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 2 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 0 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.
Recent reviews (18 tracked)
- 68Gal*Gun 2May 28, 2018 · Kyle Payne
“Gal*Gun 2 is an interesting experience, to say the least. I can’t say it’s a bad game, but it isn’t a great one either. I can say I am not the target audience and that’s fine, for those who the game is targeted at, will have a grand time. Judging this game, mechanically, it works, and the concept of rail shooters still works in 2018 despite being popularized over a decade ago. At an asking $60 price, it’s hard to justify but I did have fun with it for what it is. The story and soundtrack are poor, the former by design and the latter because of lack of care. The voice acting is great, and the graphics do well to imitate manga and anime. In the end, it all comes down to if this experience is what you want.”
read full review ↗ - 93DARK SOULS™: REMASTEREDMay 27, 2018 · Adam Llewellyn
“Dark Souls Remastered is a special experience. With almost no narrative or direct story the game somehow utilizes combat to force the player to feel true emotion, you’ll feel victorious, devastated, inspired, distraught, confused, powerful and so much more. The world really works well with the story that’s available to convey a quest of epic proportion. You know what you’re doing is important. You feel the stakes. It’s this gauntlet of emotions that a player feels that makes Dark Souls so unique. There’s no doubt that this is an incredibly challenging game, but it’s a challenge well worth undertaking. There is no way to describe the sense of personal achievement this game will give you, experience it yourself and you’ll feel an addiction creeping in that you won’t be able to escape. This Remaster really is the definitive Dark Souls experience and a brilliant way to make one of the best games as accessible as possible.”
read full review ↗ - 81Raging JusticeMay 7, 2018 · Drew Fox
“As a massive Streets of Rage 2 fan (still my favourite game of all time) I have been looking forward to play Raging Justice from the second I learned of its existence. Now while I can’t say that this knocks SoR2 of the top spot (the nostalgia alone meant it never had a chance), what Raging Justice does do is bring the forgotten genre into the modern day and it does it well. With the addition of challenges and the GoodCop/BadCop system, MakinGames have added longevity to a game that is short by design (as most brawlers were). There are some annoyances such as those mentioned previously, along with some collision detection issues involving a steel girder that manages to hit you whether or not you’re actually under it when it comes down. Also some of the boss fights feel needlessly drawn out due to the small window given to inflict damage during the gameplay loop (boss is vulnerable for a short time, boss becomes invulnerable during his attacks, boss calls for gang of regular enemies then sits in the corner, invulnerable again, while you take them out, repeat). These niggles aside, Raging Justice is just pure fun. It harkens back to the classics that inspired it while adding enough to give it it’s own identity. Its simple gameplay combined with its challenges and leaderboards give it the “one more go” factor that will keep genres fans coming back for more. Even for those who haven’t played this type of game, there’s plenty of fun to be had. As my non gaming wife put it, after we played through the campaign, “it’s repetitive but addictive” and who am I to argue with her?”
read full review ↗ - 80City of BrassMay 3, 2018 · Adam Llewellyn
“City of Brass is an amazing rogue like title. It really captures the spirit of the genre and understands what the strengths and weaknesses of this style of game are. It addresses these superbly by allowing players to customize their experience. The gameplay is fun but does start to feel repetitive after extended periods of play, considering the price of the title though, the hours of fun you’ll get well outweighs the eventual grating. If you are in anyway interested in rogue like titles like The Binding of Isaac, City of Brass shines as brightly as the best of them.”
read full review ↗ - 80Lode Runner LegacyApr 24, 2018 · Kyle Payne
“Lode Runner Legacy is loaded with content and open freedom for individuals to dabble into their creative sides with little restrictions. Puzzles increase in difficulty as you progress through the levels and the gameplay does still hold up after 35 years, but the gameplay is where I can see gamers getting turned off. Unfortunately for Lode Runner, we live in an era where dynamic gameplay is prevalent and new ways to play are being discovered constantly, so players may see this simplicity and not give it a shot. That would be a shame. I’ve really grown to appreciate and enjoy Lode Runner Legacy and I think others could too; I definitely recommend this game.”
read full review ↗ - 100God of WarApr 22, 2018 · Adam Llewellyn
“God of War is the game that will define this entire generation. It takes great ideas from multiple games and doesn’t just improve on them, it brings a unique twist to make those ideas shine brighter than they ever had. The story has epic moments of brutal, stylish combat like any God of War game should have, these are tempered by emotional moments that Oscar winning movies can’t compete with. The world and characters are brought to life in a way that no other video game has matched, Midgard truly feels real as you are totally immersed in the journey. To call God of War the Game of the Year in 2018 is really not doing the title any justice, there are very few games that have ever been made that stand close to this game’s brilliance. Sony Santa Monica have crafted something totally unique here and deserve every single sliver of praise that players have to throw their way. If I could condense this two thousand word review into three words, these would be: Play This Game.”
