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
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    ARK is an ambitious project that, at the moment, lacks in optimisation: bugs, glitches and crashes happen too often and affect the gamer experience. The potential is enormous, but the devs should concentrate their work to solve all the issues and to fix what is already done, instead to produce new contents. Beware: the PvP servers are full of awful people, that's why you should buy the game if you are oriented to a PvE experience only.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    Despite its being a little bit easier than the "regular" XCOM 2 and some AI issues, War of the Chosen is one of the best DLC out there: big, with a lot of stuffs and enjoyable from the beginning to the end. If you love the genre, you should not miss it for any reason.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Monster Hunter Stories is a perfect synthesis between a classic JRPG and the Pokémon formula. Though is quite easy to play, the combat system and the rest of the features are solid enough to keep your attention alive till the end.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Mask of Truth is a talkative interactive visual novel, with some bland tactical battles that break sometimes the flow of the story. If you are not scared by such a river of words, you could find in this new Utawarerumono enough reasons to reach the end. Otherwise, Fire Emblem and Disgaea are still out there, waiting for you.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This remastered version is a pure porting from the PC and runs at 1080p/60 without any hesitation. Revelations was an "average" RE title 5 years ago, and still it is today: for 20 bucks it could be a good deal for some of you who didn't play the original version.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 62 Critic Score
    Knack 2 is a "more of the same" nobody asked for. Despite some good new stuff, the game suffers all the problems its predecessor showed in 2013 (drunk camera, awful platform sessions, etc.). The new co-op mode is enough to let your children enjoy the campaign, but do not expect anything more than this.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    No empathy and no rhythm are just two of the issues that prevent Before the Storm to reach our hearts in the same way Life is Strange did, two years ago. Let's wait for Episode 2 and let's hope for a deeper friendship between Rachel and Chloe, disconnected from sexual logic only.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Everybody's Golf is joyful, fun and packed of amazing things to do. Clap Hanz reinvented its take on golf with a gripping online mode and a very functional ability progression system without losing the "easy to learn, hard to master" attitude of the series. The game lacks on the technical side, but it's fun to play and is really meant for everyone, so if you don't hate to spend time on the green, Everybody's Golf is really worth playing.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 57 Critic Score
    Dated graphics, obsolete gaming mechanics and various technical issues are only some of the problems. There's some charm in the game, within the genre, but this is not enough to allow White Day to reach a good score.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    Despite some technical issues, Lacrimosa of Dana is a solid game, full of things to do and friendly enough to capture the interest even of those who aren't JRPG enthusiasts.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Last Day of June is an intimate and moving adventure, yet elegant and sophisticated. Albeit a linear structure and some minor gameplay flaws, it's a game that tells an extremely human story, with some unexpected surprises, and where the gameplay drives the narrative. A shining example of how videogames can be an authentic expression of emotions.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a true gem in our gaming world, blending two very different universes and creating a deep turn-based tactical game that is both funny and weird. We can only hope that this is the beginning of a new franchise.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    StarCraft Remastered is a strange title: it’s the perfectly remastered version of a game that still has a lot of players, especially in the East. The gameplay is still deep, engaging and balanced like the original, for good or worse, with all its flaws still intact.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Codemasters has finally completed the transformation process of F1 series: F1 2017 is exactly what a fan should expect from a perfect simcade racing game, despite the Ego Engine is almost at the end of its life. Buy it, play it and enjoy it: you will not regret.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a very bold game that manages to talk about mental issues in a truly emotional way, using the gameplay dynamics of an action adventure. It’s an authentic manifesto of how videogames can deal with serious matters in a way that fits perfectly the medium. And if you’ll decide to go along with Senua in her descent to darkness, you’ll probably remember her for the rest of your life.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 79 Critic Score
    The Escapists 2 improves on basically everything good the original game (released in 2015) had to offer. The mission system is complex and detailed, the combat system is pretty friendly and the quests alone are well designed and fun to play, whether you’re alone or with some friends in multiplayer.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Yakuza Kiwami isn’t that big and deep like the prequel, and it’s not a must-buy if you've played the original title on PS2, but it’s a good game, available for a very fair price. The combat system has been revamped, and the huge amount of secondary missions and minigames are bound to keep everyone entertained for quite a while.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 84 Critic Score
    Beside a new card set, Knights of the Frozen Throne brings some new, interesting stuff to Blizzard's CCG, pushing the challenge to a new level. Beware of only one thing: building a competitive deck could be very expensive.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 contains four good titles, bundled with a bare minimum of extras (like an image gallery...). A little bit of effort, in that regard, would have been appreciated. Recommended only if you already played the original games, and if you really, really want to play them again.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    The Lost Legacy follows in the footsteps of Uncharted 4, and it couldn't be otherwise, and Chloe and Nadine make for a nice buddy couple. It's a pretty short experience, with some replay value and an unprecedented - at least for the series - open level to explore. A solid "more of the same", for better or worse.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    This low-budget adventure from Daedalic, based on the uber-popular Ken Follett's novel, kicks off very slowly, but it gently gets under your skin. Don't expect too much point'n'click gameplay, but soon enough you'll find yourself engaged in a compelling story (well, congrats) and challenged by a series of choices that will impact the rest of the story.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    A perfect porting from the PC version, fresh and enjoyable, even without the presence of some DLCs (Snowfall, Natural Disasters and Mass Transit). If you love city builder games, buy it without hesitation.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Once again, the Finnish studio Housemarque delivers a twin-stick shooter full of surprises: undoubtedly short, but with deep and engaging gameplay, tailored for fans of the arcade genre.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    Agents of Mayhem lacks some inventiveness and the level design is often uninspired. It's basic in the gameplay dynamics, but nonetheless can be pretty fun. Don't expect anything too fancy, or rich, content-wise: if you loved Saints Row, this is the perfect filler before the beginning of the new gaming season.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Observer is a good sci-fi horror adventure, with a strong narrative, blessed by the amazing performance of Rutger Hauer. Some less-convincing elements (notably, recycling of assets and gameplay ideas from Layers of Fear, the previous game from Bloober Team) don't diminish the value of an intriguing experience, full of love for Blade Runner and the sci-fi avantpop.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 91 Critic Score
    Sonic Mania is not a perfect game, and the Sonic playstyle is not definitely for everyone. If you love the blue hedgehog, though, you cannot let this one go: it's huge, challenging, full of secrets, with lots and lots of different situations. Hands down, one of the best platformers of the past ten years.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Supergiant Games just gave us another gem: despite some verbose sections and the amount of text to read (that can be overwhelming at times), Pyre has a sophisticated art direction, a compelling and charming story, and an original and unique take on the RPG genre.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    Phantom Trigger has been a real (and very pleasant) surprise: a deep title, both in the gameplay dynamics and its story. The game from Bread Team startled us for the riveting story of Sam and the creatures inhabiting his mind, without compromises on the faceted and polished gameplay. It's a short experience, but one you won't forget easily.
    • 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.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    Overcooked: Special Edition is a funny game, especially if played with some friends. Less sophisticated than SnipperClips, it offers a good variety of silly yet challenging situations, with a simple control system that makes the most of the joy-cons, with an excellent use of the rumble. Do not expect some exclusive content for this version, though.

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