The Games Machine's Scores

  • Games
For 2,656 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:
2658 game reviews
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is the perfect fan-service product, thanks to a lot of fighters and a comprehensive story mode. No doubt, the best episode of the whole saga.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    This is a game of pure wrestling which aims to replicate the most technical and psychological aspects of the discipline by offering a rigorous, but very rewarding gameplay. You need an investment in terms of hours and effort to get satisfaction from Fire Pro Wrestling World, but you’ll get a game that can last, literally, decades.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    A "more of the same" that will surely not disappoint fans of the series. Even if some small novelties can be glimpsed, Trine 5 does not change the cards on the table that much and offers the classic mix of platforming and physics-based environmental puzzles. Very pleasant to play in single player but even more fun in co-op, but the series is starting to feel the need for real evolution.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    Sniper Elite 5 marks the new entry point for tactical shooters, and although it's not a big revolution for this kind of games, thanks to a refined and engaging stealth and sniping approach, as well as the interaction with many elements of the scenario, it offers a fun gameplay in which there isn't a single way to complete missions that require multiple objectives to be fullfilled, all while offering a robust challenge. It’s a pity that the game is not especially daring, but it's a fun single player and the online should grant it a lengthy lifespan.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Nightreign offers hours of entertainment, frenetic battles, and spectacular boss fights to all players who are lucky enough to visit Limveld with two friends by their side, as well as the experienced Elden Ring veterans looking for a good challenge. The same cannot be said for those who have to find their allies through online matchmaking, due to an in-game communication system particularly inadequate for such a complex and punishing game.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Rock of Ages 2 is a typical "more of the same" and provides a lot of fun, until you discover that the dish gets empty in a little bit more than an afternoon. Surely, such a fortunate architecture should have deserved more content.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ghost Song is a love letter to metroidvania genre with a huge map, so big that even the portion that can be immediately visited could almost represent a complete game. The game features an excellent graphic design, albeit with improvable animations, and an interesting story to follow despite starting with a little delay. The soulslike component makes things as hard as expected, and while it might annoy players who don't like repeating the same section again and again, it's part of the game. Definitely recommended for those who love exploration, too bad for the limited support for keyboard / mouse combo.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    The gameplay of this action RPG is very basic, almost oversimplified (it's available for iOS devices as well), but at the end of the day it could be a pretty fun and entertaining experience. The Italian localization is excellent, and it's full of kittens.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Leaving aside a disappointing lack of ideas, Mega Man 11 stands as a decent modern chapter of one of the most important Capcom sagas of all time.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    ROUTINE is a game that thrives on atmosphere rather than mechanics, on suggestion rather than surprise. It's an old-fashioned, almost artisanal horror game that enchants and captivates with its retro-space aesthetic and the suspended melancholy that only empty spaces can evoke. There are limits, tangible and recognizable, but this is a project that has chosen a risky but decidedly personal path: it's not perfect, but it's hard to forget.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Katamari Damacy is back, and it's still the same: crazy, fun, and hypnotic. The first true new entry in the series in 14 years offers a remarkable amount of content, plenty of customization options, and gameplay accessible to everyone, though it requires a fair amount of practice to master. The camera system, always the series' blessing and curse, has been improved, but it will require a fair amount of patience, especially in the more complex levels.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    The Switch version of Outlast 2 is not too different from the PC and console versions released last year, and that's surely something, even if some compromises have been made. Content-wise, the game offers a new Story mode and not much else. At the end of the day, Outlast 2 is still a must-have for every survival horror fan out there.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    We swear on our double chainsaw that we'd have loved to give DOOM on Switch a higher score: the game is the one we already loved in every possible version ever released, brutal and crazy, but the technical compromises are significant, and cannot be put aside. If Switch is your only game console, this is a must buy; if you own another gaming platform, you'll find a better experience there.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 91 Critic Score