read full review ↗ - 93Hellblade: Senua's SacrificeApr 16, 2018 · Dave Gardner
“It is easy to see why Hellblade received universal acclaim when it released on PlayStation and PC back in August 2017 and also why it swept 5 Baftas at the recent 2018 awards. It is a triumph of mature story telling, incredible audio design and meaty, visceral combat. What is even more impressive is that this game was created by a mere team of 20, released at a low price point and has production values that easily rival most AAA games on the market. A definitive must have for Action-Adventure Fans.”
read full review ↗ - 85The Adventure PalsApr 11, 2018 · Chelsea Beardsmore
“The Adventure Pals may not have been a big release but it has now became one of my favourite games I’ve played this year. It’s completely my type of game. Cute characters, funny wording and breath-taking art style. I love it all. It’s a simple game that doesn’t require an expert gamer to master and allows you to purely enjoy the masterpiece you’re pulled into. All whilst being able to share this with someone else using local co-op. It is ram packed with content lasting a lot longer than I had originally thought, usually indie games can be short-lived. Not this one, please play it. I promise you will thoroughly enjoy yourself. This charming platformer needs to be shouted about.”
read full review ↗ - 81INFERNIUMApr 4, 2018 · Charles Kyle
“Overall the game is pretty fun and definitely a choice for the hardcore gamer out there that likes solving puzzles and enjoys a challenge that matches that of some of the hardest games out there. You’ll definitely find yourself in a challenging environment unlike any other and you’ll have to stay one step ahead of your current movement to know exactly what to do next in order to evade the enemy and have time to perform an action. I wouldn’t suggest this game for the casual player though as you will likely get frustrated and never attempt to finish the game again. For the price however you may be tempted to give it a shot no matter what.”
read full review ↗ - 71The American DreamMar 28, 2018 · Adam Llewellyn
“The American Dream VR is a decent take on gun culture in the USA. It really does lampoon some traditional American experiences very well, the only issue is that the game only really has one joke. While the joke absolutely works, it also wears thin. The game does try to bring more elements in near the end, shifting the focus to the nature of capitalism rather than the second amendment. However, this felt tacked on and was never properly explored. The gameplay is generic enough that it will get you through each area without a lot of effort or without you feeling bored. Luckily Michael Dobson’s Buddy Washington absolutely pulls you through the game. If you go into this looking for something fun with guaranteed laughs you will be pleased. If you’re desperate for some absolutely biting satire that digs into the roots of the problems in the United States of America while also getting to play an over the top action game like Far Cry, you’ll be disappointed.”
read full review ↗ - 95Assassin's Creed® OriginsOct 28, 2017 · Varnell Harris
“After playing all the Assassin’s Creed games and now having played Origins, I have to say that I’m not disappointed. I didn’t really expect anything in this game to be different except maybe the story line but Ubisoft rose to the challenge and crushed it with this game! Origins is a perfect starter game for anybody who wants to be a part of the AC franchise. Just know, that once you’re hooked it’s hard to get off.”
read full review ↗ - 95INSIDEOct 26, 2017 · Dave Gardner
“There are very few games that will provoke as much thought after you walk away from the adventure. I genuinely found myself asking “What did I just experience?” as the credits rolled. Graphically the game is gorgeous and the controls snappy and intuitive. Inside is a triumph of both storytelling and game design, what it sets out to achieve as a video game it most certainly achieves. My only criticism would be that after completing the game there is no real reason to go back (unless you didn’t get all the Achievements/Trophies) and this is only a negative because I enjoyed the game so much.”
read full review ↗ - 86The Evil Within 2Oct 23, 2017 · Charles Kyle
“This is definitely a must own game. The developers did the survival horror genre a great service with making this. They have listened to feedback from their first game and delivered. Not only did they listen, they also expanded on the ideas and they did so with great care. This is a great game for any survival horror fan and even an easy decision maker for those just looking for a single player game with a story you can get lost in. It balances out the weird, alter universe stuff with a good dose of combat and narrative scenes.”
read full review ↗ - 89OxenfreeOct 21, 2017 · Chelsea Beardsmore
“If you’re looking for a unnerving game to play this Halloween, Oxenfree is the game for you. Although, easily completed in a night, Oxenfree doesn’t overstay its welcome. When you finish the story, I urge you to try not to press that ‘Start Game’ button all over again just to get a different ending. It will fill you with joy, sorrow and spine-chilling moments; Oxenfree absolutely nails every aspect of what a ‘good’ game should entail. The story is spot on, the graphics are beautiful and the music is alluring. This is only a brief look into the World of Oxenfree, for only £15.99 it’s totally worth picking up to experience it for yourself and find out what is happening.”
read full review ↗ - 86WRC 7 FIA World Rally ChampionshipOct 16, 2017 · Aday Baez
“WRC 7 has brought us a new game for the saga that is very recommendable if you love racing games, it is a very known brand that offers the possibility to live each year’s championship, making it a game that recycles itself by adding the new stages, cars, teams and features that comes up every year, but that is what happens with sports games; they try to make it as real as posible so that’s why they tend to stick to what happens in the actual season. In my opinion they could try to fix the graphics and physics just a bit because, for example the behaviour of the car, when getting out of the track or having collisions, is not very good.”
read full review ↗