NZGamer's Scores

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For 2,085 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 62% higher than the average critic
  • 6% same as the average critic
  • 32% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 1.9 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 77
Highest review score: 100 Tomb Raider
Lowest review score: 20 Smash 'N' Survive
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,403 out of 2085
  2. Mixed: 592 out of 2085
  3. Negative: 90 out of 2085
2085 game reviews
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    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Batman: The Telltale Series - Episode 4: Guardian of Gotham
    Episode 4 doesn’t work for any particular goal in of itself - it’s justification is almost entirely self-existent. If anything it’s merely sweeping the paveway for the finale.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    NBA Live 08
    The voice commentating is some of the best yet and when mixed with the highly detailed player models and animations, the game looks and feels like the real thing on your TV. Shame it just doesn’t quite hit the mark with the playability.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Medal of Honor Heroes 2
    A solid game that achieves most of what it sets out to do: provide a compelling first-person shooter set in World War II.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
    Easy to use, versatile level-creator with some content-sharing limitations. Solid platformer.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Your Shape: Fitness Evolved
    The end result is a solid exercise simulator for the more determined work-out fiends.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Killzone: Shadow Fall
    While the gameplay was OK, there were just too many things in the campaign mode that bugged me. Multiplayer is much better, however, with a solid mission-based experience and smooth interaction.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    The House of the Dead 4
    This game feels just right in duration and should be worthwhile for horror fans looking to get more use out of their dusty Move controllers this Winter.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Life Goes On
    Cutesy and colourful, Life Goes On takes a core concept from most games, flips it, and embeds it in an environment with reciprocating elements. The result is an engaging puzzle platformer that delights more than it frustrates. The ending credits sequence is also one of the most charming things I’ve seen this year.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Battlefield Hardline
    An entertaining, fast-paced execution of the Battlefield engine.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    FIFA Soccer 11
    But it could have been so much better if this game was FIFA: Hit the Streets - licensed teams and names with all the effort put into a killer arcade mode. The half-and-half version is a bit of a nil-all-draw on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 94 Critic Score
    LittleBigPlanet Karting
    The stupid grins on our faces, the uncontrollable laughs and the humming of the music long after the race was over, show that his game is fun right through to its adorable little core.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Medal of Honor: Airborne
    Good job EA, you have finally given a parachute to your declining series and now you are ready to pick yourself up from a botched landing and create a truly next-generation shooter.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Mario Party 9
    Another worthy release in a successful series. They've stuck to a tried and true formula: beloved characters, fun, variety and a fast pace, which is easy to play for the whole family.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
    It's surprising how much you are driven to obtain 100% of the secrets or achievements - no more so than the younger players, who will happily explore areas again and again just to get that elusive gold brick.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Pandora's Tower
    The developing relationship between Aeron and Elena is a truly enjoyable one, and it is interesting to watch how the flashbacks Elena gets after eating the Master flesh start to shed light on the mystery of why she was cursed in the first place.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    SingStar Queen
    Sheer awesomeness - for Queen fans, at least.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Titan Souls
    Too hard until it's too easy. Pretty, charming, and a cool idea, but infuriatingly unbalanced.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
    Cuddly cute, surprisingly, outrageously fun and best of all ­ minimally flawed.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
    Persistent fun and an abundance of content.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Deus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing Link
    While The Missing Link does present an intriguing cast of mysterious characters, none of them feel particularly imperative or tug at your heartstrings.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD
    This is the best version of the game, without a doubt, but it’s the best version of a game that is still, at it’s core, good without ever crossing the threshold into great.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Cogs
    It's a gorgeous curio, well worth the asking price.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Scribblenauts Unlimited
    If you own a brand spanking new Wii U, buy this game and give your imagination a workout.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    Just Cause 3
    When you’re not waiting for it to load, Just Cause 3 is an incredibly fun game. Crisp visuals and a clever soundtrack bring all the explosions to life. Even with the violence and destruction, it manages to maintain a lighter tone than the Far Cry games, without sliding into the outright silliness of Saints Row. But, it’s still silly enough.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    X-Men Origins: Wolverine
    For a movie tie-in game, X-Men Origins: Wolverine has a surprisingly long 13+ hour playing time.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel
    Ashes of Ariandel is a competent piece of downloadable content for Dark Souls III. It checks all the right boxes and makes all the right moves. It’s gorgeous, mysterious, but it’s also tame. While it does fill in the gaps around one of the series’ bigger question marks, no amount of mystique can hide the fact that there isn’t a lot on offer here.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Project X Zone 2
    A fitting tribute to gaming icons.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
    Classic Zelda puzzle-dungeons in a simple, in-and-out format.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    PixelJunk Shooter
    Playing right through will take you about five or five-and-a-half hours, so it’s not a long game - but you know what else is repetitive and takes less time than that? Call of Duty. Do a value-for-money comparison on that.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    Flight Control Rocket
    Much like Angry Birds Space, Flight Control Rocket is a great new version of the original game that will keep you addicted and eat up a lot of your spare time, and you'll be humming the theme tune throughout (and beyond).
