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
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Dragon's Dogma 2 is an extremely engaging open world action game, featuring a combat system that is practically flawless and a huge map full of secrets to explore. It follows a philosophy of its own and for this it deserves to be rewarded, but the optimization problems that afflict the PC version tested during the review do not allow it to achieve excellence, at least for the moment.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Last Epoch is an isometric hack and slash RPG that is graphically well crafted but most importantly accessible to a non-hardcore audience. You can progress without much difficulty and dying does not bring particular penalty as seen in soulslike. The few trivial starting classes can generate thousands of different builds through specializations, crafting, perks, and talents to be assigned in the skill tree. Story as always plays a marginal role, but the introduction of time travel will make wandering through the same regions in various eras interesting. Endgame management will determine long-term success, but at the moment it is an RPG worth trying.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    We are not at the mythical levels of the first episode, it is evident. Outcast – A New Beginning is a sequel without infamy and without praise, net of a nostalgia effect which inevitably has its weight but cannot justify every shortcoming. Strengths and weaknesses are almost equal when it's time to take stock, appreciating it or not depends a lot on how much importance you give to both. This is one of those cases in which the price doesn't play in the work's favor, however with a discount it might be worth giving it a chance because there is only one Cutter Slade.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Alone in the Dark is, unfortunately, a missed opportunity. Despite an absolutely fascinating aesthetic and artistic structure, the game encounters terrible technical problems, so much so that it affects the performance of the game itself in terms of gameplay mechanics.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Legend of Legacy HD returns with a nostalgic nod to its 3DS origins, now on PS4, PS5, and Switch. Remastered visuals preserve its charm, while Masashi Hamauzu's score shines. Yet, its unconventional turn-based RPG mechanics demand relentless grinding, testing even the most patient. Character growth relies on repetitive battles, lacking traditional experience points. Narrative depth takes a backseat to experimental gameplay, leaving some feeling detached. Despite its cult status and nods to SaGa series, Legacy's HD revival lacks modern refinements. While it caters to hardcore RPG enthusiasts, its unchanged nature may deter newcomers seeking accessibility and guidance.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although few titles in the collection can honestly still entertain today - in the meantime we have become accustomed to much more - rediscovering Jeff Minter's "woolly" games was a fun and very, very intriguing journey. Added to the nostalgia is the possibility of knowing completely unpublished details of the development, and this collection, very well done in terms of quantity and quality of the material proposed, has an indisputable historical value. A journey that is willingly retraced by reading, listening and playing. Especially playing.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    King Quake is alive, and WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is here to prove it to us. Kudos to KillPixel, which has been able to create very maze-like maps full of secret rooms, hordes of enemies who rely not only on numerical superiority but also have an intelligence that guides them to encircle us and catch us from behind, and a range of weapons that really give the impression of doing harm. The only drawback is a certain sluggishness in the controls, especially in using the dash in the air to jump a little farther. Be aware that this is a very difficult game, and advancing will be a challenge, but isn't that exactly what boomer shooters are supposed to be?
    • 71 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    Not bad, not great: Welcome to ParadiZe is a fun pastime that made me want to play more Diablo IV.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders uses videogame language to be discovered and to surprise. It is an enveloping and engaging video game, which offers a pleasant and exciting play structure, with a generous number of activities. There are some inaccuracies, but it is an RPG with survival dynamics with excellent characteristics. Absolutely must have.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    In what ways might Contra: Operation Galuga disappoint fans of the series? None. How, on the other hand, could it bring in new players who are not familiar with the arcade? With adrenaline-pumping action along challenging levels in which to fight your way through with a devastating weaponry, advancing one meter after another until the boss challenge. We are dealing with a bare-bones run and gun platformer in which the few extra contents are a real plus and not a formality because nowadays everyone has to have them. These are Bill and Lance's best adventures, and the two new characters are also very charismatic. Do you just want to shoot like hell? You’ll love it.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    Stolen Realm is an interesting hybrid son of Dungeons & Dragons, with a very functional "hexagonal" game system, but overall it is a project with strong and obvious production limitations.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is still an excellent FPS today, almost thirty years after its first publication. The many improvements introduced by the developers, both on the graphics and gameplay side, manage to modernize the original to make it enjoyable both by the older ones and by those who have never had the opportunity to experience the adventures of Kyle Katarn.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    After nine years, Secrets of Grindea finally leaves Early Access. The finished product is undoubtedly a fun, charming action RPG à la Zelda with a great build variety and an emphasis on loot and farming. However, it does suffer a little when compared with other, similar games that released during its long development cycle.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 94 Critic Score
