Hardcore Gamer's Scores
- Games
For 4,329 reviews, this publication has graded:
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50% higher than the average critic
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9% same as the average critic
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41% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 1.4 points lower than other critics.
(0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 73
| Highest review score: | Balatro | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest review score: | Final Fantasy: All the Bravest |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 2,430 out of 4329
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Mixed: 1,657 out of 4329
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Negative: 242 out of 4329
4332
game
reviews
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- By Critic Score
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- Critic Score
NBA Live 19 continues to trend in the correct direction in terms of overall success. The product on the court plays a fun and excellent game of basketball thanks to Real Player Motion. It might not be as detailed and sim-focused as NBA 2K, but it offers all the options needed to compete. In terms of career modes, nothing touches The One. Varying ways to make your player better while playing online with or against other players is fun. It’s also not behind a micro-transaction wall, either. The One, however, is still where the money is and inevitably is leaving the actual NBA modes an afterthought. Players still want an innovative Franchise Mode.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Sep 17, 2018
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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 are excellent games and maintain their arcade feel, compelling players to go all out on combos and pull off insane tricks while chasing high scores. One of the downsides to the remaster is that a significant portion of the previously unlockable characters are missing, as are iconic tracks from the soundtrack. While understandable, it's still a letdown for fans of the additional characters who appreciate the goofy nature these games can offer. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is a fantastic remaster of an experience people know and love, with updated visuals, music and gameplay that keep the skating fresh and special.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Jul 11, 2025
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Anyone who especially loves Rika (or Ooishi) will also get to see those characters more in depth then they’ve been presented previously. With this chapter complete, it’s now time to get ready for the Answer Arc to begin.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Nov 1, 2016
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The bottom line is Final Fantasy is simply a fun game, and Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a remake worthy of the title’s legacy.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Jul 29, 2021
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While some might balk at the fact that Project Cars 3 is designed to be accessible, under the hood is the same bone-grindingly difficult racing sim that the series has always been. There’s just more variety of modes and an easier on ramp for people to get into them. This newest title is a welcome mat for the new fans and the die hards alike. There’s always another fresh race to enjoy and a new challenge to overcome. While it isn’t perfect, Project Cars 3 is a solid entry to the series and the racing genre as a whole.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Aug 24, 2020
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Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fantastic arcade racer at its core, but the overall product is hurt by the gacha mechanics. Thankfully, the quality of the core game is good enough to largely overcome that handicap, but it would be a far better experience with rebalancing in that regard down the line. The racing action is fast-paced and thrilling, with strong sound design that helps make up for a lackluster soundtrack. Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fantastic pickup for anyone who grew up wanting a fleet of Hot Wheels cars — and that aspect will get better as time goes on with content packs.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Sep 27, 2021
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Anyone looking to get into the Deception series should do so with The Nightmare Princess, it’s as a top-notch game and one destined to be a cult classic down the line.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Jul 20, 2015
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Traditionally, games that needed to carve out a niche for themselves within the crowded shooter genre have done so by introducing a new gimmick. Nanostray 2 relies instead on pure polish.- Hardcore Gamer
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Rising represents some of the most fluid and enjoyable combat mechanics to grace a modern action game, presented in a manner so over-the-top that it’s hard not to laugh hysterically at the sheer ridiculousness of the affairs.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Feb 19, 2013
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Luckily, there’s no glaring issues to be found within. Once you get wrapped up in the mystery it is hard to stop reading before completing the whole darn thing. Occasional writing weirdness aside, the gameplay themes, soundtrack and artwork work together in a way that lifts the experience even higher.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Mar 31, 2016
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This remaster improves on what needed to be updated such as graphics and gameplay mechanics, but realizes the story and pacing were fine how they were. Crisis Core is still a fifteen-year-old game originally designed for a handheld platform and as such the improvements to this version can’t erase all reminders of its origins. Even with game elements that show their age, however, this is the best way to experience Crisis Core.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Dec 12, 2022
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An emotional and humorous roller coaster, The Last Place You Look puts Minecraft: Story Mode in the right direction for future episodes and gives players something to look forward to in the world of Minecraft.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Dec 4, 2015
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Despite some issues in blending its story together with the rest of the experience, She Remembered Caterpillars is still a highly enjoyable puzzle game, one that clearly had a lot of hard work put into every area possible in order to create something so simple yet elegant and challenging.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Jan 21, 2017
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There are technical issues here and there, some that will cause frustration, but this still is a sensational port for both those who want to double dip and those who have yet to play the RPG. It may not be perfect, but Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is the dose of Final Fantasy we all need.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Mar 12, 2018
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Even without the niceties of a new mode or that significant an addition to the overarching plot, The Awakened King‘s exciting array of loot to acquire, an impressively-built setting to explore and fights to conquer serve as a promising start to Gunfire’s post-launch support for Remnant II. That the team have proven once again they can offer even more means for players to further experiment and tinker with their set-up is a testament to just how impressive a delivery the sequel remains and how exciting future prospects may look in the coming months. While minor technical issues do sadly persist at times, alongside brief frustrations on balance when it comes to the sheer volume of enemy types during more enclosed set-pieces, The Awakened King is a delightful addition to what was an already-delightful follow-up.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Nov 15, 2023
