This dataset contains a collection of video games released between 1998 and 2021, featuring ratings from both critics (via Metacritic) and players (Userscore). The dataset is particularly useful for comparing how critics and players rate games across different genres, platforms, and time periods.
- Titles: The names of the video games.
- Platforms: The platforms on which the games are available (e.g., PC, PlayStation 4, Switch). Some games are released on multiple platforms.
- Metascore: The aggregated critic score from Metacritic, on a scale from 0 to 100.
- Userscore: The player score, provided by users on Metacritic, on a scale from 0 to 10. For some new or less popular games, the score may still be marked as 'tbd' (to be determined).
- Genre: The genre of the game (e.g., action, adventure, RPG). Some games may fit into multiple genres.
- Date: The official release date of the game.
The analysis performed on this dataset focuses on several key areas:
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Average Ratings by Genre and Platform:
- How do critic and player ratings vary across different game genres (e.g., action, RPG, adventure)?
- How do ratings differ based on the platform (e.g., PC, PlayStation, Xbox) the game was released on?
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Distribution Comparison:
- A comparison of the distribution of average critic and player scores, highlighting potential trends or differences between how critics and players rate games.
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Yearly Trend Analysis:
- Exploring the average ratings of critics and players over time, to observe how these ratings have evolved from 1998 to 2021.
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Classification System: Game Quality:
- A classification model is built to predict whether a game is classified as Good, Average, or Bad based on selected features (e.g., platform, genre, userscore, year of release). This model allows for an exploration of what factors contribute most to a game's success or failure, according to the ratings.
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Classification System: Game Success Among Players:
- Another classification model is built to predict whether a game was considered successful among players based only on the Metascore. This analysis provides insight into the correlation between critic scores and player reception, exploring whether a higher Metascore is a reliable predictor of a game's success among its audience.
This analysis provides valuable insights into the relationship between critic and player ratings, allowing a deeper understanding of how games are perceived across different genres, platforms, and over time. The two classification systems—one for game quality and the other for player success—add a predictive element, showing how certain features and ratings may influence a game's perception and success.