How this trust score was computed
Trust blends alignment (40%): does the outlet rank games the way players do; decoded accuracy (30%): after translating the outlet's own scale habits (a '7/10 means mediocre' scale is decoded, not punished), how well its reviews predict player sentiment; and player-side (30%): on games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, whose side it took. Recent reviews weigh more (2-year half-life), and the blend is shrunk toward a neutral prior (60) so small samples can't peg the scale. Player quality is launch-window Steam sentiment, so outlets aren't punished for reviewing a launch build that later got patched.
Controversy record: on 25 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 6 times.
Computed 6m ago · full methodology →
Outlet vs. players
Each dot is a game both this outlet and players scored. The dashed line is perfect agreement: dots above it mean the outlet was more generous than players, below it more harsh.
Biggest disagreements with players
The receipts: games where this outlet's verdict landed furthest from player sentiment.
- +21Halo 5: Guardiansoutlet 80 · players 59 · Oct 2015
- +10Gears of War 4outlet 80 · players 70 · Oct 2016
- +24Forza Horizon 6outlet 100 · players 76 · May 2026
- +14Batman™: Arkham Knightoutlet 80 · players 66 · Jun 2015
- +13Just Cause™ 3outlet 80 · players 67 · Nov 2015
- +12Halo Infiniteoutlet 80 · players 69 · Dec 2021
- -22SAROSoutlet 60 · players 83 · May 2026
- -26STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order™outlet 60 · players 86 · Nov 2019
- -34PAYDAY™ The Heistoutlet 60 · players 94 · Oct 2011
- +16Mortal Kombat Xoutlet 80 · players 64 · Apr 2015
Recent reviews (292 tracked)
- 90Mortal Shell IIAug 17, 2026 · Chuck Zimmerheld
“Mortal Shell II is a 'fun-forward' souls-like, one that values flexibility and variety over sheer difficulty. It grabs you and plies you with a plethora of options for tackling its monsters, dungeons, and bosses, handing you shiny toys and trusts you to work out what to do with them.”
read full review ↗ - 90Mortal Shell IIAug 17, 2026
“Cold Symmetry has built a game that is extraordinarily close to a perfect center of difficulty for me with a clear north star of “make it fun, first.” ”
read full review ↗ - 70Beast of ReincarnationAug 3, 2026 · Shawn McDowell
“Beast of Reincarnation feels like the result of Game Freak’s designers having something to say (or at least wishing they did), but constantly struggling to find the right words. It eventually becomes a very fun action RPG to play, but stumbles many, many times on the path of getting there.”
read full review ↗ - 70Splatoon RaidersJul 21, 2026
“I just don’t feel much of a drive to play more of Splatoon Raiders. I had fun drowning all of those salmonids in ink. But just like them, I’ve had my fill.”
read full review ↗ - 80Rhythm Heaven GrooveJul 1, 2026
“Rhythm Heaven Groove is a worthy successor to Rhythm Heaven and Rhythm Heaven Fever. It occasionally misses in terms of presentation, but it is far from charmless. And its endless parade of excellent tunes (and robust bonuses) will keep you bopping your head to the right beat.”
read full review ↗ - 80Star FoxJun 24, 2026
“I’m not saying that this is going to replace the Overwatches or Splatoons of the world when it comes to team-based games, but it’s certainly more fun than I expected from multiplayer Star Fox.”
read full review ↗ - 90ZERO PARADES: For Dead SpiesJun 1, 2026 · Chuck Zimmerheld
“Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is weird, beautiful, and dense with characters that I wanted to understand. It plays with its choices and narrative threads with confidence, allowing foundational elements to rot and die in service of the paths the player is willing to take.”
read full review ↗ - 90ZERO PARADES: For Dead SpiesJun 1, 2026
“Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is weird, beautiful, and dense with characters that I wanted to understand. It plays with its choices and narrative threads with confidence, allowing foundational elements to rot and die in service of the paths the player is willing to take.”
read full review ↗ - 70Mina the HollowerMay 27, 2026 · Mike Minotti
“Somehow, the Dark Souls influences keep Mina from being the best Zelda-style game it could be, while the Zelda mechanics prevent it from reaching the heights of the best Soulslikes.”
read full review ↗ - 60Bubsy 4DMay 21, 2026 · Jeff Grubb
“What should a Bubsy game be in 2026? I thought the answer to that question was obvious to everyone: It shouldn’t. But here I am reviewing Bubsy 4D, the new take on the sarcastic cat from Atari and developer Fabraz. And I’m glad that I am because this is the best Bubsy ever. Now, that’s not saying a lot.”
read full review ↗ - 80Yoshi and the Mysterious BookMay 19, 2026
“Yoshi and the Mysterious Book comes with a tremendous amount of ideas and a distinct personality, which is more than welcome in a series that has at best evoked vague memories of a game that’s over 30 years old. It’s bound to be a fun time for kids, and it has enough surprises and callbacks to Yoshi’s history to bring plenty of smiles to older fans like me. Other Nintendo platformers settled into their own identities and time-tested formats decades ago. Yoshi’s road has been a little more unpredictable, but with this entry it’s found an approach that feels all its own.”
read full review ↗ - 100Forza Horizon 6May 14, 2026 · Jeff Grubb
“In a lot of ways, this is my ideal video game. Becoming one with the controller and the vehicle in a drop-dead-gorgeous setting that essentially never runs out of content? It’s almost perfect, and I think it’s fair to use that word for the craft that is on display in Forza Horizon 6.”
read full review ↗ - 60SAROSMay 2, 2026
“Saros is still a good game. I will never dislike a game that looks this good and plays this well. But the lessons that Housemarque learned from Returnal resulted in a game that is less than the sum of its parts. ”
read full review ↗ - 70Invincible VSApr 30, 2026 · Shawn McDowell
“Invincible VS is clearly a game by the FGC for the FGC, which results in a double-edged sword. It serves as an incredibly fun and satisfying tool for competition, [...] but after playing through a mediocre “episode” of the show and reaching disappointing arcade mode endings, the casual audience is left with little to do in the game other than rematching the CPU in standard matches over and over.”
read full review ↗ - 70Tomodachi Life: Living the DreamApr 15, 2026
“t may fall short if you’re looking for a deep city builder or life sim, but as a piece of absurdist Dada comedy I absolutely love Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. Every day I look forward to booting it up, making a Mii or two, seeing what unlikely friendships are forming, and watching ludicrous vignettes play out. I’ll boot up Stardew Valley or Pokopia if I’m looking for something mechanically deeper, but I know I can count on a good laugh whenever I check in on Kayfabe Island.”
read full review ↗