Shacknews' Scores

  • Games
For 1,747 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 47% higher than the average critic
  • 6% same as the average critic
  • 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: 100 Tekken 8
Lowest review score: 10 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5
Score distribution:
1774 game reviews
    • 76 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    An ambitious and solid first outing from the team at Squanch Games. There’s a real game here with some actual replayability thanks to hidden power babies, a few branching paths, and the crazy amount of voice acting that went into it. It looks good, it plays [well], and it is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud several times during your adventure. At a price point of $29.99, you’re getting quite a deal considering the amount of content being delivered, especially for a VR experience. While Trover has a few flaws, the overall package executes what it sets out to accomplish remarkably well.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Team Sonic Racing is a strong return to form for Sumo Digital’s kart racing spin-off series. Built on a solid foundation of gameplay, the risks taken with the implementation of the team dynamic pay off big time and sets Team Sonic Racing apart from other available titles in its class. Although it could use some beefing up in terms of side content, Team Sonic Racing is a versatile experience that fans of the franchise will adore.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been a big fan of the series, I found a lot to like in Three Kingdoms.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Asobo Studio certainly knows how to make a cinematic experience. With that said, A Plague Tale: Innocence is dark, dangerous, and just a little bit dull.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    As much as I wanted Rage 2 to work, it just doesn’t deliver the best that it could from the two top-notch studios working on it. Right now, I can’t rightfully recommend picking it up at full price, as I just don’t feel there’s enough content here to warrant what they’re asking.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! is another great HAL Laboratory offering with only a few small missteps that keep it from being a perfect example of how to make a puzzle platformer. Everything else is great, though, and if you need another game to add to your growing Switch collection, you really can't go too wrong here – especially if you've got another BOXBOY or BOXGIRL in your life you want to share this adrenaline-pumping boxy adventure with.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ultimately, I will look back on my time with Days Gone fondly. No, it wasn’t on the same level as other PS4 exclusives before it, but as I eluded to in my opening, not all meals have to be gourmet. Bend Studios set out to make a game about a biker in a post-apocalyptic world full of Freakers that aren’t quite human and aren’t quite dead, and it’s generally a fun experience with some clever gameplay choices and a few moments of brilliance.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While it isn't without a few faults, it's very much an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon or two with, then return to later in the week to see how much more you can take on. I'm all about the grind in my day-to-day life, so seeing something similar in such a fun and rewarding little game was right up my alley.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mortal Kombat 11 isn't the ideal MK package and may not even be the best MK package to come along in this console generation. Still, it's a strong package and one that still proves fun to play alone or with friends. It's not a flawless victory, but it's still a victory, nonetheless.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Katana Zero is an inspired effort. Askiisoft could have easily relied on the action formula alone, called it a day, and it would have been a solid indie release. However, Katana Zero dares to go bolder, with a story that takes more than one left turn, and an innovative dialogue system that can paint both the story and the main character in a different light. No matter how you opt to play this game, Katana Zero is one of the best Hotline Miami homages I've seen yet.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I just can’t quit Iron Rain. It’s just too addictively fun to give up on and any EDF fan that’s been around long enough is most likely used to these games having a few blemishes. In the case of Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain, in particular, the good definitely outweighs the bad.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    If you have any interest in America’s favorite pastime, you owe it to yourself to step up to the plate with MLB The Show 19. 9/10 gratuitous bat flips.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Tropico 6 is the best game I've played all year.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stands tall among some of From Software’s most renowned titles. The challenge is clear and present, the story and mystery are equally intriguing, and the beautiful vistas and soundtrack work in perfect harmony. It might be entirely different to what came before it, but Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a near-perfect experience and a natural progression of the Soulsborne series.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Walking Dead: The Final Season is a testament to what great writing talent can accomplish. Even with the game's increasingly archaic engine and an art style that isn't quite as unique as it used to be, The Final Season offers a story that ranks up there with the original first season. It is a marvelous piece of work and acts as a bookend to one of the best gaming sagas of the decade.