GamingTrend's Scores

  • Games
For 5,255 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 69% higher than the average critic
  • 6% same as the average critic
  • 25% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 3.2 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 78
Highest review score: 100 Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass
Lowest review score: 5 Viridi
Score distribution:
5284 game reviews
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Blade Strangers is an odd mix of zany characters and entertaining gameplay. Its unique four-button fighting gameplay is a refreshingly accessible experience for anyone that wants to duke it out with Shovel Knight, Isaac, Quote, or any of the fourteen different fighters within the title.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Strange Brigade is a fantastic third person shooter that is best enjoyed with friends. The 1930s tone and quirky charm are wonderfully crafted, adding more of a light-hearted tone to the experience. The variety of weapons and abilities are nice and offer something for every type of player.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    If you are willing to put in the time and see it to the end, though, the game is highly rewarding as a JRPG with a surprising amount of depth. Some of its larger story moments are enjoyable in their own right even if they can be derivative or are mere shadows of specific moments from classics of the genre, but while the game may not reinvent the JRPG, I had a blast making my way across Erdrea.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Generations is clunkier, slower, and lacks the size and polish of World. If you really want some Monster Hunter action on the Switch, then you can’t go wrong with Generations. New fans coming in hot of the heels of World, be prepared for a drastic quality difference.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pizza Titan Ultra is not delivery, but it’s delectably delicious. With its humorous premise and fun, entertaining gameplay, this little game will definitely put a smile on your face as you put evildoers to cheesy justice.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Saddled by amateurish design, unskilled gunplay, and technical issues, Morphies Law fails as an online shooter. The game does have a great core concept and aesthetic, but it just falls short at every step. Not even its robust offline mode and customization system can prop up a shooter too flawed to receive even a feeble recommendation.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 55 Critic Score
    Rich gameplay concepts and lush aesthetics caged by suffocating level design and a weak story. The constant clash between free, flowing movement and repetitive, often claustrophobic levels puts a damper on the entire experience.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Little Dragon's Café is a causal sim/exploration game which is simply overflowing with charm. It's easy to get drawn in by the game's forgiving gameplay, great music, heartwarming stories, and dramatic day-night changes, and hard to put down, given all there is to do post-game. While its sim mechanics aren't especially deep, LDC provides a delightful way to escape the woes of the real world alongside your own, adorable pet dragon.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Russian Subway Dogs is an incredibly unique arcade-style title that excels in short bursts. With a wonderfully zany presentation and great mission diversity, there is little else like this game. Its score-chasing, shawarma-munching action is diluted somewhat by its stunted game flow and superfluous unlockables, but neither flaw results in Russian Subway Dogs being anything short of good.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    A story of loyalty and honor, it is peerless in the crime fiction genre. The gameplay is so varied and exhaustive even if you tend to simply solve all your problems with your fists.There are some kinks to work out about how it deals with its more lascivious content, but what this game does well, it does so well that all I want to do is get right back in to see what I missed.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Guacamelee 2 recaptures everything that made the original great and adds a few new tricks for good measure. It’s a joy to look at and it feels great to play, especially when it focuses on challenging platforming. The game feels a little padded out with lots of backtracking and locked-room combat sequences, but it’s still an absolute blast to play.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Developed with genuine Sega Genesis tools, Tanglewood is the epitome of retro throwbacks. Outside of that novelty, Tanglewood succeeds through its intuitive puzzle design, constant drip of new mechanics, and varied locations. While the general lack of music and slow introduction do detract from the game, the sum of its parts is a genuinely great 2D platformer worthy of your time.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Tetra's Escape is an interesting little puzzle platformer that takes its basis from Tetris. The levels provide a nice little challenge, but they never get tough or frustrating. You can beat most levels in a short time, causing the game to only take a few hours to beat. If you have a few bucks to spare for a couple hours of Tetris-based platforming, then you may want to try out Tetra's Escape.