The Games Machine's Scores

  • Games
For 2,678 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 71% higher than the average critic
  • 7% same as the average critic
  • 22% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 4.3 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 79
Highest review score: 99 Baldur's Gate 3
Lowest review score: 30 Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival
Score distribution:
2680 game reviews
    • 80 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    Judgment is another hit for a team that can’t seem to miss the target.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted offers delicious bite size horror VR experiences, and the variety of the offer will make you overlook the series' known defects.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Contra Anniversary Collection offers a series of run and guns of undisputed historical value in a package that honestly could have offered so much more. Contra III: The Alien War and Hard Corps remain as beautiful as the sun, and the two arcade games still offer a steep but extremely rewarding challenge, however the superfluous presence of the Probotectors can only appear as a waste of space in the eyes of the true fans.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    It’s a pleasure to play Octopath Traveler on PC as it is on the Nintendo Switch.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Tales of the Neon Sea makes the cyberpunk arguments of Blade Runner its own, embedding them in a valuable work in pixel art, and managing to give us back some of that sound old 1980s science fiction that, for one reason or another, continues to fascinate us. The gameplay, however, is plagued by repetitive mechanics and some puzzles suffer from a bad translation from Chinese into English.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 64 Critic Score
    To appreciate Conan Unconquered it is necessary to close both eyes on its limits and bear the bizarre design choices, but if it is true that perseverance pays, it is also true that one can get tired much earlier.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Deluxe Edition is based on an engaging premise. However, this clumsy port of a title not exactly excellent fails to realize the potential that has fascinated the public.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Compared to the previous iteration of the franchise, MotoGP 19 improves everything, sometimes in a subtle way, others in a sensational way, becoming the new yardstick of the genre.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Vectronom should be in a museum, taking the place of one of those interactive, experimental installations, in front of which perceptions become fluid.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Void Bastards is based on a neat concept inspired by many things, especially System Shock 2. Too bad it's a bit too monotonous.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    The Elder Scrolls Online’s newest expansion give us new information about the lore of the franchise, while introducing an intriguing new class (the Necromancer) and a lot of endgame content.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 67 Critic Score
    Little Friends: Dogs & Cats is a bit of a wasted opportunity. Too few content, too little gameplay, for a game that could have become the new Nintendogs.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    As a cinematic experience, Observation can easily be considered one of the highest points of the genre. Cool photography and a great reproduction of the space environment supports a solid and unnerving narrative. On the gameplay side, however, something did not work to the end and at least part of the screams I left to wander in space were not one of terror, but of frustration.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It doesn’t really introduce anything new to the genre, yet Warhammer: Chaosbane is a nice hack & slash ARPG with a deep and engaging endgame.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Assetto Corsa Competizione sets a new standard in the racing simulators genre. The driving feeling is unparalleled, amusing and passionate in its complexity, while the spasmodic search for detail exudes passion.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 62 Critic Score
    With a longevity of about five hours, Home Sweet Home is to be described as nothing more than a luna park attraction, but keep in mind that it fails to introduce noteworthy novelties to the genre, appearing at times like a blatantly incomplete game.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Gato Roboto is an adorable metroidvania that never lowers its rhythm: the controls are perfect and the feeling is the right one, ideal for alternating shootings, platforming and exploration.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    The gameplay of Pathologic 2 is very barebones in favor of a story pretty difficult to understand. It’s a very complex game, barely passable on the technical front, but with a great atmosphere.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Gunlord X is an absolutely excellent Turrican clone, recreated with love on a new platform without laziness and with the desire to offer the best possible experience.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons for Nintendo Switch is a decent conversion of a game that may not have aged very well, surpassed on several fronts by many other exponents of the same genre.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 89 Critic Score
