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 8 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.
- +35Pokemon Shieldoutlet 90 · players 55 · Apr 2020
- +26Pokemon Swordoutlet 80 · players 54 · Apr 2020
- +20Animal Crossing: New Horizonsoutlet 90 · players 70 · May 2020
- -26Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasionoutlet 65 · players 91 · Oct 2021
- -14GRISoutlet 80 · players 94 · Aug 2019
- -14Katana ZEROoutlet 80 · players 94 · Feb 2020
- -13DOOM + DOOM IIoutlet 80 · players 93 · Apr 2018
- -14West of Loathingoutlet 80 · players 94 · Sep 2018
- +14Nintendo Labo: Toycon 01 Variety Kitoutlet 85 · players 71 · Sep 2018
- -20Super Kiwi 64outlet 70 · players 91 · Mar 2023
Recent reviews (152 tracked)
- 80PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of HonjoMar 18, 2024
“Over the course of about 10 hours, Paranormasight delivers what is undoubtedly one of the surprise gems of the year and represents a true triumph within the Japanese horror genre. Fans of both adventure games and visual novels should sink their teeth into this Western debut from a much-lauded visual novel dev team! [Issue #66 – July/August 2023, p. 23]”
- 100The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomMar 18, 2024
“I wasn't sure how Nintendo would find a way to top their work in Breath of the Wild back when it came out, but I feel they have here – with years of more polish applied and refined exploration. [Issue #66 – July/August 2023, p. 71]”
- 100
“Future Redeemed provides an amazing balance of keeping what made XC3 so phenomenal and adding in just the right number of changes. Most of all, it serves as a beautiful love letter to fans who've been with the series for the long haul, as it features some callbacks to Xenogears and Xenosaga as well! [Issue #66 – July/August 2023, p. 25]”
- 75OsmanMar 18, 2024
“While Cannon Dancer – Osman is a wild piece of gaming history, the casual and curious may want to wait for a sale before traveling back in time to '90s Kalamazoo. [Issue #66 – July/August 2023, p. 21]”
- 75The Spirit and the MouseMar 30, 2023
“This is a good, short game to be enjoyed after something intense. It has a cute plot, a satisfying end and plenty of entertaining characters. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 29]”
- 95LunisticeMar 30, 2023
“Lunistice offers an awful lot of excellence for an awfully low price. It's an incredible value even if you were to zip through the whole thing in the span of a single weekend. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 32]”
- 70Super Kiwi 64Mar 30, 2023
“Super Kiwi 64 is a 3D platformer that, true to its name, looks and plays exactly like the games we got on the real Nintendo 64 back in the late '90s. Just know that you'll only be getting one afternoon's worth of enjoyment out of this one, rather than the whole childhood weekend or more you enjoyed with its inspiration, Banjo- Kazooie, back in the day. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 33]”
- 100Metroid Prime RemasteredMar 30, 2023
“This game deserves to be the new high-water mark against which all other Nintendo re-releases will be compared for years to come. [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 73]”
- 95
“The grand finale of Wave 4 is a bold, brand-new Yoshi's Island! It's an incredible original track that is a complete homage to the 1995 SNES classic, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. It manages to fit references to dozens of iconic characters and locations from that 16-bit masterpiece into its loop, and it's honestly the best such track Nintendo has ever made! It's pure delight from end to end for anyone who's ever played that game. [Issue #65 – May/June 2023, p. 24]”
- 85Fire Emblem EngageMar 30, 2023
“It may not have as hard a grip on my heart as Three Houses does, but Fire Emblem Engage is an essential title for tactical RPG fans. Veterans and newcomers alike will both find this title . . . engaging! [Issue #64 – March/April 2023, p. 69]”
- 90Bayonetta 3Dec 22, 2022
“While it's less consistently fantastic than Bayonetta 2, there's probably three times as much game here, and it's all more over-the-top than ever. It'll keep fans happy for a long time. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 71]”
- 90Mario + Rabbids Sparks of HopeDec 22, 2022
“The developers who gave us the original Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle in 2017 and then its Donkey Kong DLC campaign one year later could have very easily kicked back, rested on their laurels and put themselves on auto-pilot to deliver similarly structured sequels for the rest of the Switch life cycle -- and beyond! And yet they rejected the chance to take such an easy path. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 66]”
- 85Easy Come Easy GolfDec 22, 2022
“If you're like me and can't get enough classic-style golf, give Easy Come Easy Golf a try. It's not quite a hole-in-one, but still a sub-par game. (That's good, right?) [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 25]”
- 80
“Has Nintendo doomed this game to repetition in its racetrack roster now? [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 22]”
- 100Xenoblade Chronicles 3Nov 9, 2022
“I began XC3 knowing I'd enjoy it because of the fun I had with the previous games. What I didn't expect was for this to become one of my favorite JPRGs of all-time! With its engaging open world, engrossing combat system, loveable characters and gripping story, this game is a masterpiece of the genre! [Issue #62 – November/December 2022, p. 67]”