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Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack puts three expansive and high-quality Japanese RPGs in a new package. For anyone who hasn’t played them yet, it’s worth going for this version instead of the old ones to get a more complete experience. Nonetheless, this pack doesn’t offer anything too substantial to make it essential for those who bought the original games, especially when there’s no way to simply get a Deluxe Upgrade pack with the new additions instead of buying it all again at full price.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Nov 13, 2025
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Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman’s Mine is a reminder that while games come in many forms nowadays, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a classic adventure.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Dec 10, 2013
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With Wavetale, Thunderful have managed to put a unique spin on post-apocalyptic worlds through its joyful tone, characters, style and more, making one want to spend as much time in it as possible and discover every sight to see. Of course, it helps that zipping around on the water is fun and makes for terrific gameplay, and the platforming easily evokes the classics. Audiences both young and old should give this a chance, as it’s a terrific action/adventure game with a lot of heart that shouldn’t just be ignored like mere flotsam.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Dec 12, 2022
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Keeper is an unusual game and one clearly made for a specific audience. This is the type of game specifically created for those who can stop, smell the flowers and let the experience of walking itself entertain them. The game might have an incredibly strange concept, but Double Fine knocked it out of the park with Keeper, and it deserves to stand alongside the other great games by this developer.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Oct 17, 2025
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It’s a mixed bag and the game is nowhere near perfect. Stick through the linear and less gripping parts for the first few hours, and you’ll end up with a story and combat engine that’ll hold you hostage until completion.- Hardcore Gamer
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Calling this the Definitive Edition may not be the most apt description. It is a fantastic version of the four-year-old platformer, especially considering you can play it on the go, but there’s little here that’s new or enhanced. The touch screen capabilities were pretty much in the game since its arrival on the Wii U and the Kung Foot update is just a tournament mode. In fact, the game’s load times are actually longer on the Switch, even though they’re still not too bad overall. Still, Rayman Legends holds up as a fantastic platformer even after all of these years, creating a memorable and highly-addictive experience that’s hard to match. The art style is one that fans will remember for along time and the musical missions standout as some of the most engaging stages in any Ubisoft game. There’s an incredible amount of content stuffed into this package, and even though it may not be a revolutionary upgrade, the Switch version feels like the perfect platform for Rayman Legends.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Sep 14, 2017
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Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King is a prime example of how a retro game collection should be assembled. The included games are both great games from the 16-bit era.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Oct 29, 2019
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Schrodinger’s Cat has a bizarre title, but rewarding gameplay. It’s a puzzle-platformer for people who don’t usually like the genre since the puzzles are all action-oriented. It will test your mental might, but also your dexterity with its controls.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Sep 18, 2014
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Despite its smaller and unfortunately limited pool of content, F-Zero 99 still stands not just as another terrific application of the 99-player Royale format, but one that goes as far as to redefine any and all prior knowledge people may have had of the original SNES debut. That Nintendo’s latest effort does so much with so little — once more in a genre far removed from the comfort of shooters — is a testament to the simple-yet-highly-addictive heart of F-Zero’s gameplay. That such accessibility is elevated more so amidst a new-found sense of chaos, dread and sheer unpredictable madness. Where the series’ debut through Tetris proved that strategy can stem from every moment, F-Zero 99 asserts victory — in all its methods — can come and go in just as lightning-fast a speed.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Sep 24, 2023
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Thanks to impressive level design, a nice range of cool abilities to try out and a spark of something truly unique (pun semi-intended), Wildfire succeeds at delivering a great stealth experience, even if it can be demanding at times. The controls are top-notch, the gameplay is simple to learn yet nicely tricky to master, and the numerous optional objectives provide a decent dose of replayability (definitely one for speedrunners). For those wanting something new in the genre, Wildfire has nice and crispy tricks up its sleeve.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Jun 23, 2020
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Jaws of Hakkon is an enjoyable but unessential addition to Inquisition, great for players looking to prolong their game or for an excuse to dive back into Thedas.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Mar 30, 2015
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Dragon’s Dogma 2 is majestic, marvelous and magnificent. It’s an experience that’s like no other that will have you immersed for every second of play. Unfortunately, there are certain elements that hold it back from greatness.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Mar 20, 2024
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1bitHeart caters to a specific target audience, but what it does for this type of experience it does well. It takes about four hours to complete which feels like about the proper length for it. Solving mysteries and making friends is the goal Misane has for Nanashi, and watching him panic and squirm while awkwardly fumbling through conversations has a certain endearing and relatable charm to it because of how accurately the game captures the internal monologue of introverts going into social awkwardness panic mode. People looking for action or something fast paced won’t find it here, but fans of visual novels or the questioning sequences from games like Ace Attorney or Danganronpa will likely enjoy 1bitHeart. It’s a casual friendly game, but sometimes those can be quite nice.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Sep 13, 2017
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Though it may retread old ground in parts, it's the wealth of material as much the care for the smaller details, where Digital Eclipse's reverence is most strongly felt. Not as complete or as comprehensive as one might've liked, Tetris Forever is still nonetheless a pleasant, worthwhile look back on one of gaming's and indeed all of culture's most-prized creations.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Nov 19, 2024
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Cossacks fixes the diplomacy system in a way that was sorely needed.- Hardcore Gamer
- Posted Jan 18, 2016
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