Precision Intelligence.

We peel back the layers of marketing hype to provide a clinical, data-driven analysis of modern gaming. Knowledge is your most powerful upgrade.

Signal model

The 4 inputs behind every signal

Community

40%

Steam review sentiment — recent reviews weighted 70%, all-time 30%. Sigmoid-normalized to smooth extreme scores. Review bombing detection included.

Critical

20%

IGDB critic aggregate and IGDB user rating, linearly corrected for grade inflation. When unavailable, weight redistributed to other pillars.

Tech Stability

25%

Patch frequency and trend analysis from Steam news. Many bugfix patches early on signals instability; improvement over time is rewarded.

Maturity

15%

Time since release plus GOTY / Complete Edition detection. A game that's been out 2 years with a definitive edition is safer to buy.

EDITORIAL CORE ENGINE

Four pillars are weighted, normalized, and combined into a single 0-100 score. Missing data redistributes weight proportionally. Minimum 2 pillars required for a verdict.

Traffic Light System

Buy

Score ≥ 75

The game is in good shape. Buy with confidence.

Wait

Score 50–74

Promising but rough edges remain. Wait for patches or a sale.

Avoid

Score < 50

Significant issues. Not worth your money right now.

No Data

Fewer than 2 data sources

Not enough data to form a reliable verdict yet.

Not a copy of Steam or Metacritic

Why our scores look different

A game can sit at 92% on Steam or 88 on Metacritic and still be a “wait” here — or the other way around. That isn't a bug; it's the point. Here's what we do differently.

We score the game today

Critic reviews are written once, at launch, and never updated. We lean on them heavily in a game's first weeks, then fade their weight as recent player sentiment takes over. A rough launch that got fixed can climb to a buy; a hyped launch that aged badly can fall.

Players can outweigh critics

When a fresh release is loved by a large volume of players, we ease the usual day-one caution even if critics are lukewarm. Overwhelming, current player approval is a stronger buy signal than a frozen review embargo score.

One great number isn't enough

We blend four signals — players, critics, technical stability and maturity. A 95% Steam game still in heavy firefighting, or one day-one and untested, won't be a confident buy on its review percentage alone.

Data Sources

Game metadata, release dates, cover art and critic aggregates come from IGDB. Pricing information and deal links come from IsThereAnyDeal.

Data is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Prices, availability and store offers can change at any time — always confirm on the retailer's site before purchasing.

Support independent game signals

No publisher sponsorships, no affiliate bias on verdicts. Kept running by readers like you.