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 1 game where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 1 time.
Computed 5h 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 (15 tracked)
- 70inFamous: Second SonMar 20, 2014
“A strange hybrid of a game: It delivers just enough to be enjoyable, but not nearly enough to shine.”
read full review ↗ - 70TitanfallMar 10, 2014
“An immensely enjoyable and exquisitely crafted shoot-em-up...Yet Titanfall is also a worrisome product that delivers only a fraction of what competing games – including Call of Duty – do, for the same price tag. That sets a worrying precedent where gamers are set to get less game for the same money. As the next generation of consoles takes root, this is both a commercial and an artistic concern.”
read full review ↗ - 60Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeFeb 18, 2014
“This amped-up difficulty and the relative lack of new ideas make it tough to really enjoy Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, despite its beautifully inviting environs. While newcomers who haven’t played this sort of game a hundred times before may find it entertaining, veteran platformer fans are likely to find it trods a little too frequently on well-worn ground.”
read full review ↗ - 70Forza Motorsport 5Nov 20, 2013
“A fantastic driving game for fans of the genre, but it takes almost no chances. It’s content to drive a straight line, which is a little disappointing given that we’re now supposed to be at the dawn of a new era of gaming. If anything, last year’s Forza Horizon – which featured an open world and a storyline on top of the series’ usual car fetishism – was a much bolder and more exciting game. In retrospect, it might have been the better showcase for the next generation.”
read full review ↗ - 85Call of Duty®: GhostsNov 5, 2013
“A strong entry in a series that is now 10 years old. It delivers much of what made its previous incarnations great, yet at the same time adds new efforts that successfully freshen up what should be a relatively long-in-the-tooth formula by now.”
read full review ↗ - 90Assassin's Creed IV: Black FlagOct 29, 2013
“While some franchises are merely pumping out the same stuff every year with simply a new coat of paint, Black Flag is a welcome and well-done reinvention that adds new large-scale elements to an already solid base.”
read full review ↗ - 80Batman™: Arkham OriginsOct 25, 2013
“Arkham Origins is a very good game that stands on its own and delivers the same excellent adventure, exceptionally timed fights, clever puzzle-solving, hauntingly beautiful graphics and characters as memorable its predecessors...However, there are a few areas where it doesn’t quite match Rocksteady’s lofty achievements, writing being the most noticeable shortfall.”
read full review ↗ - 80LEGO® Marvel™ Super HeroesOct 22, 2013
“Lego Marvel combines so much youthful goodness into one colourful, exciting and fun package that it’s impossible for any kid – or kid at heart – to miss out on.”
read full review ↗ - 80Skylanders Swap ForceOct 13, 2013
“Therein lies the beauty of the game – it’s offers players a wealth of choice, from the many variations of Skylander they want to play with to the upgrades they want to add to the secret areas they want to unlock. Most of the toys are, for lack of a better description, really cool looking, which got me thinking very much like a kid: I want them all. You’d almost think Activision planned it this way.”
read full review ↗ - 80FIFA 14Sep 26, 2013
“FIFA 14 is the same, fundamentally great game that FIFA 13 was before it. Hard-core fans of the series will doubtlessly enjoy the latest instalment, but casual gamers who picked up last year’s won’t miss much by sitting this one out. There is, after all, a next-generation FIFA game to look forward to.”
read full review ↗ - 90Far Cry 3 - Blood DragonApr 30, 2013
“Who the hell at Ubisoft gave Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon the go-ahead? And more importantly, how can I shake his or her hand? It’s one of the most unique releases of the year: a brilliant homage to the games and movies of the 1980s, yet it’s also a biting mockery of them.”
read full review ↗ - 30METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCEFeb 21, 2013
“Bad writing and voice acting, uninteresting linear environments, camera problems, dumb enemies and nonsensical action that is also insanely difficult to combine into a game that is thoroughly un-fun and a chore to get through. It’s enough to send you scrambling back to older games in the series, to get the sour taste of this one out of your mouth.”
read full review ↗ - 80Hitman: Absolution™Nov 20, 2012
“An enjoyable rarity among games these days: it rewards patience and, rather than tacking on a standard online multiplayer mode, it instead encourages replay through steadily ramping difficulty levels that are themselves increasingly more satisfying.”
read full review ↗ - 70Call of Duty®: Black Ops IINov 13, 2012
“Black Ops 2...may very well be the preeminent first-person shooter game on the market – and it will sell well to reflect that – but it definitely suffers from that same boring sameness. There's hardly a moment of the game that doesn't drip with that old, been-there-done-that feeling.”
read full review ↗ - 70DishonoredOct 26, 2012
“Dishonored is never able complete that transformation from a game into a totally new and exciting world to inhabit. To be sure, our mostly positive rating reflects that this game is well-structured with all the pieces you'd expect and story flexibility will offer up a unique adventure for every player. It's a promising and mostly enjoyable start to what will perhaps be an ongoing series, but it lacks the emotional punch that could make it great.”
read full review ↗