You seem to be forgetting that gaming scores essentially range from 60-100, not 0-100.
Any game that scores in the 50s (or less) was panned, no amount of spin lessens that.
End results, scores aside for Free Radical, Haze being their last big project:
"On December 18, 2008, it was reported that the studio had shut down,[5] though it was later confirmed that the company had gone into administration,[6] leaving 40 of the original 185 staff still employed.[7]
On February 3, 2009, Haze scriptwriter Rob Yescombe confirmed that Free Radical Design had been purchased by German games developer Crytek.[8], which was then confirmed by Crytek themselves the following day.[9]"
End results for Factor 5, Lair being their last big project:
"In late December 2008, several online media outlets reported that Brash Entertainment (Factor 5's publisher of their current project) would close at the end of the month after encountering financial problems. This sudden interruption in funding left Factor 5 with their own funding difficulties. The company's current state has not been officially announced but unconfirmed "insider" reports claim that they have ceased operations.[1]"







