Softpedia's Scores

  • Games
For 1,661 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 71% higher than the average critic
  • 10% same as the average critic
  • 19% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 4.1 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 79
Highest review score: 100 Red Dead Redemption 2
Lowest review score: 20 Robotex
Score distribution:
1663 game reviews
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Company of Heroes 3 is too conservative in terms of gameplay and fails to make its big new mode work as expected. Battles, from skirmishes to bespoke missions in the Italian campaign, are great fun and offer cool tactical puzzles to solve. The strategy map does add another dimension to the experience but patches are needed to realize its full potential. The multiplayer offers variety and will satisfy those who loved the first two installments. What disappoints me the most is the lack of innovation. Everything that’s entirely new is either marginal or doesn’t work as it should. Company of Heroes 3 does have great real-time strategy battles but the rest of the mechanics fail to deliver on their potential.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles is a complex and engaging dice builder. The universe is interesting, even if the lore is mostly expressed via gameplay and presentation. There are a ton of dice to choose from as players build their own playstyle around their favorite hero. Any combat encounter delivers interesting tactical situations, and the boss fights are suitably difficult. There’s innovation in the dice system and the Corruption and Purification mechanics but I feel the rogue-lite elements are a little classic. Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles has variety, and depth, and will give fans of this genre tens of hours of dice-driven fun.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The game admirably blends dark Warhammer motifs and a wide array of tactical and strategic decisions on the battlefield. Although Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is not without faults, it's one of the few games in the Warhammer sci-fi setting that I wish it had a sequel. The high amount of customization, the appealing story and narrative, as well as the deep turn-based strategy elements make Mechanicus a must-play title for all Warhammer and TBS genre fans.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is a clear departure from the King Arthur titles that Neocore Games is known for. It’s not just the new setting, but also the combat mechanics and the management aspect of your base of operations that makes the game very engaging. Although I’d hoped King Arthur: Knight’s Tale would be something different than what we’re used to, I certainly didn’t expect it to be so good. If you’re a fan of turn-based strategy games and love a compelling, yet dark story, I can’t recommend King Arthur: Knight’s Tale enough, it’s an exceptional game.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Nanotale – Typing Chronicles manages to put words at the heart of both the action and the story in a unique way. The centrality of typing is justified in the world that the developers have created and makes for some interesting challenges for gamers. The more classic exploration elements, based around the word magic system, also work well. The biggest problem is that the constant keyboard action can become a little tiring. Keep sessions to a little under an hour to make sure that you do not simply burn out from spelling. Nanotale is also a video game that would benefit immensely from an investment in a very good keyboard.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Vampire Therapist manages to make the rather dry concepts of cognitive behavioral therapy interesting by linking them to interesting characters. I like how the sessions develop and how the game adds new concepts and asks players to find the best ways to use them. The voice acting is good enough to paper over some small issues with the writing. This is not an experience for players who want gameplay depth and variety. I could have done without the feeding or the meditation mechanics. Vampire Therapist tells good stories and has cool character moments but don’t take it as an actual example of how therapy works.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny is a fun, simple action RPG with a great heart. It features a wonderful story, and the fact that you can play as one of 9 different Nicktoons characters is great. There are various skills you can access, tons of loot, and the game doesn’t shy away from bringing all kinds of interesting worlds and enemies in front of you. With that in mind, variety is limited, yet what’s there is very well-made, and it makes you want to play more and more in this creative world. Sure, you won’t have the build variety of something like Diablo, but if you want a more casual action RPG with a colorful world and a great heart, this is definitely something you want to play.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Unruly Heroes is not a long game (8 hours), but it's tense and quite entertaining. It challenges both your reflexes and your brain, but it will also amaze you with its graphics, music and animations. If you're a fan of the genre, Unruly Heroes is a title you don't want to miss.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    One of the biggest surprises of this year, Jagged Alliance 3 breathes new life into a series that was mediocre at best. There are a lot of reasons to play the new Jagged Alliance game, but the most important one is the overall gameplay experience that’s incredibly addictive if you’re fond of turn-based tactical games. Despite some minor issues with the camera and weapon variation, Jagged Alliance 3 is by far the best game in the series. It’s challenging, fun, and extremely addictive, so there’s absolutely no reason not to give it a try.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is not for everybody. This is not a massive open world with a ton of complex systems and a variety of objectives. The game is focused on getting Terry and his car into space. The town is small but serves a concentrated dose of positive weirdness and mini-games. The search for money and junk never stops and can become frustrating. The world can come across as crass and unappealing. But I think Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is worth playing because it doesn’t aim to be mainstream and because it works hard to make even the smallest interaction surprising.