The merits of Metacritic have long been debated. Many people bring up numerous issues with them, at least when it comes to video games. Some people think that game critics are too lenient and that an 8/10 is equivalent to a 6/10 in any other medium. Some will brigade Metacritic if a certain game has a low or high score, with fans either raising the user score of poorly-reviewed game or lowering the user score for something they think should have been more harshly criticized.
But today, we’re here to check out the games that might have received such a response, and to perhaps give them more of a fair shake. These are ten first person shooter games that are better than their Metascore.
10 Terminator: Resistance
Terminator: Resistance came and went without much to-do in 2019. It is set during the post-apocalyptic war of 2028, and it sees players playing as a soldier named Jacob Rivers. It received horrible reviews from critics, and the PS4 version currently sits at an abysmal 47. A game has to be truly disastrous to earn that type of score. However, we think the user score of 7.0 is more in keeping with the game’s qualities. It’s kinda lame, and it certainly doesn’t do anything inventive or new, but it’s a decent enough FPS that doesn’t do anything to offend.
9 Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 received better reviews than Terminator: Resistance, but it certainly wasn’t Grand Theft Auto. The game received middling reviews from critics, and the PS4 version currently sits at 55. Most of the criticism stems from the technical issues and the game’s curious design choices. We can’t defend the technical issues, but we think the “open world” was perhaps too harshly criticized. This game is relatively harmless, and it deserves a higher rating than 5.5/10. Maybe not much higher, but higher nonetheless.
8 Star Wars Battlefront II
Star Wars Battlefront II gets a very bad rap. The game was plagued with controversy when it was released back in 2017, mostly stemming from the scuzzy business practices and poor PR performance. As such, it received scathing reviews from general players and middling reviews from critics. Today, it stands at 68 on Metacritic (with a hilariously wrong 1.2 user score). But EA was quick to remedy the controversies, and the game itself is actually a lot of fun. Unfortunately, its reputation was bungled from the start and remains stuck at the time of this writing.
7 7 Days To Die
The PS4 version of 7 Days to Die is another game that was critically eviscerated. And while we’re the first ones to admit that it isn’t perfect, we think it deserves better than its 45 Metascore. Most call it a poor and incomplete port of the PC original, and yes, it certainly does feel incomplete.
We can’t ignore the shoddy graphics, poor controls, and numerous bugs. But if you envision it like an early access PS4 port or something, then you may find some things to enjoy! The user score currently sits at 5.9, so it’s clear that general players are at least a little more forgiving than the critics.
6 Primal Carnage: Extinction
Primal Carnage: Extinction was created by the independent companies Circle 5 Studios and Pub Games, and for an indie title with a very minuscule budget, the game really isn’t that bad. The gameplay revolves around humans doing battle with dinosaurs - the humans are controlled in first person, the dinosaurs in third. The game sits at an abysmal 46 on Metacritic, although the user score is a far more forgiving 6.0. We’re not saying it’s a good game by any means, but 46? We don’t know if it’s that bad.
5 Battlefield V
Like Star Wars Battlefront II, Battlefield V’s reputation was tarnished from the very beginning. The game faced some controversy due to its “historical inaccuracies” and for including female soldiers in World War II. This has resulted in a 2.3 Metacritic user score, as people were quick to review bomb the title out of anger. The Metascore sits at a suitably higher 73, but that also doesn’t do justice to the game. Most of those reviews stemmed from a lack of content and a lack of innovation, and we get it. But 73 is way too low a score for a game as fun and beautiful as Battlefield V.
4 Loading Human
Loading Human is essentially a Mass Effect rip off for the PlayStation VR. It shares many elements with the latter, including a space setting, futuristic combat, morality-based decisions, branching and difficult decisions to make, and the ability to build and destroy personal relationships.
Of course, it’s nowhere near as good as Mass Effect, but then again, what is? The critics attacked the game for its clunky VR controls and painfully brief playtime, and the Metascore sits at a middling 53. Like we said, it’s no Mass Effect, but it’s definitely one of the most unique VR experiences on the PlayStation. For that reason alone, it deserves more than a 5/10.
3 RAGE 2
RAGE 2 was released to not-inconsiderable hype in 2019. The first RAGE was a decently popular shooter back in the day, even though it was seen as a bit of a disappointment. Unfortunately, the gap between first and second game was simply too long, and time had outpaced the RAGE series. RAGE 2 was released to a certified “meh,” scoring a 67 on Metacritic. It’s almost a fair enough score, but a little too low. The gunfights, impressive visuals, and enjoyable driving sequences alone are worth a higher score than that. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than 67.
2 Battleborn
Battleborn was painfully doomed from the start. And it’s too bad, because it was actually pretty fun. The game was developed by Gearbox Software and was set to be the next big first person shooter. Unfortunately, it was quickly overshadowed by Overwatch and fell into obscurity. And yes, Overwatch is by far the better game. But we think Battleborn is better than its 68 Metascore. It didn’t do anything horribly, and the game actually became quite fun once you had amassed the necessary characters, gears, and load-outs. It simply takes way too long to get there.
1 Call Of Duty: Ghosts
Ghosts was in a highly unfortunate position. Not only was Call of Duty fatigue firmly setting in by this point, but it was also released at a time of transition between consoles. As such, it was seen as both tired and disappointing. People hated that it was just another Call of Duty game, and others hated that they refused to innovate for the new generation. But looking back, Ghosts is a perfectly fine entry in the Call of Duty canon, and it doesn’t deserve the hatred it so often receives. It’s better than the PC’s 68 Metascore suggests, that’s for sure.
NEXT: 10 Best Free Games (According To Metacritic)