    Unicorn Overlord is incredible, a deep and accessible strategy game that resurrects and updates the formula of a divisive classic like Ogre Battle, which has been dormant since the days of Person of Lordly Caliber. Beautiful to see and listen to, magnetic and impossible to put down: everything is right, apart from some small flaws listed in the body of the review. They don't really make games like this anymore, so don't miss out.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Berserk Boy is a splendid and profound work, with a brilliant and lively game design, powerful and direct, capable of impressing and offering an engaging experience. To be had and propagated with joy, as this production is destined to be a yardstick.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    A cozy and mildly paced RPG. Bandle Tale enters the world of League of Legends from the farthest corner of Runeterra and offers "Stardew Valley-style" gameplay based on the use of bizarre machines, sewing skills, gardening and cooking talents. A simple but charming adventure, suitable for all ages and featuring delightful pixel-art.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The Outlast Trials is first and foremost an excellent stealth game in which you have to avoid enemies by hiding in the shade, under the bed or inside a wardrobe, being careful not to make any noise. After that it is an extremely brutal survival horror, in which we must carry out heinous acts without becoming victims of crazy psychopaths ready to tear us to pieces in the bloodiest ways. The atmosphere of the prison camps with no way out during the Cold War has been recreated to perfection, and it is easy to identify with the protagonist as he tries to survive, accompanied only by the crazy beating of his heart. Cooperative multiplayer with three other friends completes the offer.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 89 Critic Score
    As time went by, producing one game a year that was bigger and better than the last one became increasingly complicated and expensive. The path taken by WWE 2K24 therefore has its own logic, many small adjustments that overall improve the experience across each mode, and a good dose of additions distributed in each department. A more than worthy celebration for Wrestlemania XL.
    • 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.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    An interesting and engaging video game that offers a classic story and a context already seen in other works, while remaining faithful to its foundations. Tamarak Trail can satisfy, it can make you angry, and yes, it could take up entire days. Fantastic, right?
    • tbd Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Smallands: Survive the Wilds is an open world survival that puts us in the shoes of an insect-sized creature struggling with a wild world teeming with dangers, managing to instill a certain sense of unease when battling ants, cockroaches and various beetles. Basic resources are fairly common, but to get the more valuable ones you have to grind a little bit and fight, with an overall above-average difficulty. The tiny character is charismatic, and the same can be said for the NPCs, and the story reserves some surprises, to be discovered little by little as you progress through the game, alone or in company.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Terminator: Dark Fate Defiance is overall a good modern-style RTS (so no resource gathering or base building) with a presentation that, considering budget restraints, can be very satisfying despite some drops in framerate. However, be warned that the campaign can be fairly frustrating even at medium difficulty.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    AvantGarden Games has done a simple and effective job of bringing back an intense video game. Strengthened by a beautiful story, born from the pen of Joses Fares, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake is a work of art that explores the most intimate human sides, enhancing the bond that binds one brother to another. Its greatness lies precisely in its simplicity. An excellent remake of an incredible video game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Gambit Shifter is a nearly-perfect experience: the puzzles are great, the UX is smooth and there aren’t relevant faults in this Italian indie instant classic.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is a careful, respectful and well-handled re-proposal of three masterpieces now available for new and past generation consoles. It is a great proof of preservation in a landscape that, at times, cannot keep up with the times. Returning to the role of Lara Croft is always an absolute thrill, exactly like the first time, which for me was with Tomb Raider: Legend.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Balatro ends up straight and with merit in the strokes of genius category. The recipe from which its sexy gameplay is born is simple and elaborate at the same time, and this is precisely the great strength of an original, charismatic, challenging but also deeply customizable roguelike deckbuilder.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Solium Infernum is a turn-based strategy game dedicated to board game lovers, with a highly evocative setting that opens the door to epic battles between hordes of demons. Although there is no shortage of clashes, the lion's share of the action belongs to the managerial component, with very meticulous management of the diplomatic issues. Difficulty and duration of the matches are largely customizable, but always with a specific target of players in mind, which is certainly not the casual audience. One of the best representatives of its genre, whose only glaring flaw lies in the Archdemons' miniatures, which are really too amateurish.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Dicefolk is a valid alternative in the search for a good roguelike with mechanics linked to dice management that are interesting, but very unbalanced and managed by luck.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Brilliant idea that is not developed to its fullest potential. Still, if you are not necessarily looking for the next Portal, it will be good fun for some hours.
    • 92 Metascore
    • 94 Critic Score
    It's a bit like being back in the company of old friends from a past that's impossible to forget: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth successfully continues the rewriting work begun four years ago, ferrying Cloud and his companions into an open world of rare beauty. A certain repetitiveness in the secondary activities and some minor flaws related to the combat system - exciting but still not perfect - are personally negligible trifles in the face of a reunion of such calibre. To recommend it is a trivial formality.

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