PLAY's Scores

  • Games
For 679 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 34% higher than the average critic
  • 8% same as the average critic
  • 58% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 3.5 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 71
Highest review score: 100 Astro Bot
Lowest review score: 10 POSTAL 4: No Regerts
Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 29 out of 679
679 game reviews
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A superior collection to the first Arcade Stadium, this is an excellent way to revisit 8 your youth and/or discover quality games that you never knew existed. [Issue#18, p.91]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Terrifically fast, well-balanced street racing that really makes the most of PS5. Not quite as cool as the new art stylings would suggest, but still a fine game. [Issue#23, p.68]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The main game is a beautifully balanced blast of team-shooter perfection. Who needs a story when the action is this good? It’s only let down by unnecessary PvP. [Issue#8, p.82]
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    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Despite awkward exploration, it is wonderful to play something as wilfully odd as this. If you’re craving something different, don’t miss this return trip to Zenozoik. [Issue#27, p.83]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    An interesting selection of games that can feel over-familiar are saved by an excellent emulation platform that manages to make these old hits playable again. [Issue#3, p.145]
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    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    An interesting take on the roguelike genre that offers a unique and entertaining way to play the game, but feels geared towards co-op over single-player. [Issue#22, p.81]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The strong shell-switching hook and charming writing float to the top, while a myriad issues at launch drag down this treasure chest of promise. [Issue#41, p.84]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    There are quite a few levels, and mastering them can be a challenge as each has not only the letters ‘K’, ‘A’, ‘Z’, and ‘E’ to collect, but also two unique bonus challenges, a special crystal for collecting 100 smaller ones, and time trials. A nicely done Casual mode adds an extra possible shield and additional checkpoints to help everyone bop killer carrots on the head. [Issue#1, p.81]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Exhilarating and creative combat means we feel truly let loose in PSVR2. The only down side is… with only nine levels to get through, we want more. [Issue#30, p.86]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    In desperate need of repair work, Pacific Drive is a patchwork of glorious, memorable moments held together by the duct tape of frustration and technical issues. [Issue#38, p.88]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Detailed, characterful, and with a mechanical twist that adds depth to turn-based combat. Don’t let any preconceptions about League Of Legends put you off this spin-off. [Issue#9, p.77]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The big feature this time around is what’s called War Scenarios. These are essentially larger-scale battles that take the tower defence action outside the castle.2 While good in theory, these levels being so open often makes managing the horde flow a bit of a chore, especially when compared to the more traditional compact mazes. Combine this with a couple of inconsistent difficulty spikes, and Orcs Must Die! 3 is a solid (if somewhat unsurprising) continuation of the strategic orc-slaying concept. [Issue#5, p.86]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    An earnest, if occasionally frustrating, building adventure that boasts impressive technical detail and makes you want to dig out your old box of Lego. [Issue#15, p.84]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s a game of two halves: one moment you’re bashing monsters in typical JRPG fashion, the next you’re taking friends on dates to the gymnasium and building takoyaki stands. While varied, this loop can feel repetitive as enemies mostly offer little challenge and date interactions follow predictable formulas. Still, with engaging characters and a coming-of-age story of personal growth and female friendship to root for, there’s a magical adventure to be discovered here – if you can get past the repetitive activity. [Issue#9, p.90]
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    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Little Goody Two Shoes is a colourful gift of genuine uneasiness tied up with a bow and laid out as a tasty and fully worthy ritual offering to nostalgia. [Issue#35, p.80]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It might be a lean offering, but it’s great to 7 see Virtua Fighter return, with mechanics that have aged surprisingly well – if matches play properly. [Issue#3, p.151]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This archipelago adventure is, in a word, lovely. While its open world can’t soul-jump out of making familiar wrong turns, we still enjoyed getting lost in it. [Issue#27, p.72]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Variety, competition, and awful writing are at the heart of this enjoyable open-world racer. The rough edges are forgivable thanks to all the good old-fashioned fun. [Issue#8, p.88]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s not quite a reshuffle, then, but The Beasts Of Burden deals a good hand. [Issue#20, p.88]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Your travels will be filled with seedy motels, grubby gas stations, and highway pit stops as Road 96 is a tale that’s constantly in motion. The story it weaves from your multiple playthroughs and different decisions is incredibly clever, and even though the political events that underpin the story are a little tedious, it manages to capture the freedom of travelling but also the tension of trying to survive. A road trip to remember. [Issue#15, p.87]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Packs a wealth of firefighting scenarios into a short runtime, then remixes them for additional challenge. Some control issues aside, it’s a flaming good time. [Issue#28, p.82]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A MotoGP maniac’s dream, and a great choice for anybody looking for a motorbike sim that kicks asphalt. Mocking death at high speeds has never been such fun. [Issue#1, p.80]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Doesn’t veer far from the original’s winning formula, but the high gloss and family-friendly action mean there’s much to champion. Not essential, but beautifully slick. [Issue#34, p.95]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The story and its telling are a little disappointing, as is the way you suddenly find yourself out of your depth if you’re slightly underlevelled. And we really want to get more hands-on with this world! Still, it’s a great (and great-looking) option for anybody with an itchy trigger finger. [Issue#13, p.79]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    This is a pleasant small-town fantasy for a cosy weekend, buoyed by some delightful writing. [Issue#15, p.87]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Bloodhunt is a robust and remarkably well-crafted battle royale. It might not bring the genre back from the dead entirely, but it’s still a bloody good time. [Issue#15, p.96]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Few games feel as good to play as this, but the demanding platforming might not suit all. A heady mix of challenge and reward. Plus, space rollerskates. [Issue#10, p.76]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Challenging without being unfair, accessible without being patronising. It might be the VR skating experience you’ve dreamed of (if you dreamed of using your hands). [Issue#32, p.80]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Bigger than ever, Sniper Elite 5 is a refreshingly direct and enjoyable stealth shooter with a multiplayer mode that elevates it to new heights. [Issue#16, p.126]
    • PLAY
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A perfectly pitched pint-sized adventure well worth picking up – it’s got all the mini critters you can throw and a teeny-tiny world you’ll want to get lost in. [Issue#20, p.80]
    • PLAY

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