the notion that portable platforms can't be home to true enthusiast fare.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    As someone with no deep knowledge of the franchise and severe misgivings about fighting game innovations, I was pleasantly surprised at how extremely playable Gundam Versus is. Great balancing and simple controls allow anyone to jump right into the combat, and the matches are always brief enough that I never felt like I was being forced to wallow in failure while learning the ropes. It turns out that a player doesn’t need to already know and love Gundam to appreciate high-speed robot carnage.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    All in all, Lego City Undercover still ranks as one of the all-around best LEGO games I’ve spent time with, and while I’d recommend it to any fan of the series, that goes double for kids who crave some open-world GTA-style screw-around action without any of the questionable stuff that makes parents raise an eyebrow. I’m glad LCU finally made its way to a console besides the WiiU, and I’m guessing a lot of other people will be, too.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although it may not sound like high praise to say that The Wolf Among Us: Smoke & Mirrors is holding steady with the status quo, it's so stylish and enjoyable that I'm quite content to get more of the same.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A lack of ambition isn't necessarily a problem here—for players looking for solid Tower Defense, DG2 has a decent story, plenty of well-built levels, and truly impressive number of gameplay modifiers and modes, and it has handily replaced DG1 as the most technically adept game of its type.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    For those who are in search of a good puzzler wrapped up in bloody homage, Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut is a great way to go.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I really wanted to love Little Nightmares, and in some ways, I do. It tells an intriguing, ambiguous story through a gorgeous, gothic-inspired art style. However, the moment-to-moment interaction suffers from loose controls, questionable physics, and cat-and-mouse sequences that quickly grow tedious. To its credit, the story begins and ends on strong high notes, making both a good first impression and a final lasting one. More art exhibit than enjoyable game, Little Nightmares nevertheless deserves to be in the same conversations as Limbo and Inside, if not because it tops them, then because it shares the same artistic and narrative ambitions.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The world is so carefully crafted and the combat so great, they both carry all the weight the story doesn’t, and then some. After being unimpressed with Remedy’s previous work, Control feels like a powerful final draft after those early false starts and marks a strong new creative direction for the studio.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I enjoyed myself in almost every one of Gravity Ghost’s levels, and had a great time weaving my way around and through its many planets. Iona’s starbound story is a tragedy, but her afterlife is a triumph.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If Monolith's ducks had all been in a row, Mordor could have been a top contender for the year, but even so, it's still worth getting into for no other reason than it delivers what I've wanted from Assassin's Creed since the start.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Roadcraft is not a game for everyone, and it’s not even for every Snowrunner fan — but that’s what makes it brilliant for those willing to tune in, and the number of potential fans is probably larger than one might guess. So, despite how eager I am for the return of the Chosen One in Snowrunner 2, I also will be keenly watching where Roadcraft goes. I can’t think of anything in the double-A space that’s more interesting, or has more potential, than this game.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Symphonia is an audiovisual masterpiece. It’s short, sweet, and just challenging enough to keep even the most seasoned players on their toes. I look forward to returning to Symphonia’s magical soundscape when I need to feel inspired, and I am excited to see what Sunny Peak has in store for the future.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While reading off of my TV for forty hours took some getting used to, I’m glad I read Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception. The characters are well-written, it’s beautiful to look at, and I can’t wait to see where it’s all going.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Earth Atlantis remains a beautiful, enjoyable shoot-’em-up under the sea, and I highly recommend taking the dive.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Alan Wake 2 is a unique experience thanks to the innovative blending of photorealism and traditional visual design, as well as a narrative deeply entwined to gameplay mechanics to an extent rarely seen before. It is not a perfect experience, but it is innovative enough to inspire gamers and devs alike for years to come.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    For all its depth, though, I quickly discovered that I had little control of the game after the early part of it.