The Games Machine's Scores

  • Games
For 2,650 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:
2652 game reviews
    • 91 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    Stepping back into Sam's shoes on PC is the best way to (re)discover Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Far more than the new content, it's the increased technical freedom that makes the difference in the experience: the unlocked frame rate, upscaling tools, and numerous graphical options further enhance an already extremely fascinating world.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    Milestone has done it. The Milan-based team decided to take a risk, stepping out of their comfort zone of motorcycle simulations to return to their roots with a *Screamer* reboot—a title that establishes itself as one of the most distinctive, entertaining, and engaging racing games on the market. The driving system—though occasionally a tad clunky—is a sheer delight of speed, technique, and drifting; the narrative compels you to tackle every race at full throttle; and the characters form a cast it is impossible not to grow fond of. It lacks only that extra aesthetic flair to truly stand out amidst the endless array of cyberpunk worlds released in recent years; yet, the technical solidity—combined with the meticulous aesthetic polish applied to the UI, the cars (some of which are truly stunning), and the characters—still manages to make Milestone’s work shine, even in this regard. *Screamer* is the racing game that both the market and the players have been waiting for.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection marks the coming of age for a series that, for the first time, truly manages to shake off the label of being merely a spin-off. Capcom has crafted a solid, multi-layered experience that cleverly weaves together storytelling, exploration and progression systems, finding in habitat restoration a mechanic that is as original as it is seamlessly integrated into the gameplay. The game world feels alive, rewarding curiosity and dedication, whilst the combat system refines its foundations without compromising them. Despite a few inevitable flaws — a certain simplicity in the more conventional side activities, some structural limitations in interaction with the world, and artificial intelligence that doesn’t always measure up in the later stages — the title manages to maintain a rare balance between accessibility and depth. The result is a mature, satisfying and surprisingly ambitious adventure, capable of leaving a tangible mark on the current JRPG scene.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The overall experience is one of the most impressive I've ever seen, even in terms of its robustness. The version we played on had some inevitable bugs and glitches, but nothing that had a severe impact on the gaming experience. The most significant technical limitation concerns the loading times , which are quite long even with high-end configurations, but are ultimately justifiable given the amount of data to load, especially since once in the game, noticeable loading times are practically non-existent. Then, looking closely, there are a few flaws: detail pop-up (well masked by the overabundance of stimuli) is noticeable while moving, the acting is a bit stiff, there are sporadic issues with lighting and reflections, and above all, a strange night whose darkness doesn't encompass the farthest visible portion of the world, while we are immersed in darkness. But, guys, it really does happen quite often that you're left speechless.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    An excellent job of renovation and gameplay modernization for one of the finest horror games of the PlayStation 2 era. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake takes the original title and brings it into the modern age through targeted gameplay enhancements, new storylines, and top-tier audio-visual production—all of which bode well for the future of the franchise. Minor technical and balance issues persist, but we are confident that these will be largely resolved through post-launch updates.
    • 50 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If you're willing to forgive a certain amount of roughness and a basic combat system, 1348 Ex Voto will take you on a pleasant journey through medieval Tuscany lasting five or six hours, depending on your patience with exploration. I'm not a keen observer, so I missed a lot of upgrades, but I still enjoyed the game.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a cooperative first-person shooter for four players in which the main objective is to survive gigantic waves of zombies. Each character follows classic RPG archetypes—support, tank, operator, and striker—and can upgrade their skills and powers through a skill tree tied to the Sludge God's toxin. Missions involve traversing large maps following waypoints until the final showdown, but exploration is essential to recover heavy weapons, ammunition, and medkits. The pace is almost musou-like: endless hordes of undead to be mowed down amid blood, dismemberment, and constant chaos, with the option of running them over even while driving heavy vehicles. Even solo, thanks to well-managed bots, the action remains frenetic and fun.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered does a good job overall of modernizing a video game from over twenty years ago. The narrative charm of the saga remains intact, and the "quality of life" options—most notably the fully 3D camera—help to at least partially freshen up a gameplay afflicted by severe repetitiveness. It is a pity about some overly invasive aesthetic tweaks, primarily regarding the lighting, which ruin the decadent gothic atmosphere of the original. An original that, fortunately, is always right there: you just need to press two buttons to switch to the 2003 release, which has remained almost entirely intact, for better or worse.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    WWE 2K26 builds on the success of the previous version, which was already excellent. The main addition is The Island mode, which, however, still feels undeveloped (and a bit of a money-drainer). The rest of the game has seen some refinements and adjustments that raise the bar even further. Unfortunately, a few bugs are currently undermining stability, and most importantly, the crowd experience in the arenas isn't up to par with the rest of the simulation.