[6] Studio work for the album was put on hold in mid-2007 due to vocalist Chad Gray's and guitarist Greg Tribbett's touring commitments with Hellyeah.

[4] The album received mixed reviews from critics, earning a rating of 50 out of 100 on Metacritic,[10] with positive reviews coming from Billboard, which wrote "Some of the fierce headbanging that is Mudvayne's stock in trade can still be found in 'The Hate in Me,' 'We the People' and 'Dull Boy,' but the bulk of the record finds the group playing its New Game with hard-hitting exuberance.

"[10] Another positive review came from the Boston Globe, which wrote, "Mudvayne used to be viewed as somewhat of a joke band with its costumes and makeup, but they're more out front and naked now, with markedly more genuine results.

"[10] James Christopher Monger of AllMusic gave the album a mixed review and wrote "The problem is, Mudvayne's own predilection for predictable loud/soft/loud set pieces, forgettable melodies, and over-reliance on words like 'sorrow,' 'rage,' 'abused,' 'disease,' 'nightmares,' and 'beatings' keeps things from ever leaving the tarmac.

"[4] Another mixed review appeared in Q, which said, "This fourth album finds them repeating the nifty trick of simplifying Tool's complex musical equations.

"[10] Negative reviews came from Sputnikmusic, who wrote that "The New Game signifies Mudvayne's transition from elite metal juggernaut to their inevitable fade into obscurity.