    • 73 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
    Still enough juice in this well-worked smoothie of fun.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Virtua Tennis 2009
    Virtual Tennis 2009 is definitely a more detailed experience than what we’ve seen in Wii Sports.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Hybrid
    It's good in the sense that it takes a specific aspect of multiplayer from cover-based shooters and does it better than most. However, said aspect won't appeal to everyone. Moreover, Hybrid is a hard sell at 1200 Microsoft points - in addition to the micro-transactions you will need to unlock every weapon.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Eagle Flight
    Sort of like that dream you had once about being a bird, but with more feather collecting and fish.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Sims 4: Get to Work
    Drawbacks aside, there is still so much here that adds to the base Sims 4 game I have to mark this as a “must have” for Sims 4 players.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Always Sometimes Monsters
    Poor pacing, clumsy scriptwriting, and an overall lack of polish (even by indie standards) make it all to easy to bow out before this monster can sink its claws into you.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Grand Slam Tennis 2
    What really sold us on the game was the audio. If it wasn't the John McEnroe ear bashing in practice, or the wonderfully choreographed commentary in each match, it was that little bit extra where you have the option to choose your own serving exultation. All are perfectly done and top off what feels like a realistic play experience.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
    Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 may not be that unique, or that good, but it certainly takes a familiar theme and then moves off at strange angles, pushing ideas far more then you might initially expect, taking something familiar and, for good or bad, making it true to its own rules.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
    When the battle’s done with and the bodies are rotting where they fell, Star Wars Battlefront is still at heart ‘Battlefield for Star Wars fans’ - and that’s what makes it great.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Birds of Steel
    Really proves authentic flight combat simulators can work on consoles.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Killer Instinct
    For now, our recommendation would be that if you're looking for a fighting game that skimps on story and has just a handful of options, but still delivers tournament-ready credentials, look no further. Killer Instinct is making a brash play at the top table and, as far as we can tell, it's got the goods.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Disney Epic Mickey
    This game is a great use of the Wii's technology, and combined with Disney characters, art and music themes we know and love, this is a charming game, and it's not too cutesy for the older kids in your family - although your emo teenager will probably turn their pierced nose up at it.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Jonah Lomu Rugby Challenge
    Rugby Challenge is not without its problems. But there is depth behind its flashy veneer. Perhaps most importantly, there doesn't seem to be anything that ruins the game by overbalancing it. It embraces different playing styles, and rewards learning the skills associated with each.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
    This is a Star Wars game that reminds you how brilliant Mr. Lucas’ creations can be. But I can’t stress this enough – there are plenty of frustrations to be encountered amongst the brilliance too.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    The Sims 3 Seasons
    Seasons is to The Sims what MSG is to cooking (minus the possibly toxic side effects): it enhances the overall experience. Even if you've played it to death already, the simple application of weather and seasonal content guarantees plenty more mileage from the original game.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Madden NFL 25 (2013)
    For the average fan, Madden 25 on Xbox One offers little in the way of upgrades, making it hard to justify dropping another $120 for the game. On the other hand, for the hardcore Madden player (and I know there are a lot of you in New Zealand), the improved realism offered by some of the mechanical changes under the hood make this a hard game to pass up.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 69 Critic Score
    Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
    But, good or bad, it's just more of the same. Not a recommended buy, unless you've lost your copies of the original Dawn of War and the other expansions, and still have a hankering to play.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Banjo-Tooie
    As an XBLA download, Tooie is fantastic value. Much cheaper than the actual cartridges go for these days.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Kinect: Disneyland Adventures
    A thoroughly enjoyable Kinect experience and highly recommended for the wee ones this Christmas.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    inFamous: First Light
    Remembering that players won’t need Second Son to play, it’s a great opportunity for new-comers to the InFamous series to get stuck in. But those who got their fill with Deslin’s earlier adventures, you probably won’t find much new on offer here - apart from an interesting new character to get to know.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 69 Critic Score
    Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action
    The biggest draw here is the inclusion of many movie clips and sound bites. It’s pretty cool sitting back and watching a clip, and then pretty frantic as you realize you should have been paying more attention when the questions continually stump you. Oh, and if you aren’t much of a movie buff, you may as well stop reading now.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D