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I hate Monster Rancher. No other series turns me into such a complete vegetable, helpless to do anything but sit in front of my PlayStation 2 devoting hours upon hours the way this one does.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While the fourth chapter disappoints with superfluous wrapup and temporal confusion, the three other chapters of The Lion’s Song offer engaging tales of creative struggle and triumph. In their best moments, they convey the sense of being in a city enjoying the full bloom of artistic and intellectual development, where new sciences and new approaches to art might connect and transform each other, and that’s a kind of excitement games rarely capture.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    This chapter isn’t the best (Chapter 2’s Sapienza still reigns supreme) but it’s a worthy addition. Four targets in heavily populated territory is a new twist for Hitman, and the fact that it was done without unfairly kicking the difficulty up or sacrificing player-paced preparation should be commended.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although the animation and framerate aren't as optimized as they could be (one of the qualities common to Terminal Reality's other titles) and some of the combat sequences can occasionally be frustrating, looking past Charlize Theron's digitized face reveals Aeon Flux to be finely in tune with its animated soul-and a darker, more artistically challenging thrill ride than players are usually privy to.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite my qualms about the combat engine, graphics and the amount of minor bugs on display, it's a testament to BioWare's craft that Dragon Age: Origins is as intensely addicting and as ultimately satisfying as it is.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It's a testament to how expertly-crafted this DLC is that I can replay the base game in preparation, still get my ass kicked to an embarrassing degree, and ultimately walk away feeling satisfied and as capable as ever. The Old Hunters is definitely more "hardcore" than anything From Software has cooked up in recent memory, but those who want this know who they are, and for that select group, The Old Hunters is everything they signed up for and more.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite the ho-hum storyline and a few minor pacing issues in the endgame ,it still comes pretty Ys-ey to recommend overall.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The lack of accessibility options with regard to control and display customization also threatens to make Star Trek: Resurgence less inclusive than its Federation values would suggest. Nevertheless, these quibbles are things that I found relatively easy to overlook, considering how well the game channels qualities of Star Trek long absent from the franchise’s adaptations. I’d choose instead to hope Dramatic Labs addresses some of these concerns through patches and updates. Those like me, who are able to put aside those complaints, will find a thrilling and refreshing dose of Trek fan service, and perhaps the beginning of a special journey, in Star Trek: Resurgence.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While I’m sure developer Hello Games is still tweaking things and perhaps even creating more content for No Man’s Sky, the current state of affairs is a strong one. This galactic opus still offers an infinite amount of content for those who want to lose themselves among the stars, but now also contains a concrete throughline that will satisfy a wider array of players. It can be irritating at times, but it’s also full of stunning moments and the satisfaction of building a virtual life among the stars. Four years after launch, it’s finally a journey worth taking.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Technically, the framerate takes a hit here and there in some of the more ornate levels. It's noticeable, but it doesn't disrupt the flow of action.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Enjoying La Pucelle Tactics requires a compulsive temperament and a perverse sense of humor.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is perhaps the best version of one of the best fighting games to date. The new visuals and audio take the presentation to the next level, and playing with the creepy-cool alternate characters is great. Moreover, the Switch’s biggest draw is its portability, so there’s finally a way to play Street Fighter with a friend on a single unit, anytime and anywhere. It might not be enough to win back players who have no desire to revisit this classic, but this reviewer does not count himself among that group.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Shadowgate, Déjà vu and The Uninvited are obtuse, they’re rough to look at, and finding answers online is required, but their charm and atmosphere certainly carries through, even after so many years. Picking up all three of these classics for eight dollars is a no-brainer, but the quality time I had introducing these to my son was priceless.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite my problems with the above-water sequences, I still found Subnautica: Below Zero to be a delight. It expands on the first game’s worldbuilding, offers surprises and thrills in equal measure, and most importantly, it takes a huge amount of frustration (if not all of it) out of survival. The end of the story promises a third chapter which could open up the world in even more intriguing ways, and if the developers can keep improving their formula, I’m very excited to see what’s next.