Xbox Tavern's Scores

  • Games
For 2,228 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:
2232 game reviews
    • 61 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Double Pug Switch is a challenging side scrolling platformer that requires good hand eye coordination for some quick responses. Although, very similar to The Impossible Game, the game does have a unique twist of adding the dimensional switching power as well as power ups and timed distance jumping. It also added its very own unique story, however comical it may be. I believe this game is a fun side scroller and shouldn’t be missed if you’re a fan of the genre. The current control mapping does make it harder, but can be worked around using console Accessory settings to remap controls for Xbox to however you may prefer. This game is appropriately priced for what it is and the amount of time of enjoyment you will get out of the game. The design is meant to be a cute, yet challenging game, to pick up and put down as you please and I know I will make my way back to finish Otis’ adventure.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    The Forbidden Arts is a beautiful, vibrant and fun game for the whole family. Side scrolling action at its best, it also brings a tiny bit of nostalgia along for the ride. Challenging puzzles make this game addictive, while great design keeps you looking at the screen.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Bee Simulator attempts to educate through play, doing so in a charming, entertaining way. The solo campaign is short but sweet but it effectively highlights the role bee’s play in our ecosystem. Great for younger players due to not only the low difficulty but also the informative nature, I have a feeling even the adults will find more enjoyment here than you may expect.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 43 Critic Score
    With such a vast amount of iconic material on show here, it’s disappointing to see the sheer lack of effort put forward in regards to its overall execution. The game’s combat is indeed reliably fun, but this means very little in the face of its several shoddy design choices, its horrendously lengthy loading times, and its cast of characters that are painfully devoid of characterization. Fans of the IPs would do well to temper their expectations.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Apart from a few niggling bugs my overall experience of Battlefield 2042 was great. I had a blast sharpening my skills and learning the new mechanics of the game, like the addition of changing the capture points to sectors sometimes battling for 3 objectives in point A, bringing more tactics into your play. With a 10 hour trial thanks to Game Pass/EA Play subscriptions, I would highly recommend at the very least checking the game out this way – I think you’ll enjoy it!
    • 61 Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    Treasure Stack attempts to stand out on the basis of its concept mashup, but fails miserably to do so. The game’s difficulty curve is far too steep after even just a few minutes, with the overall product further hindered by its tedious structure and its lack of depth and refinement. Fans of block droppers that want a competitive online experience will no doubt find some value here, but I would caution against getting your hopes up.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    There is so much negativity surrounding this title, but I don’t care. I have had a good time with it. Does it have faults? Yes it does. But this hasn’t ruined the experience for me. I’ve had fun playing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The first boss fight was bluntly rubbish however the second boss fight makes up for it in my opinion. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League feels like it was meant to be DC’s version of Marvel’s Avengers. I feel Rocksteady did a better job in keeping my attention and making missions easier to follow, even if they do have a repetitive nature to them.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 94 Critic Score
    Cyberpunk 2077 for me is the whole package of what I want from a game like this. Great looking, great controls, great storyline and plenty of choices, content and replay value. This was marked as many players game of the year before it came out. Regardless of the outside noise, I didn’t suffer any game-breaking issues and only a couple of graphical glitches. I am not saying its perfect, but I am saying its wonderfully immersive and addictive. There is a lot here to be impressed with and when the Series X version is released and all the bugs are worked out I am sure more will agree how great this game actually is.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 73 Critic Score
    As a newcomer, I didn’t particularly enjoy my time in the realm of Monster Energy Supercross 4. However, this is the same way I felt about all racing games in general. In particular, I would’ve loved it if Supercross 4 held onto newcomers’ hands more throughout the racing process and terminologies instead of having us come in last place every time. Still, I find myself determined to learn how to play and plan to have myself invested in the compound mode in order to learn the right and proper way to race. For long-time players, you may find this to be an enjoyable experience overall as you hop back into a fresh and overall amazing-looking game, but for the newbies out there you’re gonna be in for a rough couple dozen races.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Dawn of New Riders will likely please its young target audience, and to its credit, it just about manages to capture the fantastical vibe of its source material. It’s a shame then, that outside of its well designed puzzles and its distinct locations, there’s little else to praise. Whilst its technical issues hinder the experience, it’s the game’s lack of depth, its weak gameplay variation, and its poor overall quality, that greatly holds it back.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Here we are again, an absolute gorgeous game taken down a point or two by gameplay. If not for the bugs I encountered and the slowness that the game just seemed to me, this game could have been great. That said, I can realize when a game isn’t meant for me and ultimately, I don’t think this is a game I’d go in for myself after really thinking about it. But with visuals and audio like this, at least the ride was nice to look at it. I’d welcome a sequel even if we can just do without the sneaky, hide and seek bits.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    The gameplay is tight, responsive and surprisingly accessible whilst remaining challenging throughout. The story may well indeed be basic in its delivery, but the plot does prove to be energetic and exhilarating nevertheless, however it is sadly held back slightly by a poorly voiced cast of forgettable characters.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    With mixing ingredients, laying down machines and belts and money management Big Pharma certainly keeps you busy. However, when you get to a point where you are short some cash, you will be left to wait until you earn more money – and this means a lot of waiting. This isn’t helped by already slow gameplay and the meticulous amount of attention to detail needed, leading to easily made but hard to rectify mistakes. In the end, the time invested rarely feels worth the reward.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Less time spent on the needlessly long cutscenes and in-between mission sections, and more on the feel of the combat and we could have had a little gem on our hands. As it is, this only gets a recommendation for those willing to suffer for their entertainment.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Ary And The Secret of Seasons makes for a tough recommendation. There’s a pleasant premise, a decent sense of adventure and a surprising sense of humour nestled underneath the exterior if you search for it. The bamboozling problem for Ary though is that searching for a good time is buried beneath a gloomy fog of presentational flaws that do a service of drawing you out of its pleasant and colourful world, that undercut all the lovely ideas Ary has going for it. There are just too many flaws here to heartily approve Ary to anybody but the most patient and dedicated of players.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 55 Critic Score
