While writing for NME, Mark Beaumont rated the box set with 6/10 stars, praising the musical progression Coldplay have made over the years, but criticizing the B-sides selection consisted of "dreary acoustic rock slurry" songs. He also stated it was "like releasing every deleted scene from Last of the Summer Wine in a special edition bathtub on wheels".
The music journalist's assessment of the box set was grounded in their individual viewpoint, as reflected in Mark Beaumont's 6/10-star evaluation. The critic commended Coldplay's artistic development but disparaged the choice of bonus tracks.