Understanding Metascore
A Single Number That Blends Critic Reviews
Metacritic takes published reviews from professional critics, converts them into a 0–100 scale, and provides a weighted average called the Metascore. It’s meant to reflect overall critical consensus.
How Does It Work?
A glowing review might become a 100, a scathing one might be a 20. Once enough are collected, Metacritic averages them—usually giving more weight to certain outlets or reviewers.
Interpreting the Numbers
Many critic reviews are scored using stars (like the site you’re on!), which Metacritic converts to numbers:
Out of 5 stars:
5 stars = 100
4.5 stars = 90
4 stars = 80
3.5 stars = 70
and so on.
Out of 4 stars:
4 stars = 100
3 stars = 75
2 stars = 50
1 star = 25
Even reviews without a score are interpreted and assigned a number by Metacritic’s editorial team.
Why Does It Matter?
Metacritic is useful when you want to know how critics felt on the whole, not just whether they liked or disliked something. It accounts for how strongly a critic felt—not just what side they landed on.
Limitations of Metascore
Metacritic is not a raw average. Some critics and publications are weighted more heavily than others, though the exact formula for this weighting is not public.
That means the final score is a curated and editorial product, not a purely mathematical one. It can still give a good sense of critical consensus—but it’s shaped behind the scenes.
Notable Scores
- Dune (2021) — 83 (high praise for scope, visuals, and execution)
- Oblivion (2013) — 60 (mixed reviews, praised for visuals but seen as derivative)
- Eternals (2021) — 52 (critics were sharply divided, with many noting tone and pacing issues)
- Moonfall (2022) — 33 (widely panned for writing and coherence, though some enjoyed the chaos)