    It's a competent first pass 3D pocket football game, of that there's no question. It's fun to play and the 3D genuinely aids in comprehension of the proceedings.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Kinect Sports
    And that's really about it. Like Wii Sports, you will probably have a lot of fun while the Kinect technology is still new and exciting, but after that wears off, you'll only bring this one out for parties or over-energetic kids.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Star Wars Battlefront
    At risk of repeating other reviews, Battlefront has the form of a Star Wars game that feels like it’s still in the making. Whether from time constraints or by design, every ostensible grandeur and moment of fantasy it does so well to impress can be experienced with a day off. Its glamour and gloss only makes more regretful how little there is. After a ten-year hiatus, Battlefront is only a figment of what it wanted to be.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    Drawn to Life
    Drawn to Life is by no means a bad game, it's just a simple one with innovative mechanics thrown into the mix.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    Warp
    It consistently challenges you to make use of your latest ability and 'Metroidvania' nuts can take great pleasure in the rewards of backtracking, while it doesn't penalize players who don't.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Gravity Crash
    Gravity Crash is an old fashioned two dimensional fight against inertia. While there are a few things that bring it into the 21st century such as the bright neon colour palette, the online/multiplayer components and the build-a-level editor, it’s a simple game (simple in a good way) that is engaging, interesting and hard. Just like games in the olden days.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Mini Ninjas
    Combine all of the above with a plentiful array of button mashing moves and abilities, and you’ve got a heck of a lot to play with.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
    Intense and a refreshing change of pace for a shooter, but only if you have the right team beside you.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    SkyDrift
    At $9.99, SkyDrift is an absolute steal. There's not a huge amount of content, but what's here is excellent, and developers Digital Reality have already demonstrated that they're ready and willing to support the game with affordably priced DLC.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Nihilumbra
    BeautiFun’s unique platformer has never looked or played better.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    LBX: Little Battlers eXperience
    Strong RPG delivers on a great premise. Extensive customisation, let down by clunky menus.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Shift 2 Unleashed
    As a game it doesn't really offer us anything new. Its driving mechanic is a little clumsy and frustrating, but it's got enough variety and depth to keep you moderately entertained. As a portable driving distraction it's a decent attempt. But it could hardly be called the breakthrough ingenious iPad title we are all still clamouring for.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Tom Clancy's HAWX
    The multiplayer likewise suffers a bit from a lack of variety.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Crimson Alliance
    If you are only flying solo or plan on running with strangers online, it is simply not as a good a game when played this way. So like my mother always said, stay close to your friends and be wary of strangers.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Rock of Ages
    A truly unforgettable experience - the only downside is the frustration level. With a bit of tuning, and maybe a minimap, this bad boy might well have scored maximum points - as it is, the difficulty is going to eliminate much of the audience as surely as a huge rolling boulder might squish a stray peasant.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Ridge Racer Unbounded
    It's just shame you have to put up with the cheap AI and frustrating general mechanics of the core game to get involved.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Game of Thrones: Episode Five - A Nest of Vipers
    A bit of a filler episode, but several major decisions and events manage to redeem it.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise
    The many identical henchmen start to grate and the boring and awkward free roaming gets also gets annoying pretty quickly. But, you also get and enormous amount of style, strangeness and violence.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
    It feels like an odd mesh of classic Castlevania, Symphony of the Night, and Lords of Shadow, and like any jack of all trades, it masters none of these elements.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dead Rising 4
    Mindless, stupid fun.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    Beyond: Two Souls
    The story is a little slow throughout, and it often feels like an interactive cutscene, but the graphics are good, the choices are interesting, the acting is great, and overall I feel the journey is more than worth the price of entry.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hatoful Boyfriend
    A strange, charming dating sim with a lot more depth than first meets the eye.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Tricky Towers
    An innovative little puzzler that stacks up well, and will keep you entertained for a weekend.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Remember Me
    The gameplay is very much like Uncharted, only with no guns. In the future no one has guns, except the flying robots, who have some kind of energy cannons.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
    One of the most authentic Final Fantasy games in a decade.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    When Vikings Attack!