    The fifth entry in the DIRT series is another brick in the wall of a franchise that delivers solid, accessible and brilliant arcade gameplay with gorgeous tech. Can't wait to see this on PS5 and Xbox Series X.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Batman: The Enemy Within is a real treat for all the Caped Crusader fans out there: the second season of Telltale's Batman offers a great reimagining of the Joker's origins, meaningful choices that truly affect the plot, and the usual, well written and intense storyline. Definitely, a must have.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Adrenaline-inducing, crazy, exaggerated and well-constructed, Sevant - Ascent Remix is ​​a first for anyone who adores video games of this caliber and spontaneously chooses to go wild and completely mad. Absolutely must have.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A kart game that challenges Mario Kart or Smash Bros. on floating vehicles? Kirby Air Riders has speed in its DNA and rewards the most skilled and patient players with tons of unlockable items. At the same time, however, the many facets of its playful soul risk being too much and confusing the “core” experience. Between dozens of mini-games, lightning-fast races, and boss battles with weapons, the game loses some of its focus but still remains a fun experience... especially in multiplayer.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Nobody Saves the World is a hack n' slash that starts from a quite casual approach, due to the lack of both inventory and skill points distribution, but shows its real depth after a few hours of play, when we are called to experiment with thousands of different builds to to better tear all enemies to pieces. The repetitiveness that generally plagues this kind of games is kept under control thanks to fun quests and a plot that takes us on a tour around a crazy world. Absolutely recommended both for hack n' slash lovers and for those who want to approach to this genre of games without taking them too seriously.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Ready or Not lets us play as the captain of a SWAT team and does so with bewitching skill, captivating you with challenging gameplay and intriguing gunplay. Between single player and online co-op, customization and progression, agent management and nuances galore, you soon find yourself hostage to a brutal FPS that just won't let you go. And that's fine, even if not everything is (yet?) perfect.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    Horizon: Call of the Mountain cuts the starting tape of PS VR2 with a beautiful game, conceived as a showcase of the advanced features of Sony's new virtual reality system and, at the same time, to honor an already famous post-apocalyptic world in a new perspective and loved. Perhaps it is not the killer application that some were waiting for, this role could fall to Resident Evil Village VR, compared to an exploratory and pure entertainment component that often takes over, but the result is still unmissable for those who love the world of Horizon and faces for the first time on PlayStation VR 2.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Defying Honor is a DLC that keeps the player on edge, with the steep difficulty we already encountered in the original Nioh. Compared to the first DLC, the amount of new content is basically the same, but the level design is much more intriguing. Unfortunately, the PvP still feels sloppy and unbalanced and sloppy.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Cozy Caravan applies the concept of cozy gaming to a solid game structure based on trade, management, and exploration. Gameplay revolves around the classic economic cycle of gathering resources, crafting, and selling at weekly markets, with interconnected quests and progression driven by social interaction. The absence of time limits or real penalties makes the experience relaxing, but the graphics don't always support the good design ideas: flat textures, overly low-poly models, and a fixed camera without pan and zoom penalize the visibility of the scenes, especially in crowded areas. The aesthetics are certainly consistent with the cozy tone, but at times they border more on technical simplification than conscious stylistic choice.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    The King of Fighters XIV is a huge game: fifty characters, a lot of modes and a robust, deep yet accessible combat system. It takes a while to get accustomed to the new 3D graphics (and the slight changes in the movement speed), but when you get the hang of it, you'll find yourself enjoying one of the most technical and rewarding fighting games of the last few months.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Despite an old-gen graphics engine and some balancing issues, Tales of Berseria is an ambitious title, with rock-solid writing and a rather deep gameplay. It could have been bolder, but the new installment in the Tales saga is an enjoyable experience, one that the fans of the saga will definitely love.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    Courage should be rewarded, always. And Pacific Drive is a brave game, offering unique gameplay focused on the exploration of the Zone and the relationship between man and vehicle. We will feel helpless and powerless most of the time, banking on car upgrades to have any hope of surviving in this bleak and hostile environment. The action is slow paced as the protagonist is not an Invincible Super Soldier but an ordinary man in his beat-up car, and this may turn away some fans of driving games, but the high point of this production is the story.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The musou genre set in the world of Zelda is once again a success. A top-notch cast delivers a story that feels a bit familiar but manages to captivate and excite. The gameplay remains a bit monotonous and suffers from some balance issues, but the many elements and characters introduced throughout the game manage to freshen things up and provide constant stimulation to the end credits... and beyond.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Trials Rising is another hit for RedLynx and Ubisoft: fun, stimulating, extremely solid and almost infinite.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    An awesome, compelling but repetitive rogue-lite shoot ‘em up with a lot of enemies to kill, and a comic-style story to discover, game after game.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    An official version of Super Robot Wars on our PCs is a long-cherished dream, but it's not an experience for everyone. Certainly not for those expecting a deep and challenging strategy game, as almost the entire experience plays on fanservice. Not to mention a roster incapable of giving back the encyclopaedic feeling that an event like the 30th anniversary would require.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The Light Brigade is undoubtedly one of the best exponents of the roguelite genre on PS5, a challenging game that returns a great deal of satisfaction thanks to a credible and satisfying gunplay. The sense of progression and atmosphere do the rest, packing a must-play title for all SONY headset owners.

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