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) | – | 84 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 85 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 87 | 198 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 74 | 44 |
| Xbox store ratings | – | 77 | 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 (42)
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.
- 85
“Tales from the Borderlands Episode One: Zer0 Sum is a great start to the series. It brings Borderlands to life in promising new ways, it’s genuinely funny, and it has a terrific cast.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Quite possibly Telltale's single funniest, most enjoyable game to date. It will remind you of Full Throttle, Space Quest and every single anti-hero you ever grew up with. Regardless of your opinion of the Borderlands universe, this is an unmissable ride into the sheer, exuberant joy of setting the world on fire and getting away with it all.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Zero Sum is a very optimistic start of a new story by The Walking Dead studio. The beginning of a great and engaging adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It’s one of their best offerings, and a refreshing new direction for both a game series that had begun to go stale and a gameplay formula which had started to feel repetitive.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“After the heart-wrenching The Walking Dead and the dark murder mysteries of The Wolf Among Us, Tales From The Borderlands: Episode 1 feels like a delightful change of pace. The hard choices are still there, but the action scenes are a lot funnier and the comedic dialogue is being kept at just the right balance. A fine start for Telltale’s newest series.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A very promising start to what is mechanically just another Telltale adventure, but where the comedy and characterisation feels very different to their more recent games.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Hilarious, action-packed and engrossing, Tales from the Borderlands is a fresh new take on life on Pandora. We can't wait for more. [Jan 2015, p.55]”
- 84
“Tales From the Borderlands isn't an adventure game like other Telltale Games products. It is an interactive story experience, but a great and hilarious one. If you like Borderlands universe, don't miss it.”
read full review ↗ - 89
“Zer0 Sum is probably the best first episode Telltale have ever done.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Tales from the Borderlands: Episode One, Zer0 Sum is a brilliant start to the season, showcasing a strong cast of characters, speedy pacing, while managing to sustain the Borderlands tropes without hurting what people like about the cinematic adventure genre. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Funny “wannabe-adventure” nicely expands the Borderlands universe and represents a small fragment to the mosaic of the mad world of the Pandora planet. [Issue#249]”
- 88
“Any of Tales from the Borderlands Episode 1: Zer0 Sum’s minor setbacks feel like nothing when put up against the strength of the characters, the caliber of the writing, and the charm of the world. ”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
Eurogamer
TheSixthAxis
Power Unlimited
Metro GameCentral
AusGamers
DarkZero
IGN…and 30 more tracked reviews.