The CriticDB logo against a backdrop of logos for several publications

New Aggregation Platform CriticDB Wants to Go "Beyond Traditional Aggregation"

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Published: January 23, 2025 11:00 AM

TechRaptor's very own Rutledge Daugette, along with several other members of the editorial team at our lovely little site, have announced CriticDB, a brand new review aggregator site that plans to "go beyond" traditional aggregation.

Rutledge describes CriticDB as a "new video game review aggregation and game discovery platform". As you've probably guessed from that, it'll aim not only to aggregate professional reviews, but also to help you find games you might have missed.

At launch, the site will aggregate over 75 outlets' reviews (and that includes us here at TechRaptor, of course), and the team anticipates it will launch with more than 20,000 reviews across over 2,000 game pages.

A game page for Lies of P on CriticDB
You'll be able to check out over 2,000 game pages at launch on CriticDB.

According to Rutledge's brief, CriticDB puts three pillars at the center of its mission:

  • Collecting reviews and previews from around the web
  • Connecting gamers with games they might have missed
  • Helping outlets and PR to connect more easily

Rutledge also says he wants the site to be a "positive force in the industry", highlighting "great work and games" that may otherwise go unnoticed. The site is also geared towards its users; the point is to create a "community-driven" platform.

On CriticDB, you'll be able to browse professional and user reviews (although Rutledge says user reviews will only be submittable by those who subscribe to the paid Pro user tier), follow outlets and creators, and create lists with various different parameters.

Those lists include favorites, wishlists, and even played and beaten games, so it looks like CriticDB might also be gunning for the crowns of the likes of Backloggd.

A user searching for certain games on CriticDB
CriticDB will feature a robust search function as well as plenty of user-centric features.

CriticDB users can create game pages for titles that are missing from the site's database, and they can also create links between similar games, helping other users to find games in their niche. Leaderboards will be available for users who create and link the most games, too.

Game pages consist of info like game release dates, listings for developers and publishers, and genres, as well as which platforms you can play the game on. Naturally, you'll also find CriticDB's signature "similar games" list, which will, if all goes well, have been at least partially curated by the site's community.

If you've ever found yourself wanting to find certain outlets, such as minority-owned platforms or independent sites, CriticDB will feature outlet tags to let you search for specific terms as well.

When it comes to the platform's future, Rutledge says the new site has a "robust roadmap" through which it will "expand...its features" throughout 2025. Some of the features coming to the platform include the following:

  • An XP system and badges for profiles
  • Outlet and author following
  • On-site notifications for new releases of your wishlisted games and more

If you're an outlet or a creator, you can also apply to be included on the platform when the review aggregation platform launches on January 30th, so make sure you add it to your bookmarks for then.


Disclosure: CriticDB was created and is run by several members of the TechRaptor editorial team.

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| Senior Writer

Joe has been writing for TechRaptor for several years, and in those years has learned a lot about the gaming industry and its foibles. He’s originally an… More about Joseph