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Pokémon Pokopia is a beautiful game that perfectly embodies the Pokémon soul. Omega Force's Animal Crossing-Minecraft hybrid makes friendship its cornerstone, and between one construction and another, between one friend and another, the world torn apart by selfishness seems to be reborn in the blink of an eye. Pokémon Pokopia is a mature game, probably the most mature in the series. Let's hope Game Freak takes notes for the mainline too.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Planet of Lana II continues the formula of the first game: environmental puzzles based on Lana and Mui's cooperation, a few essential controls, and simple yet fluid gameplay. The puzzles are intuitive and well-integrated into the environments, rewarding observation and timing rather than complex logic. Artistically, it remains a delight, with refined animations and a quiet yet effective narrative. However, the structure is almost identical to the original: the mechanics are often repeated, and the action is sparse, with very low difficulty. A coherent and refined sequel, but lacking in courage.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    High on Life 2 tries to be more of a videogame than High on Life ever was — and to be fair, it actually succeeds. The problem is that nobody really asked for that, especially since, when you strip it down, it’s still an average shooter that in this second iteration loses much of the meta‑ironic charge that defined the first game.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mewgenics is a turn-based roguelite that blends deep tactical gameplay with unapologetic dark humor. The action order is individual and dynamic, determined by stats and modifiers, while cats have no fixed classes: collars define their role, abilities, and progression, with upgrades chosen from random pools. Each feline can take part in only one run, making breeding and partial skill inheritance central mechanics. A competitive AI, full permadeath, and numerous random events ensure constant variety, balancing strict strategy with genetic unpredictability.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Everything has led to this... Resident Evil Requiem is the game that sums up 30 years of the saga, taking us back to where it all began. It was a huge risk for Capcom, but one that paid off almost flawlessly, delivering a narratively compelling, technically sumptuous title characterized by two gameplay styles that are as different as they are well blended.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Regardless of the strengths and weaknesses listed in the review, Styx: Blades of Greed is a classic video game that reveals its true colors and uses all its gameplay in the very first hours, only to then become bogged down in chronic repetitive gameplay, remaining unchanged until the end credits. The inspired level design and clever use of the lighting system are some of the game's redeeming features, but it's truly difficult to overlook the enemy AI's structural flaws and generally low difficulty.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Neva: Prologue is a decent addition to Neva. Decent, in fact: it does its job, it's not at all bad, and it's even cheap, but it doesn't quite live up to the core game's promise, and feels less inspired and compelling compared to it.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    God of War: Sons of Sparta attempts to delve into Kratos' past with a promising narrative, but ends up betraying much of the power expected from a title in the saga. The idea of exploring the trauma and nascent fury of the Ghost of Sparta was intriguing, and Deimos is a successful human counterpoint, but the game fails to transform this potential into a memorable experience. The predominant feeling is that of a timid title, almost fearful of its own heritage: the combat lacks bite, the two-dimensional graphics appear uninspired and lacking in character, and the mechanics — although functional — are uninspiring and constantly feel like something we've seen before. Sons of Sparta does not leave its mark, does not surprise, does not embody the epicness and brutality that made Kratos an icon; interesting for the most curious fans, but disappointing for those who expect the fury and emotional impact typical of the saga.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The Infernal Edition represents the most complete and modern incarnation of Blizzard's classic. The Reign of the Warlock DLC introduces a new, deep and versatile class, a more dynamic endgame, and a series of quality-of-life improvements that significantly improve loot management and progression. Without overturning the original core, this edition manages to coherently expand the game, offering new objectives for veterans and a solid entry point for those entering Sanctuary for the first time.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Cairn is, without further ado, the first great gaming experience of 2026. Its mechanics aren't perfect, with flaws that need to be ironed out everywhere, but it's a game with a disruptive force in what it aims to be, with form and substance among the best I've ever played. The classic gaming experience marries perfectly with the grammar of climbing, which here becomes a challenge of positioning, endurance, and mentality.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Reanimal is a compact yet intense cooperative horror adventure, built around the bond between two brothers and a journey through disturbing islands and unspeakable horrors. Tarsier Studios evolves the formula that made it famous with a more realistic three-dimensional world and a direction designed for shared fear. The atmosphere is the real strength, supported by powerful imagery and a minimal yet effective narrative. The puzzles won't fully satisfy those seeking a real challenge, and perhaps the mechanics could have been more daring, but the experience remains emotionally impactful, refined, and engaging from start to finish.