How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 75 | 20 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Xbox store ratings | – | 67 | 26 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 5h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (8)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 72
“Episode 4 of The Council, titled Burning Bridges, gets the game back into its stride, even if the conversations are a bit disappointing. The RPG progression is starting to pay off, though.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The fourth episode of the Council has some challenging puzzles and an interesting story to follow. There are unfortunately some graphical issues and some confrontations are too easy with some new abilities.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“The Council is a revelation. While the technical aspects of the game are somewhat questionable at times, the storytelling, world building, and RPG mechanics are simply stunning. I found myself propelled from episode to episode, salivating at the idea of advancing the story and outsmarting the game’s lifelike characters. With twisty surprises, diabolical puzzles, and rich historical context, this is a game that makes the player feel intelligent for playing it. The fact that the story is deliciously twisted is just the icing on the cake.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Irrespective of its technical flaws, the studio can hold its head high with its effort on the penultimate episode, creating the perfect springboard for Louis’ story to reach the studio’s apex of storytelling in its finale.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“This fourth episode, out of five, of The Concil, is not as great as the previous stories, due mainly to technical issues. While some sequences are quite good and show consequences in our choices, we're still waiting for the big reveal.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“An almost overwhelming continuation of the episodic graphical adventure with RPG elements. Almost preposterous at times and yet we couldn't divert our gaze.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Episode 4 just doesn’t offer the thrills or compelling mysteries of the previous episodes because it’s all about the setup for Episode 5, but the developers have earned enough goodwill to trust that this is all building to something truly memorable.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Council Episode Four Burning Bridges is the best episode of the game so far. The key mechanics are sound, the story is downright baffling (in a good way), and the setup for the finale is spot on. Without that glitch off the beaten path and the sneaky timed objective, I’d be tempted to call this episode a perfect ten, as it’s super engaging from the start. In this post-Telltale Games world, there’s a void to be filled in narrative-based gaming, and The Council emphatically makes its bid for the throne known with Burning Bridges.”
read full review ↗
Wccftech
Gaming Nexus
Hardcore Gamer
COGconnected