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Above the Law corrects a lot of the missteps from the first two episodes and also benefits from the narrative scaffolding they painstakingly laid. If nothing else, this episode illustrates that the season is on a trajectory of improvement. The fact that Clementine is a supporting character still stings, but the pain in my heart when she makes an offhanded comment about Lee from season one suggests her character (and all the baggage she carries) remains emotionally resonant.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is an adventure with a whole lot to do, and a whole lot of ways to do it. I cherished exploring this bustling world, and experimenting with the stellar combat system provided hours of entertainment. I just wish the developers focused a bit more on the strong fundamentals, rather than creating countless systems for the player to digest. Nevertheless, Revenant Kingdom is an exceptional title deserving attention from fans of almost any genre.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Kena fills the void left by a now-scarce genre that used to be far more common than it is today. It’s a simple story of love and loss with gorgeous visuals and a play loop ripped straight from the PS2 era. I would have liked a few more concessions to help players navigate the world and its challenges, but I still enjoyed my time here — it doesn’t reinvent the action-adventure platformer wheel, but it managed to put a nostalgic smile on my face.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    And so, the Switch adds yet another solid rhythm game title to its growing library and reinforces the idea that the console is becoming the go-to destination for both handheld and couch-centric rhythm gaming shenanigans. It certainly helps that Spin Rhythm is so welcoming to players of all skill levels – seasoned rhythm gods, beginners, and even perpetual mediocrities like myself. Spin Rhythm does its best to keep the groove going for everyone.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A rock-solid game. While it's not the Shining game I would have asked for, it's definitely one of the better hack-and-slash titles out there for the console market.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Always challenging but never impossible, Echoshift goes out of its way to cater to the player in ways that very few titles do, making it an easy game to love
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although I hate to be so vague about The Bunker, giving away too much would be doing a great disservice to anyone reading this review. Instead, I’ll simply say that it’s one of the most enjoyable FMV games I’ve ever played, and that I’d recommend prospective players block out two hours and go through it all in a single sitting. My compliments to Splendy Games, and I’m now officially on record as being quite prepared to drop a few dollars on whatever they turn out next.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Those searching for traditional third-person action should probably keep looking, but players interested in exploring a nine-hour interactive ninja flick packed full of the most insane action ever choreographed need look no further.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Puyo Pop achieves what a good puzzle game asks for, simple execution yet addictive and deep fun, adding a distinctly weird Japanese flavor to a premise that originated in Russia.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The horrors of the last year have given me a new appreciation for the type of entertainment that allows me to fall into a predictable routine, and roguelikes are the perfect venue. In the past, too many developers have assumed that the simple inclusion of procedurally-generated levels is enough to keep run-based games interesting, but the increased regularity of quality titles like Skul leaves me confident that studios are learning, and that the roguelike renaissance isn’t going away anytime soon.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite those issues, there is no question that Cursed Mountain is not only one of the finest titles currently available for the Wii, it's a welcome detour from the well-worn survival horror path that so many developers seem only too happy to tread.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a massive game that feels a lot like its predecessor, but now it’s filled with even more things to collect and more missions to finish. But when does a game contain too much? As I reached the end of the campaign, the good times I had turned into a series of chores. Luckily, players can avoid most of the busywork by not worrying about the online conquests or the endgame, but for those that do? Be prepared to grind for it.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Duels of the Planeswalkers is a faithful, if watered down, representation of a classic game that excels at drawing in new players and reigniting the old fire in seasoned veterans.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Danganronpa series is concerned with the ongoing battle between the power of hope and the power of despair, and while these games are overlong and peppered with some less-than-stellar moments, the excellent plots give the player a sense of hope for the future of dynamic narrative in videogames. This is some of the best, most suspenseful, storytelling that I’ve ever seen attempted in the medium. While there’s no new content and the graphics remain unchanged from the Vita versions, 1.2 Reload is a great jumping-on point for fans of visual novels who’ve never experienced the series before.