PLAY! Zine's Scores

  • Games
For 1,364 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 55% higher than the average critic
  • 8% same as the average critic
  • 37% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.6 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 75
Highest review score: 100 Returnal
Lowest review score: 10 Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV
Score distribution:
1364 game reviews
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A psychological mystery meets the scenic fjords of Norway to bring you a new genre of fjord noir. Join Edward Charles Harden and his ward Lissie in their search for Edward's lost sister and unravel the mystery of the village of Graavik.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    You can't remake the charm of Banjo-Kazooie while disguising it as another game. Yooka-Laylee is a package of nostalgia that aged badly. There is a lot to love here but at the same time, there is a lot to be outraged about. Nonetheless, it is a recommendation you should tread carefully on.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    It may not be all that much different to the previous two games in the series, but Mario Strikers: Battle League still manages to be an extremely fun game, especially when playing with multiple friends. The lack of content steals its potential shine, but for what it is – it does a great job at making you have some quality fun.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Haven is a fun mixture of visual novel storytelling, walking simulator exploration and just a dash of action-adventure. The main focus is on the couple and their story of survival on an alien planet. With that in mind, it's not a game for everyone, but it is a fun adventure to take.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Mafia: The Old Country takes the series back to its Sicilian origins with a powerful, story-driven campaign. Despite limited side content and a few rough visual details, its atmosphere, narrative, and combat deliver a memorable experience.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    As a whole, Broken Age is a must-play for any fan of point-and-click adventures. However it is pretty obvious that the game is forcibly split into two acts and if you have waited for a whole year to see the conclusion of the game’s story, you’re probably going to end up disappointed.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Shallow story combined with historic inaccuracies and very buggy multiplayer gave us a game that leaves a bitter taste in stark contrast with big expectations. War Mode is a bright spot and is currently the only thing really worth playing, but there’s still hope that the game might improve over time with patches.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Evil West is a nostalgic throwback to the 7th generation of consoles where the story was corny, the environments were bland, the protagonists were manly men, and everything was cheezy and glorious – and I like this very, very much. The fun combat is only hindered but a plethora of bugs and a pretty linear level design.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The third installment of The Dark Pictures Anthology brings a more action-packed story and a different kind of twist. If you liked the first two, you will probably enjoy this one at least as much. Just make sure to sharpen your reflexes, because this game is really unforgiving. Yet those that endure it will be left with an unforgettable horror experience.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    NHL 21 is almost the same game like NHL 20, with few added additional features to few of its modes. Absolute cash-grab for a yearly roster update and another microtransaction filled unsatisfactory experience.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The game that will make you genuinely uneasy, Layers of Fear uses more subtle scare tactics to induce paranoia into the player, building a heavy atmosphere during its rather short runtime.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Zombie Army 4: Dead War is an FPS game, where armies of mindless zombies are taking over the world, under the leadership of Hitler himself! It's up to you to help stop them and save the world - once again. Sounds fun? It is fun.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The new songs are pretty nice, but everything else is more of the same. Also, if you really want to gain access to the whole game you have to subscribe to Just Dance Unlimited. Get it on sale.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If you’re looking for that "sweet, yet bitter" nostalgic feel, with the good old days on your AMIGA or any 16 bit console coming to your mind, then Tower 57 is a game you have to try.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Phoenix Springs is not for everyone, but it is one of the most thought-provoking and beautiful experiences I’ve had in gaming recently. It is adorned with gorgeous art and an intriguing, albeit a bit confusing story, and a great protagonist who will break the fourth wall and immerse you in this dark and gritty neo-noir world.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    This might be the best interpretation and adaptation of the RoboCop IP, as well as the greatest RoboCop game to date. Even though the gameplay can feel janky at times, Rogue City still offers a unique experience that you shouldn’t miss, especially if you’re a fan of the franchise.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Layers of Fear 2 is one of the best horror games on the Switch platform. While the amazing atmosphere, built by binaural audio and great graphics deliver a strong and immersive experience, gameplay and story could be much better. Yet all of the qualities this title builds, still shine strong, enough for any horror fan to truly enjoy an around 8 hours long ride.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hand drawn turned based strategy where you lead the explorers on an adventure to become the best there are. With bandits, treasures and wild animals, there is never a dull moment in Renowned Explorers.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Sharp self-aware humor and crazy characters are what every old school point & click fan likes, and this game has a ton of it. Where the game wasn't so successful is the puzzle design and story development.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A rough restart to a beloved franchise plagued by bugs and glitches. An inexperienced team of fans working on new saga led to poor storytelling and writing. On the other hand, flawless gameplay and shooting mechanics advance the franchise further and we are confident that the sequels will only get better.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Gamedec is one weird Polish gem that comes both unpolished (pun intended) and innovative and creative. It truly is a true role-playing game with great and interesting mechanics that incentivize player choice, although it suffers from various tiny gameplay design problems and lack of finishing touches that would make it a truly defining video game that can rival paragons of the genre like Disco Elysium.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The Invincible is a walking simulator with superb voice acting, perfect pacing, gorgeous alien scenery, intriguing space mystery, and an excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, outdated and frustrating traversal mechanics are making the experience worse, but if you love Atompunk and retrofuturism, you should absolutely give this one a try.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With dozens or even hundreds hours of gameplay, tremendous replay value and low price, Underrail is a must-buy title for RPG fans that don't mind its slightly outdated visuals.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Book of Demons is a hidden gem, taking some of the best elements from action RPGs like Diablo and Path of Exile. It maintains its unique paper cut-out style, while providing a fun and intriguing equipment and advancement system.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Need for Speed: Heat is the first good step for the franchise in years. Devoid of micro transactions, providing some Underground-like neon vibes with it’s best customization system, it can provide more than a dozen of hours of fun, despite it’s dead like world design and irrelevant and boring story.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Outriders Worldslayer is an expansion in word only. It provides players with some new options for builds and a few fun loot, but its 3-hour story and overall really small amount of content make it look like an incremental free update that tries to scam its players by paying full price for it.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    As a spectacular and blasting experience, Matterfall rides on reflexes of the player. It rides with intensity, speed and... is short. It is so short that you will finish it in 2 hours, then stare at the wall for 2 more. But while it lasts and doesn’t force you to chase the high-score, Matterfall is an awesome little title.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    Nintendo Switch Sports reignites that old fun factor of the original Wii sports games. While some are not that great, some are amazing, and some will be added in the future for free; starting 6 disciplines will surely give you and your friends a great time around the TV. Just don’t forget to strap on your JoyCons.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Wildgate did not hook me as hard as I thought it would. I thought it would be more of a ‘’Sea of Thieves in Space’’ type of game; however, Moonshot Studios tried to do something new. For what it’s worth, I think they did it, but the novelty quickly wore off with its PvPvE approach. The matches are fun only if you have a good crew with friendly players who are there for the fun of it and not to win at all costs.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a technical marvel due to its gorgeous open world with an alluring atmosphere that calls for exploration, but is unfortunately hindered by the “sameness” of Ubisoft open-world games from the past decade. It offers some new elements like wilder parkour sequences and more hunting oriented gameplay, but not even remotely enough to be hailed as something new or innovative.

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