With Call of Duty and FIFA frequently securing near-universal praise from critics, many have questioned the validity of review sites. Could publishers be exerting their influence over the ones who should be lambasting them for their negative behavior? Is there any point in paying heed to sites like IGN or Kotaku? Each gamer adores that one particular game that garnered nothing but disdain and ridicule from critics; conversely, an onslaught of excellent scores is an excellent recipe for disappointment. One gamer's 10/10 is another's 3/5.
While it is simple enough to dismiss critics as collective sell-outs who exists solely to worship at the feet of the EAs and Ubisofts of the world, they probably deserve a tiny more credit that total disregard. At the end of the day, reviews are nothing more than the subjective opinion of a single person and critics tend to analyze games from a more technical viewpoint than the average gamer. As long as the developers offer a polished experience, critics tend to highlight the positives over the negatives. Accumulating a number of scores from approved sources, Metacritic.com calculates the average rating and provides the most accurate representation of the title's quality. If a project scores a median of 90% or above, the studio presumably did something right.
In the 20 odd years that Metacritic has been a thing, there has yet to be a title warranting of a perfect score; nevertheless, many have threatened to touch the summit! Here are 30 nearly perfect video games that (almost) got 100% on Metacritic!
30 Chrono Cross - 94
Released in 1995, Chrono Trigger predates Metacritic by a couple of years. While its predecessor had to be automatically disqualified from this list, Chrono Cross more than lived up to the hype. Offering a fantastic combat system and a storyline that drops the alternate reality elements from the first title, Square arguably raised the bar with the fantastic sequel. The PlayStation One hardly lacked for JRPGs, so it would take something truly special to outshine the likes of Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Quest VII; amazingly, Chrono Cross stood out among the fodder and has aged rather gracefully.
29 Gears Of War - 94
Microsoft hit the ground running with its first Xbox console, but the brand's true golden era occurred during the seventh generation! Publishing four entries of this action-packed series, Gears of War changed the third-person shooter genre for the better and few come close to matching the original's sheer intensity.
While the sequels deserve recognition for varying the campaign's structure and gameplay, Marcus Fenix's debut adventure elevated Epic Games to the status of legends.
We cannot talk about Gears of War without mentioning the groundbreaking multiplayer, although Gears of War 3 contributed the most balanced experience out of the bunch!
28 Halo 3 - 94
Acting as Bungie's swan song for Halo's mainline series, the Destiny developer reached a peak that it has yet to match. Concluding the story inaugurated in Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 3 might be the most refined entry in the FPS genre. Even if it is not particularly groundbreaking, Bungie got everything right with its third installment. The tight mechanics continue to be a joy to play until this very day, while the robust campaign benefits from astonishingly high production; nevertheless, multiplayer is the name of the game and Halo 3 cannot be beaten.
27 Devil May Cry - 94
Despite the third and fourth entries possessing some of the best action combat in history, Dante's first demon-slaying adventure garnered the highest aggregate score from critics. With the exception of Devil May Cry 2 and Ninja Theory's controversial entry, Capcom's series sits head-and-shoulders above other hack and slash titles which happen to not be called Onimusha.
Placing a heavier focus on timing and atmosphere, Devil May Cry is a gothic masterpiece that proudly showcases its Resident Evil roots.
The limited amount of combos might be a hard pill to swallow for fans of the later entries, but Devil May Cry deserves a spin.
26 Final Fantasy IX - 94
Ready for a shock? According to Metacritic, Final Fantasy VII falls short of the franchise's best work. Obviously, everyone knows that Final Fantasy VI is the true M.V.P, but Final Fantasy IX is a pretty decent substitute. Bringing to a close Square's run on the PlayStation One, this 2000 release marked a shift away from its predecessors' sci-fi themes, opting for a more cartoonish presentation of a medieval setting. Boasting eight playable characters and an engrossing world to explore, Final Fantasy IX has been unfairly overshadowed by the entries that surround it; however, critics were not blinded by Cloud's light.
