REVIEW

HOW WE REVIEW
We review each game on its own merits, and try to match it
to a reviewer who’s a passionate expert in the field. The main
aim of reviews is to help you make buying decisions. To this
end, we’re selective about what we review, and try to focus
on the notable, interesting, exciting or surprising.

DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
DLC might be new missions for a game, or it might be a single
new item. If we think you want to know about it, we’ll review it.

EARLY ACCESS
Any released alpha, beta, or otherwise unfinished game that
you can currently pay for. For these games, we won’t assign a
score, but we will tell you whether they’re worth your time.

THEY’RE BACK
Whenever there’s a bargain or re-release of a significant game,
our expert will revisit it and tell you whether it holds up today.
With jokes.

The Editor’s Choice award is

granted in addition to the score,

at the discretion of the PC Gamer

staff. It represents exceptional

quality or innovation.

Find out more

http://www.bit.ly/pcgreviews

OUR SCORING

SYSTEM EXPLAINED
00%-09% Broken or offensively bad; absolutely no value.
Example Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude

10%-19% We might be able to find one nice thing to say about
it, but still not worth anyone’s time or money.
Example Gettysburg: Armored Warfare

20%-29% Completely falls short of its goals. Very few
redeeming qualities.
Examples Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse

30%-39% An entirely clumsy or derivative effort. There’s
little reason to play this game over a similar, better one.
Examples Trials of the Blood Dragon

40%-49% Flawed and disappointing.
Examples Aliens: Colonial Marines

50%-59% Mediocre. Other games probably do it better, or its
unique qualities aren’t executed well.
Examples Primordia, Homefront: The Revolution

60%-69% There’s something to like here, but it can only be
recommended with major caveats.
Examples No Man’s Sky, Ghost Recon: Wildlands

70% -79% A good game that’s worth playing. We like it.
Examples Prey, NieR: Automata

80%-89% A great game with exceptional moments or
features, and touches of brilliance. We love it.
Examples Overwatch, Night in the Woods

90%-94% A compelling recommendation for most PC
gamers. Important to PC gaming, and likely ahead of its time.
Examples Bayonetta, Dishonored 2

95%-96% Far and away one of the best games we’ve ever
played. We recommend it to the entire world.
Examples Half-Life 2, Kerbal Space Program

97%-100% Advances the human species. Boosts the
immune systems of nearby children and small animals.w

To infinity...

The when and how of a game’s

launch can be as important to its

success as its actual content. Take

Apex Legends – its surprise release

created a wave of excitement it rode

to victory, but also avoided months

of pre-release cynicism from fans

disappointed to see the Titanfall

devs jump on the battle royale

bandwagon. The results of Halo

Infinite’s strategy seem more mixed.

By releasing the multiplayer as a

standalone open beta a month

ahead of the campaign’s launch, the

devs aimed to build excitement and

brand awareness. Unfortunately,

controversy around uninspired

cosmetics and a miserly battle pass

has actually ended up

overshadowing the singleplayer’s

launch with negativity. Could they

have seen it coming? Hard to say –

but it’s clear they’ve dug a hole

that’s going to take some hard work

to climb back out of.

ROBIN VALENTINE

PRINT EDITOR

[email protected]

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