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The biggest criticism that can be leveled at the title is that it is a little too conservative in its approach to the role-playing and action genres and fails to introduce something entirely new...At the same time, the developers have managed to carefully polish the core tenets of Dragon Age and fans of the series will be happy to discover how easy it is to tailor Inquisition to their own play style.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is a carefully constructed experience that gives players variety when it comes to heroes, cards, relics, opponents, and more. Battles require both planning and on-the-spot improvisation, successfully creating that one-more-run feeling. The presentation and fictional universe are somewhat limited by the genre, but the soundtrack is very good. Deathless. Tales of Old Rus does not revolutionize its genre but strong execution and one interesting new idea make it a good choice for fans looking for a new way to test their skills.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Lullaby of Life is pleasant and relaxing, a perfect game to unwind after a long day of trying to learn complex mechanics or tackle massive bosses. Its setting and its characters are colorful while the story is mostly suggested. The sound-driven puzzles gently increase in complexity, but the focus is not on difficulty.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Battlesector is a good mix of setting and mechanics. It shows how fun and engaging a properly scaled and designed Warhammer 40,000 experience can be. The campaign has interesting choices as it progresses and offers a good level of challenge. Fans can also set up varied skirmishes or face friends in multiplayer (a Slitherine account is required for full functionality).
    • 79 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Europa Universalis IV continues to be one of the most complex and immersing titles on the market, especially for strategy lovers, and long-term fans will certainly find the new concepts interesting, while those who have not played the game yet are better served by getting the core package before trying the expansions and the DLC.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Executive - Movie Industry Tycoon is a good movie-making business simulation that doesn’t do anything particularly original. The setup is simple, and the movie-making progress has been distilled into a loop that gives gamers crucial decisions to make. The experience isn’t turn-based but manages to successfully create the same feeling of “just one more” movie. The presentation, with its bright colors and easy-to-understand interface, adds to the immersion. Over time, the mechanical limitations and the repetitive nature become clearer. The Executive - Movie Industry Tycoon works best in small doses and as long as players see the process of making a movie as more than a series of choices to repeat until they get the expected result.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Nordhold takes the core ideas of the tower defense genre and executes them with care and attention. The game doesn’t aim to innovate but its core loop is rock solid and will be engaging for anyone who likes the concept. Even better, the developers at StunForge have a clear idea of how they plan to expand their game and looking for extra input from the community. The management side of the game has plenty of depth but doesn’t overshadow the combat. The game successfully creates a “just one more run” feeling that basically makes time disappear. Nordhold doesn’t revolutionize its genre but its rock-solid gameplay will appeal to both newcomers and long-term fans of tower defense.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Scathe is a good first-person shooter for anyone who loves the genre and appreciates a challenge. The story is good enough and the combat feels visceral. Moving through the same rooms can become repetitive but the FPS mechanics are good enough to keep players engaged. I would have liked for the game to offer at least another difficulty level. Frustration can also appear if the re-spawn puts the player in the middle of a big fight, with no way out. But, overall, Scathe understands what makes an FPS tick and adds enough new ideas to keep fans engaged.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    There’s no doubt that Dying Light: The Beast is best game in the series, but that doesn’t make it the perfect zombie game. Taking the signature elements from both previous games, enhancing and wrapping them up in a much nicer package was the best decision Techland could take. The Beast Mode is a new gameplay mechanic that perfectly blends into the Dying Light formula, so that’s another positive change the series has gained with Dying Light: The Beast. The story is strong and there are no longer average or boring side-quests. Also, Kyle Crane is a more believable character than Aidan Caldwell. He perfectly fits the gritty tone of the game, and it elevates Dying Light: The Beast to the best entry in the series.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Decktamer is a rock-solid card-battler with a big and cool unique twist. The idea that taming rather than simply destroying monsters adds complexity to every decision. It also makes it more satisfying to pull off a complex plan, especially when players manage to recruit one of the more powerful creatures. The fact that there’s no node map focuses attention on the rewards and dangers of each battle. The game’s story is decent, but combat, with its many opportunities and what-if situations, is the big draw. Decktamer rewards patience and focus with great combat and interesting creature design.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    I had a lot of fun playing Sacre Bleu, I haven’t enjoyed a platformer so much since the days of Captain Claw. It’s a great game with a fun style, interesting characters and powers, and a ton of heart. Yes, it can be difficult at times, but it’s not a very punishing game, so you will find yourself cruising through Bastille and following the story, as you try to figure out how it all comes to an end. Plus, if you really want to test yourself, there are modifiers, secrets and speedruns to check out as well!