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Walking Dead: The Final Season’s opener is a remarkably solid beginning of the end. Done Running’s return to the first season’s narrative structure is masterfully combined with a fine cast of characters and potential friendships. This is one series that I’ll miss, but has the potential to go out with a bang.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Graveyard Keeper makes a lot of bold choices, replacing the friendly, relaxing atmosphere of typical life sims with a more goal-directed structure in a more cynical setting. While I found its pace tedious at times and would have preferred more focus on the grave-tending mechanics, more patient players will find a lot to like in its wealth of well-developed diversions, fantastic art and music, and pitch-black comedic aesthetic.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While it definitely shows its age visually, De Blob’s Switch version is still a wonderful time for those that have been fans of the game or to newcomers of the quirky platformer. Its wonderful sandbox style and marvelous soundtrack will make for a good experience if you can overlook some of the presentation issues within.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Salt and Sanctuary isn’t the most original game in the world, but Ska Studio’s take on a 2D Souls game has enough going for it to stand on its own two legs. It’s held back somewhat by occasionally cheap difficulty spikes, performance issues, and a bizarre tendency for things to appear too tiny or dark to be perceived when in portable mode, but none of that should deter you from picking the game up if you’re looking for a game that will kick your ass.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    WarioWare Gold is an off-the-wall title bursting with content and creativity. The 300+ microgames and myriad side modes will keep you coming back to this game time and time again, even with its lacking multiplayer and padded unlockables. WarioWare Gold is easily the best game Nintendo has released in 2018 so far, and a great addition to any 3DS owner’s library.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Pool Panic is an unexpected take on the classic game of pool. Combining the weird and silliness of Adult Swim with a sports puzzler type game makes for fun and enjoyable gameplay. The art style and attention to detail work nicely, and adds an unexpected depth to this wacky game!
    • 67 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    State of Mind is so obsessed with its story that it forgets what medium it’s in. While a strong storyline and adept world-building can’t be denied, the game can’t escape its undercooked mechanics and puzzles.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Madden NFL 19 is a fantastic entry into the long-running series. The new Player Movement System and air collision system lead to far more fluent gameplay and animation while MUT comes in better than ever. The MUT challenges are enjoyable and offer a great way to start building your team and a new emphasis on training and chemistry allows for more strategy. New or returning, Madden NFL 19 is a must buy for football fans.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    At its heart, Megaton Rainfall is a solid superhero score-chaser that understands the freedom of flight, and empowers the player with a myriad of interesting abilities. Random difficulty spikes and a painfully generic design do hold this game back from being the best that the genre has to offer, though. On top of that, Megaton Rainfall, specifically on Switch, falls victim to a series of unacceptable technical issues which both mitigate Megaton Rainfall’s strengths, and aggravate its weaknesses. In its current state, it is impossible for me to recommend this game.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    An ambitious open-world survival game that does not benefit from being one. Tedious exploration courtesy of poorly-designed environments and underdeveloped survival mechanics detract from an otherwise strong main adventure. Charming presentation, colorful writing, and powerful environmental storytelling are highlights that are unfortunately eclipsed by a shallow open world.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Cosmic Star Heroine is an accessible RPG that fits very well with the Switch’s lineup. While some issues like bugs and an underwhelming story hold it back from being an RPG classic, the experience is propelled by its innovative and creative combat system and eclectic cast of characters.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Octopath Traveler is an all around enjoyable, nostalgic romp with some nice modern touches. While enjoyment of the storytelling will likely vary from character to character and from player to player, this retro-modern title is filled with sidequests, great music, slightly-hidden team banter, and a gorgeous new approach to pixel art, and is a must-play for any lover of old school JRPGs.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Train Sim World is a relaxing game where you operate a variety of trains as you travel to specified destinations. There is a nice selection of trains, helpful tutorials, and 17 scenarios to play through. The game isn't the most exciting experience, and sometimes leans towards monotonous and boring. If you love simulation games and trains, this might be right up your alley.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite some gripes about the translation from PC to console, The Banner Saga 3 does an admirable job wrapping up a grim tale of separation and loss. And it does that with challenging and fun tactical battles as well as fascinating player choice throughout.