Shacknews' Scores
- Games
For 1,747 reviews, this publication has graded:
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47% higher than the average critic
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6% same as the average critic
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47% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0 points lower than other critics.
(0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 75
| Highest review score: | Tekken 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest review score: | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 1,004 out of 1747
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Mixed: 690 out of 1747
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Negative: 53 out of 1747
1774
game
reviews
- By Date
- By Critic Score
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- Critic Score
Wasteland 3 is one of those games that I could go on and on about, but the truth is, you really need to experience it yourself. The vast amount of content on display here is admirable, and inXile has once again proven why the community surrounding its titles is so passionate about what they do.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 26, 2020
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It’s worth noting that you’re still at the mercy of luck with the utterly randomized rooms and some runs can just plain out feel dirty while some have rewards galore, but it mostly feels fair. We say mostly because it felt like there was some hit and collision detection at times with finnicky spikes and holes in the floor that made for what felt like a few cheap deaths. Even so, it’s not enough to detract massively from the overall satisfying experience of adventure and progress that UnderMine provides.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 25, 2020
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I'm really wishing I had opted to play on PlayStation 4, but I would have had to wait longer for code to review, and there is no co-op mode to play with on PS4. The Switch version got several console-specific modes, including Assist Mode, three-player co-op, touchscreen support, and single Joy-Con play. Why Metronomik opted to reward the system least capable of running the game smoothly with additional content like this is beyond me, but I wish all systems supported three-player co-op to avoid these issues.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 25, 2020
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Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a faithful adaptation of the beloved series. Much more than a simple tie-in game, Battle Through Time provides great gameplay with a variety of weapons and abilities, even though the skill tree leaves a bit to be desired. With characters and a story so true to the source material, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is an excellently executed adaptation that Samurai Jack fans will adore.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 21, 2020
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Battletoads gets very experimental and it's often to its detriment, feeling like it's more focused on being a D-tier Cartoon Network show than a video game.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 19, 2020
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The game marks the official entry into the next generation of visual fidelity and scope. Even if you only have a passing interest in the subject matter, it is worth a look on Game Pass just to fly over your own neighborhood or to take a short vacation to Hawaii. With everyone looking to the upcoming consoles to provide the next-generation experience, don’t let this one slip off your radar.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 17, 2020
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Mortal Shell is a valiant attempt at the Souls-like genre. Its dark and brooding aesthetic are unnerving, while the unique mechanics, like the shells and Resolve, offer fresh takes on the tried-and-true combat. These slight changes from the formula create a challenging experience that will have those intimately familiar with the Souls-like genre relearning the basics. Unfortunately, while Mortal Shell has a heart of gold, there are mechanics and core decisions that prevent it from being a truly great entry into these hallowed halls.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 17, 2020
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There's a massive amount of work to be done here before I’d ever consider Hyper Scape a go-to over other options in the space.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 14, 2020
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The gameplay of UFC 4 is stellar and rewarding, but once the novelty begins to wear off, there’s not much more to keep players invested.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 14, 2020
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A Total War Saga: TROY does a good job in retelling the events of the Trojan War by using interesting elements from Greek mythology as well as the Iliad. However, there were times where the controls felt a little stiff, such as troop organization. The game also doesn’t meet its full potential graphically. That said, battles are simplistic to play but difficult to master. Since there are different lead characters to play as, TROY offers plenty of replay value as well as a chance to enjoy some Greek mythology on each run. It's not a perfect game, but fighting the Minotaur is too cool to pass up.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 13, 2020
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It's never ceased to bring me smiles. It's consistent happiness. Fall Guys is why I play games, and if my biggest complaint is that I can't get more people in on the fun, that's a pretty good sign for its future.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 12, 2020
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I will give Kill It With Fire credit for running smoothly on my PC and being a bug-free (groan) experience from the start to finish of its uncommonly short run time. The one fear-inducing music cue it uses repeatedly was worth a half-chuckle the first time I heard it, so I will give credit there. I don’t feel like there is anything here I can recommend to players unless they are deathly afraid of spiders or want to fake scream for a livestream show or two. The spiders can’t even hurt you, so the stakes here are literally zero for those not already stricken with bug phobia.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 12, 2020
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Risk of Rain 2 is a top-of-the-line roguelike. No matter how familiar you get with the controls, you’re never comfortable, as death is always one or two mistakes away. The vast number of enemies, items, and abilities make for an endlessly replayable experience. The extensive work done in the game’s more than a year in early access has paid off, as Risk of Rain 2 is one of the best roguelikes to hit the market in recent memory.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 11, 2020
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Fairy Tail is a great example of how good RPGs based on anime series can be, even if you don't know much (or anything at all) about the anime in question. I appreciated its challenging combat, extensive amount of quests and enemies to tackle, and the way it absolutely nailed the anime's aesthetic. I'd love to see other anime series tackled by Gust in the future – possibly a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure game someday. For now, I'm going to go and watch more Fairy Tail since the game has me hooked.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 7, 2020