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, I enjoyed my time with Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. The note charts are interesting and build on themselves as sections of a song are repeated, the track selection is immense, and as a bonus, it plays great both in docked mode or on the go, which means that it’s easy to pick up and get a couple of songs in, anywhere or anytime. Rhythm fans and Final Fantasy fans alike shouldn’t miss out on this one.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Bladed Fury is a great package. The diminutive length (I finished the main story in under four hours) is offset by a reasonably cheap price tag, making it an easy recommendation to any fans of fast-paced 2D action.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With Conviction, the Splinter Cell series seemed to be veering off course, but Blacklist thankfully grabs the wheel and gets it back on track.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Fans of the genre would be smart to pick it up, and fans of Alien can consider it both a mega-dose of fanservice, and a must-play to be tracked down.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The core experience is still a truly fantastic, deep adventure that should be played by pretty much everyone who can tolerate a stiff, unyielding challenge – but the minimal effort put into this remaster also smacks of a fairly lazy cash grab. New players should dive in without a second thought, but for those who’ve traveled through the Kiln and back before… well, just be aware that there’s almost nothing truly new on offer here.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Call me a jaded critic, a wet blanket, or anything else, but I'm not going to be dazzled into submission by stunning visuals and overlook a core game design that doesn't impress.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Anyone with an aversion to cute will likely vomit themselves inside out before they've cleared the intro movie, puking their way into a catatonic state with inhuman haste, but for everyone there's a lot to love in Atelier Totori. It's huge, it's charming and it's just a shame that its strict, poorly defined timeline rubs some of its sheen off. That aside, it's almost ludicrously absorbing, beautiful to bask in, and a joy to play.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If one is able to put these narrative issues aside, Astria Ascending is a solid and beautiful J-inspired RPG with some noticeable (but ultimately minor) flaws. JRPG fans looking for a new world to sink dozens of hours into need look no further.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I have a love/hate relationship with Death Howl. If I have a few bad combats, I’ll curse the game out and shut it off. When I come back a day later and have a better run, it’s easier to appreciate what the developers are doing. While I don’t exactly care for the progression and penalties tied to the cards, the symbolism and use of grief here is strong, and the sharp tactical combat is notable.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While the criticisms are worth mentioning, anyone who’s a fan of Resident Evil and has somehow not played this pair yet is sure to enjoy both, although I still maintain that Revelations 1 is the better of the two. With an ability to sync save data between games and an emphasis on bit-sized gameplay sessions, these entries are near-perfectly suited for the Switch library.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Project Starship X is an enjoyable, stylish, and tough-as-nails shooter that tested my skills. While I have yet to get through all of its levels and master its gameplay, it’s a solid addition to the shmup genre that any fan should check into.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s the best version of a legendary fighting experience, and even if it doesn’t check all the expected boxes of a modern fighting game package, it still kicks ass.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Procession to Calvary is a gem. It’s wild, smart, incredibly unconventional romp, and it’s new experiences like this that give me life as a reviewer. I’m very glad to have played it.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Frankly, I think the entire action-centric, Island of Dr. Moreau direction the game takes in its latter half is unnecessary. The game is more than suspenseful enough just by placing the player against impossible odds, and the game's lush tropical locales are much more compelling than the indoor corridors that appear a bit later on.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s a slick, if understated, little title that delivers a frenetic, yet rewarding experience—like the best escape rooms.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Atlas Reactor has tons of strategic depth compressed into hyper-kinetic ten-minute chunks.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Burst Re:Newal plays better than any SK game before it and has the most satisfying story yet. If it weren’t for the lackluster fields of battle, I’d have no trouble calling this the best game of the franchise. Regardless, it’s a perfect starting place for those new to the battles of these soulful, buxom shinobi, a fantastic plot resource for fans who didn’t play the DS game, and one of the most player-friendly brawlers around.