    • 84 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    If you never liked the larger-than-life humor of the series, the often dry and dark jokes, or you grew up watching South Park there is nothing here for you. Sam and Max Save the World Remastered is a reminder of a different era, and what was in your face 15 years ago, not will feel outdated or childish. Still the remaster offers a very warm and cozy trip back to the golden age of point and click adventure games.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Newcomers to the franchise will find Battle Brothers very hard to pick up, especially due to the lack of a proper tutorial. I do love those games that don't hold your hand, but I think Battle Brothers is in a league of its own and some more complex aspects should be made more clear. Although the learning curve is quite steep, once you get the hang of it, Battle Brothers is actually a very enjoyable experience. I strongly recommend those looking for a challenging turn-based RPG to give Battle Brothers a try, not just for the complexity of building the perfect company of brothers, but also for its stunning soundtrack and art style.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    I didn’t have high expectations from Lost Eidolons, which is why I’m pleasantly surprised and can’t wait to see what’s coming next from Ocean Drive Studio. Despite the fact that it starts very slow, there’s a lot of enjoyable content hidden under the guise of a standard turn-based strategy game. If you love the Fire Emblem series or just looking for an XCOM-style strategy game, Lost Eidolons is well worth your time. With a little additional polish when it comes to presentation and more weapons/armor variety, I think this could have been close to a masterpiece.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Probably the bleakest episode in the new series so far, but this isn't a bad thing. The dialogue and conversations are top-notch and there are lots of decisions that need to be taken by players and Clementine, whether they like it or not.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Armored Brigade II is a solid, carefully researched, and varied military simulation strategy title that demands quite a bit of time and attention from its players. Battles are complex, offer plenty of tactical options, and the computer-controlled opponent is competent, if conservative. To fully enjoy them, gamers need to be familiar with the featured forces and learn how to read the battlefield. Newcomers should start off small, generating a scenario with a smaller number of units, while those who played the first title in the series can jump right into the campaigns. Armored Brigade II shows that military strategy experiences do not need to sacrifice depth to be accessible and pure fun.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Pyrene plays fast and the idea of making everything, from the player-controlled hero to enemies, objectives, and items, a card set in a square is a nice twist on familiar mechanics. The core loop is easy to understand but takes time and concentration to master. Even better, gamers can always tweak the difficulty of their next run to suit their taste. The rogue-lite elements are solid but lack the same level of innovation. The Basque lore and the title’s presentation enhance immersion. Pyrene could have taken a few extra risks with its structure but the moment-to-moment card action is tense and fun.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    In Their Shoes is a great experience, even if it doesn’t fully deliver as a video game. The seven characters and the situations they have to deal with are beautifully constructed to be both relatable and interesting. The problems they have to deal with will resonate with anyone living in a big modern city, even if they’ve never set foot in Milan or Italy. I like that each moment is relatively short and that each encourages players to replay the previous ones. But there’s nothing complex about the gameplay, which involves paying attention and making dialogue choices. In Their Shoes will appeal to players who love great characters and solid narrative work.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment isn't anything groundbreaking, but it's probably one of the best narrative-focused mystery games on the market. It's definitely a polished experience and may very well be the best Sherlock Holmes video game ever created, with a tense atmosphere, satisfying cases, and varied mini-games and puzzles.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy is a remake with real heart, showcasing the care and passion put into revitalizing this classic. Far from a cash grab, it’s a project aimed at polishing a forgotten gem, giving it a new life while preserving its original charm. This is the kind of remake that will resonate with both veteran players who fondly remember the original and newcomers discovering its adventure for the first time. I can’t recommend this game highly enough. It’s a shining example of classic adventure games, perfectly blending exploration with creative problem-solving. A true stroll down memory lane, Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy offers beautiful visuals and modernized gameplay mechanics that enhance the experience without losing its nostalgic charm.

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