    Super Cane Magic ZERO is the perfect example of how to best nurture the creativity, style and humor of a cartoonist without making a product destined exclusively to the fans. This new game by Studio Evil manages to be modern and fresh gameplay-wise without sparing tributes and citations to the gaming and pop universe.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Blood & Truth is the macho simulator par excellence. The tracking is reliable and accurate, while the abundance of crazy scenes guarantees an explosive and varied adventure, at least while it lasts. It has a serious need for extra content, but its heart is in the right place, in the midst of a thousand explosions and a shower of bullets and broken glass.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Everybody’s Golf VR mixes the arcade soul of the series with a pseudo-simulative approach of the gameplay.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    More than a “more of the same”, Shakedown Hawaii improves almost everything it takes from Retro City Rampage and introduces new mechanics. Not everything works as it should, but it never lacks ambition. Moreover, his 16bit style is super cool.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    Redout on Nintendo Switch is a compromise between technical limitations and excellent gameplay.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark is a nice tactical RPG with an accessible learning curve.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Layers of Fear 2 retains many of the features of its predecessor while varying the setting greatly. Wandering in solitude on the Icarus in search of the truth is undoubtedly a claustrophobic experience, however, the continuous use of the more classic clichés of the horror genre makes the final result too predictable and inevitably much less terrifying than expected.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Another Anniversary Collection which, like the Arcade one released a short time ago, leaves a bitter taste for the choices made by Konami in both quantitative and qualitative terms.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The first episode of Vader Immortal shows all the potential of this VR series: a new way to immerse in the Star Wars universe, perfectly inserted in its narrative canons. The interactive experience is very short but the level of immersion is incredible, far beyond what a simple 360-degree VR movie could ever do.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Mormo’s Curse is a good expansion. The spirit of The Swords of Ditto is still intact, but new modes, enemies and areas offer a satisfying challenge for both old and new players.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Even if Sniper Elite V2 Remastered shows the signs of age, it’s still an enjoyable sniping game. There are some problems (AI is far from being perfect), but fans of stealth/sniping games should give it a look.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Whispers of a Machine tells a fascinating post-cyberpunk story, where the destiny of the world is decided in the streets of a tiny suburban town. The writing is brilliant, as tense as only a good thriller can be, while the investigation is always stimulating, supported by good gameplay ideas and clever puzzles.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Team Sonic Racing is a delightful game, the perfect match between Mario Kart and that OutRun theorized by the same Sumo Digital in 2006.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Total War: Three Kingdoms collects the legacy of the previous chapters related to the Warhammer universe, presenting many noteworthy innovations that show how that formula can also be applied in a historical context. There are also some good new mechanics on the espionage and diplomacy side, too bad that the artificial intelligence hasn’t been retouched accordingly, representing once again the weakest part of the entire offer.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Technosphere Reload could have been a challenging and addictive puzzle platformer. However, a problematic camera and all the hidden obstacles and traps make the experience too frustrating.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Excellent work which brings back one of the most beloved chapters of the saga: highly recommended to all, even to those who have already played it over two decades ago.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Despite the excellent start, A Plague Tale: Innocence doesn’t really blossom into a real masterpiece. The small bugs, some unintuitive commands and the fold taken by the narrative diminish some of the really positive features. The result, however, is still a good game.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The collaboration between id Software and Avalanche Studios brought us a nice open-world first person shooter, despite a bunch of issues with the world building and a shallow plot.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age on the Switch is a dream come true.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Storm in a Teacup did an excellent job in creating an intriguing and at the same time anxious setting, even if it’s held back by shallow puzzles and pointless action sections.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dark Devotion is an enjoyable souls-like action RPG, despite being a bit derivative.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Even with a mainstream approach, reached through a huge roster and shiny scenarios, Snooker 19 is designed to really satisfy only a small niche of fans of the discipline.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    Fade to Silence is a broken mess where even the simplest of tasks is frustrating.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Days Gone is a very nice game. It’s not original or perfect, but it’s really enjoyable from the title screen to the ending credits.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Katana ZERO is a stylish action platformer with a deep and engaging story.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    Uninspired and with a bunch of issues, this fast-paced shooter can fill the void left in the hearts of Left 4 Dead fans.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    SteamWorld Quest is a delightful and epic parable about heroism and the ease of forgetting about it in times of peace.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 64 Critic Score