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Dead Cells is an amazing rogue-like 2D action platformer. Fast, fluid combat is enjoyable, especially with the different weapons and tools you can find. Permanent upgrades add a sense of progression and give you more goals to work towards.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    MOTHERGUNSHIP is a great FPS with some laugh out loud dialogue and a deeply entertaining gun crafting mechanic. While the roguelike elements bring the game down, it’s still a delightful little game to fire up during the AAA summer drought.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Titan Quest is an entertaining port that brings back a blast from the past. The gameplay is smooth, the controls are precise, and the skills are pretty cool as well. The texture loading issues and freezes that occasionally happen can be annoying, but they aren't game-breaking. Titan Quest can also be enjoyed solo or with friends.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Naked Sun is a good, albeit short, way to ease new VR gamers into the medium.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Banner Saga 2 is a stunningly animated game that sets a new standard for both presentation and narrative outside of the AAA sphere. The game does stumble with a poorly designed combat UI, and a claustrophobic battle system that doesn’t offer much breathing room for different strategies. While monotonous, combat is serviceable, and doesn’t greatly detract from what is otherwise a defining narrative tale.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Chicken Assassin: Reloaded has good intentions with its clicker-style gameplay, and has a cheesy art style and presentation. However, a few performance issues mixed with UI problems and some monotonous grind mechanics make for a mixed experience that entertains as much as it frustrates.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Hand of Fate 2 has stellar writing, fun deck building, and interesting stories. What it doesn’t have, however, is good combat. While I have grown to find the combat manageable, it should be fun and exciting. It stands as an odd blemish that has been carried over from the original while everything else as been prettied up. Still, I recommend giving Hand of Fate 2 a chance, especially if you never played the original. Even with the lackluster combat there is plenty to enjoy here.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Semblance lets you deform your platforms to solve puzzles how you want, but it limits your tools so severely that the promise of that idea is wasted on mediocre puzzles. It has a neat look, but like its core mechanic, it wears thin even before you get to the end of your two hour trip through the game.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Legacy Collection 2 is a roller coaster of emotions. Only about one and a half of the games in the box are actually good, but it will also complete the X series and fulfill hardcore fans. If you don’t care about any of that, save the $20 and just get the first collection. Or, buy collection 2 and laugh at X7 with your friends.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 isn’t just a collection of faithful ports on new hardware, it’s a mix of some of the best Mega Man games with plenty of love and goodies. The addition of medals is a great way to encourage players to fully explore every title, and X Challenge is fun, if not disorganized at times. For players new to the Mega Man X series, this is where to begin.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    20XX isn’t just a good Mega Man X clone, it’s an insanely fun and addictive roguelike with plenty of personality and possibilities. Each run is different from the last, and each death feels fair and justified. I’m confident that 20XX will only become better over time and be a shining example of how to do platformer-based roguelikes.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Frost takes the deck-building and survival genres and mashes them together to create a truly challenging and strategic game. At times the game can feel unforgiving and overly hard, but requires players to actually think about their next move rather than rushing through a turn. The art style is beautiful, and paired with an eerie soundtrack creates an unsettling and true survival feeling.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Earthfall is a cooperative FPS with a few interesting ideas that it fails to deliver on. Built on a poor foundation of unsatisfying combat and repetitive mission structure, every aspect of the game is mediocre at best. With some serious retooling, its light building mechanic could be an interesting twist, but there’s little reason to play Earthfall in its current state with so many better examples of the genre already out there.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pato Box takes the Punch-Out!! fighting style and gives it a Madworld aesthetic, resulting in an unexpectedly wonderful combination. The 3D sections aren't the most exciting, but the boss fights more than make up for that. Pato Box offers an intense challenge that will put your gaming skills to the test, but also potentially frustrate you at the same time.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Miles & Kilo is a massively improved sequel that mixes great platforming mechanics and tough but fair difficulty in the package. It’s a cheap title that you should definitely pick up if you have an hankering for fun, lighthearted platformers. Grab your canine friend and get ready for a howling good time!
