Xbox Tavern's Scores

  • Games
For 2,226 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 52% higher than the average critic
  • 9% same as the average critic
  • 39% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 4.3 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 71
Highest review score: 100 Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy
Lowest review score: 6 The Language Of Love
Score distribution:
2230 game reviews
    • 76 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    When a game from a beloved film universe is developed with such fervour, everybody can rejoice in it. Robocop: Rogue Legacy is one such videogame adaptation that shows how unremitting faithfulness to source material and devotion towards replicating the look and feel of the films results in a truly immersive and moreish experience. Rogue City isn’t without chinks in its titanium Kevlar, due to its failure to evolve throughout, and a spongey and unnecessarily steep endgame, but if all you’re after is a badass game that does Robocop justice, then Rogue City is mission accomplished.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    All in all, Separate Ways is a brief, but worthy addition to Resident Evil 4’s excellent remake. What it skips over in length, it makes up for with meaty combat, and offering an alternate glimpse into the events of the story that once again intertwined Leon and Ada’s paths.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 89 Critic Score
    Outside of these rarer occurrences, the actual meat of Season’s Greetings is yet again one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in gaming this year. It’s been a joy to head back to P.O and catch up with new and old faces, the chill atmosphere and pace is a welcome change from some of the more bombastic games I’ve been playing recently, and it has almost – almost – achieved the impossible task of making me excited for Christmas.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Lords of the Fallen successfully builds upon its predecessor, delivering a dark fantasy epic that captivates for much of its playtime. With its refined mechanics, exquisite art style, and an atmospheric world full of intricately designed levels, it stands as a worthy entry in the action RPG genre and is more than deserving of its “Soulslike” label. Despite a few minor challenges for newcomers, the game’s immersive experience and depth make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    Air Twister is a fun and interesting modernisation of Space Harrier. The music by Valensia although at first seemed out of place suits the 80’s vibe this game exudes with the bright colours and vibrancy. It maintains the tricky increasing gaming difficulty of the older games and throws in some rogue-lite elements to level the playing field and help add some replay value to the game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 35 Critic Score
    Roller Coaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe is like a county fair. Sure they have some rides and the fairground is decent, but its nothing compared to the official amusement parks and hotspots that were its predecessors. The game comes off empty and shallow, more like a walkthrough for somebody’s first tycoon sim. The game shows little to no consequence while spoon feeding players which in turn gives it no self accomplishment or overall purpose.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 91 Critic Score
    Teardown isn’t just a game – it’s an indie gaming masterpiece and probably the best indie game I have played this year (and trust me, I play a lot of them!). Tuxedo Labs has meticulously crafted an experience that not only delivers a thrilling main campaign but also encourages creativity through its sandbox. If you’re seeking a game that seamlessly combines strategic thinking, destruction, and endless possibilities, Teardown is undoubtedly a must-play. The joy experienced by my son and I stands as a resounding testament to the game’s success in providing an unforgettable and expansive gaming journey.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Jagged Alliance 3 has many ups and downs but I ultimately came away frustrated, especially with the combat and the over complicated controls. There is potential there but I’m not sure I can wait around another 24 years to see that potential flourish.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    Jusant has utterly wowed me these past few evenings. The simple but effectively done climbing mechanic is supremely rewarding to use, giving us a great sense of accomplishment even though really it’s probably harder to fail than succeed. Combine this satisfying gameplay with a touching, well told tale and some stunning audio visual work, and you have a game that is all but essential playing in my eyes – Game Pass subscription or not.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 69 Critic Score
    A ‘roguelite for beginners’ Haunted House has a charm to it, that anyone eager to dip their toes into something different should try. Definitely not for the terminally rogued.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Invincible is definitely propped up on its art direction and story, both of which are really rather good. Dialogue choices and alternate options mean there should be scope for some replays, though that’ll also depend on how much of Yasna’s slow movement speed you can stomach again. All in all, The Invincible was enjoyable enough to recommend, but I’d hope to see future outings from the team fine tune the character controls and movement.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 93 Critic Score
    Stick to the main path though, and The Talos Principle 2 is about as rewarding a puzzle game I’ve ever played. It’s smart and challenging while not being overly obtuse and difficult and the depth to the story and writing is a nice surprise. Trimming some of the bloat down a tad wouldn’t be a bad thing, but as it is, this is yet the latest hit in a stellar year for game releases.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a great holiday game to bring out and play with your kids. I love the fact that you can just have the story read after the fact and having the second player control Max the dog without fear of dying is great for those little ones who want to feel a part of the game with you. Where it lacks in feeling good as a platformer it makes up for it in delivering a fun take on a classic tradition.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Alan Wake 2 masters the art of storytelling, and how that can reshape reality around us and push the boundary of lighting in videogames. The game is physically dark as it is thematically. The story is a lot to grasp, but simple enough with how many times things are repeated, so playing the other connected titles is not required. The developers have already fixed 200+ issues with update 1.0.0.8, most being minor things but some more rare crashes or progression issues. The creators of this game have immense passion for what they do, and it clearly shows in a variety of ways. Onward to the DLC.