    RICO’s a very hit and miss affair overall. There’s no denying that it wears its procedurally-generated content quite well, offering some exciting and constantly unpredictable gunplay as a result. Unfortunately, it’s hard to overlook its gameplay repetition, and there’s some irritating design choices and a bunch of technical issues to contend with throughout. I’ve no doubt that it will find its following, but I cant wholly recommend it as it is.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a unique surreal arcade scrolling beat-em-up. For me, it has mixed success as it does have cool characters with unique skills and some cool ideas. But as the gameplay is not robust this game will struggle to pull players in outside of fans of the film and series. I fell that some some features, like powerups, could have been cut if it meant the combat ended up more refined. It is fun to play with a friend and I’m sure fans of the series will enjoy the tie in, but it just leaves me with the feeling that this was rushed out before it was done.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Overall and if you like horror games that pick up on typically used tropes or ones that have atmospheric tension dripping from every angle, then Ikai is probably going to call out to you. If you’re wanting a polished Japanese scare-fest, then you may want to either wait for a few updates or skip this one until a sale rolls around. It’s not a game you should avoid entirely but even with incredible audio and fantastic atmospheric design, this isn’t likely to be the biggest horror you’ll play this year, but in the same breath it will be far from the worst.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 72 Critic Score
    Overall, whilst the general release of a Project Zero game onto modern consoles feels exciting, the long-beloved classic is no longer the same fright mongering experience we know the series for back on the original Xbox. Besides a few creepy images of certain ghosts, there is nothing that really causes much of a jump let alone a true scare, and whilst the story has the potential to be one of true Japanese horror, the horrible pacing and repetitive nature ensure that the Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water goes down as an underwhelming return for what used to be one of the greatest series in horror gaming.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Through the fun story and throwback gameplay of arcade skateboarding, SkateBIRD delivers a refreshing game. Despite some frustrating moments with the movement and controlling of skating, enjoyment can still be found.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Sometimes, things are better left in the past, and Dragon’s Lair Trilogy is a prime example of that. The whole ordeal is far too dated, and comes with frustrations that are born through a few poor design choices and shoddy transitions. Whilst the animation on show is commendable even today, there’s no shaking the fact that this compilation comes across as totally unnecessary and utterly boring.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Despite the UI downers, I still found myself rather charmed with Bus Simulator. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and for that I admire it. The act of driving about the city is relaxing, planning routes and getting to know them is oddly fun, and managing the back end of the business can get quite deep. Even if you may not think it’s up your street, hop aboard one day and you might just be surprised.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    There are many trucks to level up and many customization skins to unlock by earning XP with each of the 8 groups of trucks and finding all the collectibles on top of secret vehicles. Overall, this is a fun arcade racer with some issues, but none that are game breaking.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s always a good day when I get to play a game that was thought to be lost in a forgotten era of gaming. Nostalgia hits hard for me with Enclave HD and although very excited to give it another go, it’s just a port of an old game. Am I happy it is back and playable on current hardware? Absolutely! Do I wish a little more love was done to it? For sure. I’d probably have a hard time convincing someone to give Enclave HD a try if they didn’t play it on original Xbox but for those that did, I think it’s worth the admission price.
    • 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.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 45 Critic Score
    Crackdown 3’s campaign is shockingly under-baked, consisting of little more than overly repetitive mission structure, hit and miss functionality, and several technical issues. Things don’t fare any better in its Wrecking Zone. Whilst its multiplayer component does indeed house some potential that may be realized through post-launch support, as it stands in its current form, it’s a shameful representation of Microsoft’s lofty promises.
    • 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.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker captures the essence, the speed and the personality of Naruto magnificently well. It’s deep, engaging and distinct. There’s certainly some adjustments needed for class balance, and matchmaking can indeed drag on for longer than it should, but when everything clicks into place, there’s little else that comes quite as close to the source material as this does.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 75 Critic Score
    Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics achieves much of what it sets out to accomplish. Whilst the game excels as far as accessibility is concerned, those that relish an in-depth turn-based strategy game may be disheartened by the simplicity on show here. That said, and despite its recycled level design and its grind-like reward system, there’s a fairly compelling experience within that does more things right than it does wrong.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 58 Critic Score
    All in all though, I’m not sure really about whether I enjoyed Paratopic enough to recommend it. It’s fairly priced for what it is but at the same time, and much like Baltoro’s Fatum Betula, it seems to layer on the weird for the sake of it, hoping that there can be some more depth or meaning pulled out of it by the player. If you like a bizarre tale that won’t take long to be then check it out, but the average player is probably going to be put off before they even begin.

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