Giant Bomb's Scores

  • Games
Select another publication »
For 1,045 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 28% higher than the average critic
  • 3% same as the average critic
  • 69% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 3.8 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 71
Highest review score: 100 Dragon Age: Origins
Lowest review score: 20 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 594 out of 1045
  2. Mixed: 307 out of 1045
  3. Negative: 144 out of 1045
1080 game reviews
view
per page
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
    Even if you've grown tired of the seemingly endless cavalcade of dual-joystick shooters that Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved's success spawned on Xbox Live Arcade, the sequel is well-worth its $10 price tag.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Forza Horizon
    Most importantly, it manages to simultaneously feel like a Forza game while also letting in more of what makes racing games fun for all players, rather than staying strictly focused on those of us who want strict simulations of varying realism.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
    This package makes for an epic and excellent expansion to World of Warcraft, one that will certainly keep longtime players coming back. And the increased accessibility and streamlined nature of World of Warcraft 2008 compared to World of Warcraft 2004 mean that even players who gave up a long time ago will also find plenty of reasons to return to Azeroth.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    DOOM
    It's hard to imagine a better Doom game in 2016 than this exhilarating, darkly witty new take on id's classic.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    DOOM
    It ticks off every item on a list of things a modern Doom should have, including several items you didn't even know were on the list in the first place. They may not make shooters like this anymore, but the runaway success of this game serves as long overdue proof that they really should.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Syndicate
    The smart players will rise to the challenge and feel like they've been appropriately rewarded for their prowess. The campaign gives you a great look at an interesting world, though its abrupt, too-clean ending feels out of place. It's a somewhat disappointing reward for an otherwise exciting adventure that puts a terrific and fun spin on first-person shooting.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Syndicate
    The smart players will rise to the challenge and feel like they've been appropriately rewarded for their prowess. The campaign gives you a great look at an interesting world, though its abrupt, too-clean ending feels out of place. It's a somewhat disappointing reward for an otherwise exciting adventure that puts a terrific and fun spin on first-person shooting.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    LIMBO
    Limbo has a transportive quality that's hard to articulate. It so expertly realizes both its internal gameplay logic and its prevailing aesthetic that it almost creates a sort of reverie as you play, fully removing you from your physical environment and plopping you into this cold, mesmerizing other land. Though you'll find it's a tough place to survive, it might also be one you're in no hurry to leave behind. The game is a masterpiece.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
    If you're the sort of person who thinks video games are capable of not just entertaining us but also making us think and feel, you owe it to yourself to play Brothers.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
    The brothers' commitment to their goal and to each other is so strong, the various parts of this game so superbly crafted and woven together, that it's hard not to feel deeply touched when you finally reach the end of the road and see how deftly this game marries its gameplay to its themes in a way few have before.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
    The technical aspects of Chinatown Wars were impressive on the DS, and the PSP version looks quite a bit sharper and cleaner than the original release.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
    The resulting journey is so singularly devoted to creating a specific tone and atmosphere that you won't likely be able to stop thinking about it until long after you've seen it through to the end.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
    Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the most fun I've had with an open-world game in a very long time...Whatever your feelings on J. R. R. Tolkien and the Middle-earth milieu, it's hard to imagine any fan of open-world action having anything less than a great time with this game.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    The Beatles: Rock Band
    The Beatles: Rock Band sets a new standard for how band-focused music games should be executed, one that will be very difficult to match. Beyond all the stylistic flairs and the fan-service touches, this is just an incredibly fun, incredibly accessible bunch of music, with very little filler in its track listing.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
    HD Remix makes most of those older releases look like cheap cash-ins. It may cost more than most arcade updates available for consoles today, but with the number of important changes being made and its extreme attention to detail, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix sets a new standard for downloadable arcade games... even though I still think Blanka's face doesn't look quite right.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Rhythm Heaven