    Regardless of the questionable depth, and maybe slightly high price, you'd have to have a heart of stone to regret time spent with When Vikings Attack. It might be a bit repetitive, but it continues to be fun to biff cars and bombs about, all while listening to the humorous banter between your lot and everyone else.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    DC Universe Online
    The feeling that DCUO is a brand-new game, that hasn't quite ironed out the wrinkles, is palpable.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Lost Dimension
    Gripping character work complements deep combat.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Just Dance 2014 (French)
    Just Dance 2014 is still a whole lot of fun, particularly if you bring a few friends around to join in. Just make sure you keep a towel handy, as all that dancing can be sweaty work.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Tony Hawk's Proving Ground
    Skate will definitely appeal to the serious skaters out there. Tony Hawks’ Proving Ground is better suited for the casual gamers who enjoy the speed rush and gravity defying tricks.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    GripShift
    Rather than stretching to make a multi-bajillion dollar, true-to-life racing simulation, Sidhe have focused their efforts on producing a rather cute, well-designed, simple puzzle/platform racer and the awards speak for themselves.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Tales of Zestiria
    Love Tales, hate Tales, or just don’t care - Zestiria will give you exactly what you expect.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Mount & Blade
    If you want a story-driven, graphically intensive roleplaying game, this is not going to do it for you. But if you enjoyed the freedom of Sid Meier's Pirates!, Mount & Blade is probably right up your alley.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mass Effect: Andromeda
    BioWare Montreal’s latest sci-fi RPG is massive, but the quality of its writing and sidequests varies too much for the combat alone to make up for it. Its size and scope delivers on the limitless possibility that a new galaxy should represent, but that complexity has paved the way for bugs that remove you from the experience. Mass Effect: Andromeda occasionally makes good on the legacy of its predecessors, but it never eclipses them.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    Assassin's Creed Rogue
    Rogue is not one of the best in the series, in fact I’d put it pretty low on the pole. But they did give it a good try and there’s hope for more intricate gameplay in the future, though this is certainly the last AC game developed for the previous gen consoles.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
    The ability to approach missions as you want to or just cruise around town in a tank, blowing stuff up is something you can't get anywhere else and simply must be experienced.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 49 Critic Score
    Endless Ocean
    Purchase for your grandmother rather than yourself.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Killzone: Shadow Fall - Intercept
    Overall though, it’s a fun new game mode. And for Killzone - it’s an interesting experience working as a squad, rather than a group of individuals. There is no question that you’ll need to work together to win the game.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Matterfall
    Matterfall, as with many other Housemarque games, is a flawed but fun experience. Its relatively small number of levels helps keep it light on fluff, appealing to people who want to find every collectible and maximise their score on the leaderboards. Its short length also means it isn’t an imposing task for someone looking for a change of pace.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Rayman 3 HD
    Its set in a bizarre world, with a straightforward story, quirky humor, and - some might say - it's trying too hard to break the fourth wall, but I actually had fun playing Rayman 3 HD.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    NBA Live 18
    EA have a vested interest in seeing the NBA Live franchise land at the top of the basketball simulation sub-genre. While this year's iteration doesn’t quite get there, they’ve made a big enough leap for people to take notice, especially given the much lower price point than NBA 2K18.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    The Saboteur
    While the hand-to-hand battle mechanics are a bit spongy - the targeting system especially so - the gun fights are a joy to control.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits
    A solid sequel with minor improvements to a successful formula.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 52 Critic Score
    Mario Party DS
    The problem is, once you've worked out how each mini-game works, you realise there's little to no skill involved. In fact, some of them are completely random.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
    Unbalanced characters and a very steep difficulty curve can cause an unnecessary amount of frustration. The Story Mode (playable from either the DC or MK point of view) was interesting to progress though and had some well thought-out storylines. But eventually you’ll come up against a near unbeatable foe like Scorpion who will put a dampener on your enjoyment levels.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Club
    The Club wears its heart proudly on its sleeve and makes no apologies for what it is: beautiful, finely crafted gameplay that grabs one by the throat and demands they play some more.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess
    It feels a lot like a 99c iPhone game from a year ago (you'd expect more variety from a 99c iPhone game today), making it disappointingly low value at PSN prices. It does what it does well enough, but it's super niche and probably of interest to relatively few.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Need for Speed ProStreet
    The end result is that car enthusiasts will enjoy the customisation options and traditional driving methods but other fans of the series will be frustrated at the missing action from previous games.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Snake Pass
    For those who persevere and manage to find themselves one with the controls – those that embody the life of a snake – you’ll likely look back on this as a hidden gem that was glossed over by far too many. Personally it’s a game that I enjoy; one that I want to finish but never will. The pain of dropping to my death and losing minutes of progress for the eighth time, because my fingers just couldn’t keep up, outweighs the immense joy I got from succeeding on the ninth attempt.
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