    A cheap fighting game, a little rough on the edges, but quite varied, challenging and fun, good to have a few laughs at fair price.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    The idea of enjoying Dragon’s Dogma wherever I go makes me really happy, but if you have already played it you won’t find anything else to justify a new purchase.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Mortal Kombat 11 is probably the best chapter in the entire saga. Visuals, soundtrack and gameplay have reached an astonishing level of depth. Unfortunately, being forced to be always online and a progression system that seems a bit too random prevent this fighting game to become the masterpiece it deserves to be.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Bannermen is the ideal choice for those in search for a pretty straightforward RTS, even if the game might seem a bit vintage in its gameplay and technical aspects.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Islanders is a uniquely-designed city builder that offers a relaxed experience even if you only have ten minutes to spare.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Outerloop Games can be really proud of its first video game: Falcon Age isn’t perfect, but it boasts a unique and undeniable charisma.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster is a nice fit to the Switch’s library, but it adds nothing compared to previous editions of the HD Remaster that appeared on other platforms.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    God’s Trigger is a fast-paced, relentless and visceral action game, although lacking in style and elegance.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Pathway can count on an outstanding art direction, but there are many issues preventing the players from fully enjoying the game.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    A gorgeous-looking, extremely polished city builder that offers a relaxed experience with light RPG, diplomatic and combat elements.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Weedcraft Inc. is a good business sim for a weed empire and speaks to the prejudices and the contradictions around this world.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    MLB The Show 19 is a fantastic game. Many different game modes, great atmosphere and excellent gameplay. Few sports games have achieved such realism and overall quality.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Crimson Curse builds on Gwent’s tense gameplay introducing strong and quintessential easy-to-learn-difficult-to-master new abilities, even though the studio will also need to keep an eye on faction usage for balancing.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    A deep and engaging video game based on the popular Japanese coin-op.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    With Assassin’s Creed III Remastered, Ubisoft improved the graphics of the games but did very little to improve everything else.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Zanki Zero: Last Beginning is a surprisingly good RPG with survival elements, a mature video game able to keep on their toes those who’ll have the patience to tame a rich but demanding gameplay.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is an excellent opportunity to rediscover a classic of modern text adventures.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Outward is a survival RPG that might seem a bit chaotic at first, but it might be able to entertain those who can overcome its many flaws.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    A decent arena shooter, but the lack of PS Move support is somewhat inexplicable.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Nippon Marathon is a positively wacky, completely deranged party game, but it’s also very repetitive.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    Warparty offers the right compromise between the immediacy of the first RTS games and the depth of the last representatives of the genre, putting every element in the right place and carrying out its task in an excellent way.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is not a soulsborne, and it’s not another Tenchu. However, the breathtaking landscapes of a war-torn Japan and a mysterious but compelling story make a perfect outline for a rhythmic, stimulating and particularly challenging gameplay.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Witty political satire? Check. Lovely Latin music soundtrack? Check. Solid city builder gameplay? Check. Is this Tropico 6? Tropico 5? Tropico 4? Loyal Penultimo would struggle to spot the difference, and players might decide at some point to ditch El Presidente for a new one bringing some fresh air... if only there was one in sight.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    A decent ending to a tormented adventure.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    The Ballad Singer is an interactive book made video game. The game developed by Curtel Games is not for everyone, but it sure is incredibly rich and deep.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Yoshi's Crafted World is a window into the mind of a child. Colourful and cheerful, the newest video game by Good-Feel is able to put the player in a good mood.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Messenger is a great example of “old school platform”. It’s fun to play, challenging but never frustrating, with good graphics and an excellent soundtrack.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Xenon Racer is a love letter to the arcade racing genre; too bad for the many technical issues.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Air Conflicts Collection is a lazy conversion of two nice games.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Generation Zero is based on an interesting concept, but its empty open world leads to an overall boring experience.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Defining Tom Clancy's The Division 2 as a "more of the same" is certainly unfair, but we have to say that the innovations introduced by Massive Entertainment are grafted onto the already proven mechanics of the previous incarnation of the series. Compared to its direct predecessor, the latest game developed by the Swedish studio already offers an impressive amount of content. The lack of a consistent plot and a poor optimization on PC are the only issues worth noting. This is however an excellent exponent of the "looter shooter" genre, surely the only one presenting itself in the most complete form at launch.