Insights

Review archive cuts that surface critic-score gaps, cumulative GOTY strength, and strongly supported games outside the top ranks.

High critics, low GOTY share

Games with strong metascores but comparatively low cumulative GOTY share.

#1

Hades II
Original Metascore95

2025

Cumulative score share

2.7%

Meta-GOTY gap

92.3 pts

Sources

7

Winner selections

7
#2

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Original Metascore93

2018

Cumulative score share

1.2%

Meta-GOTY gap

91.8 pts

Sources

4

Winner selections

4
#3

Demon's Souls Remake
Remake Metascore92

2020

Cumulative score share

0.5%

Meta-GOTY gap

91.5 pts

Sources

3

Winner selections

1
#4

Half-Life: Alyx
Original Metascore93

2020

Cumulative score share

2.4%

Meta-GOTY gap

90.6 pts

Sources

10

Winner selections

9
#5

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood and Wine
Expansion Metascore94

2016

Cumulative score share

3.5%

Meta-GOTY gap

90.5 pts

Sources

10

Winner selections

10
#6

Microsoft Flight Simulator
Original Metascore91

2020

Cumulative score share

0.7%

Meta-GOTY gap

90.3 pts

Sources

5

Winner selections

2

GOTY strength beyond critic score

Games with modest or midrange metascores that still performed strongly in GOTY aggregation.

#1

Death Stranding
Original Metascore82

2019

Cumulative score share

26.9%

Meta-GOTY gap

55.1 pts

Sources

56

Winner selections

56
#2

Resident Evil Village
Original Metascore84

2021

Cumulative score share

14.3%

Meta-GOTY gap

69.7 pts

Sources

43

Winner selections

39
#3

Ghost of Tsushima
Original Metascore83

2020

Cumulative score share

12.3%

Meta-GOTY gap

70.7 pts

Sources

49

Winner selections

46
#4

Control
Original Metascore82

2019

Cumulative score share

9.2%

Meta-GOTY gap

72.8 pts

Sources

19

Winner selections

19
#5

Black Myth: Wukong
Original Metascore81

2024

Cumulative score share

9.1%

Meta-GOTY gap

71.9 pts

Sources

30

Winner selections

22
#6

Alien: Isolation
Original Metascore81

2014

Cumulative score share

5.4%

Meta-GOTY gap

75.6 pts

Sources

18

Winner selections

18

Strong support outside the top tier

Games outside each year's top five that were strongly backed by the sources that selected them.

#1

Far Cry 4
Original Metascore85

2014

Winner rate

100%

Year rank

#6

Score share

5.4%

Sources

17

Winner selections

17
#2

Bayonetta 2
Original Metascore91

2014

Winner rate

100%

Year rank

#7

Score share

4.7%

Sources

16

Winner selections

16
#3

Dark Souls II
Original Metascore91

2014

Winner rate

100%

Year rank

#8

Score share

4.4%

Sources

14

Winner selections

14
#4

Destiny
Original Metascore76

2014

Winner rate

100%

Year rank

#9

Score share

3.8%

Sources

12

Winner selections

12
#5

INSIDE
Original Metascore93

2016

Winner rate

100%

Year rank

#6

Score share

3.9%

Sources

11

Winner selections

11
#6

Divinity: Original Sin II
Original Metascore93

2017

Winner rate

100%

Year rank

#6

Score share

3.1%

Sources

11

Winner selections

11