25 Portal 2 - 95
Steam is the greatest and worst thing to happen to the industry. On the one hand, it has never been easier to purchase cheap PC games; however, the store's overwhelming popularity left Valve Software with little incentive to actively pursue game development. Published in 2011, Portal 2 is currently the studio's last true single-player title, although this might be set to change in the near future. Time will tell whether Valve returns to its former glory, but Portal 2 is a pretty fantastic way to go out. A mind-bending puzzle action game that boasts one of gaming's most iconic antagonists, Valve bowed out with a bang!
24 The Last Of Us - 95
Accumulating a virtual trophy cabinet capable of making Roger Federer jealous, Naughty Dog's adventure survival game allowed the PlayStation 3 to retire on a high. Regularly described as the greatest game of all time, Metacritic does not quite hold The Last of Us in that high of an esteem, but a "95" is nothing short of amazing. A character-driven narrative that forces the decent gameplay onto the backburner, Naughty Dog's sequel needs to genuinely be the greatest game of all time to surpass Joel and Ellie's soul-crushing adventure.
23 Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn - 95
BioWare knows a thing or two about crafting sprawling RPGs with a shelf-life of a couple of years. Frankly, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn has not lost a beat over the last two decades. Taking into account when this was released, it is amazing what BioWare managed to do with the available technology. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt perfected the art of side-quests, but CD Projekt Red Studio exists in a post-Baldur's Gate world. Benefitting from outstanding writing and charming graphics, BioWare delivered the ultimate isometric RPG that has yet to be surpassed.
22 Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty - 96
Hideo Kojima gets his kicks from messing around with the audience's expectations. As just one example out of many, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty's trailer and tech demo focused exclusively on Snake's solitary mission, so players were shocked when Raiden took over as the protagonist.
If the game was anything short of spectacular, Kojima and Konami would have spent the next decade apologizing.
Fortunately, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty's gameplay more than made up for this slight betrayal. In a series of nearly nothing but high points, Raiden's entry is Mount Everest.
21 Gran Turismo - 96
Burdened with carrying the Xbox One across the finishing line, the current racing scene is dominated by Forza Horizon. Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo has never really turned sour, but the PlayStation series peaked with its initial trilogy. Inaugurated in 1998, Gran Turismo immediately took over as the genre's bonafide leader, a position sustained by the next couple of sequels. A graphical powerhouse for the time, Gran Turismo introduced an unprecedented level of depth and realism. Console accessories tend to be pointless cash grabs, but Gran Turismo guaranteed that the PlayStation steering turned a profit.
20 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - 96
There is a reason this RPG continues to be ported onto every console on the market: gamers love Skyrim. The Elder Scrolls rarely sets a foot wrong, but Bethesda redefined the meaning of success with its fifth installment. A convincing argument can be made that Oblivion's single-player campaign is superior to its successor, but Skyrim is more than the sum of its parts. Ignoring the sheer volume of mods available to download, someone can easily drop hundreds of hours into this RPG without completing the comparatively puny central quest. Immersion can be rather difficult to get right, but Bethesda absolutely nailed this factor!
19 Mass Effect 2 - 96
Brimming with ambition and creative writing, BioWare's Mass Effect attempted to adapt space operas for the gaming market. 2007's RPG suffered from rough gameplay, but its sequel smoothed out the edges to deliver a more enjoyable experience. Emphasizing the combat without sacrificing the story, BioWare struck an ideal middle ground for its 2010 epic. Serving as the middle chapter in Commander Shepard's narrative, Mass Effect 2 effortlessly set the stage for the explosive third entry, while polishing certain elements that dragged down its predecessor. Unsurprisingly, Mass Effect: Andromeda's aggregate score is light years below the original trilogy.
18 Tekken 3 - 96
Building on the solid foundations established by Tekken 2, Namco managed to surpass themselves with the studio's 1998 successor. Tekken 5 and Tekken: Dark Resurrection are also nearly flawless, but the third entry overshadows them in practically every regard.
Revolutionizing the genre by incorporating sidesteps as a core mechanic, Tekken 3's combat is easy to grasp but hard to master.