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I absolutely have to give Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs Maxi Boost ON credit for its sheer depth of goods as a Gundam fighting game. It packs a lot of fanservice into one game for a franchise so vast and full of different mechs, and it doesn’t lose out on offering a quality fighting system to do it.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 6, 2020
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The problem is that while the game's ambitions are "XL," there's nothing "XL" about the full package. It feels like there are critical features missing, like the ability to play with friends or the ability to do anything with your skills beyond just perform them for yourself over and over. It's a slog once you've mastered these tricks and there's nothing left to do. It's even worse if you don't have the patience to learn, because at that point, there's literally nothing this game has to offer you. And given that the PS4 version of the game had performance hitches at various points, I can envision people's patience wearing thin quickly.- Shacknews
- Posted Aug 5, 2020
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It’s easy to compare Fae Tactics to the best parts of Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea, but it also doesn’t take long to see just how much of its own unique flavor it brings to the turn-based strategy RPG genre while mostly avoiding the more annoying grind points of these types of games.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 30, 2020
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If you are fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to have buddies who would be into crab battles, Fight Crab offers a few different ways to get it on, including online co-op. It also supports most of the community features offered by Steamworks integration, such as achievements, leaderboards, and the ever-awesome remote play support. Objectively, this is barely a game but the events occurring within are preposterous enough that its $20 entry fee can be justified by interested parties. Equal parts fever dream and time-waster, Fight Crab may find a way to sidestep into your Steam library.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 30, 2020
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Rock of Ages 3 is an additional serving of the series in a party-sized bag. What could have been the culmination of a decade of progress feels more like a thrown-together greatest hits collection. Diehards will find lots to like about the potentially endless supply of community creations and this also drives up potential value for newcomers. A high level of patience will be required as the bugs nearly derail the experience but the current version of the game can be made solid with the help of a few patches. It is not as exciting as it once was, but you could certainly do worse.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 28, 2020
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The best thing I can say about Paper Mario: The Origami King is that it has some major problems, but the story is great enough and so worth experiencing that it's worth trudging through the negatives to experience it at least once. Like a lot of first-time origami projects, it starts rough, but it's worth seeing through to the end.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 27, 2020
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Destroy All Humans! does a really great job of recapturing the spirit of the original. But, in a time where we’ve seen some developers take the originals and expand on them greatly, often adding new features altogether, the remake for Destroy All Humans! feels like it missed the boat. I really feel like the developers could have experimented with new things a bit more and really made the game standout a bit better in the current generation of games. Still, though, if you’re looking for a fun romp through one of the best games of the early 2000s, then Destroy All Humans! hits the spot.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 27, 2020
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Aeolis Tournament is a fun, easy to pick up multiplayer game that pits friends against each other to determine the top spot. Players will enjoy the simple control scheme and short events. However, the lack of variety in the events will hinder the replay value of Aeolis Tournament, thus turning some players away.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 23, 2020
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Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris feels like a run-of-the-mill JRPG, done in the style of SAO. Not ever did I think the game was downright bad or poorly made, but rarely was I taken or impressed by anything going on from a story or gameplay perspective. The game would have benefited greatly from leaning more into the online/MMO universe that it’s based on. However, fans of the anime and manga will surely still find some enjoyment with the latest adaptation of Sword Art Online.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 20, 2020
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It’s wonderfully balanced and doesn’t punish you for needing to attempt something more than once. And, even with the camera working against me, I was able to become a masterful samurai. Perhaps Ghost of Tsushima isn’t a perfect cherry blossom, but it is pretty damn close as far as I’m concerned.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 14, 2020
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Players who may have passed on the PS4 release in anticipation of Death Stranding coming to PC will not be disappointed. The game ran great during my preview experience, and features keyboard and mouse support. In a world that seems increasingly chaotic and apocalyptic, Death Stranding can provide players with a world that is actually trying to repair itself.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 13, 2020
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With a grand number of game modes, maps, and interesting characters with unique abilities alongside their personalized explosives, Rocket Arena certainly has more than enough personality to set itself from the pack.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 13, 2020
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F1 2020 offers a fantastic experience for Formula 1 fanatics. The MYTEAM mode is anything but a tacked-on bullet point and will likely be the most popular way to enjoy the game offline. It encompasses the entire Formula 1 team experience, save for the political red tape, dubious origins of financial backing, and the countless euro-trash orgies the top drivers are certainly participating in after making podiums.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 6, 2020
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Ultimately, there are better options out there for those itching for a hunting game fix. Hunting Simulator 2 earns points for its selection of licensed firearms and novel hunting companion system, but little else. The whole experience feels unfinished and the lack of attention to detail works to undermine the genuinely good traits it has. 4/10 sad duck calls.- Shacknews
- Posted Jul 3, 2020
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It looks and plays like it is far from ready for wide release, even for your typical early access title. The bad part is that Summer in Mara is not marked as early access, so I don’t think I can be forgiving of its half-baked mechanics, presentation, or UI. 5/10 underwater chests.- Shacknews
- Posted Jun 26, 2020
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The Academy has the kind of premise that should make it feel more special than it is. It certainly shines with its different array of puzzles. But the game's characters and their dialogue make this feel as exciting as Algebra class. I should feel more excited about the extracurriculars, but instead, The Academy's shortcomings had me watching the clock and waiting for the bell to ring.- Shacknews
- Posted Jun 25, 2020
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