VideoGamesCritic | The one source of truth for gamers

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.

Alignment (40%)

Decoded accuracy (30%)

Player-side (30%)

Controversy record: on 53 games where press consensus and players sharply disagreed, this reviewer sided with players 14 times.

Computed 44m 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 (569 tracked)

86
Resonance: A Plague Tale LegacyAug 27, 2026 · Allisandra Reyes
“Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a strong adventure because it knows how to make its puzzles, combat, stealth, and narrative blend together while giving each part enough time to shine. The mystery surrounding Sophia and the island will keep players invested throughout, while the carefully paced reveals give just enough information to keep asking questions without making the answers feel dragged out. There is no point where the gameplay feels unnecessarily bloated or where the narrative slows down just to fill its runtime. With its intuitive gameplay, emotional storytelling, and consistently engaging pacing, Resonance delivers a journey that knows exactly when to push forward and when to let its moments breathe.”
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84
How to FishAug 27, 2026
“How to Fish is a great online co-op game to play with friends, but it’s slightly less enjoyable solo because of its grind-heavy progression. However, when you have a full squad by your side, the game’s chaotic gameplay and boss fights make the repetition much easier to stomach, as you’re immediately pulled into its addictive blend of fishing and first-person shooting, hook, line, and sinker.”
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76
DragonSword : AwakeningAug 24, 2026
“DragonSword: Awakening is a pretty good open-world action RPG that uses the gacha formula without the genre's obvious drawbacks. While its gameplay elements and systems clash due to design flaws, its eye-catching visuals, interesting narrative, and great sound design certainly justify it as a full-fledged game. All in all, it’s a game that’s definitely worth it for the price it asks, but be sure to expect a bit of a grind in the form of gacha-like repetitive progression.”
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70
Starsand IslandAug 20, 2026
“Starsand Island is frustrating precisely because its foundation is so promising. Its satisfying grind, interconnected progression, generous resources, and charming presentation provide the makings of a genuinely enjoyable farming RPG, but a hollow narrative, underdeveloped relationships, and an unfortunate number of bugs keep it from reaching its potential. There is enough here for dedicated farming game fans to enjoy, but at 1.0, it feels like a game that needed more time to grow into the experience it was promising to be.”
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70
BRIGANDINE ABYSSAug 20, 2026
“I had a good time with Brigandine Abyss, but that comes with a lot of caveats. It’s not for everyone—SRPGs rarely are—but more than that, its story never gave me much reason to care about the world or its characters, and its presentation belongs to the early 2010s. What kept me playing was just how good the game’s strategy elements are, especially the amount of time I could spend putting my armies together and figuring out how to get the most out of them. There are plenty of things I wish Abyss did better, but fortunately, it’s very fun to play.”
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70
Starsand IslandAug 20, 2026 · Allisandra Reyes
“Starsand Island is frustrating precisely because its foundation is so promising. Its satisfying grind, interconnected progression, generous resources, and charming presentation provide the makings of a genuinely enjoyable farming RPG, but a hollow narrative, underdeveloped relationships, and an unfortunate number of bugs keep it from reaching its potential. There is enough here for dedicated farming game fans to enjoy, but at 1.0, it feels like a game that needed more time to grow into the experience it was promising to be.”
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90
The Sinking City 2Aug 19, 2026 · Aaron Bacabac
“Built amidst real-life horrors and evoking eldritch ones, The Sinking City 2 is a sequel among sequels. Though not perfect owing to some implementary bugs and vestigial progression, the game offers mastery across all other aspects that few survival horror games can hope to reach. It is the kind of game that one must experience to truly appreciate, bringing with it the artifice of Lovecraft’s universe and the vision of Frogwares’ dev team. Consider it a game that only the mad would avoid, and one that the horrified would return to.”
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28
Agefield High: Rock the SchoolAug 19, 2026 · Aaron Bacabac
“Whether it’s bad on purpose or just plain bad, it’s clear to anyone with eyes, ears, or hands that Agefield High: Rock the School! is a bad product. From a visual identity that both confuses and revolts to a gameplay loop that prevents itself from ever being enjoyable, everything about this game screams inadequacy—though it notably doesn’t scream lack of effort. If the game had more time to cook, say another decade or so, perhaps it would’ve been a passable homage to one of gaming’s most iconic coming-of-age titles. As it is now, though, it’s an unplayable, unlovable, unappreciable mess I’d rather forget than remember.”
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46
ClawedAug 18, 2026
“Clawed looked like a promising horror survival shooter uniquely set in a dinosaur theme-park, until you actually play the game. The massive game world, immersive SFX, and stunning visuals complemented each other well. Unfortunately, it is riddled with game-breaking bugs, uninspired gameplay, and perpetual fetch quests, making version 1.0 feel like it should still be on Early Access.”
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74
Mortal Shell IIAug 17, 2026 · Alfonso Majarucon
“Mortal Shell 2 is one of those games that'll make you smile when remembering it, but frown when you recall the details. Its horrifying audiovisuals and polished combat create plenty of memorable moments, but repetitive stages, limited build variety, and a painfully slow narrative make it equally frustrating. Its content also falls short of justifying the $49.99 price against the competition. For all its strengths, Mortal Shell 2 gets the pieces right without quite putting them together.”
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74
Mortal Shell IIAug 17, 2026
“Mortal Shell 2 is one of those games that'll make you smile when remembering it, but frown when you recall the details. Its horrifying audiovisuals and polished combat create plenty of memorable moments, but repetitive stages, unfair mob pressure, limited build variety, and a painfully slow narrative make it equally frustrating. Its content also falls short of justifying the $49.99 price against the competition. For all its strengths, Mortal Shell 2 gets the pieces right without quite putting them together.”
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62
Hell Let Loose: VietnamAug 17, 2026
“Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is, quite simply, more of the same as in 2021, but with a different setting. Its gameplay design and setting remain its strongest points, and it offers an enjoyable experience when it works on both the player and technical sides. However, the game certainly feels dated in its textures and has key issues across most aspects, making it feel underdone even with the delay in its release.”
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74
LootboundAug 14, 2026
“Lootbound is a great, bite-sized roguelite that’s best enjoyed in short bursts. It’s addictive, sure, but its barebones storytelling, overreliance on luck, and early-game grind can sometimes get in the way. What ultimately carries the experience is its surprisingly deep buildcrafting, which should appeal to veteran roguelite fans while giving you plenty of freedom to shape your own journey through the loot you pick, party members you recruit, and bosses you face. It knows exactly what it wants to be, giving you just enough control to feel like a Dungeon Master while leaving enough to chance to make every victory feel earned, one roll at a time.”
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80
Corsair CoveAug 14, 2026
“Corsair Cove is a fun and challenging pirate-themed city-builder with exploration and turn-based combat elements that is a decent addition to your pirate game library. It's got its charms in its vertical tactical city-building gameplay and complex systems that keep you on your toes. Although, it would definitely benefit from more QoL improvements to make the actual building and routing less of a chore.”
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84
STEINS;GATE RE:BOOTAug 14, 2026 · Lloyd Opalec
“After playing through the original and Elite years ago, I love how much I still enjoyed going back to Akihabara to re-experience Steins;Gate. Reboot doesn’t fix everything I wanted it to, especially that painfully slow first half, but the new material and Worldline gave me enough surprises to make another trip worthwhile. It’s still the same story I fell in love with, just with a few new reasons to get attached to it all over again.”
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Game8

How this trust score was computed

Outlet vs. players

Biggest disagreements with players

Recent reviews (569 tracked)