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 17 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 4 times.
Computed 1h 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.
- +38DARK SOULS™: REMASTEREDoutlet 100 · players 62 · Jun 2018
- -61We Happy Fewoutlet 10 · players 71 · Aug 2018
- +32Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfareoutlet 75 · players 44 · Nov 2016
- +17Far Cry® 5outlet 80 · players 63 · Apr 2018
- -43Party Hardoutlet 35 · players 78 · May 2016
- -35Hello Neighboroutlet 30 · players 65 · Dec 2017
- -20GRISoutlet 70 · players 90 · Dec 2018
- +23Rain Worldoutlet 100 · players 77 · Dec 2018
- -28Night in the Woodsoutlet 60 · players 88 · Apr 2017
- -44Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemmaoutlet 38 · players 82 · Aug 2017
Recent reviews (221 tracked)
- 80TentacularMar 8, 2023 · Cameron Daxon
“The power fantasy that comes inherent to playing video games takes many forms. Handling weapons or tools with skill and confidence is undeniably pleasurable. But there’s also a cottage industry of games where slowly overcoming incompetence is the point. Firepunchd Games‘ Tentacular is one such title. Players control a kaiju-sized tentacle monster, tasked with helping a small island town’s residents with various projects. Fun, funny, and full of heart, Tentacular is a PSVR2 launch title that should not be missed.”
read full review ↗ - 80Kayak VR: MirageFeb 24, 2023 · Cameron Daxon
“A fantastic launch title for the PlayStation 5’s VR venture, Kayak VR: Mirage showcases the strengths of Sony’s hardware and the potential of virtual tourism.”
read full review ↗ - 75SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic ShakeJan 30, 2023 · Marc Kaliroff
“Like 2003’s Battle for Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a game that will be considered a good time for many fans of the Nickelodeon series. Sure, the platforming is not perfect, and the game does have numerous bugs (especially on the Nintendo Switch), but the atmosphere and characterizations of the SpongeBob SquarePants cast in The Cosmic Shake are admirably faithful to the aquatic cartoon fans know and love. This is a licensed game suitably cut and shaped for modern SpongeBob SquarePants fans, and Battle for Bikini Bottom fans looking for the glory days of the franchise. The Cosmic Shake may not be a must-play game by today’s standards or something that will put SpongeBob SquarePants back on the map to critical fame, but it is at the very least an enjoyable adventure fans will find themselves submerged in for a few hours.”
read full review ↗ - 80ONE PIECE ODYSSEYJan 25, 2023 · Brent Middleton
“Games based on anime are notorious for two things: being arena fighter Musou games and retreading the source material. So when Bandai Namco announced that the new One Piece game would be a full-fledged JRPG with an original story written by Eiichiro Oda himself, it sparked interest throughout the entire fandom. Thankfully, developer ILCA has largely managed to deliver an engaging adventure for fans and JRPG enthusiasts alike. Despite some rough edges, One Piece Odyssey stands out as one of the best games based on an anime in recent memory.”
read full review ↗ - 100Persona 4 GoldenJan 17, 2023 · Campbell Gill
“Following hot on the stylish heels of last year’s excellent, long-awaited Persona 5 Royal Switch port, Atlus has done the unthinkable: they’ve given Nintendo fans more of what they want. Persona 4 Golden has come to Switch, and with it, the Switch’s already-extraordinary JRPG library gets even better. This is about as simple of a port as they come, with no major changes or additions to the original experience–but with a title as beloved as Persona 4, this port doesn’t need to do anything more than that. Whether you dock your Switch to explore the TV world or explore Inaba in handheld mode, this Switch port lets Persona 4 Golden shine without compromise.”
read full review ↗ - 80Persona 3 PortableJan 17, 2023 · James Cook
“Persona 3 Portable is a complicated experience. On one hand, its core gameplay loop is at times frustratingly tedious and the plot goes nowhere for several months of the in-game calendar. On the other though, Persona 3 Portable is an emotional stroke of genius by the time it reaches its final act, executing a beautifully poignant narrative using consistent atmospheric world-building and an overall solid cast of characters to hammer home difficult themes of loss, grief and the inevitability of death. As a story about making the most of the time we have on Earth while we still can, Persona 3 Portable is a staggering achievement, but its flaws remain significant and numerous as this re-release is almost completely unchanged from its prior versions.”
read full review ↗ - 75Children of SilentownJan 16, 2023 · Diana Croce
“Children of Silentown is a point-and-click adventure that, for both good and bad, wouldn’t feel out of place in the catalog of Amanita Design, developers of Machinarum and Botanicula. It strikes a similar mix of striking art, unique music, and classic adventure game mechanics with just a hint of innovation. Yet Children of Silentown appears a distinctively less inspired game than those mentioned above, with no strong theme or thesis to bring the whole experience together.”
