WellPlayed’s 2020 OpenCritic Challenge

Kieron: 90
Aza: 81
Zach: 87
Lil’ Rizky: 91
Dylan: 88

Kieran: 85
Adam: 92
Eleanore: 93
Jordan: 88

Please Explain: Trust me to predict a big score for a whimsical platformer. Ori and the Will of the Wisps looks to simply be more of Ori and the Blind Forest, a certified gem of a game that holds a special place in my heart. While I’m sure there are numerous new gameplay additions as well as more fantastic art and music, my methodology behind this score was that I am almost certain that Moon Studios’ second Ori game will be as highly regarded the first. It may review a tad higher or a tad lower in comparison to Ori and the Blind Forest, however I feel pretty much sure that a score ranging from mid-eighties to low-nineties beckons. Moon Studios has already proven that they can make a quality metroidvania platformer, and with Ori and the Will of Wisps not being a dramatic departure from the established Ori formula, I can’t see much going wrong. 

Verdict: An excellent sequel that scores comparably to the original.
Score: 88

Dylan Blereau

Kieron: 91
Aza: 68
Zach: 82
Lil’ Rizky: 92
Dylan: 86

Kieran: 90
Adam: 89
Eleanore: 97
Jordan: 83

Please Explain: Today’s society is plagued by stress and we all tend to suffer from working too hard and not having enough time for ourselves. Nintendo is known for having a wide breadth of franchises that cater to all kinds of gameplay. The Animal Crossing franchise (while debt inducing) is known for its tranquility and escapism, but it has been potentially absent to many for up to seven years depending on if you played New Leaf. This gap between titles means that there are high expectations for this title and a huge need for it to be a hit in order to continue the success of this franchise. It will probably surprise many but Animal Crossing is one of Nintendo’s top three selling franchises. However, based on the recent Nintendo Direct I don’t think I or anyone else should have any worries about the success of upcoming title New Horizons. The level of detail and care, quality of life upgrades, amount of features and the absolutely beautiful graphics shown off in this game leaves little doubt in my mind that this game will score off the charts. The only thing that may hamper this title is performance, but from what we’ve seen thus far and the history of the franchise, I don’t think we have much to worry about. It is obvious to myself as a long time fan how much effort has been put into this game, for one they have made new renders of every single piece of furniture! Nintendo hit the last direct out of the park with the announcement that you can completely customise your island among so many other amazing things that I will be bowled over if this game does poorly.

Verdict: Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the ultimate chill life-sim, collectathon package that will bring complete unadulterated joy to new and returning fans for sure.
Score: 97

Eleanore Blereau

Kieron: 74
Aza: 79
Zach: 79
Lil’ Rizky: 89
Dylan: 84

Kieran: 90
Adam: 90
Eleanore: 85
Jordan: 87

Please Explain: Doom as a franchise is close to many gamers’ hearts. Though the series has seen a substantial amount of ups – Doom and Doom II to name a few – it isn’t immune to the odd slip up here and there (that catastrophe of a feature length film comes to mind). Doom 3 wasn’t a slouch in terms of critical reception, but it didn’t do a whole lot to innovate and evolve the series as it focused more on horror and had a very linear approach to mission structure. Then id Software decided to throw out previous conventions and ramp everything up to 1000 for the release of their reboot, Doom 2016. Brutal, challenging and focused on building momentum, Doom 2016 was a breath of fresh, hellish air for the series and the FPS genre as a whole. So with Doom Eternal, id has incredible foundations to build upon, and from what we have seen of the game they have done that and much more. Incorporating a broader set of movement abilities, a deeper range of tactical combat options and a more well-rounded multiplayer offering, Doom Eternal seems to improve on every aspect seen in Doom 2016 while adding new features that will further improve the overall package. I have no doubt that Doom Eternal will surpass its predecessor in almost every way, including in review score. Also it has a grapple-hook shotgun, if that isn’t going to merit a higher score then nothing will.

