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) | – | 71 | 20 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 64 | 188 |
| 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 (10)
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.
- 70
“Adéwalé fights like a character from Django Unchained and the setting is still too good to refuse it, but Freedom Cry is another part of Black Flag that makes us want a game just about pirates, slavery and Caribbeans, without having anything to deal with Assassins and Templars. Please Ubisoft, do it! ”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Freedom Cry is more than just another Assassin's Creed IV chapter with a reskinned protagonist, but its troubled handling of dark themes makes this a turbulent voyage.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“One step forward in terms of story and two back when it comes to gameplay, Black Flag’s first story expansion has its heart in the right place but that’s about all.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“For better or worse, Freedom Cry feels like an entire Assassin's Creed game distilled into five hours. That’s good, but it’s an Assassin’s Creed game that doesn’t include many of the steps forward that Black Flag so recently made.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Nothing feels like it matters. Freedom Cry has an interesting protagonist with an interesting perspective in an interesting time and place, and reduces it all to numbers on a sheet and repetitive tasks, all while playing it incredibly safe with gameplay or storytelling.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“All in all, Freedom Cry is an excellent addition to Assassin’s Creed IV.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Freedom Cry is simply a great addition to an excellent game, offering a story worth experiencing across a setting worth exploring.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“In the end, the DLC is $9.99, or double that for a season pass. While the story is compelling, it’s also fairly light on a meaningful denouement.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Adéwalé has his moments, but the real draw here is in the expansion of free-form gameplay both on land and at sea, meaning Freedom Cry succeeds at what it set out to do.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Despite its issues, both technical and philosophical, I'm giving Freedom Cry a “must play” rating. I think it's an important start in tackling such a difficult and tragic topic via the medium of interactive entertainment. ”
read full review ↗
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Metro GameCentral
IGN
Hardcore Gamer
GamingTrend
Game Revolution
Cheat Code Central