    Rhythm Heaven is a great addition to the DS library that's definitely worth checking out if you've ever liked a WarioWare game.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    flower
    A tiny, beautiful, elegantly designed piece of software that I feel richer for having played.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Sound Shapes
    This is a game where visuals, audio, and mechanics sync up in a way that feels effortlessly organic. I'm sure the work put in to making it that way was anything but effortless, but it paid off. Sound Shapes is a reminder that great, creative things can be done in the music gaming genre.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
    I really couldn't ask for a better embodiment of everything I've come to enjoy from the series. The constant satisfaction from upgrading creative weaponry, item collection which feels rewarding rather than trivial, and the over-the-top action are all here, and better than they've ever been. With the addition of some interesting puzzles, even more flexibility with your weapons, and a great presentation, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time is not only the best game in the series, but one that will certainly stand the test of, well, time.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Dragon Age: Origins
    This is definitely not the game for those frightened of the idea of micromanaging a game to the point where a large portion of it will be spent in a pause screen. However, as the sort of guy that has lovingly played an Infinity Engine game at least once every year for the past decade, I can think of no higher praise for this throwback than to say that Dragon Age: Origins leaves me feeling fairly confident I won't need to dig out the classics for this ritual next year.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Bionic Commando: Rearmed
    Bionic Commando: Rearmed is terrific in almost every way, revitalizing a classic but long-dormant game in an exciting way that stands on its own, but also serves as a potent reminder that there's a new retail sequel on the horizon that'll bring all this crazy swinging to 3D environments.
    • 92 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
    The only thing that might surprise you about Uncharted 3's relentless roller coaster ride is that it doesn't advance the standards for video game action like its groundbreaking, mind-blowing, superlative-generating predecessor did. But it certainly does match them. There's a slight sense of "been there, done that" in the way this game hews so closely to Uncharted 2's masterful blend of puzzle-solving, parkour, and dizzying action scenes.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
    Naughty Dog set out with a very specific goal in mind, and in focusing intently on that goal, they blew right past it. Uncharted 2 is a sublime example of how to make a great action game, the result of fantastic execution on every aspect of the game's design and development. It's the best, most memorable game I've played in a long, long time.
    • 92 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Batman: Arkham Asylum
    This is a full-on experience devoted to all of the different facets of being Batman, from the gadgets that help him along, to striking fear in the hearts of his opponents by carefully lurking in the shadows, to taking challenges head-on with little more than his feet and his fists, to straight-up acting like a detective, hunting around for clues. This all translates into an adventure full of variety, with each different aspect coming in at such a high level of quality that it just keeps impressing you over and over again, right up to its final moments.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
    The only thing I really wish Pac-Man Championship Edition DX had was just more. More mazes, more modes, more ways for me to subjugate ghosts and rub my high scores in my friends' stupid, stupid faces. It's not that this package feels particularly anemic, it's just that what's here is so damn good, I wish it didn't have to end.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Tetris Effect
    Tetris Effect, from top to bottom, is my favorite iteration of Tetris yet. The music and visuals work together to create a truly unique Tetris experience, that is only enhanced by VR.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Super Meat Boy
    This game is most certainly not for everyone--if you can't handle extremely hard games, you're better off marveling at this spectacle from a distance--but those who can stomach the difficult and appreciate the bizarre will take every ounce of punishment Super Meat Boy dishes out and beg for more.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
    No other game I know of operates with this many moving parts to create such an immense world filled with this much choice in how you engage its excellent, endless fiction. It's one thing when a game offers dozens of hours of gameplay; it's quite another when that gameplay is good enough you'll want to live in its world for that long.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Wii Sports Resort
    Wii Sports Resort offers more variety and a bit more complexity without alienating that family up the street who only bought a Wii because they love bowling. Unless you're the kind of sullen misanthrope who can only feel at peace when getting headshots with some kind of virtual scope, you'll surely find something about Wii Sports Resort that keeps both you and your non-gaming friends or family coming back for more.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Dead Space 2
    The multiplayer doesn't seem especially deep, though, and consequently I suspect it will lose its luster after a week or two. The good news is the campaign alone is worth playing through two or even three times.