Verdict: The improvements and additions over Doom 2016 will garner it a higher overall score, guaranteed.
Score: 90

Adam Ryan

Kieron: 87
Aza: 70
Zach: 86
Lil’ Rizky: 87
Dylan: 87

Kieran: 82
Adam: 90
Eleanore: 85
Jordan: 85

Please Explain: Capcom hit it big last year with the Resident Evil 2 Remake. Critics and players loved it – it scored 10s across the board (including one from yours truly) and it won a number of Game of the Year nominations and awards, including our very own GOTY award. Capcom will be hoping for a similar reception for its Resident Evil 3 Remake, however there a couple reasons as to why it may not hit the same heights. Firstly, that initial wow factor at just how slick a remade RE game can be has already been admirably demonstrated by RE2, and players may not be as blown away the second time around, even if the superb quality is matched. Secondly, RE2 was universally praised when it first launched in 1998 and fans had been begging for a remake for many years, whereas RE3 had a little more of a mixed reception and its street credit isn’t as big. Lastly, the RE3 remake is apparently shorter than the RE2 remake, and we know how much weight people put on time value.

Verdict: It’ll still score big, but it won’t topple RE2’s success.
Score: 86

Zach Jackson

Kieron: 87
Aza: 82
Zach: 81
Lil’ Rizky: 84
Dylan: 86

Kieran: 88
Adam: 86
Eleanore: 90
Jordan: 84

Please Explain: This one is interesting because I’ve actually had some time with Final Fantasy VII Remake since initially trying to guess the OpenCritic average, but luckily after having done so I think I’m gonna be fairly close. The game is big, beautiful and very respectful of the source material, so I can definitely see most critic reviews being on the very positive side of the fence. The only reason I can’t predict it breaking through into the 90s is that so far it comes off as (from what I’ve seen and played) a fairly linear experience, which is sure to be a sore point for some. I’d happily be proven wrong on that though, so I’m eager to see how it all plays out come release. 

Verdict: Looking good but it still has something to prove.
Score: 87

Kieron Verbrugge

Kieron: 94
Aza: 94
Zach: 94
Lil’ Rizky: 94
Dylan: 91

Kieran: 98
Adam: 94
Eleanore: 92
Jordan: 91

Please Explain: In the twilight of the last console generation, The Last of Us represented a crowning achievement in countless ways.  Featuring a powerful, well-crafted narrative that exuded a palpable sense of humanity, and a meticulous attention to technical detail bringing it all to life, TLOU’s universal acclaim was well deserved. Can The Last of Us 2 do the same thing at the end of this generation? You bet your random giraffe it can. From what we’ve seen and heard of TLOU2, we’re going to see an Ellie-centric tale that explores themes of love, violence, sexuality and desperation, and the talented folks at Naughty Dog have proved themselves a deft hand at exploring themes both lofty and dark with genuine care. The only thing TLOU2 really needs to do is step up the gameplay elements a bit compared to its predecessor, as this was the only real criticism levelled at the original.

Verdict: TLOU 2 will punch you directly in the emotional guts with a mature and dark narrative, while featuring a more focused approach in moment-to-moment gameplay.

Score: 98

Kieran Stockton

Kieron: 92
Aza: 92
Zach: 89
Lil’ Rizky: 94
Dylan: 84

Kieran: 95
Adam: 94
Eleanore: 94
Jordan: 82

Please Explain: Do I even need to explain why I’m pegging this game to score in the 90s on OpenCritic? Between the massive marketing machine and an entire global fanbase believing the sun shines from CD Projekt Red’s proverbials, it’ll take something pretty spectacular for people to dislike this game. Of course, we’re talking about critical reviews from actual (mostly honest) game critics, so I’m sticking to the low 90s with my guess, but I’ll honestly be very surprised if I’m wrong. As much as I want to hang crap on the whole thing for CDPR’s shoddy practices, I had to admit the game does look pretty fucking good.

Verdict: If this flops I’ll shit myself
Score: 92

Kieron Verbrugge

Kieron: 72
Aza: 54
Zach: 84
Lil’ Rizky: 85
Dylan: 76

Kieran: 69
Adam: 79
Eleanore: 77
Jordan: 80

Please Explain: The first Watch Dogs wasn’t a very good game. The second one was apparently great. The third one, by the laws of nature, must be mediocre. If it is not, Ubisoft will always be out of balance and Beyond Good and Evil 2 must be mediocre. I can’t live through a Duke Nukem Forever situation again. I just can’t. As a great man once said about the ideal state; perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Verdict: What goes up must come down. Watch Dogs Legion will bring the series tumbling down from its Watch Dogs 2 high.
Score: 54

Aza Hudson