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Overall, Overpass 2 is a game that looks to bring the world of off-roading to players by offering what developer Neopica believes to be an authentic experience, but it does so without offering anything that truly simulates that experience. At best Overpass 2 is an arcade racer in an off-road setting, with events that slow the pace from the typical racing game, but with controls that don’t allow for a reactive play through, you’re instead left frustrated and bored by the midseason races whilst the visuals take us back to the days of Baja: Edge of Control, and as much as that wasn’t a hit when it arrived again in 2017, Overpass 2 won’t be either for 2023.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition has come and gone and it’s largely an unforgettable experience for me. Transformers are cool and I always enjoying taking control of one and this iteration started out no different. But as the game went along it was too much of the same button mashing patterns with a navigation system that was making me mad having to constantly check. All of the experiences the first time were fine but it didn’t leave me craving more.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Delayed completion aside, I found Anthology of Fear to exceed my expectations, with a solidly build horror foundation complimented with genuine frights and tense moments. With no combat (and very little actual peril) it might not suit everyone, but if you enjoyed titles like Layers of Fear or indeed the P.T demo, then this is well worth a look.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While Sonic Superstars demonstrates creativity and innovation in the Classic Sonic formula, it falls short of reaching the heights set by its predecessors. Some levels are just frustrating and not enjoyable. What we really need is simply Sonic Mania 2.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It may be the same game as the 2019 release underneath, but this upgraded Complete Edition is well worth a look for both returning players and those new to it for the Annihilation Line story mode on its own. There are better shooters out there, but for a bit of AA-style fun, this is a solid choice.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 71 Critic Score
    If you want to delve into a soothing farming simulator adventure that doesn’t put the strain on your back with rudimentary activities, Paleo Pines is a nice deviation from the chore-based habits of its forebears. Tending to your the dinosaurs is a pleasant twist to an otherwise generic formula, and the game’s pleasantness gives it a welcoming vibe that’s easy to snuggle up to. Yes, the mini-map and questing is unfortunately derivative, and surprises don’t come all that frequently, but for a little while you’ll be glad to settle down and spend time befriending new Dino pals.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While including the Lüscher color test is a neat idea and actually quite well implemented (in our eyes at least), there’s no getting over that aside from this USP, Finis is a pretty basic and simple puzzle game, where the main challenge comes from the controls rather than some cleverly designed challenges. Worth a punt if you’re looking for something to give an evening’s puzzle action, but keep expectations low.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    A loving rendition of Mike Mignola’s world, with excellent voice work (RIP Lance Reddick), but sadly Web of Wyrd is still not the Hellboy game I was hoping for. The score I provided is due to some debilitating bugs and I’d be happy to revisit if this were ever to get a major overhaul.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    The Gap is a stunning looking, well written, and engaging puzzle game, one that will have its hooks in within minutes and not let go. It can be a bit obtuse with the goals we’re looking to achieve (especially if your play sessions are spread out or get interrupted) but if you can keep in the zone, The Gap will reward you with a fantastic gaming experience.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    El Paso Elsewhere is confident in its visual and audio delivery, the combat is great, it suffers from uneven pacing that drags some areas unnecessarily.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    As someone who enjoyed Hot Wheels Unleashed I was excited to give Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged a try and it did not disappoint. Is it more of the same? Yes but every aspect of the game has improved. The new modes and individual car upgrade systems really give some depth to what could have been cash grab reskin of the previous game. Happy to say I don’t think that is the case and I look forward to playing this some more and seeing what kind of DLC awaits us as that is something I thought the first game did well.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    Offline players can now rejoice as we finally have some new features in career mode. It’s probably the first time in many years that the career modes don’t just feel copied and pasted and long may it last! For Online folk, the best game modes are still here with the same few tweaks to keep the core of what made them fun but add interesting new features to keep you on the hook. It may have a new name but it’s still the best football game out there.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Slaps and Beans 2 deserves to have its day. It is not the best scrolling beat ’em up out there but it does enough to stand out. It has voice acting and animation which the others don’t have. It has some mini-games and puzzling elements which make it stand out. It also tries to add some humour to make the experience more enjoyable. So if you want to play a local beat ’em up with your friend or family then why not pick this up as there is some fun to be had.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Overall, if you want an old cartoon-style game that can give you quality platforming, stick to Cuphead, Enchanted Portals may look the part but it isn’t the part where it counts and it’s real use is to showcase to sceptics what makes its inspiration so good.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    Overall, if you want a story set in the gritty era of World War One and don’t want to have to play through a Call of Duty or Battlefield campaign to do so, then Ad Infinitum isn’t a bad way to spend your time. It isn’t perfect and there are areas that clearly need some improvement but for a story that delivers and enemies that offer the chills, this is an experience that’s at least worth the once-over.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 56 Critic Score
    After a decade away, it’s disappointing that Payday 3 feels so insubstantial and unwilling to evolve from its excellent predecessor. The heist variety and enemy types are cool, but the predictably rote objective-following and the continuing practise of shooting bullets into police is tiresome and without change-ups to make them entertaining. For seasoned veterans and newcomers, Payday 3 should grant you a worthwhile exhibition of heists across a smorgasbord of locations, but for everybody else, this’ll be an eye-rolling exercise of the familiar and the banal. If you can band together with three mates then there’s some valuable loot to steal here, but what maybe most apparent is how Payday 3 ironically steals your time without the valuable substance to go along with it.

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