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 4 times.
Computed 4m 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.
- -25SIMULACRAoutlet 65 · players 90 · Oct 2022
- +17POPUCOMoutlet 95 · players 78 · Jul 2025
- -21Paleo Pinesoutlet 65 · players 86 · Sep 2023
- +27The Jackbox Party Pack 10outlet 85 · players 58 · Dec 2023
- +14Minute of Islandsoutlet 90 · players 76 · Jun 2021
- -21Redemption Reapersoutlet 55 · players 76 · Mar 2023
Recent reviews (120 tracked)
- 80FishbowlMay 27, 2026 · Nathan Hermanson
“Fishbowl was well worth the wait, a narrative experience that is painful both in its relevance in a time of prevailing loneliness that still ripples out from the COVID-19 pandemic and in its honest and vulnerable exploration of grief. At the time of playing, I ran into a crashing issue that dampened the game's emotional final chapter, but a few hiccups along the way don't diminish the shine of imissmyfriends.studio's debut. It is an easy recommendation for those gamers among us who aren't afraid to get a little weepy and to let games remind us of the good and bad of our lives.”
read full review ↗ - 80Bubsy 4DMay 21, 2026 · Nathan Hermanson
“One of the most unexpected video game releases in a very long time, Bubsy 4D marks a triumphant return for the charismatic cat. With the platforming acumen of indie legend Fabraz, Bubsy finally gets the great game the series has been looking for in its 30-plus year history. Surely this mean's Bubsy's here to stay, right? I mean . . . what's the worst that could happen?”
read full review ↗ - 100MixtapeMay 11, 2026 · Nathan Hermanson
“In a world that seems built to stamp the whimsy out of us as we grow older, projects like Mixtape unleash us from society's shame and remind us to celebrate every moment like it's the climax of your favorite movie. Because one day you'll have to say goodbye. And wouldn't you hope that, whenever you do, you made it the sickest story to tell on your way out? Beethoven and Dinosaur sure did.”
read full review ↗ - 95Forbidden SolitaireApr 30, 2026 · Nathan Hermanson
“Forbidden Solitaire is a near-perfect game to me. It's quick, it knows what it is and stays true to itself from end to end, and it's created with such heart that you can't help but smile all the way through. Dream games are few and far between in this industry, and for me, Forbidden Solitaire is a dream game. Grey Alien Games and Night Signal Entertainment found each other at just the right time to make something no one else is making, make it right, and pour all they have into it.”
read full review ↗ - 85Hermit and PigApr 24, 2026 · Nathan Hermanson
“Radical optimism has been an anchor of what we do at VGG for years now, and to see that echoed in a game as fun and joyful as Hermit and Pig is always a good sign that we're on the right side with what we're doing here. A sign that figuring out a way forward with our community is more worth it than to hide away in the woods and buckle under the darkness of our world alone. Hermit and Pig is a bright light in an otherwise darkening industry and an easy recommendation for RPG fans of all kinds, especially Earthbound and Undertale lovers looking for another adventure to smile with.”
read full review ↗ - 85ILA: A Frosty GlideDec 2, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“There's a reason a game like ILA: A Frosty Glide has been prominent at events like Wholesome Directs, and it's apparent from the moment you put your hands on it. It's an incredible ambassador for the cozy game movement, enveloping its players in the warm blanket of good movement, lo-fi music, and a self-empowering narrative. If you're looking for a game to get you right into that winter mood, look no further.”
read full review ↗ - 85Undusted: Letters from the PastOct 20, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Undusted: Letters from the Past is a special little project that allows you to excavate someone else's memories through cleaning objects, and possibly dust off a few of your own throughout this tactile and patient process. Its satisfying and ASMR-inspired gameplay is addictive, and its emotional arc will speak to many. 5minlabs has a gem on its hands — one that's been patiently polished to a shine.”
read full review ↗ - 75Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred TreeSep 29, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree isn't perfect, but it is one of the closest representations of what the action roguelike genre can achieve that I've seen since the likes of Hades. A few pain points aside, what Brownies accomplished here is impressive, dense, and above all, fun. If you like deep character bonds, snappy action gameplay, and chasing that "one more run" mentality, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree just might be for you.”
read full review ↗ - 100Consume MeSep 24, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Jenny, AP, Jie, Violet, and Ken provide a package so genuinely aligned in message, tone, and style that the experience hits in almost magical ways. Each of its crunchy-satisfying sound effects makes the minigames all the more enjoyable. The '90s vibey chiptune soundtrack from coda amplifies the chaos of our teenage try-hard's life up to 11. And Jenny and Jie's art is the sealing piece that makes the cutesy-chaotic charm of her complicated life so enjoyable to watch unfold. Consume Me is a stunning achievement in transporting the player into another's shoes. And in remembering how impossibly rude we are to ourselves when we're young. It'll make you laugh, cry, and cringe. It'll test your patience and force you to reflect on the same kinds of life choices you make/have made/and will still make. It is the kind of art piece that uses all the trappings of the medium to transcend into something else entirely.”
read full review ↗ - 65Arctic AwakeningSep 18, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Arctic Awakening is a stumper of a game, one that has a clear vision for what it wants to be but stumbles in its execution. I want to believe this game will reach its potential with time, and that this small team will keep making ambitious games. While Arctic Awakening sometimes left me feeling frosty, there's a definite spark that shines through.”
read full review ↗ - 85Henry HalfheadSep 16, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“By the end of my time with the game, I felt grateful tears welling up — for being able to experience what Henry had to offer and for how it helped me reflect on my own life. It is a simple little thing, not unlike Time Flies, another 2025 favorite which offers a similar runtime and mini puzzle box format. But Henry Halfhead made me feel more and smile more than many other games have this year. So I've got half a mind (get it?) to say you've got to give this game a try if you've still got whimsy in your heart — or if you're looking for a gateway to finding more of it.”
read full review ↗ - 80HerdlingAug 21, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Herdling is an emotional journey about the bond between living beings, offering players the opportunity to develop actual connections to the charming calicorns in a silent adventure all about working together to succeed. It proportionally delivers heart-pounding stress and soaring happiness by making you fall in love with its fictional creatures. Calicorns are cute, video games are good, and Herdling is a journey that I could never regret embarking on.”
read full review ↗ - 90The DrifterAug 15, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“The Drifter is part of a class of modern classics for point and clicks, joining 2025's other great adventure game, Old Skies, in both honoring and advancing the genre. With a compelling, tension-filled narrative and a cinematic presentation style, it becomes one of my easiest recommendations — not only as one of the best games this year but as an all-time point and click must-play.”
read full review ↗ - 85Time FliesAug 1, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Even as someone who finds video games to be an incredibly worthwhile way to spend my time, I find myself falling victim to the "Is it long enough? Is it too long?" ruminating that plagues the industry today. As I've gotten older, that conversation has shifted, though. If it was two hours or two hundred, I didn't care. It's more about how the time spent felt. We've only got so much of it, after all. And even as it brought a newly heightened sense of my own ever-ticking life clock, I found that Time Flies was time well spent.”
read full review ↗ - 80Wheel WorldJul 23, 2025 · Nathan Hermanson
“Wheel World is a joyous biking adventure that, despite some tiny frustrations, manages to showcase the beauty of biking. This half-racing, half-exploration adventure enters you into a flow state for 5-6 hours, and you exit it with a smile on your face. And I think that's what biking's about or something. I dunno. I never learned to ride.”
read full review ↗