Push Square's Scores

  • Games
For 3,622 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 31% higher than the average critic
  • 8% same as the average critic
  • 61% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 7.1 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 68
Highest review score: 100 Persona 4 Golden
Lowest review score: 10 Yasai Ninja
Score distribution:
3639 game reviews
    • 67 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    The Bradwell Conspiracy wants to reach the same heights as Gone Home and What Remains of Edith Finch, but thanks to woeful performance on PlayStation 4 and clunky, unreliable mechanics, it goes in the opposite direction.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    VR Ping Pong's a steeply priced simulation that mostly misses the mark. The presentation is rudimentary and the gameplay is awkward and unrefined. The developer may argue that we're just bad at table tennis, but we have no problem in real-life, so clearly there's something awry here. Factor in technical glitches and this is difficult to recommend.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    The game is incredibly slight; beyond some unlockable characters, it's likely you and your pals will grow tired of the concept very quickly. There are no other modes, no tortured storyline to follow -- just position your sumo correctly until you fail. You do so with the shoulder buttons, but while it's very simple, in practice it's fiddly and not particularly intuitive. There isn't even any music to enjoy while you wrestle your character into shape. For those looking for a new party game to play with some chums, this is certainly different, but you'll be done with it faster than it takes you to buy it.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Its sci-fi façade is pleasant enough, but does little to mask the fundamentally unimaginative mechanics and basic gameplay on offer here.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    One of its biggest problems is presentation. It's visually poor across the board, and sound is arguably worse; egregious voice lines play out over bland music and lacklustre engine tones. Handling isn't too bad, however. Once you grow accustomed to the slightly odd control scheme, the fun begins to trickle through as you drive across each multi-path circuit. Unfortunately, too many other problems get in the way. Rubber-banding is off the charts, it's hard to see which pick-ups are which, and car-to-car combat with big weapons isn't as fun as it should be.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Last Labyrinth fails to provide an enjoyable VR experience. Unless you are a sadist who takes pleasure in witnessing a little girl get brutally murdered, we'd suggest you give this one a miss.
    • 33 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    AMY
    The trial-and-error nature of the level design, and the heinous save and checkpoint system make it a game that's infuriating to play. A slew of fundamental design decisions ruin a collection of great ideas, and that's unfortunate. AMY is not a tense game, it's a frustrating one. But what's most disappointing of all is that beneath the shoddy execution, it had real potential.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    The Smurfs 2: The Video Game feels like it was made by following a recipe. The level design and boss fights are incredibly formulaic, and downright dull to play. The developer may have attempted to make a decent movie tie-in, but all that it's managed to produce is a dull, repetitive slog through a tedious campaign.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Murasaki Baby is a textbook example of style over substance. The game’s twisted fantasy world certainly looks the part, but its touch-based puzzles are the real nightmare at times. There are some clever moments here, but they’re undone by atrocious controls.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Balan Wonderworld stands out as easily one of the worst 3D platformers in the past decade. There was no good reason for Square Enix and Yuji Naka to salvage this train wreck and it's an embarrassment that this game was allowed to be released at all in its current state. When the game’s only redeeming qualities are some good music and neat DualSense features, something clearly went wrong here. There is no doubt that Balan Wonderworld should've remained locked up in the game design vault it was conceived in twenty years ago.
    • 39 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is for the most devoted Doctor Who fans only, and even then we'd advise sticking to the TV series. There's enough in the series to pull together a decent game with the right approach, but we're going to have to wait a bit longer for that TARDIS-sized hole in videogames to be filled.
    • 36 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Tokyo Tattoo Girls is a simple strategy game which can be fun in small doses but is sadly not interesting enough to keep you playing for long. The story is poor, the characters are strange (and not in a good way), and the gameplay is lacking. The artwork and tattoos look gorgeous, so it’s a pity they weren’t in a better game.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Despite some poorly implemented good ideas, Tour De France 2014 feels a bit like pushing a BMX up a hill on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon – only without any of the fun.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Oure is a masterclass in how not to follow up on the success of Abzu and Journey. A seemingly interesting set-up quickly disappears, repetitive and frustrating gameplay dampens the experience further, and the abysmal controls make every second spent playing a depressing chore.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Observer is rough. Some neat narrative beats and a beautifully presented cyberpunk world paired with an exceptional performance from Rutger Hauer end up being the only redeeming qualities present in this title. This is a game that, despite being short, feels overlong, due in part to some tedious and obnoxious gameplay segments, and some of the least subtle “horror” we’ve encountered in recent memory. Throw in a bevy of technical problems and a third act that is complete nonsense, and Observer is, at best, a bit of a mess. To call this game a letdown would be an understatement.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    We can scarcely recall an occasion where we were more disappointed by a sequel than New Tales from the Borderlands. We wanted to love this. We'd have accepted liking it. But we hate this game. This is a ten-hour narrative adventure that feels four times as long as it needs to be, with dreadful characters, and appalling, relentlessly unfunny jokes. It's a spectacular misfire, its only success to speak of being the rare example of a sequel so bad that it ruins the original, too.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Knee Deep makes a decent attempt at telling a dark, mysterious tale, but underneath lies a bland game with little interaction. The cast of characters aren't particularly likeable and the story they tell makes some bizarre missteps. Perhaps the murder mystery fans among you could get a small kick out of this, but we'd say that most of you can safely ignore this title, knee deep in problems as it is.
