Stephen Tailby
Push SquareThe Witness - Jonathan Blow's Latest Is an Essential PS4 Puzzler
Published 2/27/2019
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
+3 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalCritic Atlas
Making subjectivity useful.
PS4 / PC / iOS / Mac / XONE - 1/26/2016
The Witness
The Witness is a single-player game in an open world with dozens of locations to explore and over 500 puzzles. This game respects you as an intelligent player and it treats your time as precious. There's no filler; each of those puzzles brings its own new idea into the mix. So, this is a game full of ideas.
- Developer
- Thekla, Inc
- Publisher
- Thekla, Inc
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Critic average
87
Average of 39 scored external reviews.
User average
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Strategic / planning-heavyDefining · Curated baseline
Systems / mechanics-drivenDefining · Curated baseline
Exploration-drivenDefining · Curated baseline
Puzzle / logic-focusedDefining · Curated baseline
Side-content richDefining · Curated baseline
Unconventional / experimentalDefining · Curated baseline
Atmosphere-driven / aesthetic identityDefining · Curated baseline
Highly replayableModerately · Curated baseline
Show 12 more descriptors
Cozy / low-pressureModerately · Curated baseline
Punishing / high-pressureModerately · Curated baseline
Serious / dark / groundedSlightly · Curated baseline
Whimsical / playful / lightheartedSlightly · Curated baseline
Story / character-drivenSlightly · Curated baseline
Run-based / proceduralNot present · Curated baseline
Reflex / execution-heavyNot present · Curated baseline
Combat / action-focusedNot present · Curated baseline
Buildcraft / customization-heavyNot present · Curated baseline
Loot / progression-drivenNot present · Curated baseline
Multiplayer / socialNot present · Curated baseline
Short / focusedNot present · Curated baseline
Bars show a weighted description signal from player answers and curated baseline data.
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Review coverage
Critic signal strength
Numeric critic scoring uses full scored reviews once available. Review-in-progress scores act as temporary early signal only until full review scores exist. Unscored reviews still count as coverage, but they are not included in the critic average.
High confidencePolarized
Critic avg
87
39 scored reviews
Total coverage
39
All coverage currently scored
Score range
50–100
Lowest to highest scored review
Signal shape
Polarized
Score range is 31+ points
Critic landscape
The critic average is 87 across 39 scored reviews, with a 50-point spread. Critics are far apart on this one.
How to read this
Treat the average carefully. A polarized landscape is where reviewer match, review text, and score deltas matter more than the headline number.
Most scored reviews currently sit in the 90–100 band.
Score distribution
Shows how included scored reviews are clustered across the normalized 100-point scale.
39 included scored reviews
90–10027 reviews · 69%
80–895 reviews · 13%
70–793 reviews · 8%
Below 704 reviews · 10%
Showing 1-10 of 39 matching critic reviews. 39 total critic reviews. Page 1 of 4.
Matt Mirkovich
Gaming NexusThe Witness Review - Gaming Nexus
Published 9/23/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
95
+8 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalBrennan Dyal
DualShockersThe Witness Review — We’re All Witnesses
Published 9/19/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
+3 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalKen McKown
ZTGDThe Witness (XB1) Review
Published 9/16/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
+3 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalDae Jim
Life is XboxThe Witness Review
Published 9/15/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
95
+8 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalJed Whitaker
CGMagazineThe Witness (PS4) Review
Published 2/17/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
50
-37 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalEric Van Allen
GamingTrendPeeling back the layers — The Witness review
Published 2/9/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
+3 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalChris "Atom" DeAngelus
Worth PlayingPS4 Review - 'The Witness'
Published 2/8/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
95
+8 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalAustin Adamson
MonsterVineThe Witness Review
Published 2/7/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
+3 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalFrancesco De Meo
WccftechThe Witness Review - Life Is One Giant Puzzle
Published 2/6/2016
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
92
+5 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalPlayer reviews
Player reviews
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