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A fun adventure with two of the best characters from Far Cry 5, Lost on Mars is a quick jaunt to the Red Planet with more hits than misses.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Danger Zone 2 attempts to bring back the crashing thrills of the Burnout franchise, but unfortunately falls prey to presentation issues and a lack of overall content. It’s still a fun time for the couple of hours you have with the game, but there are much better arcade racing titles from which to choose.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Trion Worlds’ reimagined Defiance does little to fix the crippled MMO and instead, uses the opportunity to try and capture a new audience with the same bland experience of yesteryear. Defiance 2050 has nothing to leverage but its free-to-play status, nothing to separate itself from the competition, and nothing of quality for new players to latch onto.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Bomb Chicken is a very innovative puzzle-platformer that unfortunately suffers from a short runtime and limited replay value. However, for those that want a quick little single-player game that stars a cute chicken, there is no game better suited for the job.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    After a year of delays, the Switch version of Pocket Rumble unfortunately disappoints on multiple levels. While it has a distinct art style and some great multiplayer options, the overall lack of content and limited moveset hinder the game’s true potential.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Mario Tennis Aces isn’t a terrible game, but is a forgettable one. Online doesn’t work consistently, Adventure mode is pretty boring and uninspired, and there is a smattering of content. The game just lacks the heart that Nintendo titles have, and this leaves us with a bland and forgettable game that doesn’t do anything interesting. It’s not bad if you are just looking to get some friends or family together to play a few matches, but don’t expect the appeal to last much further than that.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    GARAGE: Bad Trip is a top-down twin-stick shooter that wants nothing more than to impress and excite. The sleek visuals and sublime sound design lure you in, then the fast-paced, challenging combat keeps you hooked on clearing level after level. However, missed opportunities and wasted potential take their toll on the game, limiting gameplay variety and giving rise to the game’s tamer moments.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Although built as an educational tool, HoloLAB Champions also succeeds as a completely new way to experience practical science. It engages the mind as well as dexterity courtesy of challenging measurements, mixing puzzles, and mathematical elements, which should be fun for the science nerd in kids and adults.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Lion’s Song is a beautiful narrative-focused game if you get passed the sluggish cursor and the slow character movement. Each episode contains its own beautiful story which are woven together to form a satisfying conclusion. Any fans of the art scene in the early 20th century or anyone hungry for a good narrative should definitely board the train on this one.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    Racing through remixed and all new zones at blistering speeds is reminiscent of old Sonic while also surpassing it in almost every way. The new characters they bring to Sonic Mania Plus are excellent additions to the stable of playable critters, so it’s somehow an even better package than Sonic Mania was last year.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    NieR: Automata is a masterclass action game with deep RPG mechanics, and a beautiful open world. While it’s held back by a weak narrative and a clunky game format that mandates replaying hours of content, it offers a wide variety of enjoyable experiences that make it well worth the asking price.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Crew 2 is an ambitious undertaking that puts over-the-top arcade racing front and center. Though it makes large strides in the right direction over its predecessor, it suffers from odd game design choices, a lack of PvP, and a lackluster presentation that puts it squarely in the rearview mirror of its competition.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Shining Resonance Refrain is an entertaining adventure through a somewhat cliche story, but it contains its own unique aspects that keep you engaged. Combat is easy to learn, but there's a decent amount of depth to it. Dragonshift and B.A.N.D. sessions are wonderful combat mechanics that add more charm to the game. The relationship building and dating also adds a cute slice of life portion to the adventure.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Yuso offers a charming puzzle game experience that can be enjoyed at home or on the go. There's a nice challenge to the levels without being irritating. The atmosphere of the world and levels create a peaceful space for players to enjoy for awhile. It isn't long, but it's definitely worth your time.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Mushroom Wars 2 is a challenging yet fun real-time strategy game that focuses on battles between mushroom people. The gameplay takes a minute to get used to, but once you get acclimated, you'll be killing it. Hero skills are a cool addition that can turn the tide of battle if used correctly. There are a ton of missions that will give you hours of playtime.