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Between getting all the aesthetics right and offering stellar gameplay, NHL 08 has an awful lot going for it, and I'm sure it will please longtime fans of the series.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Of all the games in this feature, Audiosurf is the one most reassuringly rich in innovation and potential, and proves beyond question that plastic instruments and pricey downloadable content are not the be-all and end-all of the rhythm action genre.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s an impressive release, especially considering it was crafted by a team of only around 30 people. There are a few bugs here and there and and the controls aren’t as tight as I would’ve hoped, but this title shows off its huge heart with a well-told story and level design that revitalizes the classic Oddworld formula. While it has taken an obscene amount of time to reach what is ostensibly a remake for part two of a five-part story, I hope Soulstorm does well enough in the market to keep this lovable and truly odd franchise going.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Most of my complaints about Battlefield 1 are small. With a few tweaks and an update or two, Battlefield 1 could be the best in the series, and it feels like the refresh this series has needed for a while. Setting Battlefield in WW1 paid off and I’m excited to see what the series does next. But for now, I can’t wait to jump back in and pull off another successful bayonet charge.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Luckslinger is a stylish and enjoyable adventure. Sure, it’s a little weird seeing a pixelated hip-hop spaghetti Western, but it successfully fuses different influences into a wild cowboy ride like none other.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Without a doubt, Skylander's Spyro's Adventure is the best family-friendly, everybody-pleasing title I've seen in quite some time, and has handily eclipsed that other collect'-em-all franchise as the go-to at our house.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pig Eat Ball is vaguely similar to might be seen as an interstellar version of Hungry Hungry Hippos. Players compete to do various things (including making a sandwich!) but if players bite another’s tail, they vomit up their balls and other players have a chance to grab them. It’s not a mode I’ll do on a regular basis, but I can’t deny it was a good time. As a genuine fan of Nathan’s for many years, I’m glad to see that the guy is still making games, and for those out there who have yet to sample his work, now is the perfect time to try.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    An amazingly accessible and fun experience in a genre overfull with games that pride themselves on their depth and complexity.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Coin-ops need to be easily approachable and need to produce an immediate satisfaction while home games need to have lengthy play-life with a long-term sense of growth and development. Legends manages to be a good (but not great) example of both of these styles of gameplay and have melded them successfully into a neat hybrid.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Star Trek: Bridge Crew accomplishes what no previous game came close to — it truly makes the player feel as if they’re on the bridge of a starship, taking part in sci-fi adventures. When a skilled crew is working under an able captain, Bridge Crew offers a uniquely thrilling experience, making everyone feel that they’re contributing equally to every part of the mission. There are plenty of co-op games out there, but I’ve never encountered one as purely collaborative as this. This isn’t about characters with different skillsets making up for each others’ shortcomings, this is about transforming four people into cogs in a machine designed to do incredible things.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Not A Hero may not star a hero, but it is a heroic effort to freshen up the 2D shooter scene. It's not easy to stand out in the vast crowd of pixel-art indie productions these days, but Roll7 pulls it off, and such craft is enough for Bunnylord to get my vote.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While it was a long time coming, I’m quite glad that I waited for Darkest Dungeon. The learning curve is steep, the controls are a little fiddly and the difficulty is high, but it’s a superb port of a rich game that’s become part of my daily routine. Conquering these cosmic horrors and undoing my mad uncle’s actions may be a long, grueling process, but it’s a process I’ll see to the end.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Digital Devil Saga 2 isn't just about maturity; it has maturity, and that's a major accomplishment.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    In spite of sporadic issues with the controls and the monetization model, UFC 4 is a great fighter, even if one bases it solely on the expansive career mode. As I currently celebrate my first championship title and defending it, I wholeheartedly recommend this one, not only to fans of the sport, but to anyone looking for their next fighting game fix.