Badge catalogue
315 badges for the good bits, the bad decisions and everything that earned a closer look.
The clown ratings
These add to the score from individual badges. How the scoring works →
315 badges
- Circus badge Always Online Hostage +4
Monetisation, platforms and ownership
A private activity requiring permanent permission from a distant computer.
3 posts with this badge → - Positive Animation Worth Rewatching ✓
Art and animation
Ordinary movement looks good enough to rewind.
View badge → - Circus badge Animations Held Together With String +2
Art and animation
Stiff, awkward movement that looks wrong even before you start paying attention to it.
1 post with this badge → - Circus badge Anime Trope Overload +1
Story and writing
The entire trope shelf fell into one script.
4 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Another Unreal Engine Tech Demo +2
Art and animation
Blue fog. Shiny rocks. Another Unreal demo waiting for an art director.
3 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Apology Without An Apology +1
PR and hype
Many words expressing sadness that you reacted correctly.
1 post with this badge → - Circus badge Art Team Revolt +3
Company conduct
The artists produced something distinctive despite everything the company around them was doing.
2 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Asset Flip Energy +3
Polish
A shopping basket of premade parts held together by a logo.
1 post with this badge → - Circus badge Astroturfing Operation +4
PR and hype
Supposedly ordinary people getting excited. Someone is paying to make it look that way.
View badge → - Positive Ate My Entire Week ✓
Overall verdict
I opened it for a quick look. Several evenings are now missing.
2 posts with this badge → - Positive Bad Controls, Great Comedy ✓
Gameplay
The controls are a complete mess, and trying to use them is half the entertainment.
1 post with this badge → - Circus badge Bagholder Factory +4
Money and management
Early backers get their exit. Everyone buying the excitement gets to find out what it is really worth.
2 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Bait & Switch +4
Company conduct
They sold people one thing, collected the money, then delivered something rather different.
15 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Bare Bones +2
Polish
Barely enough game to justify the loading screen.
5 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Battle Pass Employment +3
Monetisation, platforms and ownership
A timed checklist turns leisure into shift work with expiring wages.
2 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Benchmark Theatre +2
PR and hype
Excellent results on the tests they chose to show. Would quite like to see the rest.
3 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Bigger Than It Needed To Be +2
Structure and progression
The map got bigger. Most of the extra game is travelling across it.
4 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Blame The User +2
PR and hype
The product failed because customers used it in the obvious way.
View badge → - Circus badge Boardroom Brain Rot +3
Money and management
Did anyone in that meeting actually use the product they were making decisions about?
26 posts with this badge → - Circus badge Bot Lobby Simulator +2
Multiplayer
Queued for other players. Starting to recognise how many of these opponents are bots.
View badge → - Positive Both Dubs Work ✓
Sound and performance
Both casts suit the characters. Pick whichever language you prefer.
View badge → - Circus badge Bought It To Kill It +4
Company conduct
An acquisition used as the world’s most expensive off switch.
View badge → - Positive Broken In All The Funniest Ways ✓
Budget, ambition and jank
The game is collapsing with impeccable comic timing.
View badge → - Positive Budget Price, Proper Game ✓
Value
Costs a fraction of the big releases and still gives you a proper game to get stuck into.
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