    • 43 Metascore
    • 35 Critic Score
    Between fumbling through the menus, mashing your way to a choppy and exceedingly easy victory, and clicking through meandering dialogue scenes that hold no weight, you’ll find yourself too bored to actually collect all the parts you want to make your perfect Gundam. If you’re itching to fight big robots, play Gundam Versus instead. Or, go punch that actual Gundam in Japan (don’t do that).
    • 63 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Lost in Harmony is a very ambitious title that mixes a surprisingly infectious soundtrack with frantic and fun rhythm-platformer gameplay. It’s one musical romp that’s great for rhythm game players of all sorts, and I can’t wait to see what DigixArt does next!
    • 78 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a hard game to recommend. The remade presentation as a whole is terrific, and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped is a totally enjoyable retro platformer. But, the problem remains that the first two games simply aren’t very good. They are hindered by control and level design issues which are simply unacceptable in a straightforward platformer. Even when they’re firing on all cylinders, the first two titles struggle to rise above mediocre.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    A clever addition to Mario + Rabbids that plays to the original’s strengths without takings many risks. While Donkey Kong Adventure likely won’t win the game any new fans, it’s a treat for anyone who were left wanting more. The expansion trims some of the fat from the original, delivering a quick, focused game that quits while it’s ahead.
    • 70 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The game fully understands what makes it fun, and it does everything it can to empower the player to see that with as few restrictions as possible. This is what helps Red Faction: Guerrilla justify its remastering. It might not look as pretty as even its contemporaries, let alone games coming out today, but the sheer fun that comes with obliterating a building or tearing it apart piece by piece has not waned a bit.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Spiritsphere DX remixes a well-worn genre, adding tons of variety on top of a simplistic core mechanic. It offers plenty of unlockables and play modes, but they don’t add much to its replayability. Spiritsphere DX shines in short multiplayer sessions, but likely won’t hold solo players’ attention for long.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    LEGO The Incredibles is geared to fans of LEGO games and unlocking iconic characters from the Incredibles universe. Kids will love this game and will have hours of fun. As for advanced or adult gamers, this game has its highs and lows and is exactly what it was meant to be…A game for kids.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The Sims 4 Seasons is quite frankly the best expansion to come out yet. There are tons of new items, but what sets it apart are the ways it changes the game. It adds so many new activities and things to do and wonderful holidays, it honestly made me feel like this is the first must have expansion for The Sims 4.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Figment’s mechanics are woefully underdeveloped, but the rest of the game is so cohesive and often brilliant that it’s difficult to dismiss out of hand. The ambient soundtrack, and especially the boss songs go a long way and are worth playing through the slight, five hour game to hear if that interests you at all. If not, the gameplay can be downright boring at times.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Rainbow Skies is an indie old school SRPG hiding a wealth of content behind its charming exterior. Improving upon the Rainbow Moon formula, the game doesn’t skimp out on quality or quantity, featuring extensive party management, in-depth combat, a vast world to explore, and a myriad of foes to conquer. Unfortunately, the hundreds of hours of gameplay are not free from tedium and suffer from a lack of variety.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido is a surprising action-puzzle game that is deep and enthralling, with a loveable cast of characters. This is the type of puzzle game that will have players hungry for more.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a short and sweet jaunt through a young boy’s imagination. With simple gameplay but a wide array of puzzles and pieces to discover, you can easily get lost in this game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Paranautical Activity mixes rogue-lite level design, fps gameplay, and a blocky aesthetic to create an interesting experience. The combat can be fun, but encountering certain enemies can quickly turn that around. The weapon choices are cool to experiment with, but the slower characters may turn you away.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Office Quest is a fun, light-hearted little romp rich in style. Great aesthetic, entertaining animations, and challenging puzzles make this title stand out, even if some puzzles are more vexing than others, and I didn't feel that the platforming mini-games fit into the overall game. It's a great little game, regardless of if you play it on PC or your mobile device of choice.