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 Red Dead Redemption 2
Lowest review score: 30 Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival
Score distribution:
2680 game reviews
    • 66 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    Sam “Serious” Stone is back in a new top-down shooter with roguelite elements that delivers a thin-like-paper crazy story and some entertaining (but repetitive) bite-sized gameplay elements.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    By adding details that increase realism and a mode like NINE—Season 2009 to a solid game frame, MotoGP 22 takes an evolutionary step in the right direction. The general improvement compared to the past may appear less deep than expected, but those who love MotoGP will also love MotoGP 22.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    With its unique system of buying perks with hit points, Revita can reward the ones who dare or punish the reckless ones. A twin shooter roguelike in which to experiment in search of the best powerup combos, fast paced and suitable both for those who want to try and try once more for the perfect speed run, and for those looking for a game to play in short sessions, almost in a casual way. Unfortunately, bad luck can be a decisive factor when it comes to success or defeat, since only a handful of the more than two hundred available upgrades are real gamechangers.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Hero's Hour mixes RPG, roguelike, real time strategy and auto battler elements in one convincing bundle, portrayed with a nice use of pixel art and an impressive number of units on screen. The gameplay loop, however, tends to be a bit repetitive and the lack of a single-player campaign doesn’t help. Still worth it for its price, though.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    Seriously, how cute is Quill? Her adventure is quite the epic one though, and you should be ready for a strong emotional ride. By the way, the puzzles are perfectly integrated into the platform sections, and considering the lack of strong alternatives on PS VR right now, you should just thank Polyarc and give them your money.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 62 Critic Score
    The House of the Dead Remake is a game rooted on nostalgia and zombies, but fails to bring an entertaining experience on Nintendo Switch due to the many issues with its control scheme. A pity, since the juicy arcade gameplay and extras would have deserved all of your love.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a notable step forward for TT Games, which renews its game formula, with an impressive amount of content and new mechanics to play with. There are some flaws here and there, but it is still an essential videogame for every Star Wars fan and beyond.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    MLB The Show 22 is a great game. It is fun, full of options and with a gameplay studied to meet everyone's needs without distorting the essence of baseball. At the same time, it is also almost identical to its predecessor, with only some minor changes and adds-on that are not too surprising. For this reason, if for those who want to pitch, hit and run for the first time it is an unmissable event, the same cannot be said for the veterans of the series. If you belong to this category, personal interest and passion come into play, as well as the desire to return to live a gaming experience similar in all aspects to the past one.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Weird West has a fun and engaging sandbox structure and is narratively solid, but it is also unfortunately marred by technical and gameplay issues.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The rating takes into account the absolute and undeniable value of Chrono Cross, an excellent role-playing game that everyone should experience. Unfortunately the operation of "rebirth" is not entirely successful due to some questionable choices, but the inclusion of the elusive Radical Dreamers contributes to a package that – especially at this price – must be a part of the cultural baggage of any fan of JRPG worthy of the name.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    The Kaito Files offers an interesting, engaging, well-written storyline that allows to learn more about Kaito. Gameplay is good thanks to the two new fighting styles, with an intense and well-balanced challenge (at the highest difficulty levels). So why is our final grade high, but not very high? What's wrong? It’s simple. Some elements (pursuit, stealth moments, exploration) are far from perfect and, considering the price, it was reasonable to expect something more contents. Used to wandering around Kamurocho with a thousand collateral activities and a thousand characters to help, I admit I was partly disappointed in finding it so empty.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Obviously, the PS5 version of Crusader Kings 3 isn’t the best way to experience Paradox’s medieval grand strategy. However, despite its poor interface and the lack of support for mouse and keyboard, this is still one of the best games of its genre.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    I have to admit it: What Lies in the Multiverse hits the zeitgeist like few other games did. The entertainment world has a multiverse fever and Studio Voyager uses this concept to create a stimulating puzzle-platform where every solution is just a reality-switch away. But beyond the effective gameplay there’s a solid narrative, that tells tragedy through irony and creates bonds between the player and his character.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Rune Factory 5 is a good game, but it's hamstrung by a mediocre technical implementation. Fans of the series will be able to find the usual series of bucolic activities to do between dungeons, but those who appreciate nice-looking and fluid graphics will find it hard not to prefer Stardew Valley.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Shredders is a peculiar work full of contradictions. If its narrative, crazy, hilarious and embellished by the participation of some snow stars is as fresh as snow, his good gameplay (inspired by Steep) must clash with a disastrous technical performance. Still a game worth trying, especially on Game Pass.