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 23h 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 (14 tracked)
- 100Crusader Kings IIIAug 31, 2020
“CK3 is a worthy successor that delivers a powerful mix of grand strategy and RPG gameplay. This is possibly the most polished a mainline Paradox title has ever been at launch.”
read full review ↗ - 80Desperados IIIAug 3, 2020
“One of the best real-time strategy releases of the year, despite a rather lack-lustre story. Mimimi does it again.”
read full review ↗ - 80John Wick HexOct 8, 2019
“An excellent & innovative strategy game, and the best John Wick Simulator you're ever likely to experience. ”
read full review ↗ - 80Anno 1800Apr 30, 2019
“Big, busy and pretty, you can be confident of a good management game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, so long as they can get past some certain disheartening design choices.”
read full review ↗ - 60Imperator: RomeApr 25, 2019
“Imperator: Rome has its moments, and some excellent foundations. But while there’s always the promise of what’s to come, right here and now there’s plenty to be found wanting.”
read full review ↗ - 80Tropico 6Apr 9, 2019
“Some technical stumbling blocks muddy what is otherwise another decent entry in a a beloved franchise.”
read full review ↗ - 100RimWorldOct 18, 2018
“Rimworld is a new standard in survival/strategy sims, and has emerged from early access with grace. Now the REAL fun can begin...”
read full review ↗ - 80Valkyria Chronicles 4Oct 2, 2018
“An admirable return to form, Valkyria Chronicles 4 feels like a safe bet for both newcomers and veteran commanders alike.”
read full review ↗ - 80Frozen Synapse 2Sep 13, 2018
“As it stands, Frozen Synapse 2 is truly an interesting experiment -- an attempt to expand the scope while keeping the original's focus and the directive that a successful mission always ends the same way: with everyone but you dead. It is a capable game that should appeal more to hardcore wargamers than more casual strategy enthusiasts, however, as I suspect its unintuitive menu will put off a lot of strategic-minded people with no patience for obtuseness.”
read full review ↗ - 80The Banner Saga 3Jul 26, 2018
“The Banner Saga 3 is a great game, and crushing enemies both small and large, human and supernatural is still just as fun. ”
read full review ↗ - 80Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of WarJul 12, 2018
“Gladius’s attention to combat goes beyond most 4X games, and it works. In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.”
read full review ↗ - 100FrostpunkApr 23, 2018
“I’ve never cared about the people under my command in any game more than in Frostpunk. The window-dressing isn’t perfect. Aspects of the experience are frustrating; a couple of failed games can leave one a tiny weeny bit annoyed. I am not even sure if some of the scenarios are even possible! Yet if the perfect game is a series of choices where every choice has meaning, then Frostpunk is it.”
read full review ↗ - 60Surviving MarsApr 7, 2018
“Surviving Mars is treading old ground, despite the new soil. For better or worse, it offers a comfortable colony management experience that trades innovation for familiarity. ”
read full review ↗ - 80NorthgardApr 7, 2018
“Veterans of the genre will love this mash-up, but newcomers will buckle under the weight. Writing aside, it’s a mighty fine attempt.”
read full review ↗