    • 33 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Beast Quest feels unfinished. Its graphical presentation is put to shame by many PS3 titles, and we’re absolutely baffled how the experience doesn’t even manage to run at a consistent framerate on the PS4 Pro. But even if these two aspects were up to snuff, the gameplay and plot are still below average. Beast Quest has very little to offer to even the most die-hard fans of the book series, and everyone else is advised to steer well clear.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Saying that Milestone need to take a step back with its dirt bike games and rework everything is becoming as tired a statement as saying Telltale needs to use a new engine. But it remains true yet again with MXGP Pro. A very slight improvement over MXGP 3, but a noticeable step back from Monster Energy Supercross, MXGP Pro is largely a spectacular disaster. It gets a couple things right, and offers a new slate of tracks to race on, but you’ll be too busy slamming your head into a wall to really notice.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Given the nature of live service titles it's possible that Babylon's Fall could see a phoenix-style resurrection with some rebalancing, but somehow, we doubt it. Hopefully this absolute misfire doesn't signal a profound change in direction for Platinum Games; this title had a troubled conception and it shows, but rather than iterate on things, we'd rather see a return to single player dominance. There's just nothing about Babylon's Fall that warrants going back to the drawing board. Except for that fantastic boss battle in which you race the Batmobile against those jorts-clad pink elephants. Oh wait, that was just a dream we had when the game put us to sleep.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Nostalgia is a powerful thing – but in some cases it can be problematic. The industry has certainly moved on from the days when games such as Painkiller: Hell & Damnation were commonplace, and while it's not unreasonable to look back on these times with fondness, that doesn't mean that this lazy rehash deserves your attention. This is a shining example of corner-cutting, outdated ideas, and, in truth, is a complete waste of your time.
    • 42 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Graphical issues, lazy design, broken mechanics, dull combat, vulgar dialogue, and a loathsome main character are all bundled together in Time and Eternity, resulting in a particularly uncomfortable and unenjoyable JRPG. If you're looking for dynamic battles, gorgeous visuals, and a decent yarn, pick up Tales of Xillia or Ni No Kuni instead. Just trust us on this one.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    It's a confounding mess of bright colours, bizarre characters, and unpleasant sights and sounds – but then again, maybe that's entirely the point. Either way, this is a disappointing, bare-bones visual novel, and frankly, we're glad that the trip is over.
    • 22 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    A blend of Spider-Man and Tony Hawk, Energy Hook is the kind of old-school Activision-inspired outing that any millennial should be able to enjoy. Unfortunately, the execution's just not there, and cumbersome controls coupled with some real lousy presentation mean that this is a swing and a miss we're sad to say.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Fall of Light: Darkest Edition is far too basic and frustrating for us to consider any sort of recommendation. Thanks to a woeful control scheme that prioritises input lag and unresponsiveness, every one of its mediocre mechanics suffer to the point where Fall of Light feels more like work than fun.
    • 42 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Arcania: The Complete Tale tries hard to offer an enthralling adventure, but falls significantly short of the mark. The game is plagued by an array of graphical, sound, and gameplay glitches, serving up something of a technical mess. If you can see past the issues, there are some minor redeeming qualities here, but with better RPGs available, it's not really worth the effort.
    • 32 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    The muddled mismatch of time periods could be forgiven if the writing wasn't so woeful and the voice acting so unintentionally amusing.
    • 37 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Crystal Rift is far from an enjoyable experience, with cumbersome controls, lacklustre visuals, and poor enemy AI. The entire experience gets very tiresome very quickly, and with the ever increasing expectations for great quality games, this just doesn't cut it. This rift would be better left unexplored, unless you think you'd enjoy its torturously repetitive depths.
    • 43 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Aliens: Colonial Marines is a failure. It’s buggy, not a great deal of fun, and filled with unlikeable characters that desperately attempt to further a plot that you'll promptly lose interest in.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Gal*Gun 2 will once again grab the headlines for all the wrong reasons, but what those will fail to tell you is that the underlying experience isn’t worth any sort of price to begin with. Once the perverse novelty wears off, you’re left with a bare-bones shooter that sorely needs to come off the rails it is tied to if it wants to create any excitement.

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