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 5 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 2 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.
- +42Imperator: Romeoutlet 90 · players 48 · Apr 2019
- +7The Outer Worldsoutlet 80 · players 73 · Oct 2019
- +18Generation Zero®outlet 70 · players 53 · Mar 2019
- -32Cultist Simulatoroutlet 40 · players 72 · Jun 2018
- +7Wreckfestoutlet 80 · players 73 · Jun 2018
- +6Jurassic World Evolutionoutlet 70 · players 64 · Jun 2018
- -25Before Your Eyesoutlet 70 · players 95 · Apr 2021
- +7Golf Club: Wastelandoutlet 75 · players 68 · Sep 2021
- -26Agent A: A puzzle in disguiseoutlet 70 · players 97 · Sep 2019
- -23Sayonara Wild Heartsoutlet 70 · players 93 · Sep 2019
Recent reviews (78 tracked)
- 80Clone Drone in the Danger ZoneDec 9, 2021
“Clone Drone in the Danger Zone is both good fun, but also somewhat surprising in the story it tells. There’s a lot more to it than just swinging a sword around, but even if there wasn’t, having a big old flaming sword or a giant hammer and then slashing and smashing enemy bots is more than satisfying enough to hold most people’s attention.”
read full review ↗ - 80Impostor FactoryOct 21, 2021
“Freebird games have always been funny in a gentle way that doesn’t clash with the games’ tender yet challenging emotional core. In Impostor Factory, the team has taken a big swing by including full-on horror, as well as a complex meta-story involving the nature of science and time itself. And the humor is both slapstick and risky, letting players release tension as they explore the gore and mind-bending moral conundrums posed by the game’s story. The boxing cat and the sentient rice cooker are a welcome bonus.”
read full review ↗ - 75In Sound MindSep 30, 2021
“It’s a bit disappointing to see that In Sound Mind doesn’t quite transcend outdated horror tropes, even though it has the potential to. But that doesn’t take away from the accomplishments that make it more intriguing than many contemporary titles: its thought-provoking puzzles, and its attempts to tell an engaging story without unnecessarily scaring you to death first.”
read full review ↗ - 80Severed SteelSep 20, 2021
“It’s all genuinely a lot of fun. I do think there’s probably a little too much challenge for some people, and the short campaign won’t keep everyone’s attention, but for those who like to look cool and seek high scores, Severed Steel is going to be as hard to resist as an arm cannon through a flimsy window.”
read full review ↗ - 75Golf Club: WastelandSep 3, 2021
“In the end, however, Golf Club Wasteland didn’t need to sell me on its main character for it to work. It tells more than a story about one person or one moment. Instead, its strength is in the world it creates, the microstories of each level, and the layers of social critique in each part of its radio broadcasts. The rich will watch the world burn and complain about the glare―best make sure that golf course is shady.”
read full review ↗ - 70Road 96Aug 19, 2021
“Even with some messy execution on its political themes, Road 96 succeeds at capturing a fractious journey on the road and the turmoil of modern American politics. A deeper exploration of Petria’s history may give more context to the game’s narrative of taking change of your own destiny. But without this background, it ends up oversimplifying its premise by positing that the only barrier to equity and justice is a strongman in a suit. In reality, injustice runs far deeper.”
read full review ↗ - 60ChernobyliteAug 4, 2021
“In the end, Chernobylite felt a lot like scavenging for supplies in the Zone. There are certainly interesting things to unearth, but the laborious process of revealing them was barely worth the hassle. If Chernobylite is a loop, it is one that brings increasingly diminished returns with each completed cycle.”
read full review ↗ - 90Mini MotorwaysJul 30, 2021
“Originally an Apple Arcade exclusive, Mini Motorways is now available on Steam for aspiring city planners. If you’re ready to tear your hair out of your follicles over the algorithm’s decision to construct a house 10 million miles away from its destination, it may very well become one of your favourite time-wasters.”
read full review ↗ - 90The Forgotten CityJul 29, 2021
“It must be pretty obvious by now that I love this game. I love the effort that went into it and the expansive scope of its contents. I love how easy the gameplay is to grasp and how complex its plot becomes. I love the surprises and mysteries, and how each character is so full of soul. History buffs will have hours of spotting little details and accuracies, and fans of a good old-fashioned mystery will be kept up all night by the perplexing curse that has befallen this town. ”
read full review ↗ - 85GriftlandsJul 9, 2021
“I really like how the deck-building mechanics reflect the dispositions of the different characters. You can see this in both combat and negotiation; Sal is pretty strong all around, which makes them a good choice for your first couple of runs. Rook flips a coin every now and then during negotiation that can produce a powerful boost. Smith builds up a stockpile of empty bottles while in combat which they sometimes hurl at their opponents. The result is a wonderful sense of ludonarrative consonance.”
read full review ↗ - 85Chicory: A Colorful TaleJun 11, 2021
“Chicory flits through its hours of play with earnest, effortless charm that admittedly verges on saccharine at times—some of its townsfolk seem more like caricatures than actual personalities—but it has also helped me to appreciate the heights and mundanity of exploration, discovery and creation. It’s something I haven’t quite been able to for a while in games. ”
read full review ↗ - 60The Wild at HeartJun 9, 2021
“It’s charming and occasionally clever, but as a whole it all just feels kind of familiar.”
read full review ↗ - 80The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the DarkApr 19, 2021
“The tale’s comedic tone and the dialogue are clever and snarky. Coupled with the supernatural shenanigans manifesting daily in the world of The Darkside Detective, these often lead to hilarious situations and reactions from the characters in them, among whom are skeptics to the authenticity of these happenings. Yet the jokes fall short at times due to unnecessarily exaggerated scenes, such as a squirrel planning a heist to a television station. Conversely, it is when The Darkside Detective takes itself a bit more seriously and embraces its deeper, darker roots, that the brilliance truly happens.”
read full review ↗ - 70Before Your EyesApr 15, 2021
“Before Your Eyes ultimately suggests that happiness, fulfillment, that warm sense of a life well lived—that doesn’t come from other people’s perceptions. Rather, it comes from self-acceptance. And, incredibly, that’s something we do have control over. ”
read full review ↗ - 80SizeableMar 23, 2021
“All told, Sizeable is an endearing little gem that offers the same light brain-teasing that your nan’s looking for when she sits down to do the crossword in the paper. It’s easy to pick up and put down, and treating it as such meant that the game never wore out its welcome. Charging through every level in one sitting is easily doable, but some things are meant to be savoured. As far as Sizeable is concerned, I’ll be coming back for seconds.”
read full review ↗