VideoGamesCritic | The one source of truth for gamers

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.

Alignment (40%)

Decoded accuracy (30%)

Player-side (30%)

Controversy record: on 7 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 0 times.

Computed 5m 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.

Recent reviews (175 tracked)

80
Berserk BoyMar 5, 2024 · Luis Alamilla
“All in all, Beserk Boy is a strong recommendation for any fans of the Mega Man X games that seek out more action platformers just like it, especially if you've had fun playing the Gunvolt series. Beserk Boy feels like it was made by fans of 90s action platformers, now old enough to make their own with their own spin on it. It's an endearing and entertaining love letter that feels at home on a handheld.”
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85
Super Mario RPGNov 28, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Super Mario RPG Legend of the Seven Stars is a faithful and beautiful recreation of the Nintendo and Square Enix 1996 SNES classic. Keeping all the charming and fun writing of the original but with a fresh coat of paint and quality of life improvements to the battles, Super Mario RPG on Nintendo Switch is a marvelous way to play Mario's original RPG adventure for the first time or a second.”
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65
EternightsSep 12, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Eternight is impressive when you think about how this was primarily made by a single developer. It's ambitious and it wears its inspiration on its sleeve, which hurts it at times and equally makes it impressive. While it doesn't outshine its inspiration, at times it does what it seeks out to do well while also introducing a new take on some mechanics. It's certainly a darker and more degenerate-orientated story one that took me by surprise a bit when I got to its ending. At its shorter run time of 10 to 15 hours, it's an okay Persona-like game that will scratch your itch for the series and maybe even make you tear up by the end of it.”
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85
VenbaAug 9, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
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85
Pikmin 4Jul 27, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Pikmin 4 is a wonderful addition to the Pikmin series that feels like a leap in presentation and a pretty good jump in gameplay. While I wish it leaned more into challenging players with a time restriction of some sort, the new accessible difficulty options make this the easiest game to get into so far. The new Pikmin, creatures, and landscapes are fun to play with. Multiplayer is pretty good, I still think Pikmin 3's Bingo battle is my favorite, and co-op sadly takes a step back with this entry. Even so, Pikmin 4 adds and refines enough to make this one of the best games on the Switch and my favorite Pikmin game to date, especially because it has some of the best post-game content the series has seen so far.”
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80
Planet of LanaMay 26, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Planet of Lana is a beautiful adventure that provided an escapism. Unfortunately, it doesn't really challenge its usual puzzle design nor try to evolve its mechanics all that much throughout its campaign but never does it feel like it burns out either. In fact, the bitesize play length helps make Planet of Lana, an enjoyable escape that can be beaten in a single day with plenty of enjoyable puzzles and a gorgeous presentation to go alongside it.”
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100
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomMay 20, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is a masterfully done sequel to one of the greatest video games of all time. The fact that I'm sitting here writing this review and just itching to go back to playing speaks volumes of its grip both in terms of story and gameplay.”
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85
Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot CampMay 2, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
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85
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost DemonMar 29, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Bayonetta Origins was not something I expected to be so enamored by. It's a testament to how even smaller-budget titles that completely circumvent the expectations of the series it's based on, can go toe to toe with those same big-budget titles. Origins tells a heartfelt story that backs it up with charming visuals, fantastic music, and some solid gameplay. Whether you're new or old to the Bayonetta, you're going to want to check this one out.”
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80
StorytellerMar 23, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
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70
TchiaMar 20, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Tchia was made with a ton of heart and love, that's easily apparent. As I soared through the skies, spoke to people across the island, and sailed through the sea, I could very much feel the care that was put into every decision made for this game. Getting to explore the island, I felt easily reeled into exploring every nook and cranny, collecting new clothing for Tchia, and discovering collectibles here and there. Tchia is obviously ambitious that's noted in its highs and lows. Sadly this game can get a bit janky with its performance and optimization. I've had some friends also report that it crashed their computer and while I didn't run into that myself, it's something I wanted to note. Hopefully, with some time, Tchia can further get optimized because once you get passed the jank, there's a lot to dig into.”
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85
OCTOPATH TRAVELER IIMar 7, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Octopath Traveler 2 is everything I could have wanted in a sequel. It retains the fun combat systems from the first game, the beautiful presentation and mostly fixes my issues with its writing for one great RPG. Sure, not all of the characters feel as impactful as the rest but they all seem to finally weave together into a much grander story that actually feels worthy of playing. Dungeons aren't super interesting but the combat and overall gameplay, were enticing with a fun story pulling me along. Octopath Traveler 2 scratches the itch for a classic SNES era RPG but for the modern age and it's a perfect point for jumping in considering you don't play the prior game to play this one.”
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65
BlancFeb 18, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
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95
Metroid Prime RemasteredFeb 11, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
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95
Hi-Fi RUSHJan 31, 2023 · Luis Alamilla
“Hifi Rush is a marvelous action rhythm game filled with stellar combat, a fun upgrade system, and a stunning presentation. The attention to detail in level design, writing, and overall presentation, left me enamored for its entire 8-hour playthrough. Even more, post-game content incentivized me to retread the 12 levels for new hidden areas and moves. HiFi Rush is by far my favorite game of the year so far and if that's indicative of what's to come from 2023 and Microsoft, I can't wait to pay. HiFi Rush is the new gold standard for what a 1st party Microsoft game can be. Please do yourself a favor and go check it out.”
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Luis Alamilla

How this trust score was computed

Outlet vs. players

Biggest disagreements with players

Recent reviews (175 tracked)