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hexologic is a charming number puzzle game that gets some influence from games like Sudoku. It's not very long or challenging, but it offers a casually relaxing sort of difficulty. The sights and sounds are clearly meant to invoke tranquility, which adds to the peaceful atmosphere and gameplay.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Musynx is a solid addition to music games on the Switch, with some infectious songs and slick presentation. While limited in other aspects and not too beginner-friendly, this is a game that veterans and those wishing to improve their music game library should try.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    Pode is breathtakingly beautiful, and a must have for any lover of puzzle games. The characters are simple but expressive, each with their own mechanics, physics, and skills, wandering a barren mountain which comes to life before your eyes. A co-op title at its core, Pode can be played in single-player with the same level of fun, and overflowing with puzzles that are fair and approachable while still offering plenty of challenge.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Octo Expansion is an absolute steal. At $20, you’re getting a very creative and engaging campaign that expands the world of Splatoon 2 with diverse gameplay, although a small portion of these levels feels like monotonous filler. Luckily, the ability to skip them mitigates this issue, but does little to assuage the fact that the majority of the bosses are rehashes.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Out of the Park Baseball 19 keeps its excellence intact while molding some big updates and changes around its core product. The addition of 3D game display is very welcome, but the game leaves its biggest change still on the table with plenty of questions surrounding it.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    For a game where you play as an adorable yarn doll, it does an admirable job setting up a touching narrative intertwined with clever and unique puzzle platforming. And if you have a friend to play with, then Unravel Two is a treat in the visuals and the gameplay.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Smoke and Sacrifice tells a compelling tale of a mother searching for answers after being forced to give up her son. While the game’s gorgeous art brings its grim world to life, its story is ultimately undercut by poor pacing and vague objectives. Smoke and Sacrifice shines in concept, but falters in execution.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Nepenthe is half as good as its source inspiration, and while it’s still in need of much more improvement, it is an ambitious first effort. While it suffers from derivative gameplay and a shallow story, it does have a unique presentation and some fine music.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Oddmar is a challenging yet fun platformer that perfectly fits the mobile environment. With beautiful graphics and defined challenges per level, it represents a bright future for mobile games.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers brings a quality and enjoyable tower defense style game in its third installment in the series. Although the story and cutscenes tend to drag, the overall gameplay is great fun. Even if you’ve never played a game in the Dillon series, I recommend giving this a try.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    West of Loathing understands the stylistic charm that a unique aesthetic can provide and that stick figures are still, at the heart of everything, rad as heck. While the combat system is lacking, hilarious storytelling and a dynamic world make up a wonderful stroll through the western-styled landscapes.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    The story is well written and the game flows between different action sequences and cinematic breaks that keep both gameplay and the story fresh. There are some issues with hit detection and death animations that will frustrate you at times, but the game rewards you for getting through each sequence and makes it worth the effort.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    While not as deep and rewarding as the material it’s riffing on, Reverie’s ode to Zelda presents a charming trip through New Zealand folklore that’s worth checking out.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Jurassic World Evolution strikes a chord with me, and that’s evident in the amount of time I’ve sunk into it. The presentation is gorgeous, the mechanics are engrossing, and balancing your veggiesauraces and meatysauraces has never been fun. There’s a handful of bugs to shake loose, but based on Frontier’s track record I’m fairly certain that these can be shaken out post launch.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    One Strike lets you take control of six different warriors as you fight to determine who is the deadliest. The simplistic yet tense gameplay will keep you on your toes. The small roster and limited variety to the modes are fun in bursts, but not for extended periods of time. That being said, One Strike is a fun fighter to pick up and play at a low cost.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    By all accounts, Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn should have been a disastrous failure. However, it ended up as a surprisingly competent beat-em-up, and its passionate charm and fun gameplay make up for its uneven humor and short replay value. Put on some Gold Bond and head to the court, because it’s time for a Shaq Attack!
