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 5 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 0 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.

Recent reviews (52 tracked)

20
SuperMashJan 11, 2021
“Supermash will inevitably go down in the annals of gaming history as wasted potential. It presents itself with a can’t miss the concept, but manages to miss on all accounts.”
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90
Stranded DeepMay 4, 2020
“To sum up, Stranded Deep is an absolutely fantastic game. It looks great, it sounds great, and it plays great. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves survival games or sims, anyone who loves crafting, and anyone who needs something either immersive-enough or peaceful-enough to help them through lockdown or quarantine. If you love the ocean, you are bound to love Stranded Deep. I’ve been passionate about the sea and everything in it since I was tiny, and this game does not disappoint. I was horribly disappointed with Sea of Thieves because of the sheer lack of anything to see or find underwater, but Stranded Deep does not fall into this trap at all. I was overwhelmed with the attention to detail on things like a shark — you can even see the markings on their skin. For an indie game, it’s astonishing that so much time and money has been spent on their oceans. A lot of devs would have cut corners here, but Beam Team Games didn’t. Check out more fantastic game reviews at OpenCritic.com or have a look at our recent articleslike us looking back at The Last Of Us. How do you feel about Stranded Deep? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @thecognetwork. As always, thanks for reading COG!”
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55
RoundguardApr 14, 2020
“Roundguard is a likeable game, nothing that will keep you enthralled for long, however. I think it would be more suited to be played on a Switch or a phone. I played Roundguard on a PS4. Thus, I feel I must judge it as a PS4 title. Roundguard is a good game if you want a game to play for an hour to run through and pass the time. However, it offers little more beyond that. The core idea that Roundguard has is decent, it just needs to be expanded upon. If you want to play Roundguard, I suggest picking it up for Switch or on your Phone instead. I reviewed Roundguard on the April 14th, 2020, over two weeks after its initial release on the PS4 on March 25th, 2020. If you’d like to check our more reviews from us at Culture of Gaming, feel free to check out the review section of our website. If you’d like to read even more reviews from a variety of outlets, feel free to check out Open Critic, a brilliant website to gain information on games!”
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85
In Other WatersApr 11, 2020
“A superb video game that will appeal to a broad range of people. This is a developer to watch.”
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50
Neon City RidersApr 9, 2020
“Neon City Riders is a title that, on the surface, seems content to settle into the indie niche of 80s aesthetic. However, beyond that veneer is a game that carries ambitions that aim to set itself apart from its contemporaries. These ambitions don’t always pan out — and I occasionally came across some glaring flaws in its gameplay, UI, and optimization. One can’t help but wonder if more time in the oven would have resulted in a more cohesive product?”
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75
Granblue Fantasy: VersusApr 7, 2020
“As the first game in the Granblue Fantasy series released in the west, Versus doesn’t make much of a case for the series. What it is though is a great anime fighter that fans of the genre will enjoy. Versus doesn’t dumb down its mechanics to make it more accessible and the art style is consistently stunning. It’s a shame the games story mode feels so forgettable and has little gameplay variety over its short length. The game feels like more of a love letter to the fighting game genre than the game/anime series it’s drawn from. Once taken on those merits, Versus offers a lot for fans of the fighting game genre. It offers a fun and dense combat system, a beautiful art style and a lot of options for players who enjoy it. Though it doesn’t have the variety in fighters that other fighters in the genre do. There’s a decent amount of variety between them. It might not do enough to sway hardcore fans of the genre from their fighter of choice. But it offers a decent starting point for newcomers and continues to show Arc System Works grip on the fighting game formula.”
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85
Resident Evil 3Apr 4, 2020
“Resident Evil 3 is the video game equivalent of Die Hard. It has great characters, a simple yet effective story, a terrifying villain, astounding action, and it’s a great time. Also like a movie, the remake of Resident Evil 3 struggles under the weight of what came before it.”
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70
Totally Reliable Delivery ServiceApr 3, 2020
“If you’re looking for a fun focused game with laugh a minute content. Then look no further than Totally Reliable Delivery service. This game is a spiritual successor to the obnoxious controlled games like Goat simulator or Octodad. It won’t live long in the memory. Though, for a quick fix of mayhem and fun in equal measure. Pick up this one at a very reasonable price!”
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95
DOOM EternalMar 29, 2020 · Anthony Dennis
“Overall, Doom Eternal is a great game I would recommend anyone get into. It offers the best of all worlds, from music to the general combat of the game and even the platforming sections and story. Doom Eternal is a must for ALL to play!”
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80
LUNA The Shadow DustFeb 20, 2020
“Come for the challenge stay for the art! Solving the puzzles will leave you satisfied and intrigued. The music and art will make for a euphoric experience as you climb your way to the top of that tower. A nice indie game gem indeed!”
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65
7th SectorFeb 12, 2020
“You’ll meet it with a little resistance but will soon feel surges of joy. However, your enjoyment may short circuit when you blow a fuse because of this titles shortcomings. Also, be wary of the price as there is a danger of being overcharged.”
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75
AO Tennis 2Jan 23, 2020 · Mike Sol
“While there are a few hiccups, AO Tennis 2 feels like a fairly good tennis game. There are still a couple of things the developers can improve on, like tightening up the controls to finally hit that perfect balance, but as is, it certainly scratches that itch for tennis. The other slightly glaring issue is how there aren’t really that many “real life” tennis players here. That isn’t to say the real-life Australian Open has any particular stipulations in registration and participation, but when you can have about 128 players in the virtual Open and only 25 of them are real life figures (12 men and 13 women), it feels like there isn’t much variety in actual real-life participants. But at least you have Rafael Nadal, so if you like watching him in action, you can enjoy using him.”
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90
Planet ZooDec 11, 2019 · Nicholas Micevski
“In the end, I had a blast playing through Planet Zoo. Sure there were a few hiccups once a while with some minor glitches and some features that I feel need improving. But the amount of creativity you can achieve, the fun and varied game modes, stunning visuals and appeal, and more. It’s so hard to let these minor flaws affect my experience. If you’re looking to get into these types of simulation/management games, then Planet Zoo is the best way to start. And if someone who loves these types of games like Zoo Tycoon and Tropico like I do. Then I promise you will have a great time!”
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70
Little Town HeroNov 2, 2019 · Nicholas Micevski
“In the end, I solely admire that Game Freak managed to create what was clearly a passion project. However, there are quite a few flaws with the game. Primarily the gameplay being overly big and messy while also being quite tedious. Plus the bland character doesn’t really help as well. However, there is some aspect that helps it a lot like the magnificent soundtrack, enjoyable dialogue and great visuals. If this game gets a sequel and fixes these issues and tweaks a few other aspects of the game. Little Town Hero could be something special in the JRPG community.”
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70
The Eyes of AraNov 1, 2019 · Nicholas Micevski
“While there are some aspects that I enjoyed, such as the core mechanics of puzzle solving and explorations and the game’s visuals, I do wish there was more emphasis on a coherent story or goal and more noticeable music. And I truly wish I didn’t have to deal with the obnoxious touch controls. I’m going to give this game a shot on my PC or phone, but for now, I’m going to judge my experience on the Nintendo Switch port. If you like games like Myst or The Witness, you might want to give Eyes of Ara a shot, but I suggest playing on a different platform or waiting for the touch pen accessory.”
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Culture of Gaming

How this trust score was computed

Outlet vs. players

Biggest disagreements with players

Recent reviews (52 tracked)