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite how anxious I am for the devs to continue the mainline Senran Kagura story, I can’t deny that they’ve put out an exceptional title here. The racing is thrilling, the characters are wonderful, and the story has charm to spare.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    In the end, One BTN Bosses could easily serve as a gateway to get players into the bullet hell genre without overwhelming them. It still requires the same skills needed for other bullet hells like timing, precise movement, and balancing attack movement with dodging enemy fire. However, it makes everything happen with a single button press, so players can focus on practicing those skills in a more limited, controlled way. It might not convert those who already know they don’t like bullet hell titles, but fans of the genre and even people on the fence might find a lot of excitement in how masterful it is at minimalism.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    In total, this is quite a collection that spans the rise and fall of a truly landmark series. The bonus material is a nice addition and the ability to revisit any and all parts of the saga in one place is welcome. I’m tempted to recommend this collection on the strength of the first series alone, but something as complete as this is a no-brainer for anyone who’s a fan of the franchise, of zombie apocalypse stories, or of episodic storytelling in general.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I can't say that the developers totally nailed it, but with solid mechanics, a strong sci-fi theme, exciting action and tons of large-scale watercooler moments, I do recognize it as an experimental step forward that succeeds far more than it fails.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s clearly a game that’s designed to be played for a hell of a lot of hours over an extended period of time, and has a lot of substance going for it. I’ll probably come back to it after a while, but even if the sense of burnout I wound up with persists, my initial experience with Dead Cells was still a hell of a good time.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Given its unintimidating nature, the only question that should hang over any prospective buyer’s head is whether the idea of watching a sneaky goose make everyone’s day worse is amusing. If the answer is yes – and it damn well ought to be – Untitled Goose Game stands as evidence that even the silliest idea can birth a surprise hit when applied with conviction. I doubt anyone will make a better misanthropic goose game anytime soon.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I took a run at Darkwood when it was in Early Access on PC, and found myself so beaten down by the experience that I was forced to step away. Now, in its completed form, the balancing has been fine-tuned to the point where a determined player with the patience to slowly explore a hostile world will be able to make it to the end. It’s still one of the most challenging and bleakest survival experiences I’ve ever had, but I’m happy to see that the developers have found a sweet spot between alienating difficulty and player empowerment. It’s a challenge, but a fair one — and one that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The workaday plot aside, the fact that my main complaints about Relooted boil down to wanting more of it says something about its quality. The heists are satisfying, the escapes are exciting, and the characters that get a chance to shine are charismatic. Relooted has the bones of an all-timer, but it falls short of building the perfect reliquary to keep them in.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ultimately, I enjoyed this Samurai Shodown revival. Its back-to-basics approach works, and the lack of long combos helps differentiate it in a genre filled with them. It plays well, looks decent, has a great selection of characters, and performs well online — and better, there’s a reasonable amount of people playing at launch. The slower pace and heavier reliance on pokes may turn some players away, but for everyone else, Samurai Shodown offers a fresh, satisfying twist on weapons-based combat unlike nearly anything else out there.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The illusion of an online community is maintained flawlessly.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I press on with Heavy Bullets because its luminescent vision sculpts that chaos from noise into a signal, and creates a deconstruction and resurrection of an idealized game that I'll never get to play, but never get tired of chasing.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Though prospective pilots may have a tough time giving the green light to Assault Suit Leynos due to the hefty price tag, it’s an impeccable remake of a classic, underappreciated Genesis game that delivers all that could be asked of it and more.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Easy Delivery Co. is a resoundingly successful marriage of tone and mechanics. The developers demonstrate a keen eye toward player engagement, offering just enough depth to require my focus, but not so much as to distract from their haunting world. While the narrative ultimately falls a bit flat, the quiet moments of brewing tea by firelight and harrowing drives through blinding blizzards will stick with me long after I make my final delivery.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Lair of the Leviathan is, I think, the best chapter of Tales of Monkey Island so far.

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