    • 75 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Songbringer’s procedurally generated world is a double-edged sword. While exploring a unique overworld is, on the whole, rather enjoyable, the map feature could’ve done more to aid traversal. On the flip side, dungeons feel rather uninspired due to the fact that they aren’t deliberately crafted. However, the aesthetic and combat system are both incredibly strong aspects of the game that prop up Songbringer’s weaker elements. While it does have flaws, the sum of Songbringer’s parts is an easily recommendable title for fans of the genre.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Just Shapes and Beats is a simplistic, entertaining game to play alone or with friends, but is held back somewhat by performance issues and lack of level variety.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    Exoplanet: First Contact has the potential to tell a great story and showcase a detailed world, but as it is now, it’s only able to show you the odd glimpse of what could be, before pulling you back into a cruel reality of buggy, simplistic combat, underdeveloped mechanics impeding enjoyment, and a swarm of bugs rendering the game unplayable at times.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Moonlighter is a beautiful game that combines simplified versions of two game types into one. It’s a novel attempt that plays it too safe on both fronts, and is held back from being something truly fantastic because of its lack of variety.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Shape of the World is a feast of color, sound, and design. It manages to be both serene and occasionally challenging, wondrous and abstract, and has surprising depth, considering that your only goals are to wander around and collect natural trinkets as you go. It's a perfect game for those who want to get lost in a minimalist wonderland of imagination.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    Onrush is a racing game that strips away the commonly understood mechanics of the genre to deliver something that is both fresh and classic at the same time. And a vivacious multiplayer experience that rivals some of the big contemporary shooters of the day.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    There are a decent amount of weapons, enemy types, and environments, but those are cold comforts in the face of frustrating issues like awkward weapon management, unpolished platforming, wonky enemy AI, and tedious combat encounters. A good first attempt, but the game suffers from poor design all around.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker is a reinvention of full motion video for the current generation of games. Its quirky and troubled cast gives some spectacular performances, and the text-based elements make this adventure game an excellent way to get into the genre.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Vampyr manages to deliver on its promise to make choices matter. Every decision has implications that spider out in unseen directions, often far into the future. While there are some wobbles in terms of combat and load times, the engaging storyline and premise carry this title far.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Sacralith: The Archer’s Tale is a great blend of archery and tower defense gameplay, utilizing node-based teleportation to keep it friendly for any player. While there are a few hiccups here and there, Odd Meter has given us one of the best VR archery games on the market. The RPG elements keep it fresh, and the wide variety of special arrows offer many gameplay choices. Here’s to hoping we get to see a lot more of the Sacralith world.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Youropa is a fantastic puzzle-platformer that constantly evolves. The puzzles keep getting bigger and better as they throw new twists at you. While some of the vehicle sections are a bore and the Onesiders don't feel like a threat, it doesn't detract from the overall experience too much. The game also features one of my favorite protagonists since they are just so fun to decorate. While the game may fumble in a few places, the overall experience is great and enjoyable, even if they make me kick dogs.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Everspace struts capably into a crowded field and proves itself as a vital experience worth revisiting again and again. This is the first game from the team at Rockfish, and they’ve certainly set the bar high for themselves.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Super Mega Baseball 2 brings a great amount of arcade fun to this historical sport. With great mechanics and pick up and play gameplay, the game keeps you entertained and engaged. Since there it is not an MLB game you can’t use real players or teams, but that doesn't stop the game from holding up as a respectable title.

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