GameSpew's Scores

  • Games
For 3,619 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 51% higher than the average critic
  • 10% same as the average critic
  • 39% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 2.2 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 73
Highest review score: 100 Streets of Rage 4: Mr. X Nightmare
Lowest review score: 10 Planet 2000
Score distribution:
3630 game reviews
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s safe to say that our time with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre so far has had its ups and downs. We’ve generally loved playing as a killer, using our various skills to hunt down and execute unfortunate victims. Playing as a victim, however, our feelings are more complicated. Getting slaughtered while having no idea where you should be going or what you should be doing isn’t particularly enjoyable, though thankfully things do pick up once you’ve learned the maps a little. The sometimes finicky contextual actions and troublesome matchmaking remain, though, and the latter is only likely to get worse. In any case, there’s lots of fun to be had here for multiplayer horror fans. We’re just intrigued to see how Sumo Digital and Gun Interactive plan to keep the experience balanced and interesting in the long-term.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    iO
    Though far from revolutionary, iO is a simple, yet intuitive puzzler that is sure to dig its hooks into fans of the genre looking for a unique challenge.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The simplistic nature of the combat system means that fights, though enjoyable, can become quite repetitive.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    doesn’t have the look or feel of a triple-A title which might put some off, but it’s a game that isn’t afraid of trying new things.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    I’ll no doubt be sinking many hours into FIFA 19 in the months to come, but I do wish the effort put into the game by EA Sports hadn’t been spent on the modes I’m not really keen on.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Band of Bastards isn’t epic in length or bursting with content, and its overarching story isn’t likely to get its hooks in you, but it’s still a good reason to revisit Kingdom Come: Deliverance. And if you’re still making your way through the game for the first time, it’s even better. Thanks to its witty, humorous dialogue and multiple outcomes as a result of your actions, it’ll likely remind you why Kingdom Come: Deliverance is such a great game in the first place.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If it wasn't for Jump Force's highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable combat, the game would be a disaster. But Jump Force is a fighting game, and so everything about it that's turgid and unnecessary can largely be avoided or overlooked. It's got a large roster of fighters, plenty of content, and looks great in action. Those are the things to focus on. Could it have been a hell of a lot better? Of course. But that doesn't mean you should write it off. Neither should you write it off for its unusual art style. Just engage in its unique brand of fighting, block out the rest, and enjoy.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Succeeds in replicating what’s already been done, which is fine, but it fails to be a classic in its own right.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Camper Van: Make it Home is squarely aimed at Unpacking fans: people who want the zen-filled joy of finding a home for a range of items. This time, though, you're dealing with the limited space of a camper van. It's great fun and it looks wonderful, but the fiddly controls and camera can sometimes take some of the meditative spirit away.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Minor complaints aside, Mini-Mech Mayhem offers PSVR owners a fun, bright, and lighthearted strategy game to fill that niche in their VR library. It’s approachable, engaging and packs in plenty of charm.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Part roguelike, part horror, part puzzle adventure, we've not played anything quite like Withering Rooms before. It's a little scrappy, and we wish combat was better, but there's something about it that will keep us coming back.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you have fond memories of early Puzzle Bobble games, you’ll get a sweet nostalgia kick out of Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey. It looks fantastic, and with 100 campaign levels alongside an infinite and duel mode, there’s a generous amount of content for its modest asking price. There’s a lot of fun to be had, no doubt – but you’ll not be able to shake the nagging feeling that it’s just not quite as enjoyable as its 2D counterparts.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    As a turn-based strategy game primarily aimed at kids, its hard not to view Transformers: Battlegrounds as anything other than a success. It’s streamlined, but not so much so that older Transformers fans won’t be able get a kick out of the action, especially if they crank up the difficulty. And while its presentation isn’t the best, it’s bold and colourful enough to excite its target market. Add in the fact that it’s somewhat budget priced, and you have a game that should prove a hit with younger Transformers fans, and a good introduction to the turn-based strategy genre.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    At the outset, Future Unfolding is magical experience; an elegant world waiting to be explored, with wonder at every step. But with each discovery, the wonder disappears – and isn’t replaced with anything new. Once you’ve uncovered everything the game has to show you, puzzles soon become petty barriers, the magic runs out and the procedurally-generated world loses its charm. In the end, Future Unfolding keeps unfolding for just a little too long.