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Sure, The Division 2 isn’t perfect. Those hoping for an in-depth and engaging story will find themselves extremely disappointed in the meager offering on hand here. But, if you can overlook that, you’ll find an amazing experience beneath that is just teeming with engaging content. Considering how easy it is to sink 60+ hours into the game and still have activities to complete, I’m confident in saying that Massive Entertainment has earned themselves a giant gold star.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Beat Cop serves well as a Police sim, although that aspect of the game grows stale as time goes on. The story can be janky and oddly paced at times, but overall tells a fascinating cop story with some neat revelations. The pixel art style fits the 80’s theme of Beat Cop and really nails the retro vibe that the devs are shooting for. Beat Cop works just as well on console as it did on PC, but there’s still some room to improve.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Devil May Cry 5 is an excellent action game. It's an even better Devil May Cry, perhaps the best the series has seen just yet. It's aesthetically pleasing in ways I never thought possible for the series, and chock-full of love for the fans, oozing out of every pore.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The game is a tight package that hits all the right notes when things are working well, though it can possibly push you into madness if you falter. 8/10 dismembered arms.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dead or Alive 6 has complex, satisfying combat and enough variety to keep players of all skill levels happy. It has great graphics, it's stylish, and it's packed with bonuses. It's also full of what still feels like unintentional humor, which somehow makes the experience more of a spectacle. Sadly, the unimpressive online infrastructure and convoluted character customization serve as two big blots that mar the overall experience.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Like Destiny, like No Man's Sky, like Fallout 76, like The Elder Scrolls Online, Anthem could be a great game by next year. But that doesn't make it a good game now. Right now, Anthem is not good. And given what's come out of BioWare in the past and the kinds of lasting, impactful experiences that the gaming world knows BioWare is capable of delivering, that's truly sad.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Where Trials Rising falls off is with its presentation. While the tracks are all unique in appearance and boast expert level design, the visuals on PC felt dated. I’m not looking for realism, but I was disappointed to find low-quality textures and an overall lack of polish. Console players might not share that view, but it was noticeable in my experience.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Apex Legends is the battle royale game players have been waiting for. It nails the movement and terrain traversal while ensuring weapons feel meaty and responsive. Even the inclusion of light hero shooter features melds surprisingly well with the battle royale genre. Respawn Entertainment has set a new gold standard for what players should expect from their battle royale experiences.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Metro Exodus is best when it follows the classic Metro formula, painting the world with tension as you dive deeper into the darkness of the world. While the game does suffer with a bit of an identity crisis at times, at the end of it all, the tension and fear that is peppered throughout more than makes the journey worth the trouble as players get their first look at a much bigger world and the dangers that lie within it.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    There’s a time and place for games like Crackdown 3. It’s not bad by any means, it’s even quantifiably good and enjoyable. However, while games can be lauded for not following trends, there’s a difference between carving your own path and simply not innovating. You will have a blast playing Crackdown 3, but it won’t stay with you after the credits roll and even the 1,000 orbs to collect might not keep you playing. Much like the old friend, perhaps our lives don’t gel as well as they used to, maybe Crackdown is better left as a cherished memory.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ubisoft brought many of their strengths to the table in Far Cry New Dawn. The gunplay, sights and sounds, and environmental storytelling were great. I’m not sure the light RPG approach worked and would have loved to see more consistency throughout the narrative and from the characters that presented it. Far Cry New Dawn did provide me with a sense of closure in Hope County, and the highs outweighed the lows, but ultimately it left me craving a more complete experience.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    What this game is really about is fan service and I must admit that it succeeds in offering folks up a hefty chunk in that department. Jump Force knows that it’s really for the Shonen Jump fans and if you are a fan there’s plenty to like here. One would probably be better off focusing on the core fighting game aspects though.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It provides an experience that is generally therapeutic and almost never stressful. It’s not a perfect game, but it’s the kind of game that could be perfect for certain situations or groups of gamers looking for their next adventure.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    There’s a lot on offer here, and while it does lose itself in the grind sometimes, the sheer amount of content here more than makes up for the negatives that you’ll encounter, especially if you’re a fan of the games that inspired it.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It's not just a great Kingdom Hearts game, it may very well be a game that gets revisited in December.

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