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    The Occupation is an intriguing video game with some cool gameplay mechanics, but it’s flawed by many issues.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    It's a bit paradoxical to think that the weakest point of a remake are the newest features, but that’s the case with Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn: the new abilities break that perfect balance of the original game. Fortunately, that game is still there and if you want you can appreciate it exactly as it was conceived.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    One Piece: World Seeker is a shallow open world action game saved only by its nice art direction and technical achievements.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    A light and entertaining alternative to heavy-weight shooters like Raw Data and In Death, The Wizards gives the player great satisfaction in creating spells with their own hands, and that's simply amazing.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Cuzzillo, Foddy and Boch have torn the cage of the creative processes by creating a model of their own. Ape Out is pure jazz: overwhelming, defiant and free. The monkey has escaped, infuriated, and wants to sow panic on the gaming industry.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    DMC is finally back, and it’s here to teach all of us a lesson about how to make an excellent action game.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    Scintillatron 4096 seems to have come straight out of an elucubration by Jeff Minter, and this is perhaps the best compliment that I can make. Frantic and fun, at times frustrating, but also endowed with an unexpected strategic depth, this game seems to have come here directly from an arcade of the 80s.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame is clearly inspired by LEGO Worlds. It’s easy to play and with a good amount of content, but it lacks variety and it’s way too easy.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Dead or Alive 6 is probably the best chapter in the series thanks to its good gameplay mechanics, both polished and perfected for the newcomers.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    Eastshade is a wonderful surprise. A videogame in which violence is not contemplated and which gives free rein to the exploration of the world, as well as the discovery of the characters that populate it. The artistic direction is also fantastic, lending itself perfectly to the protagonist's brushes. Despite some small technical issues, Eastshade is an incredibly deep and relaxing experience.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Trials Rising is another hit for RedLynx and Ubisoft: fun, stimulating, extremely solid and almost infinite.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 66 Critic Score
    Anthem is a hymn to laziness, where a great potential is held back by strong repetitiveness, the absence of some basic features and the artificially increased level of difficulty. Moreover, BioWare and Electronic Arts made an incomplete product, a mere idea of a full game with the promise that each patch will bring us closer to what we might call a final product. Still, is it possible to have fun with a group of friends and spend some pleasant time exploring or fighting? Sure, but the experience will quickly turn into an infinite loop devoid of any goal.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Degrees of Separation is a little gem in a panorama that is becoming more crowded and full of expectations.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Even without the precision and balance of its source of inspiration, Advance Wars, Wargroove still manages to offer an excellent strategic experience through a wide variety of modes.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    Gathering Storm succeeds in the difficult task of refreshing Civ VI experience while keeping its spirit intact. The environmentalist theme is pretty spot on and the renewed diplomatic options will make it the ideal expansion for those who don't measure their success in terms of the length of their artillery.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 48 Critic Score
    Spike Volleyball has serious problems. We've experienced bugs, graphical glitches and poor AI every single time we played. It also lacks in options, with a really poor Career Mode.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Yakuza Kiwami on PC follows the original version for PlayStation 4 so faithfully that while playing we’ll often doubt which platform we’re playing on.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Codemasters has succeeded in perfecting an already spectacular driving model, making it more reactive and enjoyable, launching DiRT Rally 2.0 towards the throne of the best rally game ever. Launching, at day one, without events on the snow, the title is missing a fundamental piece. Apart from that, this is now the most refined rally simulator on the market.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Far Cry New Dawn is a solid FPS, even if it’s nothing but a more of the same.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Crackdown 3 comes directly from the past, from an era in which the open-world action games focused mainly on the number of things to do, to the detriment of the overall quality and variety of situations. This does not mean that the formula proposed by Sumo Digital doesn’t work: far from it. But it’s linked to a now anachronistic concept of a genre that has evolved over the last couple of years into something that goes beyond the simple repetition of the same tasks throughout the duration of the campaign.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    Jump Force’s gameplay is spectacular and amazing, but too many technical issues get in the way, ruining part of the fun.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    It is not always perfect, but overall we are facing the best story driven FPS in recent years, crafted with love, much more freedom but still impressive in its narrative, graphical and playable level of detail.

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