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A charming quiz game based on a popular TV franchise. Its presentation is top-notch, though you may get bogged down in its unnecessary exposition if you’re the type of person who just wants to get straight on with the quizzing. Still, there’s a pleasant experience to be had here – and since it boasts almost 7,000 unique questions there’s dozens of hours of gameplay before you should even get a whiff of repetition.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Thanks to its genuinely intriguing narrative and collection of quirky characters, there's a lot to love about Promise Mascot Agency, and some players will simply adore it. This open-world adventure pretty much revolves around collecting items, however, and some elements of the game quickly become nothing more than a chore.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The lack of modes and the high level of difficulty will mean that Star Hunter DX won’t be for everyone, but for ardent shoot ’em up fans it’s well worth a look, especially considering its budget price. Its Bullet Time mechanic, at least, makes this shooter stand out from the crowd, and the charming audio and visuals are the icing on the cake.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star makes for an entertaining hack and slash experience which feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch. It’s admittedly a little pricey at £49.99, but for those looking for some Dynasty Warriors style action, it fits the bill quite nicely.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    All told, Crush Your Enemies is a great combination of depth and simplicity. Varied levels with unique challenges provide several hours of entertainment with a consistent, witty tone. Whether you prefer your games creatively bite-sized or just want to take a break from a game that’s been sucking up all your time, Crush Your Enemies is definitely worth a look.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Imagine Link to the Past without the combat and threat: that's sort-of what Pine Hearts feels like. There's a lot to like about this cosy adventure set in a colourful world, but a few issues hold it back from being quite as good as it could have been.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door looks great on Switch, making it exciting to move from one location to the next, each interesting in its own way. Its writing is brilliant, too, with some genuinely funny jokes that will have you grinning as you play. It's just a shame that its turn-based combat gets old quite fast, and is devoid of challenge.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The gameplay feels a little too one-dimensional at this moment and really required an added twist. But Roads sets up some intriguing plot points which I’m really excited to see unfold in later episodes of Life is Strange 2.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Those who have played and enjoyed Sniper Elite 5 are likely to slide into Sniper Elite: Resistance like a glove. Over familiarity might be an issue for some, though, and there are some other minor issues to consider as well, such as sub-par visuals. But overall, lining up the perfect shot and watching the aftermath via the x-ray kill cam is as entertaining as ever.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It surprises just as often as it confounds, and that in itself makes this a rather extraordinary experience. It’s also perhaps one of the purest examples of video games as art we’ve seen to date: a piece of art about artists. Does that make for an enjoyable experience? Not always. At times it’s drawn-out, boring, a chore, even, as you obsess over every bit of footage available to you. But are we glad we’ve played it? Absolutely.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    I won’t pretend [Dungeons 2] blew me away, but it did surprise me how addicted I became to playing it.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    de Blob is a prime example of a game that has stood the test of time because of both its simplicity and originality. Its gameplay is timeless, its humour tickles the young and the old, and its soundtrack is both dynamic and infectious. This Switch port still doesn’t address the game’s camera or control issues, but they’re worth working through to enjoy an experience that rarely fails to put a smile on your face.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With its old-school gameplay and lack of guidance, Killing Time: Resurrected isn't a game for all. This fast-paced first-person shooter does have charm, however, and it's at least an interesting curio thanks to its clever use of full motion video.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    In many ways, Unplugged: Air Guitar feels like the modern-day equivalent of Guitar Hero, without the need for a fake, plastic guitar. Easy to pick up but hard to master, it’s an experience that really can make you feel like you’re playing an instrument if you put in the time and effort to learn its intricacies. And with its impressive setlist of songs, anyone fond of having a good strum should probably pick it up if they have a PSVR 2 and machinations of becoming a rock god.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    RetroMania Wrestling isn’t the most technically accomplished wrestling game out there, but it is a joyous arcade brawler that gets more entertaining the more people you can rope in to a match. Like the game that inspired it, it’s not going to occupy you for hours in a single sitting but you’ll keep coming back for another dose of wrestle ’em up action.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Like a scratched record, then, we end our review of Madden NFL 23 like we have the last few releases. That’s by saying that with its numerous incremental improvements, it’s the best Madden yet. But as ever, unless you’re an ardent fan who knows the series like the back of their hand, it’s an inessential purchase if you have last year’s offering. Or perhaps even the one before that. In terms of what’s actually new here, there’s very little. And even less of monumental value.

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