Page:
 This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

?
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Starfield
    While a lot of Starfield's familiar Bethesda cruft is outdated and often boring in the early game, the story, quest, characters, and interactions all get better the more you play. That doesn't mean you can ignore the awkward traversal and janky bugs, but it is questionable how damaging those elements are to the experience after 250 hours in Todd Howard's space epic. [Quick Look]
    • 69 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
    "The Devil in Me" takes an intriguing historical true-crime premise, mixes it with a bit of SAW, and half-bakes it, amounting to a very by-the-numbers, unscary addition of the Dark Pictures Anthology. Unlikable characters with dull personal problems and a plot with glacial pacing bog down a game that had a lot of potential in its set-up. That's not to mention the graphical glitches and other oddities that make the game feel rushed out the door. These unfortunate factors culminate to make The Devil In Me the weakest of the Anthology series thus far. [Quick Look]
    • 69 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Callisto Protocol
    The Callisto Protocol was touted as the next Dead Space and it unfortunately suffers for that comparison. With frustrating, awkward combat, an uninteresting plot, and jump scares that fall completely flat, The Callisto Protocol struggles in the shadow of its spiritual predecessor, which did all of those things better 14 years ago. (This is all not to mention the full-screen strobing light effects that cannot be turned off; an accessibility failure that one would not expect of a modern AAA game.) It's a pity that Callisto copied the aesthetic of Dead Space while failing to execute the aspects that made it frightening and fun. [Quick Look]
    • 90 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
    Quick look (video).
    • 56 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Redfall
    Redfall fails to compel on nearly every level, not just in its uninteresting story, but also its all-too-familiar gameplay. Not only does Redfall feel like a game stuck in yesteryear, even its performance finds a way to disappoint. [Quick Look]
    • 88 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Horizon Forbidden West
    Undoubtedly a gorgeous spectacle in every way, Forbidden West struggles to develop a compelling storyline out of the gate. It mitigates that through a satisfying and customizable combat system, though in our playthrough so far, hasn't demonstrated a substantial evolution from the original. [Quick Look]
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Hong Kong Massacre
    Quick look.
    • 76 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    For Honor
    Quick look.
    • 90 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Marvel's Spider-Man 2
    It runs so, so smooth with no hiccups. Doesn't matter how much crazy bullshit is happening on the screen. Technically it's in the top 3 PS5 showcases. It's phenomenal.
    • 79 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Escape Academy
    Former GameMaster Jess geeks out way too hard at Jeff Grubb, teaching him the ropes of escape rooms! [Quick look]
    • 69 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    High on Life
    Despite the way-too-chatty guns (for what it's worth, there's options for that), High on Life ends up being a pretty fun shooter in a colorful and ridiculously stupid sci-fi world. It's not reinventing the wheel with its combat, but it doesn't really have to in order to be an alright time. The boss fights are surprisingly enjoyable and the game's exploration is satisfying, with upgrades and unlocks that open the world gradually, in a way that reminds me a bit of Ratchet and Clank. High on Life's crass humor is an understandable balk point for many — and the first hour or two is unrelentingly... well, Roilandy — but if you can push past the bad first impression, it's a good ol' competent FPS. [Quick Look]
    • 83 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Octopath Traveler
    Quick Look...
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Somerville
    Somerville's strengths come from its mysterious narrative and storytelling intrigue, but it fails to match the overall polish and cohesive game design language as its spiritual predecessors. [Quick Look]
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Days Gone
    Quick look...
    • 86 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Bayonetta 3
    Platinum makes Bayonetta wilder and more unpredictable than ever, mostly for the better. [Quick Look]
    • 86 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Cyberpunk 2077
    Jeff Gerstmann & Jeff Bakalar's early impressions.
