Screenshots & trailers
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) | – | 82 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (4 tracked) | – | 83 | 4 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 82 | 750 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 81 | 750 |
| 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 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (109)
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.
- 65
“I wish I could say I love the game, that its plagued by only minor setbacks, but I cannot honestly do that. I can’t look back at how much time was spent not enjoying myself, at how much time was spent actively wrestling with the game to wring anything worthwhile from it, and say I played the masterpiece many are going to say it is. Maybe, a long time ago, that’s something I’d have been able to say. Not today though. Not today.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Figuring out The Last Guardian's puzzles, like the one in which a broken wheelbarrow must be used as a makeshift catapult, isn't nearly as difficult as getting Trico to cooperate. Timed sections are the worst; miss the narrow window in which Trico chooses to cannonball into a lake, temporarily raising its water level, and it's anybody's guess how long it may be before he willingly does so again. The game also poorly defines its objectives, so much so that sometimes the best thing for you to do is simply climb aboard Trico and see if he'll leap to some new perch, carrying you forward.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Last Guardian is a game that can hold its own with the best. It’s a story about a unique bond of friendship, filled with both sadness and triumph that will make you cheer out loud even while wiping your tears.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Highly anticipated The Last Guardian is finally here and its technical condition is so poor that I will not be surprised if someone decides to ask for a refund. Still, after a dozen hours I'm certain that my time spent with Trico was truly moving and really unique. There were moments of true agony (in terms of smoothness of gameplay and other technical aspects) but I'm willing to pay such a price for a beautiful story and an experience unlike any other.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Last Guardian lands (at last) and the years of development are more than noticeable in the final product. Fumito Ueda shows once again that games can make you feel something else and that we are, perhaps, kind of used to trivial, hollow experiences. The worst part is the camera, your main enemy during this game where Trico will be the main conduit for the feelings. A creature that you will love from the very beginning, that you will hate to split from and that will comfort you as well as make your heart shatter in pieces. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Last Guardian is a modern masterpiece, and a worthy addition to Team ICO's already flawless track record. Some will be unable to look past the mechanical shortcomings, but they'll be missing out on one of those most meaningful and truly original experiences in years.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“A brave vision that communicates a unique message, almost anachronic, . In a sea of contemporary explosions, noise and violence, The Last Guardian is a pause that contributes to videogames with something special despite some design annoyances.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I can state without hesitation that the wait has been more than worth it. The awe-inspiring living creature that is Trico carries this title, which would have otherwise just been a good puzzle platformer into an instant classic that I’m sure to visit time and time again, just to say hello to my new best buddy, one more time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It's a masterpiece in terms of creating a living, breathing AI partner who is a wild and dangerous beast. The atmosphere, the environments and the puzzles are a delight. It's impossible to get around the fact that the game is built with frustration as a feature, and your enjoyment of it will depend on whether you're enough of a cat person to mind spending 10 minutes solving a three-second puzzle. It's a remarkable game that is all the more remarkable for almost living up to 10 years of hype.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Last Guardian is one of a kind and very difficult to compare to anything else in video games, perhaps besides Ico on PlayStation 2. You can feel the touch of developers who previously managed to offer something this unique and special. This adventure invites you into a fantastic world and impresses on every step, even if it sometimes also tests our patience.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“When the book closes on their story, it's hard not to open it up again and begin anew. The trials you overcome endear you to both characters, but the emotions Trico elicits make you want to give it another chance--to be the patient, effective partner it truly deserves.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“As with its predecessors, it has some issues with controls and performance, but these are easily outweighed by the astonishing grandeur of its scale and the lifelike connection with Trico. Like the bond that grows between you and the beast, the farther you get, the more memorable and dramatic it all becomes. The Last Guardian isn’t a perfect game, but it’s a mesmerizing adventure that we’ll never forget.”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
Slant Magazine
GRYOnline.pl
Push Square
LevelUp
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Easy Allies…and 97 more tracked reviews.