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65

Irish Independent

PressTrust score from 39 scored reviews vs. players

7 above players
Bias
within ~10 pts
Vs player sentiment
0.31
Ranks like players
39
Games compared

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.

65
Alignment (40%)
70
Decoded accuracy (30%)
56
Player-side (30%)

Controversy record: on 6 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 3 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 (61 tracked)

  • 80
    Splatoon RaidersAug 14, 2026

    Fans of the original Splatoons may be nonplussed by how Nintendo has changed the narrative with Raiders but the ink has marked out some interesting new territory and shouldn’t be written off.

    read full review ↗
  • 70

    Rhythm Paradise Groove is a stern mistress that doesn’t suffer fools gladly and its mini-games sometimes feel like quantity over quality, which not what you want from what is probably Nintendo’s final release for the original Switch console.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    Star FoxJul 27, 2026

    The 2026 version is too faithful a do-over to escape the limitations of design imposed by the Nintendo 64’s technology in 1997 but Nintendo will unquestionably be watching the sales figures with a view to bringing us the modernised Star Fox the series deserves.

    read full review ↗
  • 80

    Zero Parades presents a rollicking story of conspiracy and conniving, marked by pitch-black humour and sharp writing. But at every turn the shadow of the superior Disco Elysium hangs over it. It’s a sequel that can’t escape its inspiration.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    Forza Horizon 6Jun 12, 2026

    FH6 nudges the accelerator again with a fresh location and a handful of inessential additions such as homes to decorate. But the diminishing returns on show here suggest Playground will need to dig deeper into the engine to find a higher gear next time.

    read full review ↗
  • 90

    This Yoshi expedition may be a game story without orthodox structure but it’s written with tongue in cheek and features a cast of delightful oddballs.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    SAROSMay 14, 2026

    The narrative may not be as convincing as that of Returnal but Saros one-ups its predecessor in almost every facet. It’s a seat-of-the-pants thrill ride that escalates the spectacle with every chapter and will haunt your dreams with walls of coloured missiles.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    MarathonMar 31, 2026

    Marathon would be remarkable as it stands for its enigmatic storytelling but Bungie’s love of riddles elevates the end-game to new heights. The Cryo Archive has only just unlocked in the last week or so and already players have been delighted and frustrated in equal measure by its secrets. Some who encounter it won’t like the randomised nature of its components and others will just wonder why they can’t just shoot stuff to win. Yet veterans of Destiny’s great raids will fall hard for it. Marathon works hard to rebuff your advances and could do with playing less hard to get. But for the player who’s seduced, this could be your next great love affair.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    Mario Tennis FeverFeb 26, 2026

    They say love means nothing to a tennis player but it’s so easy to lose your heart to this spirited slice of sport.

    read full review ↗
  • 80

    Grasshopper makes games like no other, a superpower in which the sheer creative force outweighs the sometimes-juvenile side-effects. Romeo is a Dead Man may not always be coherent and is often not pretty but it nonetheless possesses something compelling – as if you can’t look away.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    Nioh 3Feb 17, 2026

    If you’re to judge Nioh 3 by its obvious inspiration, Team Ninja comes up a little short here. Its open world and impenetrable lore lack the invention and sheer charisma of the peerless Elden Ring. That said, the two-in-one personality gives such a distinctive flavour to the combat that some hardened From Software fans might be forced to re-consider their loyalties.

    read full review ↗
  • 80

    The worst offender among your soldier pals is an overly chatty sidekick who regularly prods you over the radio to re-explore old areas. Part of Metroid’s appeal has always lain in getting lost in its creepy caverns but Retro clearly wants no newcomer to be in doubt for long about where to go next. Despite all that, Beyond emerges from development purgatory in better shape than could be expected. Some of its innovations may not gel with the core Metroid principle of a lone woman versus a planet of hostiles. Yet the classic design ensures the Samus suit never goes out of fashion.

    read full review ↗
  • 80

    You’d never mistake Age of Imprisonment’s gameplay for the mechanical ingenuity contained in Tears of the Kingdom. But this Zelda adventure jailbreaks itself from the constricting conventions of its musou prison.

    read full review ↗
  • 80

    Séance at Blake Manor still manages to be an enthralling piece of theatre, artfully presented and brimming with macabre melodrama.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    ReachNov 18, 2025

    Rosa’s adventure can’t quite match that same sublime synthesis of virtual reality with relentless momentum. But there’s enough imagination on show here to keep a firm grip on your attention.

    read full review ↗