    • 56 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Choo-Choo Charles
    A spooky and ambitious little indie game that knows exactly how silly it is, Choo-Choo Charles has some expected flaws from the constraints that come from being a single-developer project, but makes up for it with its originality and moxie. (I mean, what other game out there is about fleeing from and fighting a demonic spider-train? You just can't get that in a AAA game!) It's one of those indie horrors that's brimming with the joy and the jank that makes me love the genre overall. [Quick Look]
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Chant
    The Chant is a psychedelic folk-horror action-adventure game that has more to it than one might expect from an indie title. While it doesn't bring anything particularly new to the table with its gameplay, it does provide a successfully fun experience and a compelling cult setting to sink into. [Quick Look]
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Mirror Forge
    Mirror Forge is a little indie horror joint with a lot of heart and a lot of glitches... but that's not really a deal-breaker for me. It's one of those scrappy super-indie titles whose charm is actually kinda amplified by its rough edges. The developer's love for Silent Hill, Eternal Darkness, and Stranger Things is apparent as our trauma-laden protagonist wanders through bloody hallways with ancient secrets, told to us via somewhat goofy voice acting. Cliché stuff, yes, but I can't help but enjoy that this is a game that knows what it is - an ambitious, mishmashed, indulgent homage to some really great things. A solo developer stretching their legs and seeing what they can pull off. A janky, but entertaining time. [Quick Look]
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Resident Evil Village
    Some say it takes a village to do a quick look, others say it only takes Brad and Vinny. Sit back and enjoy as the Giant Bomb team takes an unedited look at Resident Evil Village.
    • 89 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Apex Legends
    Jeff, Brad, and Ben jump into Respawn's new free-to-play battle royale game.
    • 89 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Last of Us Part I
    Quick Look
    • 87 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Hi-Fi Rush
    It's so nice to have a surprise like this come out of nowhere...and at the end of the year I expect I'm still going to be thinking about this when it comes to game of the year time. It would have made my Top 10 last year. - JG [Quick Look]
    • 88 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Night in the Woods
    Quick Look.
    • 96 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Elden Ring
    The Jeffs and Jan convene and hold gnarled fingers together to chat about their harrowing adventures in the world of Elden Ring.
    • 78 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Detroit: Become Human
    Quick look.
    • 93 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Persona 5
    So stylish...I am diggin' it. [Quick look]
    • 83 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Marvel's Midnight Suns
    Marvel's Midnight Suns has snappy tactical combat that's incredibly satisfying and manages to juggle numerous social links successfully with familiar heroes. [Quick Look]
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Ship of Fools
    Ship of Fools is a neat little roguelite Overcooked at sea mashup. Things get chaotic real quick as you and a friend have to navigate the seven seas and make sure to not throw precious material overboard. [Quick look]
    • 74 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
    An intro into the Warhammer universe that'll make you want to dive all the way in. Gothic organs blast as you and three other friends blast through hordes and hordes of decaying enemies. [Unprofessional Friday]
    • 80 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Entropy Centre
    The Entropy Centre is a brutally brain-bending Portal-like, using time as its main mechanic. Casual puzzle-enjoyers might find its trial-and-error game loop more frustrating than fun, but the meticulous-minded will probably enjoy its challenges. [Quick Look]
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Pokemon Violet
    The age of the Switch's hardware and GameFreak's prowess as a studio is on full display in the newest Pokemon release as we see muddy textures and single frame animations. While we get a new crop of cute Pokemon, a more open world, and new battle mechanics we're unfortunately stuck trudging along at a snail's pace because of the game itself. [Quick Look]
    • 72 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Pokemon Scarlet
    The age of the Switch's hardware and GameFreak's prowess as a studio is on full display in the newest Pokemon release as we see muddy textures and single frame animations. While we get a new crop of cute Pokemon, a more open world, and new battle mechanics we're unfortunately stuck trudging along at a snail's pace because of the game itself. [Quick Look]
    • 86 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Pentiment
    Pentiment sheds the dice rolls and combat to emphasize the branching conversations and compelling narrative that Obsidian is best at. And the result is an engaging page-turner that can only really work as a video game. [Quick Look]
    • 93 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
    Quick look.

Top Trailers

See all »
See all trailers »