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Even with all its limitations, The Last Cube strives to do one thing, simply one thing, and succeeds in its intent. It is a solid puzzle game that knows how to keep its idea interesting level after level, and when to stop. The challenge remains on a consistent level throughout the five worlds, and considering how small the team is, the slight technical missteps are forgivable. A good choice if you are into puzzle games.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    A few good ideas and the excellent acting of Ashly Burch and Andy Samberg are not enough, however, to make this game unmissable, on the contrary they end up highlighting how the formula begins to need a much more decisive will to innovate than that.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Kirby and the Lost Land is a very successful game, undermined by a disarming ease and a skimpy longevity for those not interested in its secrets. However, leaving them out would be a great shame, because the research greatly enhances a level design that is only apparently linear thanks to that disruptive creativity that Hal Laboratory masters like few developers.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 77 Critic Score
    Dawn of Ragnarok is a bit shallow and nothing more of a “more of the same”. Still a decent content for the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla fans, but it could have been much more.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    After almost ten years, Grand Theft Auto V begins to show its age. It’s a remarkable video game though, but three new visual modes can’t hide the fact that some of its game systems are beginning to feel antiquated. Still, this next-gen version is obviously the best way to play GTA 5 and GTA Online.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Ghostwire: Tokyo is a game that fails to live up to its potential, trapped by a lack of ambition and an uninspiring old-school open world. The audiovisual presentation is good, if flawed, but on its own it can't elevate a short and monotonous game. A pity.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Syberia: The World Before gave me back the sense of wonder I felt, twenty years ago, with the first two episodes and, for this alone, for me it is a big "yes". There are some rather glaring flaws such as the fluctuating quality of 3D models, in particular the characters and some mechanisms when they are shot in the foreground, but nothing that detracts from the impressive narrative work and the extraordinary emotional impact of this adventure, which brings a dramatic story to the stage with great delicacy. There is also a lot of art, both figurative and musical, with a pinch of humor that never hurts. Someone will find it too easy, too guided, but I certainly liked it.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    We hope that this will prove to be the first of many titles to come, thanks to its mechanics that require commitment but without exaggerating, made in a way and manner to thrill a transversal audience not too much of the sector.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Witch Queen is a great expansion that puts Destiny 2 on the right track after the partial misstep of Beyond Light. There’s a lot of content here, even though some activities are blocked behind the season pass paywall.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Grand Mountain Adventure: Wonderlands is an elegant indie game perfect for anyone who loves winter sports and the mountain as a lifestyle. The camera doesn't always help to stay zen, those who want intense gameplay will be disappointed, but if you need a holiday on the snow this is the right game.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Monster Energy Supercross 5 takes all the main gameplay elements of the past edition, without making huge changes. For this reason, despite the work done by the Milestone team being overall quite good, those who expected a clear step forward compared to the earlier entries could be partially disappointed. Among the positive aspects, some tweaks to the physics and greater accessibility should be noted. Among the negative ones, the lack of significant new features stands out: more content would undoubtedly have improved a gaming experience which, however, remains more than enjoyable.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a somewhat lazy adaptation, but luckily the original was already a great game. That's why this re-release is highly recommended for fighting game fanatics who missed it in 2013, but veterans should know that they won't find enough new content to justify a new purchase, at least until Rollback is implemented.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    When I was young, my parents told me that patience is a virtue: I never believed them. WWE 2K22 taught me that was true. The two years hiatus gave Visual Concepts the time to make things right, tuning all the parts of the game that weren’t good enough in the past. You can always do better, so some aspects (like the MyGM game mode) could be improved, but WWE 2K22 feels like a fresh new start.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Narratively speaking, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin would be a badly written JRPG, but luckily Square Enix and Koei Tecmo’s latest game is more than anything a very engaging action game that is very faithful to its source. Not perfect by any means but still enjoyable, the Nioh “soulslike” formula applied to the epic of Final Fantasy gives flesh to an interesting action game with a surprisingly deep learning curve and accessibility options that welcome any kind of player to the party.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Artistic provocation that is more form than meaning or courageous exploration of the aesthetic limits of the video game? About an Elf is probably both, and that’s why it’s worth playing. Its five-hours mix of visual novel, RPG and point&click will be one of the surreal-est experiences you could have with a joypad in your hands.

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