read full review ↗ - 80Vengeful Guardian: MoonriderJan 11, 2023 · Campbell Gill
“We’ve had an abundance of memorable ninja games over the years, but recently, there’s been a distinct lack of robot ninja games. Thankfully, now we have Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. After giving fans what Konami couldn’t with the excellent Contra-inspired action title Blazing Chrome, developer JoyMasher has now set their sights on new retro horizons: reviving the 2D action platformer as exemplified by classics like Shinobi and Strider. The result, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, is just about as loyal to the classics as one could ask for: equally demanding and satisfying, Moonrider overcomes a handful of rough edges to deliver a worthwhile, modern reinvention of old-school action.”
read full review ↗ - 80LONE RUINJan 11, 2023 · Cameron Daxon
“There is a delicate balance to strike in a roguelike game. The genre, featuring titles as diverse as the 2020 breakout hit Hades, the perfectly fine-tuned The Binding of Isaac, and lo-fi early access epic Caves of Qud, has plenty of appeal. Lone Ruin, from developer Cuddle Monster Games and Grapple Dog publisher Super Rare Originals, sets itself apart from its contemporaries with an inimitable sense of style. The neon-soaked environments and pulsing techno soundtrack are tremendous highlights of Lone Ruin, and even if the limited biomes and scant worldbuilding may ultimately leave players wanting more, the crunchy combat, included survival mode, and leaderboard score chasing are plenty satisfying.”
read full review ↗ - 80MelatoninJan 4, 2023 · Brent Middleton
“In an era of unwieldy UI and endless icons to manage, minimalist design sensibilities shine through in titles like Melatonin. Its dream-like aesthetic is pulled off perfectly from start to finish, and though the runtime is on the shorter side, the level of polish Half Asleep has managed to implement here is astounding.”
read full review ↗ - 80A Little to the LeftNov 13, 2022 · Cameron Daxon
“Every home, no matter how tidy, has that one drawer that ends up being a catch-all space for batteries, paper clips, pens, and the like. Garages always have a corner with a few half-empty paint cans, and kitchen cupboards inevitably have a stack of cracked bowls that should probably be thrown away. A Little to the Left is an indie puzzle game that celebrates little messes like these, and the tidying-up that (sometimes) accompanies them. While its puzzles can occasionally seem opaque, A Little to the Left‘s charming art style and multiple solution options help it to stand out.”
read full review ↗ - 100God of War RagnarökNov 3, 2022 · Cameron Daxon
“The nature of Ragnarök is what sets it apart not only from its first few titles but from the 2018 version as well. God of War Ragnarök is perhaps the purest sequel ever produced in recent times, a stunning refinement of everything that made God of War memorable. The form may feel familiar, but Ragnarök‘s self-assured storytelling and breathtaking worldbuilding combined with its pitch-perfect gameplay make for an essential PlayStation exclusive.”
read full review ↗ - 100Persona 5 RoyalOct 17, 2022 · James Cook
“Originally released in 2020 as the definitive and expanded edition of the critically acclaimed Atlus JRPG, Persona 5 Royal has finally made its way to a handheld device just like its predecessors–and it feels right at home. The Nintendo Switch port of the Phantom Thieves’ stylish journey to steal the hearts of criminals and reform society manages to combine smooth performance and minimal graphical downgrades to deliver the same triple-digit hour long story while making very few sacrifices along the way.”
read full review ↗ - 80LEGO® BricktalesOct 11, 2022 · James Cook
“LEGO Bricktales, the new physics-based puzzle-adventure game from the makers of the Bridge Constructor series, is simultaneously a triumph and a disappointment. It shines brightest in its variety of puzzle designs, ranging from simple decoration exercises to surprisingly complex engineering dilemmas, with each puzzle being built brick-by-brick using an intuitive and precise control scheme. Additionally, LEGO Bricktales’ detailed dioramas are consistently beautiful to look at, featuring catchy music and delightful sound effects that make for a joyous brick-building atmosphere. The experience is, however, marred by issues of varying severity.”
read full review ↗ - 80TinykinSep 25, 2022 · Cameron Daxon
“One of the most satisfying reveals during a recent Nintendo Direct was confirmation that Nintendo remembered one of their more innovative franchises, Pikmin, still exists. But as excited as Shigeru Miyamoto was to discuss the prospects of Pikmin Bloom, Pikmin 4 was certainly the more substantial announcement. However, with a vague 2023 release date, fans of the miniature multicolor plant people will have to find something else with which to occupy their time. Tinykin, the recent release from the ex-Ubisoft developers of Splashteam, shares some of Pikmin’s DNA while offering enough new and different mechanics to emerge as its own game. For players who love being a tiny little guy who bosses other, tinier little guys around, Tinykin will scratch a very specific itch.”
read full review ↗