New Release Breaks the PS5 Exclusive Dominance at the Top of Metacritic

A new release has taken the number two spot on the Best Games This Year chart on Metacritic, breaking up PS5 dominance in the process. The top dog of this chart remains unscathed. That game is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth with its 92 on Metacritic, two points higher than the next closest game, which is now officially Balatro. Previously, it was The Last of Us Part II Remastered, but that is now number three. The two games technically have the same score, 90, but the former must be closer to 91 than the latter given that it is listed higher.

This is the result of the new game gaining a few points on Metacritic the past week or so. Whether it will maintain this score and spot, remains to be seen. This score is specifically for the PC version of the game, which has garnered way more reviews than other platforms. That said, when you factor in the 95 for the Xbox Series X version, the 91 for the PS5 version, and the 88 for the Nintendo Switch version, and then divide by four, you get a score of 91. So, technically, you could argue it is sitting at a 91, but Metacritic gives the game the score of its most-reviewed version. Meanwhile, if you want to get very technical, its Xbox Series X|S version is the highest rated game of the year. 

If you are not familiar with Balatro, its a poker roguelike game from developer LocalThunk, which debuts with the release. Meanwhile, it has been published by Playstack, a publisher who has gained some notoriety with 2022's The Case of the Golden Idol and 2021's Mortal Shell.

"Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big," reads an official blurb about the game. "Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You're going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory."

If any of this has piqued your interest, you can expect to fork over $14.99 to play Balatro. For this, you get a game that is at minimum of five hours. However, most will probably spend about 30 hours with the game. And if you are a completionist, expect to set aside at least 100 hours.