Each member of the reasonably seized roster comes with dozens of moves and their own unique campaign, so a player must sink hundreds of hours to truly become an expert.
17 Batman: Arkham City - 96
If Marvel reigns supreme over Hollywood, then DC is the king of gaming and they owe it all to Rocksteady Studios! Batman: Arkham Asylum allowed fans to step into the shoes of the Dark Knight and explore Gotham from a fresh perspective.
Expanding its scope and fine-tuning the already thrilling combat mechanics, Arkham City successfully improved on brilliance.
Batman's life seems to be a never-ending stream of pain and turmoil, but Rocksteady's games are a blast to play. Arkham Knight was a pretty decent follow-up, but Arkham City remains the height of Batman's gaming career.
16 Resident Evil 4 - 96
Bethesda is not the only studio who loves porting its biggest hits to every new console. Resident Evil 4 marked a huge turning point in Capcom's horror series, mainly that it stopped trying to terrorize players. Ramping up the action and focusing on the gunplay, Leon's romp through Spain demonstrated just enough restraint to avoid alienating its core audience. Creepy and explosive enough to satisfy all types of fans, Resident Evil 4 caught lightning in a bottle. Considering Capcom wasted the next decade trying to replicate this formula, it goes to show that Resident Evil 4 was a once-in-a-lifetime release.
15 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - 96
If Jak II and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves are anything to go by, The Last of Us 2 might be something out of this world. At the moment, Nathan Drake's second adventure sits as Naughty Dog's critical magnum opus, although the Uncharted name tends to be a stamp of quality. If Uncharted: Drake's Fortune acted as a proof of concept, Among Thieves is the real deal. Enhancing the gameplay to a point that is no longer frustrating, 2009's action-adventure title is the living embodiment of a cinematic shooter. This hardly needs to be said, but Uncharted's story is worth the price of admission!
14 GoldenEye 007 - 96
Rightfully earning a terrible reputation, games based on movies scrap the medium's bottom of the barrel. Prior to falling in the hands of Microsoft, Rare's output coincided with the best releases of any given year, and GoldenEye 007 was no exception. An industry-defining FPS that proved the genre could work on consoles, Rare's adaptation surpasses Pierce Brosnan's delightful cinematic debut as James Bond. Besides the thoroughly entertaining and varied campaign loosely based on the movie, GoldenEye 007's multiplayer outdid any of its contemporaries.
13 BioShock - 96
The City of Rapture is more than just a backdrop for a high-octane shooter set in a post-apocalyptic underwater metropolis. Marketing teams relish any opportunity to throw out buzzwords like "immersive" or "breathing," but BioShock actually delivered on its promises. Irrational Games designed a terrifying world that rewards exploration with lore rather than throw-away garbage to pad out the inventory. Tackling themes of paranoia, cults, and personal agency; BioShock's engrossing narrative ensures that players are 100% invested in the outcome. BioShock 2 improved the gameplay mechanics, but Irrational Games' original is a couple of levels above both of its sequels.
12 Half-Life - 96
Gordon Freeman just cannot catch a break! Despite shaking things up considerably for the sequel, Valve netted a "96" for both entries in its influential series. Be it the original's claustrophobic atmosphere or the sequels' realistic engine, Half-Life conveys a certain humanity which often gets lost in first-person shooters.
The world might be on the line, but Freeman is a normal man pushed into the role of a hero.
With Earth on the brink of annihilation at the hands of aliens, Half-Life 2 accurately captures the situation's sense of desperation. After all these years, Half-Life 3 would only be a disappointment.
11 NFL 2K1 - 97
Unless a developer spectacularly drops the ball before liting it on fire, sports games are an easy 8/10. Consequently, simply achieving greatness is not enough to stand out; as a result, the genre rarely scores an aggregate score above 90%. Going back to the days of the Dreamcast, NFL 2K1 is the closest Visual Concepts has ever come to translating the visceral energy associated with American football. The graphics might not look like much in this day and age, but NFL 2K1 was released in the year 2000! How can that even be possible? If the visuals fail to impress, then we recommend actually playing a match against the surprisingly capable AI.