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The more I played Romeo is a Dead Man, the more I realized I was in the presence of the quintessential decent video game, nothing more. The game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture is a formally correct action game, without any particular or obvious flaws, but also lacking in interesting sparks and ideas. Beyond the crazy style typical of Suda51's works, what remains is an "old school" video game that can entertain fans of the genre for about fifteen hours, but never truly excels. It's a shame about the optimization, or rather, the lack thereof.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mario Tennis's debut on Switch 2 is solid and uneventful, despite its sumptuous visuals and beautiful animations. The game needs some adjustments to its difficulty balance—too easy in the first three levels and damnably tough in the last—and to the techniques used with certain Frenzy Rackets, which are far too lethal and can mitigate the delightful unpredictability of matches.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    Ride 6 is a lovely simcade that builds on its predecessors thanks to some new features that won’t revolutionise the franchise. The good news is that the riding bit is as exciting as ever.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a thoughtful reinterpretation of a historically divisive chapter, finally able to showcase its strengths without being hampered by the structural limitations of the original. The Dragon Engine, the revised pacing, and a deeply refreshed combat system restore dignity to a story that never lost its merit, but which for years remained trapped in an unappealing form. The much-hyped Dark Ties content proves to be more for fans than newcomers, but the overall balance is finally right. Yakuza Kiwami 3 doesn't rewrite the history of the series, but it gives it a much-needed facelift that makes it enjoyable to experience again. And that's exactly what this chapter needed.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    If you're a fan of My Hero Academia, All's Justice is a perfect product to experience all the heroes, especially in their form from the latest story arc. The 1v1 and 3-on-3 team battles work very well, provided you disable automatic combat. All the game modes are also excellent. There's a feeling that a little more could have been done, but it's certainly the most complete project dedicated to the franchise.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 93 Critic Score
    Nioh 3 is a conscious and surprisingly ambitious evolution. Team Ninja chose not to abandon the identity built over time, preferring to refine and expand upon it with ideas that deeply impact the rhythm and structure of the experience. The new duality between samurai and ninja is a systemic addition that enriches the combat system like never before, making it freer, more creative, and more layered, without sacrificing the technical and punishing soul that has always distinguished the series. The open maps, while not groundbreaking, finally give breathing room to a progression that was more mechanical in the past, transforming grinding into exploration and repetition into discovery. Certainly, the recycling of assets and an activity structure that feels somewhat dated prevent the game from reaching truly memorable heights in terms of wonder and presentation, but these limitations weigh less than one might expect, thanks to a constant sense of growth and a consistently rewarding reward system. A title that demands a lot from the player in terms of attention, study, and dedication, but gives back just as much to those willing to embrace its complexity: undoubtedly the most complete, mature, and satisfying Nioh ever made.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Bogos Binted? is a wacky party game based on card games between lazy aliens, where each turn players contribute to a shared sum without exceeding a random target number. Whoever goes over the limit activates a compressor connected to their skull, often with fatal consequences. The gameplay is immediate, just the right amount of mean, and supported by special cards capable of turning the tables at the last second. The bizarre look and super-budget price work in its favor, but the fact that only one of the four planned modes is present in the final release is a significant drawback. Without rankings, tournaments, or leaderboards, interest quickly wanes if you're not playing with friends. Fun, but still incomplete.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    A more compact and aesthetically pleasing Dragon Quest VII. The redundant narrative elements of the original have been appropriately trimmed, and although the plot remains quite conventional and in some instances rather "cheesy," the protagonists remain among the best in the series. The additions made to character progression and customization are effective, as are those to the combat system, which, while remaining very classic, is now faster and more immediate. The ability to adjust the difficulty at will is excellent, but the game still needs some post-launch balancing adjustments.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Quarantine Zone: The Last Check turns the classic zombie theme on its head by putting the player in the shoes of a health inspector at a military checkpoint. The gameplay revolves around inspecting survivors, diagnosing symptoms, and making often irrevocable moral decisions, with clear references to Papers, Please. The idea is original and the immersion works, but the structure tends to become repetitive as the hours go by. The action and base-building sections break up the routine without ever being outstanding. The experience is penalized by an overly rigid evaluation system and a technical implementation that is merely functional. An interesting release, more for its concept than for its gameplay depth.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Even on PlayStation 5, Bye Sweet Carole performs admirably, with truly exciting artistic, narrative and musical direction.

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